General Changing non-height adjust seat base

[Mylife61]

Is it possible to change a non-height seat base to an adjustable one? The car I want to make the change on is a 2011 Mylife. I don't want to have to swap the seat squab trim if possible.

I had the ECU software updated today to hopefully cure the kangarooing when cold and the dealer gave me a new model Panda as a loan car. I noticed I sat much lower in this, hence the idea of the seat base change.

By way of feedback on the new car (a 1.2) I drove it about 150 miles and it is definitely more refined though I would say the ride on my car is better. The one thing I really did not like was the dumpy hand brake with the release button on the side.

Thanks

Peter

 

[dave k]

As far as I'm aware you would have to change the entire seat.
& then change the rest of the seats to match your new seat.
Or fit seat covers.

Aternatively wait for someone with a higher model who changes their interior trim for that of a Fiat 500, & buy their old seats off them. Or Fit 500 seats yourself.

 

[Mylife61]

Dave,

Thanks for your advice but I don't want to go to the extent of changing all the seats in a car which is only just a year old.

The new Panda was I guess a popular as it did not have air conditioning. I would also assume it had a fixed height seat as I could not find any lever to adjust things. Now I am only 5' 10" tall but in my Mylife I feel I am sitting very high. Can someone who has experience of fixed and adjustable height Panda seats advise if in an adjustable car it is possible to sit lower than the fixed seat height? I am asking this as maybe the fixed height seat position is the bottom of the adjustable seat range whereas I am hoping it is the top.

Thanks

Peter

 

[flapping lugs]

What we used to do was put spacers (like a really thick washer) on the threaded bolts that hold the seat to the floor. The spacers we used were normally only about 10-15mm thick, but its amazing the difference it can make. This however raises the whole of the seat up. If you've no spacers,try large nuts to get the thickness required, then get spacers made to fit.

 

[dave k]

Dave,

Thanks for your advice but I don't want to go to the extent of changing all the seats in a car which is only just a year old.

The new Panda was I guess a popular as it did not have air conditioning. I would also assume it had a fixed height seat as I could not find any lever to adjust things. Now I am only 5' 10" tall but in my Mylife I feel I am sitting very high. Can someone who has experience of fixed and adjustable height Panda seats advise if in an adjustable car it is possible to sit lower than the fixed seat height? I am asking this as maybe the fixed height seat position is the bottom of the adjustable seat range whereas I am hoping it is the top.

Thanks

Peter

I'm I didn't notice how new your car was!
Mine is a few years older, so it made more sense to me.
Plus the drivers seat had a few holes in it, & the foam had collapsed on one side.
Just a note, I do find you do feel you are sitting higher in the car (even with seat adjustment). This may be due to the width of the car as well, which make you feel taller.
Although in my previous car (Clio) you felt like you sat in it rather than on it, the lack of headroom (& sunroof) meant I had to slope the seatback.
In the Panda I can sit more comfortably.

 

[Mylife61]

Thanks for the advice. I don't mind sitting quite high but I cannot seem to get the seat in the a place where I can work the pedals smoothly at the top of their travel. Maybe I just need to play around with the seat adjustment a bit more.

All the best

Peter

 

[hollister]

I am 6'1" and found the non-adjustable seats in a 2010 Panda 1.2 Dynamic (same seats as yours) much too high. They were ideal for my wife who is 5'4".

I looked into changing the seat and ended up buying a Panda 4x4 with adjustable drivers' seat to compare.

The adustable squab of the 4x4 (as in all 03-12 Pandas) rotates on its front fixing. It is only the back of squab which is really lowered.

However for someone as tall as me it makes all the difference between feeling really stupidly high and 'about right'.

I think it would be possible for a very clever person to release the squab from its rear fixings and manufacture something (perhaps some bolts and brackets) to FIX it PERMANENTLY in A SLIGHTLY lower position.

Alternatively you could look out for a recent adjustable driver's seat on ebay or from a scrap yard. That would be a straight bolt-in replacement.

If you spend enough time searching you might just find an accident-damaged car one with exact matching trim (though I don't know for sure if the trim used your model was replicated in those models with adjustable seats). You'd be looking for either a very late Dynamic or an Eleganza or of course the 4x4.

If you found one with non-matching trim, it would be possible I think to take the trim from yours and fit to the new adjustable one but think very fiddly, I guess an upholsterer would do it for you and take, what, a couple of hours? I'm not sure.

I sold my Dynamic (shame really) but kept the 4x4 (yesss!!!) which is a great car. I love 'em!

PS. one thing to note is that the plastics can be a different greys (light and dark) from one model to another, if you do end up looking for an exact match be aware of this.

 

[dave k]

Could this be an option?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-PANDA-4X4-COMPLETE-DRIVERS-SEAT-IN-GREY-RED-2005-05-REG-MODEL-/380519720097?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5898be24a1

 

[Mylife61]

Hollister and Dave K,

Thanks for the advice and the Ebay link. The tip about the different shades of grey plastic trim is especially useful. The plastic on the 4x4 Panda seat on Ebay is a lot lighter than on my Mylife. Looks like I need to keep an eye out for a seat.

All the best

Peter