Evil Weevil

I've got two questions about the seats... (exciting, eh )

Firstly, does anybody know whether the front seatback can be dropped forwards to allow easier access to the back? It's one of the other things that I meant to investigate when I test drove the car and didn't (I was having too much fun actually driving it!!)

Secondly, I wonder how easily scuffed the hard plastic on the back of the front seats is. The test car I drove was pretty awful here - lots of scratches, some of them pretty deep. As it's a semi-metallic finish on the plastic, I should think it'll be impossible to polish-out any scratches.

(If there's anyone outside the UK who reads the Europe forum - let me know how you're getting on with the seats , please. I'll give it a few days and maybe post something similar on the general forum)

specman

hi mr DO,

i can answer the first question

on the leathered up rx8 that i drove the passenger seat back moves forward easily but you then have to reset it for the angle to suit you once done.

Evil Weevil

Thank you sir! Prompt, curteous and accurate - you do the GOC proud :D

Passenger seat = manual. What about the drivers side? Is there a switch/lever that allows you to flip the back forwards and then return it to its previous setting?

Kev

I can get in and out of the back of the car without moving the front seats.

I'm not an acrobat and at 100kg - I'm no shrimp.

Evil Weevil

Thanks, Kev

I wish I'd paid more attention to these 'little things' when I had my test drive! One of the reasons I asked the question is bacause I have to carry a reasonably bulky rucksack-type bag with a laptop and heaps of paper/files/sandwiches/junk etc. At the moment, I go round to the passenger side of my MR2 roadster and sling it on the passenger seat or footwell... no problem unless it's pi**ing down with rain. Seems like I should be able to sling the bag in the rear of the car without any problems.

How about the 'scratch-ability' of the seatback?... any problems so far?

Kev

I'd avoid the spike studded belts (at least put them on after if you're going out on a punk night...), generally speaking they'll mark if you're not careful. If you intend to regularly put something on the seat with protrusions, etc - consider getting something to protect it.

I keep my laptop pack in the boot.

Kev.

Evil Weevil

I'll leave the studded belts at home with my spurs (can't heel'n'toe in them with the RX8!).

The trouble with the boot for me is that my garage is only 60cm or so wider than the car, and about as long. I have to reverse into my garage and (at the moment) slide my seat all the way back so I can get out without damaging myself or the car! It's not a pretty sight (I'm no shrimp either In fact I reckon I'll be giving those seat motors a pretty good workout!).

My question about the seatback is more about the rear of the seatback that has that hard plastic shell - looks very easy to scratch (kid's shoes, wife's bag etc). They'll be given a pre-journey lecture but they don't always obey!!

Kev

I hear you ... get some of the 3m film that's normally applied to the front and rear bumpers. If you searchthe threams for 3M you'll find the stuff I mean.

That'll protect them - you're right, shoe buckles, etc would make the rear of the seatbacks look second hand quite qucikly.

Thinking about it, I may well try the same for mine!

renegade_si

THeres always this :

http://www.mothercare.com/mc_uk/shop...670&cat=-13162

seat protector and car tidy for £10

I dont know about what it means for the seat front as there as fixing straps, but ...

Kev can you give a better link to the 3M thing - were you on about one of the threads here or elsewhere?

cheers

Si

Kev

This is the thread I was thinking about...

http://www.rx8forum.com/showthread.p...=clear+car+bra

I've only seen ref's to it in the US. As 3M's a reasonable size company, I'd imagine it'd be available in the UK - even in Oz with any luck :D

Kev.

RobDickinson

The equivelant thing in ther uk to the 3m stuff is called armourfend (or armourguard).

Basicaly thick (0.8 - 1.2mil ish) clear plastic (polymer) type thing.

I know a lot of people have it fitted to the fronts of lotus elise's etc, cause the paint (on fiberglass) chips easily.

I hear its not cheap, and I havnt heard of it being used inside a car, but I think it does come in some form of home apply squares.

Dont know how it comes off (if at all).

I'm not getting the leather seats, so netierh seat is powered (shame) and cloth doesnt have the plastic back the leather seats have.

The seat will go from almost horizontal to quite well forward , 80degrees back? to whatever forward(didnt test). But this is the same control that adjusts for your seating position. So if you use it you have to lock it back into your seating position manualy.

OK with me as I wont have many people in the back, and most will probably get in without moving the seat.