replacing the foam in the driver seat

[bluefoxamazone]

hello!
I would like to replace the foam in the driver seat. There are two possibilities: a regular and a firm one.
Has anybody got an idea on how "firm" firm is? Is it unconfortably hard or is it ok? Taking into account that I am not exactly a featherlight guy, I have my doubts... Anybody experiences on this subject?
Thanks,

Franky
Belgium

[JRL]

One (1) foam
Where did you get the idea that there are two?
As for doing it it's not too hard, an hour or so including R&R' ing the seat from the car

[bluefoxamazone]

One (1) foam
Where did you get the idea that there are two?
As for doing it it's not too hard, an hour or so including R&R' ing the seat from the car

I asked for price and dt at my local Volvo dealer and he replied that there are two replacement foam types. They also have a different price.
I like your R&R sugestion. ;-)

[JRL]

Probably one with heat strips and one without.
It's not a suggestion, (2 G's), you can't do this while the seat is in the car

[Swagger XC]

Instead of replacing the foam, just replace the whole. A second hands seat will cost a lot less.

[swimNdrive]

Instead of replacing the foam, just replace the whole. A second hands seat will cost a lot less.

+1[thumbup], I asked my local Volvo deal on the foam before, the price they gave me was too high. I could get a nice complete seat from a salvage yard at half of that. If the color doesn't match, I could then remove the foam from the salvaged seat and replace the foam in my seat. By the way, for some cars, the passenger seat could be in a better condition and the foam is the same as the driver seat. Because I have too many projects at this time and my seat is just a little too soft in my taste, but I can live with it for now, so I have not done it yet. If I will do it in a later time, that's what I am going to do, unless someone has a better idea to make the foam a little firmer, any advice everyone?

[JRL]

These seats are not that hard but extremely comfy
You should try to adjust, 99% of Volvo owners love them, and your back should...

[wgriswold]

I have a somewhat different problem. Due to a crease in the driver's leather seat it has worn through. Could I get a driver's, or preferable a passenger seat leather, from a junk yard and put it on the driver's seat myself or pay a shop to do it?

[swimNdrive]

These seats are not that hard but extremely comfy
You should try to adjust, 99% of Volvo owners love them, and your back should...

For ware and tear, I think, my driver seat not the back is softer than my passenger seat. I like how my passenger feels that's why I want to replace my driver seat. The seat back is fine. That's most comfortable seat back in a car I think, I love it!

[JRL]

If it's older with miles, sure it's softer, it's OLD and a bit worn.
I'm thinking of doing that with mine
As was said you have 2 choices, buy a lower mileage used seat or new foam

[bluefoxamazone]

Hi, Replacing with a used foam from the salvage yard is of course a cheaper solution but it doesn't make sense to replace a worn foam with another worn foam... My choice is to buy a new one but I can't make up my mind what to buy. A standard one or the firm one. It all has to do with density of the polyether foam and not with heater pads or not.
(in fact while the seat is open I will install aftermarket seat heaterpads (from WAECO).)

[Swagger XC]

If you buy low mileage seats, especially R seats, they will be way more comfortable and cheaper as we'll. Also when you add into the equation that it's easier to undo 4 bolts and replace a seat vs. taking off the skins and replacing the foam is a really time consuming and expensive proposition. I apologize for my run on sentence, it's a it late.

[06ORXC]

I would do something different:

Why not swap seat foams from driver to passenger sets temporarily.
Then take Your worn out driver foam to and decent upholstery/furniture place and have them cut/shape a FIRM piece of foam and install that in driver seat.
OR,
I would actually spent some time to find a decent driver seat at salvage yards and do that complete project on that one.
There is also benefit of having spare switches/heaters & motors for when Yours will stop working from a spare seat.

[swimNdrive]

I asked for price and dt at my local Volvo dealer and he replied that there are two replacement foam types. They also have a different price.
I like your R&R sugestion. ;-)

bluefoxamazone, I think you are right about two different type of foams available. I just checked here:

http://www.volvopartswebstore.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_product=1175956&ukey_assembly=239839

It shows a comfort and a firm. They are priced different as well. It looks like amount us, you are the first one got this information. In terms of comfort or firm, I think that is a personal preference. I prefer firm in general, besides, it will get soft over time anyways.

I think because I gave my dealer my VIN so they just quoted me whatever is in my car and did not gave me any option. They did not have it in stock and it looked like they did not want to sell it either. They quoted me 25% more than the prices shown on the above website. That made it too expensive for me. However, it still looks expensive to me with the prices on the above website. By the time I receive the padding and the heater, they will cost about $300 per seat. I can get a low mile front seat (whole seat) in very good condition for about $150-$200 at a salvage yard in driving distance.

That said, your thoughts about getting a new one could be a better choice. I would like to know what you end up with on the padding selection and how do you like it after everything is done.

Cheers

[swimNdrive]

If you buy low mileage seats, especially R seats, they will be way more comfortable and cheaper as we'll. Also when you add into the equation that it's easier to undo 4 bolts and replace a seat vs. taking off the skins and replacing the foam is a really time consuming and expensive proposition. I apologize for my run on sentence, it's a it late.

Will good R seats be hard to find? How about color matching? Do they have the same color codes?

[swimNdrive]

I have a somewhat different problem. Due to a crease in the driver's leather seat it has worn through. Could I get a driver's, or preferable a passenger seat leather, from a junk yard and put it on the driver's seat myself or pay a shop to do it?

I think if you can get a junk yard to sell you that, you should be able to replace it yourself. However, I talked to the junk yards near me, they will only sell the whole seat. I have to take it a part myself in a place that's off their property. They won't even take the left over for free from me.

It looks like you are in Tahoe. The guys I talked to are in Sac area not too far from you as well. They do have the seats. You just need to give them your color code.

[Swagger XC]

I picked up a decent, but REALLY dirty set of gobi seats for $150. To get everything to match you would have to do door panels, dash, and center console. What I'm going to do is keep my b984 door panels, put in the r seats and put in nordkap carpet. With the contrast I'm hoping to make everything work in a bmw individual sort of way.

[swimNdrive]

I picked up a decent, but REALLY dirty set of gobi seats for $150. To get everything to match you would have to do door panels, dash, and center console. What I'm going to do is keep my b984 door panels, put in the r seats and put in nordkap carpet. With the contrast I'm hoping to make everything work in a bmw individual sort of way.

Sounds like you got a great deal there. When you are done with it. Please post some pictures. Thanks

[Swagger XC]

I sure got a hell of a deal and when I eventually get around to the swap I will post pics.

[JRL]

Sounds like you got a great deal there. When you are done with it. Please post some pictures. Thanks


Why oh why? :confused:
Gobi is ugly to begin with, this color/leather becomes destroyed faster than any other car seat I've ever seen.
The best older Gobi is pretty bad and I've bought many R's with Gobi.
Wait for Nordkap or of course Atacama

[Swagger XC]

It was the only thing out there cheap enough (wanted atacama) but it really wasn't that bad. Since it was real leather it cleaned up very nicely.

[JRL]

It really doesn't (clean well)
I wish I had kept some of my Gobi "before" pictures, most were just awful and required a re-dye (all except literally TWO (2) Rs and those wee low mileage Rs), under 55K miles and well kept

[Swagger XC]

I've found the only way to clean gobi is lightly with a tooth brush. It's extremely time consuming!