so i have some chafing damage from getting into my R3 Recaro seat and was just wondering how everyone else is dealing with it? If I remember I always push my seat all the way back to get in and out.

 

pix?

 

Yes, I get it too. I try to be very careful getting in and out, but it's hard to do without rubbing against the side of the seat.

 

Use mink oil often. See my tip of the week!

 

tip of the week? where?
edit: never mind.

 

If you don't want side bolsters any number of people will reluctantly swap out their non-R3 seats with you

 

haha no way

 

alnielsen raises hand.

 

If it still under BTB warranty...go bitch at the dealer...they replaced my drivers seat bottom when the seam started to unravel.....( hint hint )

 

I have some chafing as well.

I have another problem with my Recaros. The padding in the backrest has crushed or migrated so there's no lower back support except for a bar that goes across the bottom of the backrest and digs into my back. Does anyone else have this problem?

 

I just wish there was some sort of height adjustment on the recaros... be a lot easier to sell my wife on the car if she could actually drive it.

 

Racing seat + non-racing mentality = mega-fail

you can't have your cake and eat it too, so choose .....

 

Yeah, I agree with Team...

You can't have it both ways, eventually no matter how well the seats are made, if you drag your *** over the Side Padding well of course you will get wear marks...

Imagine the cost if Mazda replaced the scrubbed seats...

 

Along these lines. The seats in mine came a bit more chaffed than they wold have been if I had owned the car since new.
Has anyone though about swapping the driver and passenger seat to balance out the wear? I suspect that this shouldn't be a difficult task. Both seats appear to be identical, or am I missing something?
Also being that there are no power controls or heater units to worry about the details should be straight forward.

 

Update: I was unable to swap any part of the seats. The whole seat is obviously not swappable, most notable - airbag.
Seat pan is even slightly different, the pan bolts have a slightly different pattern.
The upholstery cannot be removed from the cushion, and the pan shape is different just enough to not allow the cushion/upholstery combo to be anchored.

If anyone has any other ideas I'd love to hear them.

 

I will drive up from California and trade you my perfect condition 07 black and grey cloth seats. No damage and very comfortable. Limited time offer only. PM me

 

I'm trying to extend the life of the ones I inherited

 

I will provide them a good home and extend their life. I only drive the car a few times per week.

 

the seats are not a real glossy black, more of a matte finish.. I have a tad of chafing as well, im going hunting for matte polish and going to try a tad applied sparingly with a cloth..
I would like to know what leather conditioners other r3owners are using ..it seems to prevent the chaffing.. my concern is the center clothe section.. can it be treated as well... would love to scotchgaurd it.. Guess I will head for the manual

 

I would love to have a custom fit seat cover for my R3 probably with some padding too. its a nice seat but its pretty hard and R3's are bouncy.

 

Hey guys, since this is the closest thread I can find relating to the R3 recaro seats, I am going to post my question here.

I am thinking about purchasing an R3, but the driver side leather upholster is starting to wrinkle up. Is that normal? The seller told me the passenger side appears to still be smooth and in mint condition. Is there a way for me to get rid of the wrinkle? Is it going to crack and rip on me? I do not want to buy the car, and then all of a sudden the seat will rip on me, and then I will have to deal with it afterwards.

 

Yes. It's normal. My boys R3 recaros are the same way. Passenger seat is fine in his because no one sits in it as often. Use plenty of leather conditioner and keep it soft and it shouldn't crack. Not much you can do other than not sitting in them.

Try and be careful getting in and out and not drag across the side bolster. Other than that it's going to chafe and wrinkle a bit under normal usage.

 

No reason you can't scotchguard them. We did it on our son's R3. God knows what he's doing In there. I know what I did in my first car. Lol. I don't want any stains on those recaros.

 

im working on a "cover" to help protect the bolsters on both regular seats and recaros.

my cosmo red seats are showing some signs of wear from getting in and out.