Reply With QuoteEasier to hold fire until you find a car with heated seats than arse around getting it converted.
Anybody had aftermarket heated seats fitted to a car?
I'm in the process of buying a second-hand car at the moment which meets most of my requirements except that it doesn't have heated seats. Now I hate these things with a vengeance, but for some bizarre reason Mrs K quite likes them.
Has anybody had any experience with after-market seat heating? It seems to cost around £400ish to get both front seats done. For example (based on a quick internet search):
http://impulsecar.co.uk/services/hea...ts/#question-3
https://boundarycarcare.co.uk/heated-seats/
https://www.car-vision.co.uk/bmw-hea...31021468.html?
http://www.theonlywayiscustom.co.uk/heated-seats.html
(Getting a set of heated seats from a breakers yard - and the associated switches, etc - would not be cost effective. And finding another car which already has them fitted could take a very long time, as the rest of my requirements are relatively rare. Hence wondering about going after-market).
Easier to hold fire until you find a car with heated seats than arse around getting it converted.
I see what you did there....Originally Posted by Tifa
Is there another alternative that Mrs K might consider?
Remote starting allows you to stand by the bedroom window and start the car. By the time you're ready to leave the house, it's warmed up.
Or even cheaper, you can get plug in seat warming cushions.
Neither option is particularly attractive but could be preferable to waiting years for a car with the spec that suits her but not you.
If you're not averse to a bit of DIY, the cost of the bits is about £15/seat.
For example:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2Pcs-Car-...EAAOSwywRaE~Tz
A few years back when we bought a Nissan xtrail. We did not want the skylight but wanted tinted windows, AWD and heated seats. The dealer tinted the windows and fitted aftermarket heated seats foc. I have no idea the make or how to do it myself but the seats work as well as the oem fitted ones. I was a bit skeptical at first but I wouldn’t let it stop you.
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Last edited by canuck; 18th April 2018 at 05:47.
I’ve heard that it’s sometimes not that difficult as a lot of components are streamlined at the production line
Main wiring loom may only need the switches and heating elements plugging in, so to speak
Marque specialist maybe?
Had them fitted to a bmw 5 (the original owner had ordered the car with them deleted) and a merc Cls (strangely an optional extra) . The bmw used aftermarket kit so the switch was on the side of the seat rather than the dash, they were really good and actually preferred them to oem seats in my old bmw. The merc used merc Parts so was fully integrated. Both cost around £500 off the main dealer and made the cars more pleasant in the winter.
I've fitted quite a few genuine and aftermarket sets over the years and in general the aftermarket kits are ok. They don't fit quite the same as you'd probably expect and in my experience of the Land Rovers ones they take a little longer to heat up but for the money they are a good alternative.
Both my current and previous car had heated seats, but I can honestly say its not an option I'd pay extra for.
M
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Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Never had them but I never feel cold in a car. If it's cold outside I'll be wearing a coat.
Fitted the Waeco MSH300s to my 2014 LWB T5.1.
Took my time fitting them, with special attention to the wiring and switch position, they worked very well and were almost as good as the factory fitted ones I had on my previous 2015 SWB version. So would certainly recommend them over the cheaper models and certainly a better job than the ones i Paid £450 to have fitted a few years back.
Especially as they had fitted the basic 2 pos ones.
Cost was about £150, plus a few quid on the correct crimp terminals so I could wire them into the VW fuse holder under the seat.
Took an afternoon and was well worth the effort..
I did consider fitting aftermarket units to my leather A4, after changing from an earlier one that had this as a factory option. However, I didn't bother, as I got used to not having them fairly quickly.
Taking the seat apart is not a big deal. As I had a series (3) of the older, 1980s AUDI Coupes, I got fairly proficient at removing and swapping the squab and backrest covers on these and the construction is similar to the current A4 S-Line seats. The 1980s Coupes had a tweed cloth that wore through on the bolsters very quickly and I swapped covers from passenger seats, sourced from breakers. Fitting aftermarket heating kits would be no more complicated. You just need a special pair of pliers to re-crimp the wire clips that secure the cover to the frame.
One major warning though - do not turn on the ignition when the seat is removed from the car, or even once the airbag connector is unplugged. Otherwise you will need to get the airbag light reset.
Thanks for all the responses.
Not really a good option, I'm afraid, as most of the other things this car has can't be feasibly retrofitted, whereas seat heating can.
It's more for when the car (a BMW 335i convertible) is moving - especially as the only time I have the roof up, regardless of the temperature, is when it's raining! Also she finds seat heating helpful for a medical condition.
That's probably not a lot different from what the professionals fit :-) but I'm not sure that my upholstery skills would be up to it.
Not according to the E9x forums - non heated seats don't have the elements in them, which is a shame.
Very helpful, thanks!
Very helpful, thanks!
I totally agree. All 3 of my current cars have heated seats and I never, ever use them - I absolutely hate the feel of them. But a greater authority has made the decision on this one!
Surprised that a 335i with leather doesn’t have heated seats?
Welcome to the world of BMW, where everything is an optional extra! (I've actually been surprised at how many convertibles were ordered without heated seats).
Just had a quick look and all the e90 335i m sport verts all had leather and heated seat?
Presumably your insurers should be told.
Leather Electric seats were standard, heated seats were not.
Damn this thread. It's making me think that I should just do what I originally intended and fit my current car with an aftermarket kit. My wife hates the leather seats in mine during the winter.
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