What aftermarket seats is everyone running ?

[Eddie0513]

My biggest regret is I have the shitty base cloth seats .. so I'm looking at options and wondering what other people are running ? How's fitment and all that ..

 

[CarGuy]

Running stock base seats and they are just fine. My previous FiST had the Recaro seats and though they were better the base seats are not bad. Unless you swap in the Recaro seats why would you even consider giving up your seat air bags? Crazy people.

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[FJ16]

I've been wondering the same thing - base cloth seats are comfortable enough but do NOT keep me planted around corners. I'm thinking of swapping to 13-14 FoST Recaros because I can actually find those, as opposed to the Fists apparently-gold-plated-unicorns.

 

[Eddie0513]

I've been wondering the same thing - base cloth seats are comfortable enough but do NOT keep me planted around corners. I'm thinking of swapping to 13-14 FoST Recaros because I can actually find those, as opposed to the Fists apparently-gold-plated-unicorns.

Yeah it's the same issue for me I called Ford they basically said it's too late to upgrade to the recaros so now I'm looking for aftermarket options... Base seats have me sliding around everywhere when I push the car

 

[jmrtsus]

I find that with a good ole pair of bluejeans on and I don't slide a bit on stock seats. I prefer them to the Recaro "lites" in the FiST. Wear clothes with more grip.......whole lot cheaper!

 

[Eddie0513]

I find that with a good ole pair of bluejeans on and I don't slide a bit on stock seats. I prefer them to the Recaro "lites" in the FiST. Wear clothes with more grip.......whole lot cheaper!

yeah that could help but not when im pushing around these mountain roads by me also i have the unpopular opinion i guess of thinking the stock seats are shit there not comfortable for me at all, so im just wondering if anyone on here is running aftermarket seats to get some ideas

 

[jmrtsus]

Yea, if they are not comfy that is a whole different problem. That is why we rejected the FiST Recaros. Nowhere as nice as full Recaros which are larger and have fully adjustable front bolsters. I tend to believe that is why we got the "lites" in the FiST, full ones would not have fit. My Indy Pace Car Mustang and BMW 320 iS had full Recaros and we loved them so much we put 300K on the BMW but my wife and I both did not like the ones in the FiST for comfort, ingress or egress. Wife said no go for skirts in the FiST and I like her in short skirts! Blue jeans an a tight seat belt is fine even on the Tail of the Dragon and similar roads. Not so good with polyester of rayon blend dress pants or nylon shorts on me. Wife says short skirt and thong or micro shorts works well but I haven't tried it! LOL

My daughter loves the stock seats in hers also and she is the traffic circle queen in Indianapolis, IN. Think she does them on three wheels.

 

[Eddie0513]

Yea, if they are not comfy that is a whole different problem. That is why we rejected the FiST Recaros. Nowhere as nice as full Recaros which are larger and have fully adjustable front bolsters. I tend to believe that is why we got the "lites" in the FiST, full ones would not have fit. My Indy Pace Car Mustang and BMW 320 iS had full Recaros and we loved them so much we put 300K on the BMW but my wife and I both did not like the ones in the FiST for comfort, ingress or egress. Wife said no go for skirts in the FiST and I like her in short skirts! Blue jeans an a tight seat belt is fine even on the Tail of the Dragon and similar roads. Not so good with polyester of rayon blend dress pants or nylon shorts on me. Wife says short skirt and thong or micro shorts works well but I haven't tried it! LOL

My daughter loves the stock seats in hers also and she is the traffic circle queen in Indianapolis, IN. Think she does them on three wheels.

Lmao thats awesome, wifey always knows best though you never know those micro shorts might be the answer !

 

[FJ16]

I find that with a good ole pair of bluejeans on and I don't slide a bit on stock seats. I prefer them to the Recaro "lites" in the FiST. Wear clothes with more grip.......whole lot cheaper!

I wear jeans nearly every day (and I daily my FiST), and it definitely does not help in the least. Idk, I'd really like to drive one with the Recaros and one with an aftermarket seat to see if it will make as much difference as I think it would.

 

[Wes7]

I haven’t put it in my FiST yet, but I have a Recaro SPG I used in my old WRX, and I’ve done a lot of homework on seating solutions, especially for street-driven cars, so I’ll share what I’ve learned.

It really is amazing the difference it makes to be fully fixed in your seat. You don’t realize how much you are fighting to not slide around until you don’t have to do it anymore. I loved my SPG, even though it was awkward to get in and out of, and I couldn’t wear a jacket comfortably in the seat. It fits me like a glove. I’ll put it in the FiST eventually.

That said, there are huge trade-offs on any aftermarket seat, and especially a fixed-back. As was stated, you lose the side impact airbag. Even outside that, keep in mind you are altering a core element of a safety system. With fixed-back seats, most people do not mount the seat belt properly where it stays in close contact around your hips and waist - most folks just run it over the bolsters, which does not allow the belt to work properly. Most fixed-back seats are not made to accommodate a three-point belt, though it can often be made to work, so keep that in mind, too. Exceptions include the Cobra Novaro and Recaro Pole Position ABE (not the FIA model we get here).

Note that some reclining aftermarket seats have been found to be flimsy as well. Do lots of research.

If you are wanting reclining seats, it honestly doesn’t get cheaper for a quality seat than just snapping up some FiST Recaros when they come up, unless they just really don’t fit you. They seem to go for $1000-$1500. Keep in mind a quality aftermarket seat is $750-$1000+ for one seat. Brackets, sliders, and side mounts (for a fixed back) can run from $275-$400 per seat.

 

[Eddie0513]

I haven’t put it in my FiST yet, but I have a Recaro SPG I used in my old WRX, and I’ve done a lot of homework on seating solutions, especially for street-driven cars, so I’ll share what I’ve learned.

It really is amazing the difference it makes to be fully fixed in your seat. You don’t realize how much you are fighting to not slide around until you don’t have to do it anymore. I loved my SPG, even though it was awkward to get in and out of, and I couldn’t wear a jacket comfortably in the seat. It fits me like a glove. I’ll put it in the FiST eventually.

That said, there are huge trade-offs on any aftermarket seat, and especially a fixed-back. As was stated, you lose the side impact airbag. Even outside that, keep in mind you are altering a core element of a safety system. With fixed-back seats, most people do not mount the seat belt properly where it stays in close contact around your hips and waist - most folks just run it over the bolsters, which does not allow the belt to work properly. Most fixed-back seats are not made to accommodate a three-point belt, though it can often be made to work, so keep that in mind, too. Exceptions include the Cobra Novaro and Recaro Pole Position ABE (not the FIA model we get here).

Note that some reclining aftermarket seats have been found to be flimsy as well. Do lots of research.

If you are wanting reclining seats, it honestly doesn’t get cheaper for a quality seat than just snapping up some FiST Recaros when they come up, unless they just really don’t fit you. They seem to go for $1000-$1500. Keep in mind a quality aftermarket seat is $750-$1000+ for one seat. Brackets, sliders, and side mounts (for a fixed back) can run from $275-$400 per seat.

i was thinking of getting these https://www.carid.com/2017-ford-fie...risma-full-bucket-racing-seat-1674849452.html theres some pretty good reviews for them .. what do you think ? im just wondering if theyll fit right

 

[M-Sport fan]

I haven’t put it in my FiST yet, but I have a Recaro SPG I used in my old WRX, and I’ve done a lot of homework on seating solutions, especially for street-driven cars, so I’ll share what I’ve learned.

It really is amazing the difference it makes to be fully fixed in your seat. You don’t realize how much you are fighting to not slide around until you don’t have to do it anymore. I loved my SPG, even though it was awkward to get in and out of, and I couldn’t wear a jacket comfortably in the seat. It fits me like a glove. I’ll put it in the FiST eventually.

That said, there are huge trade-offs on any aftermarket seat, and especially a fixed-back. As was stated, you lose the side impact airbag. Even outside that, keep in mind you are altering a core element of a safety system. With fixed-back seats, most people do not mount the seat belt properly where it stays in close contact around your hips and waist - most folks just run it over the bolsters, which does not allow the belt to work properly. Most fixed-back seats are not made to accommodate a three-point belt, though it can often be made to work, so keep that in mind, too. Exceptions include the Cobra Novaro and Recaro Pole Position ABE (not the FIA model we get here).

Note that some reclining aftermarket seats have been found to be flimsy as well. Do lots of research.

If you are wanting reclining seats, it honestly doesn’t get cheaper for a quality seat than just snapping up some FiST Recaros when they come up, unless they just really don’t fit you. They seem to go for $1000-$1500. Keep in mind a quality aftermarket seat is $750-$1000+ for one seat. Brackets, sliders, and side mounts (for a fixed back) can run from $275-$400 per seat.

^^^AGREED!
Except that I just do not trust the quality of even the FIA Recaro shells given my horrid past experiences with their (yes reclining) SPD seat, and their refusal to either warranty OR help me correct THEIR manufacturing problems with it.

The other factor which some might have to consider concerning aftermarket NON airbag equipped seats is that their state inspections might just fail them for no exploding whoopee cushions (as they might also for aftermarket racing steering wheels), even with the dash lights somehow cancelled out.

Of course, this does not matter for a pure track car, or in states with absolutely NO inspection.
But for a daily driven car, there could potentially be problems with insurance denying you medical coverage (they will absolutely look for EVERY/ANY reason to deny claims) in a severe accident involving injuries to either party

 

[WutApex]

I find that with a good ole pair of bluejeans on and I don't slide a bit on stock seats. I prefer them to the Recaro "lites" in the FiST. Wear clothes with more grip.......whole lot cheaper!

When I tracked the Cobra (with the leather seats that have zero bolster support), I used a piece of tool chest liner that covered the bottom and seat back, along with a CG-Lock for the seatbelt. With both of those, I was pretty planted in the seat. My only issue after that was my leg having to brace against the door. That was a cheap and effective fix without having to swap seats.

I do have my custom (narrowed) Recaro SPG from the racecar that I thought of putting in there, but the loss of airbags was my concern. If it's an easy swap, then I may think of swapping out for track days...

edit: something like this - Home Depot Shelf Liner - $7.50

 

[Wes7]

^^^AGREED!
Except that I just do not trust the quality of even the FIA Recaro shells given my horrid past experiences with their (yes reclining) SPD seat, and their refusal to either warranty OR help me correct THEIR manufacturing problems with it.

The other factor which some might have to consider concerning aftermarket NON airbag equipped seats is that their state inspections might just fail them for no exploding whoopee cushions (as they might also for aftermarket racing steering wheels), even with the dash lights somehow cancelled out.

Of course, this does not matter for a pure track car, or in states with absolutely NO inspection.
But for a daily driven car, there could potentially be problems with insurance denying you medical coverage (they will absolutely look for EVERY/ANY reason to deny claims) in a severe accident involving injuries to either party

Definitely check with insurance. Mine said it wouldn’t be a issue, but every company will be different. Recaro has definitely had issues in the past - the Pole Position FIA has to be recalled I believe - so research.

Personally, I would not trust NRG or any of the other budget companies for something as important as a seat. For fixed-back seats, I’d stay with the companies with long histories and FIA certifications. For reclining, I’d be looking at the folks that also supply the OEMs.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Recaro has definitely had issues in the past - the Pole Position FIA has to be recalled I believe - so research.

Yeah, that as well.

Didn't they actually lose their FIA certification/homologation (on ALL of their fixed back racing shells) for a while because of that recall?

 

[Scotman2]

My biggest regret is I have the shitty base cloth seats .. so I'm looking at options and wondering what other people are running ? How's fitment and all that ..

You might want to give some serious consideration to having a stock Fiesta seat lower cushion "rebuilt" with better medical grade foam that is recontoured and covered in either similar cloth or maybe a grippier type of material? I was told that it would be about $425 bucks depending on the material, by a very reputable custom automotive upholstery shop. I have Recaro seats, but I knew what the base seats were. I am a skinny man. The base seat is most lacking in side bolstering and thigh support. Both problems could be addressed with a lower cushion rebuild.

 

[Scotman2]

When I tracked the Cobra (with the leather seats that have zero bolster support), I used a piece of tool chest liner that covered the bottom and seat back, along with a CG-Lock for the seatbelt. With both of those, I was pretty planted in the seat. My only issue after that was my leg having to brace against the door. That was a cheap and effective fix without having to swap seats.

I do have my custom (narrowed) Recaro SPG from the racecar that I thought of putting in there, but the loss of airbags was my concern. If it's an easy swap, then I may think of swapping out for track days...

edit: something like this - Home Depot Shelf Liner - $7.50[/E]
I considered a Ford built Recaro from the fox Mustang GT era. But found a lot of issues with the seat base not being compatible with the Fiesta frame. Like you, my search ended at C- G Lock . I contacted the company to buy a couple of them and he offered me a couple as a sponsorship deal in exchange for some mention on my Fiesta. They were perfect for the situation! I could jamb my tailbone into the seat and pull the lock lever to keep me in the seat. Instead of bracing myself for each manuver. It would have been even better if the basic seat had a better lower cushion.

 

[DoomsdayMelody]

yeah that could help but not when im pushing around these mountain roads by me also i have the unpopular opinion i guess of thinking the stock seats are shit there not comfortable for me at all, so im just wondering if anyone on here is running aftermarket seats to get some ideas

I’m 6’5” around 240lbs. The stock seats were uncomfortable until I spent an hour fiddling around with shit to put myself in the correct driving position, it’s a lot closer to the steering wheel than most realize. I used to be able to feel springs or something hard through the seat foam via my bony ass, now while I’d still like to upgrade to recaros, I’m gonna wait until I can find a junkyard that doesn’t know what they have... could be years but like I said, I’m in no rush to drop $1200 on seats that have had the airbags deploy.


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[Scotman2]

I pulled out a driver's seat base with the cover and cushion removed to illustrate the ease of getting It apart. Even the forward seat cushion support pan is removable by taking out four screws. The cushion is separated from the cover by removing the hog rings. From there on it's a matter of deciding on what you want to do with the bolstering and pad length. In no way is it like rocket science.

 

[blurred]

That said, there are huge trade-offs on any aftermarket seat, and especially a fixed-back. As was stated, you lose the side impact airbag. Even outside that, keep in mind you are altering a core element of a safety system. With fixed-back seats, most people do not mount the seat belt properly where it stays in close contact around your hips and waist - most folks just run it over the bolsters, which does not allow the belt to work properly. Most fixed-back seats are not made to accommodate a three-point belt, though it can often be made to work, so keep that in mind, too. Exceptions include the Cobra Novaro and Recaro Pole Position ABE (not the FIA model we get here).

.

Well, I can offer some perspective then. I currently have a FiST with Recaros, as well as an STI with a Recaro Pole Position ABE. Good call on mentioning them as most dont know about them. They are the same seat shell as found in many OEM options such as older 911 gt3, bentley continental supersport, Aston v12 vantage, mercedes amg gtr to name a few.
As far as a comparison they are very similar in fit to the fiesta recaros, the width of the seat pan, the hip bolstering, the arch of the seat and the shoulder height and width. They are extremely comfortable for a fixed back seat.

If you've that route I would definitely redo the cushioning with memory foam though, they are a little thin for longer trips. That said, I have done 5 hour drives without complaint. The ability to run the 3 point belts properly is a huge bonus as well as being TÜV approved for road use they are going to he the safest option for a fixed back.

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