Changing seats possibilities

raspo · 12-19-2014, 08:19 AM

I've been looking ages for an e90 325i with a spec I like, and I have found one I really like, but it doesn't have the 60/40 split rear seats, which I NEED.

I'm trying to work out what the possibilities are to change the seats. I have looked all over, and between the folding rear seat being rare, and the grey leather covers being rare, I have come up empty handed.

Otherwise, I figure I could: buy a set of black leather with split back - does this look terrible? What do I need at a minimum to keep it from looking awful? Seats, door cards, dash - do I need it all? Will it still look terrible with grey carpet?

I figured I could buy a cloth split back seat (which I have found) and see if I could buy leather covers from the dealer - but it looks like it is about £1500 to do that, which is too much.

Is there someone who would make bespoke covers that I could use in place of the cloth covering the 40/60 I could buy and have it match the OEM front seats such that you couldn't tell?

Is there any other way to solve this problem I haven't thought of? Any other ideas?

raspo · 12-19-2014, 08:32 AM

Oh, one more question (and sorry for being such a girl that I don't know this), but do the pre facelift seats fit a post facelift e90? The car I'm looking at is an 09, and I know that was a pretty extensive facelift, at least externally - but what about seats? Would a new back seat from any e90 work?

JJ0063 · 12-19-2014, 08:48 AM

I have pre-LCI black leather in my LCI.

I originally had grey cloth, I ripped the whole lot out (carpet, door cards, interior, parcel shelf, centre console, all sill trims etc) and replaced it with black leather. I then dyed the bottom half of my dashboard black too.

I know the 60/40's are fairly rare, if you get the cloth ones and go to an upholsterers I'm sure they would be able to match the black leather and sort the rears.

I'll find some pics of mine part converted to show black/grey together.

JJ0063 · 12-19-2014, 08:54 AM

Heres some photos of my transformation..

Grey cloth, black trims

Black cloth, grey trim

Black leather, black trims, grey dash:

Black leather, black trims, black dash!

raspo · 12-19-2014, 09:12 AM

Thanks a lot for the info about the LCI issue, and for the photos. Your car looks great! And I think the various permutations of black and grey along the way look fine! I'm only still wondering about the black seats on the grey carpet, bc I definitely don't want to have to change the carpet.

12-19-2014, 08:19 AM	#1
raspo Enlisted Member 1 Rep 34 Posts Drives: 09 325i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: N Herts iTrader: (0)	Changing seats possibilities I've been looking ages for an e90 325i with a spec I like, and I have found one I really like, but it doesn't have the 60/40 split rear seats, which I NEED. I'm trying to work out what the possibilities are to change the seats. I have looked all over, and between the folding rear seat being rare, and the grey leather covers being rare, I have come up empty handed. Otherwise, I figure I could: buy a set of black leather with split back - does this look terrible? What do I need at a minimum to keep it from looking awful? Seats, door cards, dash - do I need it all? Will it still look terrible with grey carpet? I figured I could buy a cloth split back seat (which I have found) and see if I could buy leather covers from the dealer - but it looks like it is about £1500 to do that, which is too much. Is there someone who would make bespoke covers that I could use in place of the cloth covering the 40/60 I could buy and have it match the OEM front seats such that you couldn't tell? Is there any other way to solve this problem I haven't thought of? Any other ideas?
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12-19-2014, 08:32 AM	#2
raspo Enlisted Member 1 Rep 34 Posts Drives: 09 325i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: N Herts iTrader: (0)	Oh, one more question (and sorry for being such a girl that I don't know this), but do the pre facelift seats fit a post facelift e90? The car I'm looking at is an 09, and I know that was a pretty extensive facelift, at least externally - but what about seats? Would a new back seat from any e90 work?
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12-19-2014, 08:48 AM	#3
JJ0063 Captain 70 Rep 923 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: May 2014 Location: . iTrader: (1)	I have pre-LCI black leather in my LCI. I originally had grey cloth, I ripped the whole lot out (carpet, door cards, interior, parcel shelf, centre console, all sill trims etc) and replaced it with black leather. I then dyed the bottom half of my dashboard black too. I know the 60/40's are fairly rare, if you get the cloth ones and go to an upholsterers I'm sure they would be able to match the black leather and sort the rears. I'll find some pics of mine part converted to show black/grey together.
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12-19-2014, 08:54 AM	#4
JJ0063 Captain 70 Rep 923 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: May 2014 Location: . iTrader: (1)	Heres some photos of my transformation.. Grey cloth, black trims Black cloth, grey trim Black leather, black trims, grey dash: Black leather, black trims, black dash!
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12-19-2014, 09:12 AM	#5
raspo Enlisted Member 1 Rep 34 Posts Drives: 09 325i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: N Herts iTrader: (0)	Thanks a lot for the info about the LCI issue, and for the photos. Your car looks great! And I think the various permutations of black and grey along the way look fine! I'm only still wondering about the black seats on the grey carpet, bc I definitely don't want to have to change the carpet.
	Appreciate 0 Quote