Interior Exterior
Q:
It would be way cheaper to go to a good shop and have them redo your current seat with extra padding. Milton on ET had extra padding as well as cut-outs for a 4-pt harness and it looks great....
A:
It would be way cheaper to go to a good shop and have them redo your current seat with extra padding. Milton on ET had extra padding as well as cut-outs for a 4-pt harness and it looks great....
Feels great too. I gave his newly repadded seats a test-sit at the last Sunday Drive, and they were great. Didn't cost him much, either.
S
A:
Ostrich skin is great stuff. Very durable.
The ostriches would prefer you not spread that around.
A:
Anybody sat in both an '05 and an '06?
I've spent significant time in both the '05 and '06 seats. Bottom line: the '06 is slightly better for me, but the difference is subtle.
I'm 6'1", 191#, with a 38" waist. I fit nicely in the car, but if I let my legs lean outward, the sides of the '05 seat dig into my hips and eventually it becomes uncomfortable.
In the '06, the discomfort is less noticable. I think the reason is that there is slightly more padding in the bottom of the '06, which causes your hips to sit a little higher in the "V" formed by the sides of the seat, where the distance between the sides is wider. I think you could get the same effect by adding a thin layer of padding to the '05s.
My concern about spending that much for '06 seats would be that over time the padding may compress, putting you right back where you were with the '05s.
The biggest difference in the driving position of the '06 is the location and action of the peddles. The clutch and brake are closer to the center ... which forces you to tilt your legs a little more to avoid bumping the wheel ... which potentially causes your hips to put pressure on the sides of the seat ... so there are lots of little trade offs. On balance, I like the '06, but again, the difference is subtle.
A:
Thank you Char (and everyone else).
That tells me what I need to know. I think a seat rework may be the ticket. Maybe the bolsters could also be cut down a half inch also.
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I've sat in them both and could not tell any difference. The Probax foam probably has more impact after sitting in it for a longer while (?). The seat shell is the same and the side bolsters don't appear to have changed at all, just the "insert" part of the seat back and bottom.
Hi All-
I sat in the '06 seats yesterday out at FVMC and found a HUGE difference between the 05 and 06. The 06 were much more comfortable and I did not experience the pressure on the hips that I experienced with the 05 seats. Also, I am not one of the skinny guys....6' 235lbs, with a 42" waist. I felt very comfortable in the 06 seats.
A:
I may make a trip up to the upholstery place here that's famous for doing custom motorcycle seats.
Details?
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I also notice a huge improvement in comfort if I take my wallet out of my back pocket.
for me that wallet problem went away when i paid for the car
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for me that wallet problem went away when i paid for the car
Wow... you just made my day with that line.
S
A:
One seat. Black leather.
And for the record, the outside of my hips are the problem. The titanium side bolsters are torture unless I keep my knees straight up. And at 6'3" that doesn't happen. A bit more elevation from the pad on the bottom would get me off the bolsters.
The '06 seats made the difference for me. Between the '05 seats and pedal cluster, I let go of an Elise I had a deposit on last July. I really wanted the car, but was very worried about the discomfort, particularly on the outside of the hips as you mention (I am 6'6" and 250 pounds).
With the '06 I found enough of a difference in the seats and pedal cluster to make THE difference. I am now the proud owner of an '06 Elise!
A:
I don't think it's supposed to do anything for your ass. Rather, the improvement is felt in the back.
I've driven both an '05 and an '06 for extended periods, and I much prefer the new seats. In the old ones, I would feel sore from only contacting the car seat at the far rear of my, uh, "rear". In the new one, my weight feels more distributed, and I don't feel sore after sitting in it for a while.
The pedals aren't nearly as attractive in the new car, but seem easier to operate also. It feels like I have more room to the left of the clutch to move my left footback and forth, which is nice considering I have wide feet.
John
A:
Anyone interested in trading one or two black 06 cloth Elise or Exige seats for 05 leather seats plus some cash? The leather smells and looks great but I prefer cloth.
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The pedals aren't nearly as attractive in the new car, but seem easier to operate also. It feels like I have more room to the left of the clutch to move my left footback and forth, which is nice considering I have wide feet.
You are absolutely right... the '05 pedal assemblies are works of art! Do wish mine were as attractive, but my feet haven't complained once!