[Bash328I]

I have a seat Crack on the driver side.

I have a hard time getting In and Out of the car (328 I) and me putting too much weight on the left panel is what caused the crack i believe.

What do you guys think is a decent estimate and do you have any suggestions in the Cincinnati Tri-state Area.

I checked with Fisher Griffin and was told the minimum would be 350.

[AceOnShake]

Is that leather or leatherette?

[UncleWede]

^ either way, once you get it fixed (can't help with estimate there) you need to put conditioning the seats into your normal car care routine.

All you can really expect to have done, and yes you will see it, is to have the small piece from the top stich to where your pen is replaced.

[Bash328I]

Originally Posted by AceOnShake

Is that leather or leatherette?

It is leatherette

[Bash328I]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

^ either way, once you get it fixed (can't help with estimate there) you need to put conditioning the seats into your normal car care routine.

All you can really expect to have done, and yes you will see it, is to have the small piece from the top stich to where your pen is replaced.

I got it used in 2013 and haven't really put much effort into the car so far. There was a small tear when i initially got it and i have applied wax every time i get it detailed. May be i need to do those myself instead of relying on other people to do it properly.

Thanks for your input.

[UncleWede]

Mine was black 'ette, but the section that failed was the first small side panel on the top of the driver's seat. I don't think we paid more than $100 at a local auto upholstery shop. I could see the new color for a while, but it became FAR less noticeable than the cracked white the way it was before we repaired it.

[Efthreeoh]

I can't tell if that is a base seat or a sport seat, but it doesn't matter much. BMW sells the complete sensatec seat cover as a repair part for about $300 (realOEM has it a $269). I rebuilt my driver's seat because I had a similar problem with the torso section. I replaced the seat foam while I was at it. I had an upholsterer do the work, but on my E30 I did the recovering myself. Not a hard DIY. The trick is to warm the seat cover with a hair dryer to soften the vinyl up to make it easier to stretch over the frame. I'd get the new foam too, since it is no extra effort to replace it.

[ajaye]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I can't tell if that is a base seat or a sport seat, but it doesn't matter much. BMW sells the complete sensatec seat cover as a repair part for about $300 (realOEM has it a $269). I rebuilt my driver's seat because I had a similar problem with the torso section. I replaced the seat foam while I was at it. I had an upholsterer do the work, but on my E30 I did the recovering myself. Not a hard DIY. The trick is to warm the seat cover with a hair dryer to soften the vinyl up to make it easier to stretch over the frame. I'd get the new foam too, since it is no extra effort to replace it.

How much difference did the new foam make as far as comfort honestly? I have non-sport heated power/memory seats in Dakota and the leather is fine, but I just cannot get comfortable in the drivers seat like 80% of the time. I either feel like I'm clocked toward the center of the car a few degrees or if I'm in a more aggressive seating position I can feel the foam at the very back of the seat cushion almost bottoming out...I think the PO drove around all gangsta lean or something for so long the foam is just deformed and collapsed but I don't want to get into tearing down and rebuilding the seat without some feedback that its worth it.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by ajaye

How much difference did the new foam make as far as comfort honestly? I have non-sport heated power/memory seats in Dakota and the leather is fine, but I just cannot get comfortable in the drivers seat like 80% of the time. I either feel like I'm clocked toward the center of the car a few degrees or if I'm in a more aggressive seating position I can feel the foam at the very back of the seat cushion almost bottoming out...I think the PO drove around all gangsta lean or something for so long the foam is just deformed and collapsed but I don't want to get into tearing down and rebuilding the seat without some feedback that its worth it.

I've had my car since new. I rebuilt the seat at 167,000 miles in February 2010. It made a world of difference. The seat foam had broken down to where the frame was jutting into my upper thigh.