Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Hello everyone, I recently received my car and am really enjoying having it. The only major problem I'm having is that the Recaro seats offer no lumbar support and are too narrow on the seat bottom. Today was my first day of commuting in the car and my lower back is not happy about it. The seat bottom is also too narrow for my hips and thighs (no, I'm not fat). The bolsters press directly onto my bones. So I'm asking for help trying to find replacement seats. If I can't find some quickly I'll have to sell the car. Thanks in advance! Michael Edited June 13, 2017 by Michael Jacobs_42092 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2017 Anyone interested in buying these seats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffJ Posted June 14, 2017 Report Share Posted June 14, 2017 I would imagine that you can find guys on here pretty easily that will swap you their power lumbar seats for Recaros. You may want to try and post in the general section of TS here rather than in the GT350 section, as all GT350's come with Recaros. If you want to sell them, you should take a picture of which ones they are and post an asking price. They will be easy to sell if the price is reasonable. Lots of guys looking for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 Thanks Jeff, I'm going to go to my local dealer and try some other seats. I'm hoping to narrow my options down before posting them on the main TS section. My wife wants me to make sure the replacements have airbags so no aftermarket seats will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 Michael, I'm 6' 185 with a 32" waist.....thin by any other description, and I feel EXACTLY as you do. I hate saying anything about it, because these seats NEED to be in these cars. Resale, for tracking, and to keep the Monroney correct. Just my humble opinion... But they are NOT comfortable for everyday use at all. Plus, they're a giant PITA getting in and out of. Good luck sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secondo Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 GT350=Track car, track seats. Maybe trade for Mustang GT seats? Go to SVTPerformance.com forums, someone will definitely trade you their seats there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 PS. After speaking with the Recaro representative these are FORD seats with Recaro badging. Thus the fit/structure anomalies. Having owned real Recaros for many years these are quite a disappointment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2017 Hi Secondo, I don't know if you've driven a car with these seats, but they are not race seats. They're highly bolstered and look great, but have no other support for the driver. I was hoping they would be race seats, that's why I'm disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secondo Posted June 16, 2017 Report Share Posted June 16, 2017 Oh I thought you meant the other way around, that you wanted comfortable commuter seats, sorry. I haven't tried them, my track pack car has standard premium seats. But I have read reviews on the optional Recaros that said they were supportive at the track but uncomfortable for daily driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2017 The seats have great lateral support with large bolsters. Unfortunately, the seat back and bottom have no support at all. They're infinitely squishy and therefore offer no support for your hip and lower back while shifting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakyjoe Posted June 17, 2017 Report Share Posted June 17, 2017 I may be talking out of my bottom, and happy to be corrected but I was at the Recaro site yesterday and they have the GT350 seats, I was sure they were Recaros (really reminded my of the bolstering of the RS's and Cossies I drove in the U.K.), I would be disappointed if not but I'm 6' 3, 205, 34 waist and I find them perfectly comfortable, even for a 2 hour run to the coast, now, getting out of them is a bugger... I will concede that my subconscious may just be deluding me though, which I'm fine with Anyway, sorry to hear you don't find them comfortable... would love to buy a spare set if I could justify it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 That's interesting. When I spoke with the West coast distributor he told me they are not built by Recaro. Regardless, my wife and I both find they have no lumbar support. I've bought a foam lumbar pad which is helping a lot, but it creates other problems. Given that I'm coming from a 2001 Audi S4 (original owner) that had factory sport seats with lumbar support it's a big let down. Especially since I owned real factory Recaros in another car in the past which had the best support I've ever experienced. I'm still figuring out what to do, and in the meantime, we're enjoying the car while it breaks in. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svttim Posted June 22, 2017 Report Share Posted June 22, 2017 My 16 has the standard seats with power, heat and cooling. I love them. I tested the recaros before my purchase and found them to be too tight, Cant be happier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 Any of you remember the '82-'85 Celica GTS / Supra seats, with the pump up ball??? My wife (GF at the time) bought new an '85 GTS Liftback.....the best memory of that car...the seats!! They were awesome for stock seats. They were contoured perfect for ALL size occupants. Off topic here, but I always thought that car was the best looking thing to ever come out of Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 So after discussing this again with the distributor, he informed me that the OEM seats are not the same as the aftermarket seats. I'll be going up to Berkeley at some point to go try the aftermarket versions to see if they're better or not. Bikeboy - yes, I remember the seats...they were very good for sure. My favorite seats of all time are still the OE Recaro seats from my 1992 VW GTI. They were amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted June 27, 2017 Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 Michael, Just got back from some seat time in mine. Thinking of your thread here, the whole ride. Again, I'm skinny by any description of the word. These things are SNUG! I can't imagine the drive to Phx (5-1/2 hours) in these.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted June 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Yeah, and this is my daily driver... I'm going to check out seats this Saturday and over the next few weeks will find a replacement for the drivers side seat. For now, the lumbar pad I'm using is helping a lot for my lumbar. The problem is it throws the rest of the seats fit off. Oh well. In the meantime, I've found out that Steeda is making braided steel brake lines which should be out in the next 90 days or so. I'm really looking forward to getting them installed. Next on my list is upgrading the audio system...need to find a local expert for this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07gt500conv Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 I also tried the recaro's before I bought mine. I am a short little fat guy and did not like them. I have a 2016 Tech pack car and love the heat and air . Wife has had 5 back surguries and she loves the heated seats. My coworker just bought a 17 GT350 with the recaro's. We take it to lunch and I am getting used to the recaro's but wouldnot want them every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewnagle1964 Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 I also tried the recaro's before I bought mine. I am a short little fat guy and did not like them. I have a 2016 Tech pack car and love the heat and air . Wife has had 5 back surguries and she loves the heated seats. My coworker just bought a 17 GT350 with the recaro's. We take it to lunch and I am getting used to the recaro's but wouldnot want them every day Wife will not let me buy her a car without heated seats, she too has a bad back New Flex has heated and AC seats... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomshep Posted July 7, 2017 Report Share Posted July 7, 2017 Those Recaros are highly coveted and part of your car's package. Try to sit in a set of the non-Recaro GT350 seats. They are very comfortable. I would retrofit those and put the originals in storage. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted July 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2017 I sat in the Focus RS on Saturday and those seats were much nicer. They had good side bolsters and power lumbar along with heat (I think). It's pretty crazy when the RS gets better seats than the GT350... Oh well. I'm traveling for a few weeks, but plan on getting out to the Recaro distributor when I return to try their aftermarket seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted July 29, 2017 Report Share Posted July 29, 2017 Jay Leno has a '15 R.... He removed his Recaros and "set them aside" and opted for a set of old man "comfort" seats out of the regular GT. So don't feel bad! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07gt500conv Posted July 29, 2017 Report Share Posted July 29, 2017 Jay Leno has a '15 R.... He removed his Recaros and "set them aside" and opted for a set of old man "comfort" seats out of the regular GT. So don't feel bad! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted August 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 Yeah, I saw that about his car. I went to the dealer to try sitting in them, but there's not much lateral support. The quest continues. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted August 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 Everyone, I've decided to sell the car. Please contact me if you, or someone you know is interested in buying it. I'll be advertising it soon, so this weekend is for insiders only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted August 14, 2017 Report Share Posted August 14, 2017 Good luck Michael. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jacobs_42092 Posted August 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2017 Thanks! It's a very reluctant sale. We love the way the car drives, but the seats are just unbearable. I'm making a trip to the Recaro dealer tomorrow to see if there's a seat that will work, but it's not going to have a torso airbag so my wife won't let me commute in the car anymore. It'll have to be a 2nd vehicle if this works out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr1961 Posted August 20, 2017 Report Share Posted August 20, 2017 Thanks! It's a very reluctant sale. We love the way the car drives, but the seats are just unbearable. I'm making a trip to the Recaro dealer tomorrow to see if there's a seat that will work, but it's not going to have a torso airbag so my wife won't let me commute in the car anymore. It'll have to be a 2nd vehicle if this works out. You may want to educate yourself further on air bags. I myself would feel safer if there weren’t torso airbags in most modern cars. Torso airbags have an entirely different set of criteria for initiation and deployment as compared to frontal air bags. There is much less travel distance between an occupant and the side of a car as compared to space between the frontal bags and occupants. There is even evidence that older women and small children are more likely to be injured by a torso bag than protected by them. This is due to the fact that there is less “crush space”. The torso bag must deploy much more quickly and if conditions are right it can actually cause more force (damage) on your internal organs than if it wasn’t there to start with. National Automotive Sampling System (NASS), the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the General Estimates System (GES), and the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) [4-9]. In [5], statistical analysis of the GES and FARS databases found the mortality rate reduction from torso airbags to be statistically insignificant. In many cases airbags just provide a false sense of security and increase the selling price of a car and are forced on the public by government regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted August 20, 2017 Report Share Posted August 20, 2017 Seat belts save lives......always have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasketmkr Posted August 23, 2017 Report Share Posted August 23, 2017 The OP would be very wise to take the advice from several other members here who have suggested a seat substitution. I find it very hard to believe that anyone would be dumb enough to sell a new car because they didn't like the seats. That is a load of BS my friend. Take a good look at the scores of GT350s for sale and their asking prices. Good luck with 62.5K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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