Nezir writes:
Sajeev, I drive a 2004 Mazda RX-8 that I bought new. It currently has around 48k miles. As of late the seating has become uncomfortable and I seem to get strange cramps in my hamstrings from how the seat is pushing into my leg.
I’ve looked at some possible cars to replace it with such as the Evo X, etc. Love the Recaros on there and that alone would make me want to switch. However, I still love the RX8 and short of buying another one in R3 guise is there anything I can do to upgrade my seats?
As has become the custom these days, the seats have the side airbags built-in. So I’m not sure what options I have in the aftermarket for this. I know Recaro has the Sportster CS with airbags though I’m not sure how ‘universal’ they truly are. Mazda wants like 4k per seats for the R3 Recaros, so that’s not really an option either.
Also, I’d be ok with going for a seat without airbags, but I don’t know what effect that has on the rest of the SRS system.
Sajeev answers:
There are many options if don’t mind losing your side airbags. I’ve had good luck installing non-airbag racing seats to a C6 Corvette Z06. And, in that car, the difference was worth every penny.
Your best bet is to ask an RX-8 forum like the RX-8 Club. Find the pitfalls of modifying the Mazda seat tracks to adapt aftermarket seat mounts: the remedy should be nothing more than regular tools in your garage and a little brainpower. (Or, perhaps, a BFH.) Ask if fooling the air bag harness with a resistor is an option, or if you can unplug-n-play without upsetting the dashboard or the traction control system. What good are those seats if they figuratively put the brakes on your fun?
So before you buy, do a little research on the nanny-logic inside Mazda’s microprocessors. There’s a good chance you can get away with it and get a great pair of seats for a reasonable price.
[Send your technical queries to mehta@ttac.com]
From what I hear, the Recaros in the R3 are very tight, so aren’t the best for everyone.
Was the seat comfortable before? Maybe you just need to replace some of the foam in it. This would certainly be the least expensive option.
$4,000 a seat from Mazda? Holy crap!
Yeah, the seats were fine before, but I guess over the years the foam might have mushed out. I’ve sat in the R3 and i was ok with it but yeah it is a bit tight for most. I’ve sat in the Recaro Speed seats and they seem to offer similar bolstering for a lot less.
If I go with the foam replacement is it possible to get the bolstering uhh bolstered up as well?
The seats are sold as pieces, so every little nut/bolt is added up and the price comes to something ridiculous.
$4,000 a seat from Mazda? Holy crap!
They’re aren’t called stealerships for free ;)
Of course… not only Mazda ones…
I’ve sat in the R3 Recaros and they are pretty nice (I’m 6’1″, 185lb) but I’d find them hard to justify the price jump over those in the base RX-8. I’d also bet that you will eventually find the same discomfort with any sport seat.
Meanwhile, I’m on the other side of the spectrum. The seats in my MS6 could use more lateral support and I’d kill to fit some IS-F seats.
Michael Karesh :
Was the seat comfortable before? Maybe you just need to replace some of the foam in it. This would certainly be the least expensive option.
That would be my recommendation. My brother had a early 90s truck that went from giving him backaches and numb legs to comfortable with < $100 in seat foam and labor.
Anchorman,
Where would I go for this foam replacement work?
@nezir:
I too, own an 04 RX8 and understand your reluctance to get another car.
I have done this on several vehicles in the past:
take the existing seeat to a quality (emphasis: quality!) upholstery shop and have them repad it to fit your butt. Definately the way to go.
Imagine my initial consternation upon seeing my screen name next to the words “Cramp Cramp”!
Then I realized that it wasn’t referring to me. After all, I don’t use a hyphen…
Haha, that was funny!
Also, I’d be ok with going for a seat without airbags
But, if some q-tip or DUI runs a light and you end up a vegtable – you’re going to be pissed you went without the airbags.
nezromatron: talk to a local interior trim shop about re-foaming the seats. A really good shop (with references) can actually add extra foam (for extra side/leg/thigh bolsters) and make new seat covers to match.
New OEM foam and labor shouldn’t be more than $1000 installed. Rough guess? $600.
@jmo I’ve thought about that too, maybe I could just wear a helmet all the time.. heh.
@Sajeev Sounds like a good idea. I’m in socal so I guess if anything there are too many options. Just have to sift through the noise.
I cry foul!
An RX-8 should be ineligible for any “piston slap” entries.
I had both the front seats in my car reupholstered with leather and repadded for $380 at a local shop. It certainly can be done, and should not cost more than $600 from even the most expensive place. It’s not that hard to do, but you should ask the shop to work with you, possibly sit in the seat before they finish putting it back together, so you can get the padding just right.
I agree with the upholstery shop idea. They will be able to make some changes to the seats, and get them to your liking. Your SRS will still work fine, and it will likely be one of the least expensive options.
I’ve unbolted the seat pan from the seat track and switched the driver’s and passenger’s seat pans. On the Toyotas I have the seat pan is the same for left and right and is held on by 4 bolts that are accessible under the seat. Seat backs are interchangeable also but to get to the bolts requires more work.
Where would I go for this foam replacement work?
A good car upholstery shop should be able to do it. Custom shops should be able to adjust the size and shape of some of the bolsters as well. Also, going to an upholstery shop as opposed to aftermarket units like Recaros will give you the option of custom colors and trim on your seat covers.
First off, trk2 is spot-on. RX-8s should not qualify for piston slap entries.
On another note, one of my neighbors used to buy a new car every couple of years. The first place he would drive it was his favorite upholstery shop to have the seats worked over (I understand his back gave him fits). That’s all fine and good, and he ended up with a comfortable car every time. His wife always found it funny that a brand new Lexus (GS) or BMW (a couple of 5-ers) needed to be “worked on” so soon.
Right after that he’d get chrome wheels, and have all the badges taken off, and sometimes have a pinstripe put on.
Oh yeah, when I got my 9000 Aero, he sat in it and commented that he wouldn’t need to have any work done on the seats.
Anyway, I say get the Mazda to a reputable upholstery shop. You’ll be glad you did.
~p
All of the males in my family suffer from chronic bad backs. In all of my vehicles I roll up a dish towel and place it behind my lumbar. Works like a charm.
Caveat Emptor, but dealers are not the only place to get OEM seats:
http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=mazda+rx8+seat&_armrs=1&_from=R40
DON’T MESS WITH A SEAT WITH AIRBAGS UNLESS YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
People can be, and have been, seriously injured by airbags going off unexpectedly. In prototype shops, and at the factory, bags, seats, and people are all grounded to something secure electrically, and they still have accidents. Static electricity can set off one of these airbags.
I have seen the aftermath.
Bob
If they’re working on the base of the seat, shouldn’t be such an issue.
Ah… there are two things Mazda doesn’t know how to do.
One is make suspension rubber bushings that last more than 50,000 miles.
The other is to make seats that don’t disintegrate from regular use. Foam degradation is a common issue for Proteges and Mazda3s, too.
–
Oh, yeah… three things…
The third is making a fuel-efficient engine… the fourth used to be making an automatic that didn’t grenade… but I think they’ve finally crossed that off their checklist.
niky
If your head is near the seat bolster when the airbag deploys, you will lose your hearing, at the very least. If your hand is in front of the bolster, you will suffer a broken wrist.
I repeat, IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH AIRBAGS, DON’T MESS WITH THIS SEAT!
I have seen the aftermath of these kinds of accidents, and they aren’t pretty. I have also seen the precautions they take at seat manufacuring plants.
Bob
Another vote for your local upholstery shop. The real professionals do interior work for dealerships on an every-day basis. Go into your local Mazda dealer and ask the service writers who they use for their interior work — that might be a good bet, as they’d know your interior like the backs of their hands.
Otherwise, just ask around, visit forums, find out who is the best, most experienced around. It shouldn’t be hard to find veteran adult craftsmen who can do all kinds of wizardry and take care of you abundantly well.
This could be a “no longer than an hour” job, and you definitely want to “be there” the entire time. They should be able to do some kind of a “mockup” for you — try it out before they install it, and hopefully they’ll nail it the first time. If not, though, you can always go back and they’ll try, try again — it might take a bit of trial and error before you get it JUST right. But, of course, that’s why you want to find an experienced veteran who has “done it all before.”
Good luck!
Two suggestions
1. Get the seats restored by a professional. By far the most cost effective option.
2. Get the seats out of Viggen Saab or a Volvo R car. They show up in specialist yards. Do a bit of research or just hit ebay.
A specialist in Fremont, CA redid my seats in leather, leaving a small, lightly stitched panel for the side airbags in the seats. Total cost was about $800 but I found out later I overpaid