I'm looking at a pre-owned 997 with dual power seats. My problem is that my wife finds the passenger seats unacceptably uncomfortable. (She's not tall, and the issue apparently has to do with how the contour of the back rest fits her.)

I would not mind replacing one or both seats - but I am unsure of what kind of options I have. I'm thinking that if I find something acceptable, I can put in the replacement seat(s) and save the old ones for when I resell the car.

I know that some put in racing seats - and I'm not looking for that obviously. But can anyone give me information or recommendations about what there is on the market for the 997 - or possibly some information from people who've modified p-car seats.

Thanks, Paul

 

Black/Terra replaced his seats a while back...........

 

Are you sure she adjusted the lumbar support properly? The power seat package seats are about as comfy as 997 seats get (or any seats, for that matter). All other options as well as aftermarket seats are more sport-oriented.

 

My seat doesn't fit me that well either. I put the lumbar as low as it will go but I still need it lower. Then again I have the same problem with all car seats. My chiropractor tells me that most car seat's lumbar support doesn't have enough range to fit most drivers. I just deal with it but I have to say that the Porsche seats are just as good if not better than others I've tried.

Have you looked into Recaro seats?

 

Here is a link http://www.speedwaremotorsports.com/seat/ortho04.asp

 

Just spoke with a sales guy at dealership. ( Couldn't reach parts/service people yet.) He says seats aren't replaceable because the (side?) airbag is in the seatback. Does this make sense?

He suggests taking car to an upholstery shop to get padding modified.

 

RedRam, seats are replacable but then you have to take it to the dealer to turn-off the airbag like using the PIWIS.

 

He is correct that there are airbags in the seatbacks, and that if you want to retain them they can't be replaced.

I wouldn't buy the car assuming an upholstery shop can modify the seats to your satisfaction.

 

Just thinking out loud here... I'm not sure if I were a dealer I'd disable any airbag function. I could see it now, there's an accident and the side airbag doesn't go off because there is none. Dealer ends up in litigation because he knowingly tampered with an airbag...

I know there are many who take out seats and put in racing shells - I'd wonder the same in those cases as well... What's the liability - and that applies to you the owner of the car as well. If somebody is hurt in your car because you don't have that side airbag, are you responsible because you removed it?

 

I'm pretty confident that you'll have to sign a waiver if the dealer deactivates the side air bags. I had to when I got a front-seat air bag deactivation for a child seat (986).

Of course, for the buyer, if there are no seats that make the 997 acceptable, then the buyer can get a 996 and be without seat air bags in the first place

 

arenared, i believe the de-activation is different from complete removal (government/liability issues). it may be different in the USA, but in canada, to remove airbags such as the driver's steering wheel one, you need to fill out some paperwork with the government and prove to them that you're too short or will have to be seated in a position that would make the airbag dangerous to you.
may not apply to side airbags, but it would be hard to prove those as dangerous.

my 2 cents. cheers.

 

It's been done here. 'mooty' put in 996 GT3 seats in (one of) his Cayman and got the seat airbag deactivated. I don't know how much hassle it would be, but there apparently is an option in PIWIS to configure it that way. It does seem to me to be less critical than the steering wheel airbags which were the first places for them. Anyone know if the 997 GT3 seats will have seat airbags?

 

^ they won't have them. They're not OEM on the cars in america and are not required in europe so i don't think it's an issue their conscerend aboot.