3dr seats into a 5dr Golf

GTE · 07-07-2011 7:23pm #1

Hello,

Some quick questions.

I am getting the drivers seat replaced in my 5dr Mk4 Golf estate.
I would prefer lumbar support seats. I have found a nice set from a 3dr.

My question is, will these fit the 5dr?

They should but especially in terms of the airbags I wanna make sure there is no problem.

Price wise its a full black cloth interior with door cards.
Ill flog the door cards if I can but they are being offered for 220 euro.
They are the seats with Recaro on the rear seats (but not the front) so is that Highline or a better set still?
Worth the money?

The thought of finally getting rid of that really horrible drivers seat I have now is a good one.

Thanks
bbk

GTE · 07-07-2011 7:53pm

Is there any significance to the front not having the Recaro stitching and the rears having it?

Im only really after the lumbar support and a nice comfy seat but the fronts are definitely not the full Recaros but the I am confused about the rear. I dont want to be shelling out too much.

Anan1 · 07-07-2011 8:01pm

The seats will definitely be different, as the ones in a 3 door will fold forward to allow access to the rear. You might well be able to mount them onto your current rails, but is it really worth the hassle? You're also pretty much asking your insurance company to get stuck in should you have an accident. I'd just wait until the right ones come along.

GTE · 07-07-2011 8:04pm

Anan1 wrote: »

The seats will definitely be different, as the ones in a 3 door will fold forward to allow access to the rear. You might well be able to mount them onto your current rails, but is it really worth the hassle? You're also pretty much asking your insurance company to get stuck in should you have an accident. I'd just wait until the right ones come along.

Hmm, I knew about the folding forward but I didn't think the rails would be different.

Is it the folding forward or the fact I would have had to change the rails be the insurance company problem do you think?

There is a full recaro set from a 5 door but for 300 euro and they need a good wash.
Price right?

sean1141 · 07-07-2011 8:15pm

3 door front seats will fit straight into a 5 door. no messing with rails or anything. two screws and two bolts to remove them. i have 3 door audi s3 recaros (mk1 s3 only came in 3 door) in my leon which is the same floor as a mk4 golf. loads of guys have mk4 golf highline seats in low spec leons. mine came with them as standard.
airbag connectors can be different but its only a matter of cutting the ones off your old seat and joining them to the new seat if they are different

GTE · 07-07-2011 8:21pm

sean1141 wrote: »

3 door front seats will fit straight into a 5 door. no messing with rails or anything. two screws and two bolts to remove them. i have 3 door audi s3 recaros (mk1 s3 only came in 3 door) in my leon which is the same floor as a mk4 golf. loads of guys have mk4 golf highline seats in low spec leons. mine came with them as standard.
airbag connectors can be different but its only a matter of cutting the ones off your old seat and joining them to the new seat if they are different

That is what I was thinking. I have also had to fix the airbag connectors anyway on one seat so Im familiar with those.

With regards to the Recaro thing on the first set of seats I mentioned.
The fronts defo are not the full Recaro, Recaro styled ones? A step below?
The rears have the Recaro logo for some reason.

200 euro for those or 300 for the full recaros if I more or less give the asking price.

How does that sound to the you guys?

sean1141 · 07-07-2011 8:27pm

high line seats look the same as recaros and a lot of lads try sell highline seats as recaros. i would give the extra cash for the ones you know are recaros tbh

i heard there were some seats made by recaro for vw abd they didnt have recaro stiched on them. dont know how true that is

EPM · 07-07-2011 8:31pm

Are the airbags the same?

sean1141 · 07-07-2011 8:37pm

EPM wrote: »

Are the airbags the same?

in the highline and recaro seats?

the airbag is under the cloth and not easy to see. there is only a side airbag in each seat

GTE · 07-07-2011 8:38pm

sean1141 wrote: »

high line seats look the same as recaros and a lot of lads try sell highline seats as recaros. i would give the extra cash for the ones you know are recaros tbh

i heard there were some seats made by recaro for vw abd they didnt have recaro stiched on them. dont know how true that is

This guy isnt trying to sell them or pass them off as full recaros.

For whatever reason it looks like two Highline fronts in the same recaro style as the rears which have the logos.

The fronts have the lumbar support which I want. Recaro is not a need.

Seeming Highline/Recaro split
220 euro asking

vs

Full Recaro, matches my blue interior that I currently have
300 asking plus a ruddy good wash.

You can see the difference in the front seats. Recaro vs what I think is Highline.
Also the Recaro rears seem to have a different middle seat belt arrangement.

sean1141 · 07-07-2011 8:44pm

the top ones are out of an older car as they dont have the center headrest and 3 point center seatbelt in the back..

if it were me i would go for the blue ones that match the rest of your interior. try get him to clean them or get a few quid off the asking price and hire out one of them rug doctors etc

EPM · 07-07-2011 8:50pm

sean1141 wrote: »

in the highline and recaro seats?

the airbag is under the cloth and not easy to see. there is only a side airbag in each seat

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Are the airbags from the 3 door the same as the 5 door and estate? I'd assume there would be a slightly different set up with the longer door of the 3 door models.

GTE · 07-07-2011 8:52pm

sean1141 wrote: »

the top ones are out of an older car as they dont have the center headrest and 3 point center seatbelt in the back..

if it were me i would go for the blue ones that match the rest of your interior. try get him to clean them or get a few quid off the asking price and hire out one of them rug doctors etc

Does the age thing explain the Recaro logo in the back but not the front?
Are they in fact a full set of Recaros but an older design?

I wouldn't mind the black and grey cloth in the car but I would feel better with the blue plus its less of a question mark in my head over the 3 door thing.

Could I get away with asking for 50 euro (40 - 45 pounds) off the price for a clean? Only assuming the price of a good cleaning job on them. I would be driving up north of Belfast and Im not in Belfast for the Summer.

Oh, I am clueless about these things sometimes. :rolleyes::D

GTE · 07-07-2011 8:52pm

EPM wrote: »

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Are the airbags from the 3 door the same as the 5 door and estate? I'd assume there would be a slightly different set up with the longer door of the 3 door models.

Thats what I was driving at but much better put by yourself

sean1141 · 07-07-2011 9:33pm

there are different part numbers for 3 and 5 door airbags

sean1141 · 07-07-2011 9:38pm

bbk wrote: »

Does the age thing explain the Recaro logo in the back but not the front?
Are they in fact a full set of Recaros but an older design?

i wouldnt think ther are the same set. i cant see them putting recaro logo on the back and not the front. more like someone took the front recaros for a van and someone just got highline seats to match the back bench

im sure you could ask for the money off to clean them but whether you get it is another thing

GTE · 07-07-2011 9:40pm

sean1141 wrote: »

i wouldnt think ther are the same set. i cant see them putting recaro logo on the back and not the front. more like someone took the front recaros for a van and someone just got highline seats to match the back bench

In your experience then would you think 220 is a fair price?

sean1141 · 07-07-2011 9:43pm

when i changed to the s3 seats i sold my highline seats for 100 euro. it was cheap enough as they were in mint condition but i dont think a recaro back bench is worth 120 euro more

GTE · 07-07-2011 11:40pm

Thanks for that.

Sadly the blue Recaros were gone but I am still waiting on a couple of Highlines to reply to me. Bar that I have a set of Comfortlines which I will test out before buying. Thankfully the seller is understanding about why I need the new seat so I get a good test before I decide to commit some money.

sean1141 · 08-07-2011 12:13am

i know your pain. i suffer from a bad back myself.. the s3 seats are a godsend

GTE · 11-07-2011 11:36pm

So, just a recap.
The blue ones sold, 270 euro.
The black ones are still there and actually have an asking price of 230, not 220, with the door cards. I, very silly of me, said I would pay 200 over the phone if they were in top notch condition but considering the Comfortlines and base spec seat sets go for 90 to 140 euro I think 200 for a Highline/Recaro Combo plus door cards is fine.

At least I hope.

GTE · 12-07-2011 8:01pm

Something that I didn't bargain for is that the rear seat bottom mounting system for the Golf estate is different to the hatchback Golf and Bora.

I dont mind too much though, I have my lumbar supporting front Highlines so I may, I say may, I will sell the rear Recaros and keep my old front seats in the event of a sale of the car.

:rolleyes:

sean1141 · 12-07-2011 10:08pm

that was a bit of a pain

EPM · 12-07-2011 10:36pm

Seriously, I'd be checking out the airbag situation to make sure the design is not different to the 5 door or estate.

tossy · 12-07-2011 10:47pm

The air bags are not going to be an issue,no matter what variant of a car (presuming all same model) you sit in 3dr,4r or estate the seat airbag is in the same position relative to you and relative to the side of the car,in a crash it is designed to cushion your head from impacting on the window/B pillar.The variant of car doesn't change this objective or operation in my mind.

EPM · 12-07-2011 10:52pm

tossy wrote: »

The air bags are not going to be an issue,no matter what variant of a car (presuming all same model) you sit in 3dr,4r or estate the seat airbag is in the same position relative to you and relative to the side of the car,in a crash it is designed to cushion your head from impacting on the window/B pillar.The variant of car doesn't change this objective or operation in my mind.

Cool. Was just a concern I thought about in case there was a different set up!

GTE · 14-07-2011 4:33pm

EPM wrote: »

Cool. Was just a concern I thought about in case there was a different set up!

Very right to mention it all the same.
Axa confirmed to me that its fine on the insurance side. All I need is a report that they are fitted properly.

I was looking at the seats and in terms of the airbag operation (before Tossy made so much sense) on the three door for an average height person is at a similar point on the door as a shorter person on the 5 door models so by looking at it like that its fine but Tossys explanation makes a lot of sense.

The highline front seats are fitted now and the difference is fantastic. The back is slightly harder if at all. I think its the bucket shape of it which makes it really supporting compared to the old seat and it felt great today. The first long distance trip to Belfast will tell the full story though.

Pity about the rears.

If anyone is interested I have a Recaro rear bench :rolleyes:

Silly me.

Thanks for the help!

3dr seats into a 5dr Golf

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