General Retrofitting folding front seat

[Alsatian1]

Hi, has anyone retrofitted a folding front seat for their Panda, and if so how much did it cost? I'm going to approach Fiat in Warwick to enquire, but I'm unsure if they will be able to help as I don't even know if the orange eco leather seats are made any more. Mine is a 2014 Trekking. Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[Al D]

As the upholstery changed in late 2016, you won't match it. Is allegedly still available in a factory build for not much. Though somebody else on here was quoted £1100 for a new drivers seat with height adjustment for their Panda Pop. They found a secondhand one in the end. The passenger seat can be identified due to it having the netting on the back. Could you find one, you may have a wait, and it won't match. Hope this helps.

 

[Alsatian1]

As the upholstery changed in late 2016, you won't match it. Is allegedly still available in a factory build for not much. Though somebody else on here was quoted £1100 for a new drivers seat with height adjustment for their Panda Pop. They found a secondhand one in the end. The passenger seat can be identified due to it having the netting on the back. Could you find one, you may have a wait, and it won't match. Hope this helps.

Thanks, I feared the upholstery was probably out of date now. I'm not sure I could cope with a seat which is different to the rest of the car [emoji848] I've done a quick eBay search and no folding seats are coming up unfortunately. I suppose it was quite a rare part and even rarer for them to be sold.

I'm after one as I want to use my panda for sleeping purposes as I quite often have a lunchtime nap in the car, I know it probably sounds rather ridiculous lol. But to be able to sit in the back and stretch my legs out in front would be perfect.

 

[oyumurtaci]

Thanks, I feared the upholstery was probably out of date now. I'm not sure I could cope with a seat which is different to the rest of the car [emoji848] I've done a quick eBay search and no folding seats are coming up unfortunately. I suppose it was quite a rare part and even rarer for them to be sold.

I'm after one as I want to use my panda for sleeping purposes as I quite often have a lunchtime nap in the car, I know it probably sounds rather ridiculous lol. But to be able to sit in the back and stretch my legs out in front would be perfect.

I've spent two nights sleeping out in the Panda, and have the folding seat. It doesn't really help much, and I resorted to assuming a fetal position on the rear bench. The rear seatback is too upright to be comfortable, and the total length isn't enough to stretch out end to end from dashboard to boot lid if you fold the rear seats down. Your best bet is a comfy pillow and reclining on the passenger seat, or buying an old Renault Twingo which has fold down seats that turn into a full bed.

 

[Alsatian1]

I've spent two nights sleeping out in the Panda, and have the folding seat. It doesn't really help much, and I resorted to assuming a fetal position on the rear bench. The rear seatback is too upright to be comfortable, and the total length isn't enough to stretch out end to end from dashboard to boot lid if you fold the rear seats down. Your best bet is a comfy pillow and reclining on the passenger seat, or buying an old Renault Twingo which has fold down seats that turn into a full bed.

I'm quite lucky in that I specced the reclining sliding rear bench when I ordered my Panda, which has been brilliant as I'm always swapping and changing boot/passenger space. So the seat backs are alright in that regard for me.

 

[Alsatian1]

Well an update from the Fiat dealer, they say that it is possible to source and fit, however they won't do it as they're worried they would be liable in the event of an accident as it is not factory fitted [emoji848]

 

[chris3234]

Well an update from the Fiat dealer, they say that it is possible to source and fit, however they won't do it as they're worried they would be liable in the event of an accident as it is not factory fitted [emoji848]

So by there logic any car with seat air bags that have gone off needs be written off as you can't replace the seats

 

[Alsatian1]

So by there logic any car with seat air bags that have gone off needs be written off as you can't replace the seats

It is a strange response, I mean I understand if it's risk aversion, but I wondered if I had damage to my seat and replaced it like for like, how that would be any different? It's merely because it's not a part original to the car that they're concerned about. Oh well, I will try another dealer. It's promising that the seat can be sourced and fitted though so that's a start.

 

[gar074]

Well an update from the Fiat dealer, they say that it is possible to source and fit, however they won't do it as they're worried they would be liable in the event of an accident as it is not factory fitted [emoji848]

Visions of you trying to drive the car while recumbent on the folded passenger seat...

If you can do that, you've clearly missed your vocation. You should be a contortionist.

 

[Alsatian1]

Visions of you trying to drive the car while recumbent on the folded passenger seat...

Haha [emoji23]

 

[oyumurtaci]

I'm quite lucky in that I specced the reclining sliding rear bench when I ordered my Panda, which has been brilliant as I'm always swapping and changing boot/passenger space. So the seat backs are alright in that regard for me.

I considered mentioning the sliding/reclining seat as a caveat but assumed so few people specced it that it would be a moot point.

Dealers in general tend to shy away from anything off-spec, even if it was actually available as an option, which is why I can't get the sliding/reclining rears (dealers in Turkey refuse to even order it as the part number is not associated with the VIN, let alone fit it). The floor rails are the same as the standard seat, so if you were to order it, it would take an afternoon and 12 bolts to fit yourself, provided you don't have any back health issues. The electrics (seat sensor, airbag and heated seat - if specced - wiring harnesses are plug and play, and the body computer doesn't cause a fuss unless you're moving from standard to heated seats).

Getting back to the original point, since you have the reclining rear seat, one of the best things you might want to do if you get the folding passenger seat is to find a pillow of sorts that will raise your waistline to a flat level to the folded passenger seat. It folds up and sets up very slightly higher than the height of the rear bench. At first sit, having your feet up feels great. After you nod off, you wake up with numb legs. Removing the plastic 'picnic table' seatback might help and make things level, but it's not upholstered like the standard seat and getting it off is a hassle, not to mention it exposes the headrest anti-whiplash mechanism once off.

As for sourcing, a breaker yard might have one for much less than a new one from the dealer.

 

[Alsatian1]

I considered mentioning the sliding/reclining seat as a caveat but assumed so few people specced it that it would be a moot point.

Dealers in general tend to shy away from anything off-spec, even if it was actually available as an option, which is why I can't get the sliding/reclining rears (dealers in Turkey refuse to even order it as the part number is not associated with the VIN, let alone fit it). The floor rails are the same as the standard seat, so if you were to order it, it would take an afternoon and 12 bolts to fit yourself, provided you don't have any back health issues. The electrics (seat sensor, airbag and heated seat - if specced - wiring harnesses are plug and play, and the body computer doesn't cause a fuss unless you're moving from standard to heated seats).

Getting back to the original point, since you have the reclining rear seat, one of the best things you might want to do if you get the folding passenger seat is to find a pillow of sorts that will raise your waistline to a flat level to the folded passenger seat. It folds up and sets up very slightly higher than the height of the rear bench. At first sit, having your feet up feels great. After you nod off, you wake up with numb legs. Removing the plastic 'picnic table' seatback might help and make things level, but it's not upholstered like the standard seat and getting it off is a hassle, not to mention it exposes the headrest anti-whiplash mechanism once off.

As for sourcing, a breaker yard might have one for much less than a new one from the dealer.

Thank you, I'm searching a few breaker sites now, I'm hopeful but realistic. The Fiat dealer I tried said I can't even order the seat without fitting, but I am trying another dealer today with fingers crossed. If it can't be done, I'll just learn from it and spec it in future in cars where it is available, but that won't be for a while yet and likely won't be a Fiat given their current lineup.

 

[Alsatian1]

Update, another Fiat dealer is very happy to do the seat swap, however, for a price approaching £3000. Obviously on a 2014 car I'm not going to be spending that, and I may have some luck with a breakers yard who thinks they might have a folding front seat, and would be about £60. I'm keeping my fingers crossed they come good.

 

[The Panda Nut]

What a pathetic and I must say typical position to adopt. I asked about swapping a tow bar and had the same. What is the matter with people these days. A decent car trimmer would change the seat covers over from your existing cover for about £100. Will the dealers please note. We have to use you and we do so in the continual fear that you will mess up our vehicles with your sometimes less than fully competent service and fortunately for you you are never chased up in the courts. Why Oh why cant you just get on with it and stop posturing.