Can I change the seats in my car?

It’s pretty much impossible to drive a car or bus without sitting in your seat, but the place we rest ourselves whilst driving is often overlooked from a comfort and an aesthetic point of view. If you are struggling with backache or a sore backside after anything more than a short journey, this could be the blog post for you. Let us explore the options available as we answer the question: can I change the seats in my car?

Before we dive in too deep, let's mention the quick fixes that may sort the problem for you. A basic waterproof 'Snap-On' type seat cover can hide a multitude of sins and make you look like a seasoned mechanic or surfer, rather than a cash strapped enthusiast from twenty paces. You could even sneak a cushion under there for some additional comfort and no-one would know! Find these blue seat covers here. 

At the other end of the style spectrum, you could enhance the retro styling of your chosen classic with some period-correct seat accessories. When was the last time you saw a set of beaded seat covers?!!

One step down from a full retrim is a set of tailored seat covers, like the SSP range we offer for T4 and T5 owners. These can be fitted in around an hour without the need to unbolt anything, and thanks to hidden straps and discreet zips they will appear nicely contoured to the shape of the seats. They also come complete with matching headrest and armrest covers to complete the transformation.

Upgrading to a higher trim level is particularly easy to do if you own a ‘lesser spec’ VW passenger vehicle. A Golf Driver or CL model can be treated to some luxury with a GL interior, or experience some extra sportiness by sourcing a tidy GTI trim from a vehicle of the same age. Facebook, Forums, eBay and specialist breakers like Mk2 Spares UK are all worth trying. 

The same theory applies to a classic Porsche owner who may choose to swap out their simple cloth seats for a set of deep bolster leather sport seats in their quest for pew perfection. 

The pinnacle for many in VW circles is fitting the fabled Recaro badged seats. Whilst Mk3 and Mk4 versions still change hands for sensible money, a decent set of Mk2 Golf Recaro seats commands thousands and it's not unusual to find a vehicle being bought just to donate its interior to another. 

The good news is if you follow the OE interior path we can supply you with a host of original VW seat material and replacement seat foam padding to help with any restorative work your seats may require.

One of the best ways to release your inner racing driver is to install a set of bucket seats in your interior. But there are a few things to be aware of:  there are two different types of bucket seat, ‘fixed back’ and ‘reclining’, and they are unlikely to be a direct fit.

Fixed back bucket seats as the name suggests, offer nothing in the way of back adjustment. If like me, you favour a more relaxed driving position or are partial to a nap after a long drive to a show, they might not be for you. Specified in almost all motorsport regulations, keep an eye out for FIA approval and a valid certification date if you have your eye on competing in the future.

Reclining bucket seats are aimed mainly at fast road and track day use. Comprising of a separate base and backrest, they have the option to recline for comfort and some will also flip forward for rear-seat access, making them far more practical for regular road use.

Both types will have slots at the top of the backrest for race harnesses to be fitted through, and fixed seats should also have slots on either side of your waist, and possibly a central slot for leg straps too.

As bucket seats are universal by design, you will need to purchase seat subframes to install them into your vehicle. For many modern vehicles, the seat manufacturers will have produced a subframe that bolts to the base or side of the bucket seat, with legs or runners to suit the original floor pan.  If your vehicle is too old or is more unusual, you will need to source universal seat frames or make something yourself out of some box section steel in order to secure your chosen seats in place - a bit like the bucket seat on this race simulator rig. 

It’s not uncommon for owners of slammed Type 2 busses to fit ‘tubs’ to their front wheel arches offering extra clearance and allowing for the vehicle to be driven at a much lower ride height.

One of the downsides to this it raises the mounting points for the driver and passenger seats, not only altering the driving position but making the cab headlining even closer to the occupants’ heads too.

The easiest solution seems to be fitting a custom seat base, in conjunction with the original seatback. This seat base will be significantly thinner than before, but made of much denser material, bringing the driving position back in line with the original setup. The downside is a potential loss of comfort,  but you can’t have everything!

If you have fitted an alternative seat, then the mounts or sliders may need to be discarded under the seat to keep the height to a minimum. 

One modification that is prevalent with owners of VW T4 and T5 is swapping the drivers and passenger seats out for something more comfortable and stylish. Maybe in a bid to shake the commercial roots of their newly converted campervan owners will source these seats from luxury cars or sports models, which may or, may not hail from the VAG stable.

There are a few considerations when choosing an alternative seat for a modern Transporter. The first thing to understand is that they won’t be a direct fit, so a custom subframe will be required. If you pick a popular donor vehicle such as a Golf GTI or Audi TT you may find the details on how to do this on a forum or Facebook page.

It's worth mentioning that many passenger cars will have their seats mounted on offset rails, to allow for clearance around the transmission tunnel. You will need to take this into account when making your subframes, otherwise, you'll end up with seats that are mounted out of alignment with your pedals or steering wheel.

Secondly, unlike in most cars, campervan seats often rotate and have units fitted up against them. Either be prepared to make some minor modifications to your interior or to use a trial and error fitting process to ensure full operation and adjustment.

Width and height is something to carefully consider if you are swapping more modern seats into a classic. A VW Beetle or Karmann Ghia is surprisingly narrow in comparison to a car made thirty years later and you don’t want them to rub in the middle, or stick out the windows when the doors are closed. Mazda MX5 and MGF seats are a popular choice, as are Porsche tombstone seats from a 924, 944, or an eighties 911. 

If your donor seats have electrical adjustment or heating elements then it is possible to make these work. However, you will need to source a section of the original wiring loom and have a basic understanding of how they are wired. As always, if you don’t know, ask someone who does - a hastily wired heating element or electric motor is a recipe for a vehicle fire. 

As with all of our blog articles, we hope you have been inspired and possibly even learnt something from this. Comment below and tell us about your seat swaps, and leave any tips you may have picked up while doing this work to help out fellow enthusiasts. 

Best of luck.

Andy