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Any feedback/review of these Recaro Pole Position ABE seats?
Saw these in a RL member's post and am interested in ordering a set- probably in gray Alcantara rather than the handsome Pepita.
Have to actually sit in one to know if I fit, but they look as sexy as the OEM LWB and are available brand new with custom stitching, de-bossed crest on headset and choice of material for a fraction for the price for a used set. The "glass reinforced" plastic backs are good looking, but the carbon option puts them on par with the OEM version to my eyes.
They are ABE (street legal) but might not play well with passenger airbag sensor, but that's TTBD after some research.
TIA for any info- or if anyone in the LA area has a set installed and willing to meet up for a test fit, LMK. (Beers are on me.)
Full CF version with leather, Alcatara inserts, debossed crest on headrest, heated and deviated stitching:
I particularly like that the lower half of the seatback is not as fragile, easily scuffed/scratched (and even harder to touch up) as with full carbon coverage. But one can see the carbon through rear window(s):
Downsides: No folding hinge to access rear seats/storage and no adjustability save fore/aft and questionable getting a perfect fixed seat height via the mounting bracket choice- the banes for me, so far, in pursuing OEM LWB (now the cost alone is prohibitive).
17 pounds and a cool USD $3945/each plus $165/wheel shipping, plus seat rails/mounting hardware ($200?), plus any import duty due from customs, plus install labor at a Recaro certified shop of which there are many in the US.
4-6 weeks build to order time and a 99% German authorized Recaro seller approval rating on eBay.
Last edited by Liste-Renn; 05-21-2024 at 01:42 AM.
I think they look great, but I'm not willing to give up the adjustability my hardback sport seats have. If that seat base to backrest recline angle isn't exactly perfect, I'd hate them over time even if I could angle the whole seat.
i find the ABE an amazingly comfortable seat, I run a pair in my M3 CS, pricing is so much better than the gouging going on now for the same oem seat (minus the airbag) I’ve had them in for 2 weeks and it’s my daily. Very comfortable so far I’ve spend a short commute in them and longest time was about 70mins trip w stop and go traffic
they were overall terrific.
BUT… I won’t be adding a set to my 997 for 2 reasons:
1-they don’t fold so you will basically loose all access to the rear of the 997 sea breaker for me. In my m3 (sedan) it actually increases rear leg room because the set backrest is thinner
2- while comfortable the my adaptive sport seats are more comfortable and hold me fine on the track.
Both of you reflected my fear of discomfort and rear access limitation.
I might buy one if the fit checks out with my 6'4"/ 190lb frame and I can maintain access the back area via the folding passenger seat.
No adjustment is a bit scary.
I have *** (16-way, no thigh bolster extension) in my GTS and I agree that with the upper/lower bolsters set right and grippy Alcantara inserts, I do not slide around one bit- even in insane corners with high lateral loads. I don't buy the notion that you feel more "connected" to the car in an uncomfortable shell with zero adjustment save fore/aft. Pulling G's is much more tolerable in a padded/adjustable seat-regardless of how much you might depend on the straps/belts to hold you in place. (A former military pilot's opinion.)
Race car driver shells are custom fitted and a bad fit will make you a slower driver due to using the wheel for torso stability and fatigue/distraction from back pain/discomfort.
Then there is the road trip comfort compromise...but I can always re-install the *** driver's side seat before an extended trip.
What a royal PITA, but I am still tempted.
The design and CF looks so damn cool- but I know my wife would not tolerate them. She has *** (18-way) in her Macan GTS and is already spoiled.
Last edited by Liste-Renn; 05-21-2024 at 07:36 PM.
The PP seats are amazing but...as you and others have pointed out, lack of folding and ingress/egress is a PITA. Once you are in, they feel great! If you are considering getting "better" seats than the OE ***, I highly recommend Recaro Sportster seats. They have 95%+ of the grip and feel of the bucket seats, plus they fold and look amazing. They look/feel so much better than *** and there are a few shops that will customize these seats to your specification. There should be an automotive shop near you where you can sit and try these seats. The Sparco equivalent of the Sportster is the SPX. Those are $3,300 ea. I've never sat in one so I can speak to those, but they do like purdy.
And finally, I just discovered Recaro has a new seat called the Sport C: 8-way electric seats. Apparently the seat back will be foldable but the site says it is still in development. They are also available with airbags and 2-way heat. Cost is $3000-3,400 ea. Looks interesting. Keep us posted on your new seats. I like spending your money!!!
Originally Posted by Liste-Renn
Both of you reflected my fear of discomfort and rear access limitation.
I might buy one if the fit checks out with my 6'4"/ 190lb frame and I can maintain access the back area via the folding passenger seat.
No adjustment is a bit scary.
I have *** (16-way, no thigh bolster extension) in my GTS and I agree that with the upper/lower bolsters set right and grippy Alcantara inserts, I do not slide around one bit- even in insane corners with high lateral loads. I don't buy the notion that you feel more "connected" to the car in an uncomfortable shell with zero adjustment save fore/aft. Pulling G's is much more tolerable in a padded/adjustable seat-regardless of how much you might depend on the straps/belts to hold you in place. (A former military pilot's opinion.)
Race car driver shells are custom fitted and a bad fit will make you a slower driver due to using the wheel for torso stability and fatigue/distraction from back pain/discomfort.
Then there is the road trip comfort compromise...but I can always re-install the *** driver's side seat before an extended trip.
What a royal PITA, but I am still tempted.
The design and CF looks so damn cool- but I know my wife would not tolerate them. She has *** (18-way) in her Macan GTS and is already spoiled.
And finally, I just discovered Recaro has a new seat called the Sport C: 8-way electric seats. Apparently the seat back will be foldable but the site says it is still in development. They are also available with airbags and 2-way heat. Cost is $3000-3,400 ea. Looks interesting. Keep us posted on your new seats. I like spending your money!!!
Just some clarifications @Busta Rib , we are a RECARO retailer and unfortunately the Sport C does not come in carbon fiber, and there is nothing official on our end about integrated air bags and honestly, I doubt it. The good news is the "quick fold" for rear access is ETA September 2024. The seats are adjustable and available to order now, just with out the "quick fold". For more information you can check out the link to the RECARO Sport C on our website.
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I lived with Pole Positions in my safari 997 while I had carbon buckets in my C2s. Had 12 ways once, and moved from *** to the carbon buckets. So here's my feedback:
I really didn't like the look of the ABE seats flaring out (your interior photo above is the FIA seat). I liked the FIA seats which I found both narrower and a little more hard to get into than the carbon buckets. The difficulty came from the "verticality" of the sides, where the carbon buckets are more angled allowing you to drop into them easier.
The Recaro leather is about on par with the pebbled base 997 leather, which I never liked.
I use my car a ton, and I didn't really find it to be an issue to lose access to the back seat with the Recaros. I mean, I also paid $1500 for the leather pair so it was an easy compromise to make.
My recommendation also would be to see if you can buy used if you're okay with expiry dates or close to it. That way you can customize the hell out of them for less than a pair of the brand new $3.5k ones above. By saving on used you can upgrade leather and or buy a spare set of rear seats to match the inserts.
I truly love my carbon buckets - but not in a million years would I pay the $15-18k for a set today. I got in way lower and am staying put, but therefore give my thumbs up to the Pole Positions.
One final remark - the newer Sportster and other Recaro seats have new patterns that look way too "modern" for our cars - like this:
@Highline-Autos.com I didn't state or imply the Sport C comes in CF. Not sure where you got that from. The reference to airbags was taken from Recaro's brochure. It states it is in development, similar to the "quick fold" feature.
Originally Posted by Highline-Autos.com
Just some clarifications @Busta Rib , we are a RECARO retailer and unfortunately the Sport C does not come in carbon fiber, and there is nothing official on our end about integrated air bags and honestly, I doubt it. The good news is the "quick fold" for rear access is ETA September 2024. The seats are adjustable and available to order now, just with out the "quick fold". For more information you can check out the link to the RECARO Sport C on our website.
I have pole positions in my car, not really a fan except for the weight savings. I’m a sucker for weight savings.
I like that new C Recaro, but it needs a carbon fiber back.
@Highline-Autos.com I didn't state or imply the Sport C comes in CF. Not sure where you got that from. The reference to airbags was taken from Recaro's brochure. It states it is in development, similar to the "quick fold" feature.
OP is looking at RECARO carbon buckets in his original post, just clarifying the RECARO Sport C does not come in carbon fiber.
Unfortunately RECARO's marketing department likes to make announcements prior to getting the "ok" from engineering. Considering none of the RECARO models available in the US have an integrated airbag, and as a RECARO retailer, nothing I see on my end mentions the airbag integration to come in the future, I'm just letting it be known I wouldn't be holding out to purchase based on that feature.
I like that new C Recaro, but it needs a carbon fiber back.
This probably won't happen because they're really trying to push the new RECARO Podium in carbon fiber. However, RECARO did just acquire a US based carbon fiber manufacture, so who knows that can happen!
Wouldn't be the first time marketing got in front of Engineering/product development! Given your connection/relationship with Recaro, please ask them to develop a foldable CF bucket seat similar to the folding bucket seats made for the 997/991. These seats are now unobtainium. The market for a set on the used market is $15-20K! They will likely only appreciate from here. There is a strong market for a reasonable alternative at the $7-10K/set price point.
Originally Posted by Highline-Autos.com
OP is looking at RECARO carbon buckets in his original post, just clarifying the RECARO Sport C does not come in carbon fiber.
Unfortunately RECARO's marketing department likes to make announcements prior to getting the "ok" from engineering. Considering none of the RECARO models available in the US have an integrated airbag, and as a RECARO retailer, nothing I see on my end mentions the airbag integration to come in the future, I'm just letting it be known I wouldn't be holding out to purchase based on that feature.
Wouldn't be the first time marketing got in front of Engineering/product development! Given your connection/relationship with Recaro, please ask them to develop a foldable CF bucket seat similar to the folding bucket seats made for the 997/991. These seats are now unobtainium. The market for a set on the used market is $15-20K! They will likely only appreciate from here. There is a strong market for a reasonable alternative at the $7-10K/set price point.
Trust me, I've told them. And I agree, everyone else makes them, and like you said, OEM are crazy expensive. There is a while "re-shell" RECARO industry because RECARO does not offer the Sportster line up or anything similar with a carbon shell.
Trenton O. Gibson tgibson@highline-autos.com Highline Autos Direct: 602.909.9216 Office: 480.348.0777
As usual on RL, a fountain of informed advice and information.
Every mod I made to my GTS was guided/informed by helpful folks on this site.
@Busta Rib Jim, if we meet up in Bend next month, would love to sit in your LWB and get directions to the shop in your town that customizes shells.
@Highline-Autos.com , thaks for your invaluable input. If I decide to go with the customized Pole Positions, even with no fold capability, I would be happy to source them through you. Seems like the eBay seller is a Recaro retailer like yourself and does the leather/stitching debossing in house or sublet, then sends the completed seat to the US with $165/seat shipping (seems cheap!), US customs duty and the seat mounting hardware and installation as additional cost. No sales tax, but the German VAT is probably baked into the $3500 cost.
@Hootsama, you have the "widest" variety of actual seat time in the different options available. The rear access issue is a priority, but not a deal breaker. I have soft duffel luggage that can fit between the seatbacks and could relocate my small drink/snack cooler into the frunk. Living in Hawaii and having my car in SoCal prevents me from admiring it while static- which is when I would appreciate the absolutely killer looks of a CF back racing seat. At this point in my financial life, resale/recoup value of mods and even the actual cost is secondary to getting exactly what I want. That said, I have retained all the OEM parts that can accompany a future sale to afford the new owner the option to return the car to build-sheet originality. The other school of thought is to return it to stock and sell the mods separately (though at a likely loss). I think you net more $ that way, but it would be a hassle to revert and market the mods.
Ahhh, the dilemma of doing mods on a classic (or future classic) car. Originality is almost universally valued, but tasteful mods done that improve the performance, sound, tactile driver touch points, comfort and (always a debated topic) aesthetics are worth doing. My old Fender Tele and Gibson ES-125 would sound better with advanced pickups, but it would feel like blasphemy to alter them, especially if cutting/routing were necessary. Reversible mods is the elegant solution, I suppose.
On a 997 GTS, PPF, interior LED bulbs, a back-up camera integrated into the PCM, a DSC PASM box, new center-lock wheels with proper offsets (preferably lighter than OEM), center muffler delete (preferably a Sharky), a Numeric or SSK (with FF SRK) shifter, improved aerodynamics if high speed driving is enjoyed and at the least 16-way *** seats are all mods worth every penny- whether that $ can be recouped later or not. And all are easily reversed/undone. YYMV, just my opinion. Oh, and fuzzy dice dangling from the rear view mirror!
Last edited by Liste-Renn; 05-22-2024 at 05:23 PM.
Well my friend Mr. @Liste-Renn you have me confused with someone else, as I almost certainly have the least amount of seat time in ***, LWB, FLWB, aftermarket, etc. I have no informed opinion on what will suit you best, aside from a respectful suggestion that, based on your previous remarks, you make this decision based on the feel from the driver seat, not the view through the back window.
As for the modding debate, you have the luxury of keeping your OEM parts in inventory which I feel is the best way to future-proof yourself. You have an amazing car in terrific spec and condition and while I can't imagine you'll sell it anytime soon, things change and there is real value in being able to offer it in OEM trim.
05-20-2024, 05:21 PM
Any feedback/review of these Recaro Pole Position ABE seats?
