Seat upolstery

[RicksCarrera]

Hi All

Wondering if anyone out there has redone their car seats. I have 99 c2 cab with graphite grey partial leather seats. I believe the PO had a real dog sitting in the pax seat and it left the seat alittle tainted.

Curious if there are any 'seat kits' out there. Porsche will sell them for more or less 2k for both seats.

I'll check out recaro on monday.

Thx Rick

[Dharn55]

Hi All

Wondering if anyone out there has redone their car seats. I have 99 c2 cab with graphite grey partial leather seats. I believe the PO had a real dog sitting in the pax seat and it left the seat alittle tainted.

Curious if there are any 'seat kits' out there. Porsche will sell them for more or less 2k for both seats.

I'll check out recaro on monday.

Thx Rick

Are your seats heated or not? I just a a DIY to add heated seats to my car so I have extra foam seat cushions. One or both are yours for free except you would have to pay shipping. You can also get them from Porsche (I use Sunset). The heated ones cost me about $115.00@, the unheated one are much less. Putting them in the seats is a DIY if you are a little handy. If it is orders that are bothering you it might just be in the foam, then just clean the leather. Let me know if you want them.

[Kim]

Are your seats heated or not? I just a a DIY to add heated seats to my car so I have extra foam seat cushions. One or both are yours for free except you would have to pay shipping. You can also get them from Porsche (I use Sunset). The heated ones cost me about $115.00@, the unheated one are much less. Putting them in the seats is a DIY if you are a little handy. If it is orders that are bothering you it might just be in the foam, then just clean the leather. Let me know if you want them.

Dharn55

Are you going to post a DIY (with pictures) of your heated seat project. I've been waiting to see it, and to see if I think I can do it. Until I read your original post, it never occurred to me that heated seats would significantly extend the top down season.

Kim

2000 Cab

[Dharn55]

Are your seats heated or not? I just a a DIY to add heated seats to my car so I have extra foam seat cushions. One or both are yours for free except you would have to pay shipping. You can also get them from Porsche (I use Sunset). The heated ones cost me about $115.00@, the unheated one are much less. Putting them in the seats is a DIY if you are a little handy. If it is orders that are bothering you it might just be in the foam, then just clean the leather. Let me know if you want them.

Dharn55

Are you going to post a DIY (with pictures) of your heated seat project. I've been waiting to see it, and to see if I think I can do it. Until I read your original post, it never occurred to me that heated seats would significantly extend the top down season.

Kim

2000 Cab

I have been meaning to do a DIY on the heated seat installation, but time has gotten away from me and I really did not take enough pictures. However, I really don't need to reinvent the wheel because 99% of what you need is in the following DIY by Dennis Vogel. www.dennisvogel.com/boxster/heatedseats I talked to Dennis abount using his info and updating it to a 996, but he preferred that I not reuse his work, but just refer people to it. He has offered to add a link to a 996 update but I haven't done that yet.

While his is for a boxster, there are only a few variations for a 996. I.e. the standard location for the switches in a 996 is the lower console so the wiring is a little shorter and you need a bezel (in a coupe you could put the in the center console location). I have a revised parts list with the bezel, etc. for a 996 that I am happy to share. All the parts cost me in the neighborhood of $600-$650 from Sunset Porsche. I also bought wire at the local NAPA store and some connector from Radio Shack. If you are going to do it take Dennis' advide and buy a few extra of the electrical connectors. Sometimes they break or bend. I did the seat cushion work myself with the exception of reinstalling the seat back covers as this required hog ring pliers (which I since bought for another project, you can get then at JC Whitney really cheap). I paid a upholstery shop $50.00 for that. The quoted $250 for the whole cushion installation if I brought the seats to them. Total time was about 5 hours.

I can only say that I love them. Used them alot before I put the hardtop on and use them all the time in the cold now. If you want to try it let me know I will be happy to provide whatever assistance I can. I did take some pictures of the seat cushion part which Dennis did not have in his instrucitons.

[Kim]

I can only say that I love them. Used them alot before I put the hardtop on and use them all the time in the cold now. If you want to try it let me know I will be happy to provide whatever assistance I can. I did take some pictures of the seat cushion part which Dennis did not have in his instrucitons.

I would appreciate it very much if you would email the parts list, whatever pictures you have of the seat cushion work, and any other pertinent hints to:

lkwelch@mindspring.com

Thanks,

Kim

2000 Cab

[ToblertheDog]

Hi All

Wondering if anyone out there has redone their car seats. I have 99 c2 cab with graphite grey partial leather seats. I believe the PO had a real dog sitting in the pax seat and it left the seat alittle tainted.

Curious if there are any 'seat kits' out there. Porsche will sell them for more or less 2k for both seats.

I'll check out recaro on monday.

Thx Rick

Rick,

Give GAHH a call. I have not used, but have heard they do nice work. I'm pretty sure they are an OEM to Porsche.

http://www.gahh.com/996-cabriolet-1999-sea...5_339_2990.html

You might find what your looking for at a better price than going to your local dealer.

Good luck.

[RicksCarrera]

Thanks for the replies

I believe my seat cushions are fine Dharn so I can greatfully decline your foam. Until you mentioned heated seats, the option hadn't occurred to me. It would be nice in the land of many leaves, really anywhere on a cool clear day. I like it and will check it out

Thats a perfect link Tobler, thankyou. 'Seat kits' are ~1500. Tomorrow I will see a Porsche experienced upholsterer who is indicating he will complete an as original recover for 14 -1500. I'd definately try the DIY if I end up doing the heated seats.

Cheers

[djantlive]

For 1400, just get some new seats. You can often find a set of new ones for that price on ebay. If you are not set on sport seats, the base seats are pretty easy to find. The only thing is trying to find ones that are near new. Many upgrade base seats.

If you will get new ones, the seat warmer is good but you'll need to wire those. If your car didn't come with seat warners, you'll have to add separate wiring instead of using stock harness. The 986 DIY link above gives you an idea of the job. Not a bad time to upgrade but it's a little involved.

Upholstry shops can be a hit or miss. Many are sketchy even those that dealer refer to. Be sure you know how he will do the job and judge if that really meets your expectation. Talk to a few shops.

[RicksCarrera]

Thanks for all the replies

I decided to order the seat covers from Gahh (link to the website above). They are 100% leather vs the partial leather so we'll see. I wanted to stay with the original look instead of going aftermarket.

I have bit the bullet and am crossing my fingers for the outcome and will post the result.

If I ordered the covers myself they would have been 1500. The installer I have chosen can buy them for less and he is charging me 1350 plus a somewhat steep 300 for re & re. I am alittle torn because I love DIY'ing my 996, but it is christmas and I did not have ready instructions to re & re these seat covers.

Anyways I'll post the result

Rick

[djantlive]

So no heated seats then.

[RicksCarrera]

Hi All

To conclude, I was pleased with the gahnn seat cover kit. My seats look as good as new actually better, there is no vinyl on the side of the bolsters v the partial leather. The installer did an ok job of it, but the cautions on work quality in this thread above are wise. There are two small leather wrinkles that were not present on the original seat, but it might be something you would expect from 'real' leather seats. They look great. Total cost was 1350 for the seat kit and 300 labor for the re and re plus tax.

cheers

[viper501]

Dharn55, Please do a 996 supplement on the heated seat install. I'd really like to do this, and my wife would like it even more. Even a parts list would be a great starting point. Thanks!

[Dharn55]

Ok, Here is the parts list:

Part Number Description Qty

996.618.521.00 Control Unit Seat Heater (Relay) 2

996.612.540.01 Wiring harness Sear Heater 2

996.521.531.01 Foam part Backrest Cushion with Heating 2

996.521.521.01 Foam Part Seat Cushion with Heating 2

996.618.531.00 Support Control Unit (metal bracket) 2

999.591.712.40 Plastic Rivet 6,0x23,0 2

996.613.153.00.A02 Tip Switch Seat heater gloss black 996 Left 1

996.613.154.00.A02 Tip Switch Seat heater gloss black 996 Right 1

999.650.109.40 White Female Electrical Switch Connector housing L 1

999.650.035.40 Black Female Electrical Switch Connector Housing R 1

999.650.330.00 Electrical Connector (Female spades to tip switch 20

000-979-008-A Audi Electrical Wire/Connector (Small square to seat) 6

000-979-227 Audi Electrical Wire/Connector (female blake to fuse) 3

000-979-117 Audi Electrical Wire/Connector (female bullet to seat) 3

999.650.320.22 Contact Bushing (to relay BS15) 3

999.607.060.00 White 25A Fuse 2

996.552.335.02 O1C Dash Bezel for Seat Heat Switches 2 hole version 1

On the small electrical parts the quantities are doulble what you need, but they are cheap and some of them break easily so I ordered extras. You don't want to be partway throught the project and be missing some small piece. The total cost with shipping from Sunset was $611 last fall. The major difference between the Boxster and a 996 cab is the placement of the heater switches. In the boxster Dennis Vogel put them where the rear window switches fit in the center console behind the ashtray. In a cab they go in the lower console on the dash, so the wires route the same way Dennis Vogel shows, they just stop at the lower dash so they are shorter. The biggest trick is the back cushions which take a set of hog ring pliers and clips (available from JC Whitney for $10-12). I had an upholstery sho do the backs, I did the bottoms my self.

Warning!!! when you have the seats out, don't reconnect the battery or put the key in or you have an airbag warning light go on which requires the dealer to reset. Any questions, PM Me, I will be glad to help.