Racing Seats- Worthwhile?

[Tetro87]

So ive been reading all sorts of threads on this forum and have learned a lot in the last few weeks. One of the things i learned was the cheapest way to make your car perform better is by shedding uneccesary weight. So i was thinking on getting racing seats for my car. It would cost me from $500-$800 depending on the brand of seats. Does anyone think this would be worthwhile based on the performance increase vs. price? Thanks so much

[RemoLexi]

I am considering racing seats later on in the future because my OEM seats are worse then the plastic chairs at school, not because of any weight savings.

[Denlasoul]

You probably would not feel any performance increase unless you shed something around 200lbs. Start thinking of areas where to shed pounds. Speedybenz wrote a nice Thread about losing weight for the W202.

but...if you do plan on tracking your car or racing then it would be worth it.

[BALLLR]

i guess you have to ask yourself what do you want out of ur car... because I was driving my car 5 days a week and swinging around cones 2 days a week Id keep my leather.

[PhilfromPA]

There's a lot of "free" weight that can be removed so it might be best to explore that route first. Circa 80lbs out is going to feel a tad different, but unless you are going full blown with it I can't really see it being worth the hassle.

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by Denlasoul
You probably would not feel any performance increase unless you shed something around 200lbs. Start thinking of areas where to shed pounds. Speedybenz wrote a nice Thread about losing weight for the W202.

but...if you do plan on tracking your car or racing then it would be worth it.

absolutely NOT true AT ALL.

Seats are the #1 weight removal mod you should consider as long as you go to something that isn't too uncomfortable and etc.

I would recommend Sparco Roadsters, they are not too aggressive and are still very streetable and they weigh roughly 12lbs.

Stock MB seats are anywhere from 65-80lbs A Piece! you should save at least 100lbs if not up to 140.

Not only that but it is in the perfect place, directly in the center of the car so it will not affect handling balance or anything like that.

In addition to that you should consider Odyssey PC690 lightweight battery (you will need a battery box to use this though) but it should save anywhere from 30-45lbs depending on how heavy stock battery weighs.

Other things to consider are spare tire weight/tools/jacks (50lbs exactly).

If you have CD changer consider changing your stock stereo system to an upgraded headunit system w/ MP3 capability (this will save about another ~10lbs). All the little things add up quickly.

The stock exhaust system is VERY VERY heavy, As per the EPC its typically 85lbs (excluding headers), with headers its about 100lbs, this can easily be dropped down to roughly 50lbs for the full system if you switch over to a lightweight single pipe high flow system.

For every 100lbs you drop it is an equivalent to adding 10HP, in addition to that it also improves handling, braking and overall agility where as just adding HP does not.

You can easily take out 200lbs out of your car and still make it 100% streetable, and this isn't even getting into body mods like carbon fiber and etc.

Weight removal is THE #1 mod .... period.


(FYI for reference, My E36 M3 weight 3200 stock and I took all the weight down to roughly 2950 on the scales, and that was with FULL interior, just sparco front seats. Needless to say the car was a monster and took down a few E46 M3's at the track & drag strip (which have a lot more power).

[Denlasoul]

I'm confused. What's not true about what I wrote?

edit: I did not know that seats were around 80lbs a piece. So, if you were to change out the fronts, that would be a substantial weight savings.

I still think they are not too useful unless you track. ;)

[mbLova]

I always thought unsprung weight was the most important factor.

[enawazh]

please always travel with a spare tire and tools.

[OCKlasse]

Originally posted by enawazh
please always travel with a spare tire and tools.

That's what AAA is for :D

[enawazh]

lolz

[VIP_MBZ]

Originally posted by Denlasoul
I'm confused. What's not true about what I wrote?

edit: I did not know that seats were around 80lbs a piece. So, if you were to change out the fronts, that would be a substantial weight savings.

I still think they are not too useful unless you track. ;)

I can't vouch for the 202 but on the Supra, the stock seats together (power driver's) are approximately 200 lbs, and switching to a pair of Recaro SRD's did make the car feel a bit more nimble, if not for the 200lbs maybe also because you were in a more attentive driving position.

SRD's (now replaced with Recaro Speed) are reclining still, so they aren't the lightest you can get, but still only approximately 10-15 lbs each. If for no other reason, you might actually find them more comfortable than the stockers.

-Ray

[speedybenz]

Yes, by getting lighter wheels, SSR Comps 15lbs each, building a lighter exhaust, spare tire removal, remove stock battery and replace with PC 980 , sound deadening hood liner, rear inner fenderwell mats, front rotors and calipers, calipers were 5.5lbs vs. 20lbs for the stock one each, I was able to remove some 225 lbs or so.

I have been also looking at the front seats and maybe remving the roof and sunroof and replace with structural CF consturction expoxied into place, aircraft sytle, if the hood/sunroof weighs a lot.

And I did notice a hugh difference in car perfromance and handling. The car changed direction much better and stopped better and accelerated better too.

If I where to find another 200 lbs of stuff to take off and still have the essance of a AMG C43 Mercedes then I would be in heaven.

Black Series CLK63 watch out.

Jeff

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by enawazh
please always travel with a spare tire and tools.

I have AAA platinum plus, I get free flatbed up to 100 miles anytime I want :D . I have NEVER EVER had a spare in any of my cars ever, makes the AAA plan I have worth every single penny! :)

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by speedybenz
Yes, by getting lighter wheels, SSR Comps 15lbs each, building a lighter exhaust, spare tire removal, remove stock battery and replace with PC 980 , sound deadening hood liner, rear inner fenderwell mats, front rotors and calipers, calipers were 5.5lbs vs. 20lbs for the stock one each, I was able to remove some 225 lbs or so.

I have been also looking at the front seats and maybe remving the roof and sunroof and replace with structural CF consturction expoxied into place, aircraft sytle, if the hood/sunroof weighs a lot.

Jeff

Hello Jeff,

was just about to add that. The CF insert sunroof delete has been popular with the BMW boys for some time and the avg weigh reduction for electric powered sunroof is typically 44-50lbs (and thats at the VERY top of the car so it can have significant effects on handling). Here is the picture & link to the auction below. You may luck out and the bmw one may be a perfect fit, ask him for dimensions. Hope that helps.

http://i16.ebayimg.com/02/i/02/83/da/bf_1.JPG

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-Carbon-fiber-sunroof-M3-E30-36-46-RACE-roof_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ36475QQihZ016QQite mZ260182653958QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[c280nz]

yes the sunroof is very heavy! and mounted at the top of the car. i would guess at least 20kg from when i last took it out

[Cru328prod]

Originally posted by OCKlasse
That's what AAA is for :D


LMFAOOOOOOOO AAA WON'T WORK FOR UUUUUUU IF YOUR BAGS GO OUT LMAOOOOOOOOOOO

[RemoLexi]

if your car is too low to drive up a flatbed your screwed. they wont tow it.

I speak from experiance. :rolleyes:

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by RemoLexi
if your car is too low to drive up a flatbed your screwed. they wont tow it.

I speak from experiance. :rolleyes:

you kids and your cars! ;) :D

[RemoLexi]

I get plenty of shit for it from my co-workers at MBSC, they are all into rock crawlers and my poor car wont crawl up a flat bed! :(

[Nitrogenbalance]

If anyone finds a set of the Carbon fiber AMG seats from the black series I will kill anyone I need to in order to get them.

That is the only thing I would really consider putting in the benz.

They also probably cost as much as my entire car....

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by Nitrogenbalance
If anyone finds a set of the Carbon fiber AMG seats from the black series I will kill anyone I need to in order to get them.

That is the only thing I would really consider putting in the benz.

They also probably cost as much as my entire car....

Honestly they are very similar to Sparco Roadsters, you could easily get those, reupholster them in alcantara and have an AMG logo stiched in them for only a fraction of the cost. Plus it would probably be alot easier to retrofit than a newer chassis MB seat (not all the bolt patterns are the same on the newer benzes for the seats compared to the old ones.). hope that helps.

[OCKlasse]

Originally posted by Cru328prod
LMFAOOOOOOOO AAA WON'T WORK FOR UUUUUUU IF YOUR BAGS GO OUT LMAOOOOOOOOOOO

I don't have bags.

[c55m8o]

Originally posted by speedybenz
If I where to find another 200 lbs of stuff to take off and still have the essance of a AMG C43 Mercedes then I would be in heaven.

Black Series CLK63 watch out.

Jeff Jeff, you can start punching holes in strategic locations in the unibody and inner structure like the old-time muscle cars did in the frames... :D

[benzo23]

maybe ill just start saw zawing un-necessary pieces of metal away too, shit that will add up...who needs an under body, i dont see it...:D

[C230KSPORT00]

Hey I read this thread and went searching for some racing seats for the weight reduction. I found these on Ebay. They say its REAL CF. Is this too good to be true? Two CF seats for only $490?? Let me know what u guys think. Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-CARBON-FIBER-BUCKET-RACING-SEATS-JAPAN-JDM-BLUE_W0QQitemZ110228232530QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 110228232530

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by C230KSPORT00
Hey I read this thread and went searching for some racing seats for the weight reduction. I found these on Ebay. They say its REAL CF. Is this too good to be true? Two CF seats for only $490?? Let me know what u guys think. Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-CARBON-FIBER-BUCKET-RACING-SEATS-JAPAN-JDM-BLUE_W0QQitemZ110228232530QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 110228232530

I had the fake CF versions of those on my E30 racer (same identical molds). FYI they are not the most comfy seats and they are narrower than say a Sparco EVO2 seat and the padding is not much so I wouldn't if your car is a daily. You could reupholster it and put an extra half inch of padding for added comfort.

[omeyhomey]

OR.........

you could just get these and call it a day, adjustable, reclining, high quality

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kevlar-Carbon-Fiber-Recliners-Racing-Seats-NEW-SALE_W0QQitemZ300204275721QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 300204275721

[C230KSPORT00]

Originally posted by omeyhomey
I had the fake CF versions of those on my E30 racer (same identical molds). FYI they are not the most comfy seats and they are narrower than say a Sparco EVO2 seat and the padding is not much so I wouldn't if your car is a daily. You could reupholster it and put an extra half inch of padding for added comfort. Yea I was thinking about doing that. These look really nice and probably weigh ALOT less than the stock ones (if it really is real CF). Omey do you think the weight reduction is worth the money? Thanks!

[C230KSPORT00]

Originally posted by omeyhomey
OR.........

you could just get these and call it a day, adjustable, reclining, high quality

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kevlar-Carbon-Fiber-Recliners-Racing-Seats-NEW-SALE_W0QQitemZ300204275721QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 300204275721 That is a huge price difference compared to the CF I am looking at. I don't think I can afford that. The bidding starts at $850 and it still has 9 days left... :rolleyes:

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by C230KSPORT00
Yea I was thinking about doing that. These look really nice and probably weigh ALOT less than the stock ones (if it really is real CF). Omey do you think the weight reduction is worth the money? Thanks!

oh absolutely its worth the money. Seats will usually drop 100lbs and thats directly in the center of the car. they also lower center of mass a bit.

I have had ebay fakes, and I have had real sparcos. For some reason real sparcos were ALOT more comfortable, why I can't explain but they just work. I could drive for a few hours straight in the sparcos but an hour after the ebay fakes and my back was aching big time in the E30 track car.

I do like those Innova seats, those look like seriously high quality seats.

[C230KSPORT00]

I really wish I could afford those seats... :( Omey, can any universal racing seat fit into our cars?

[C230KSPORT00]

Hey Omey, check these out. They look real comfortable and only weigh 25lbs each. What do you think?

http://bl118w.blu118.mail.live.com/mail/ReadMessageLight.aspx?AllowUnsafe=True&FolderID=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&InboxSortAscending=False&InboxSortBy=Date&ReadMessageId=dcdf82bd-d351-42d0-98a4-3556bee0d181&n=1016973362

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by C230KSPORT00
I really wish I could afford those seats... :( Omey, can any universal racing seat fit into our cars?

of course, with custom mounts anything can fit. You just have to either find the right one or make it out of 1/4" plate steel. Its up to you to make it fit.

[omeyhomey]

Originally posted by C230KSPORT00
Hey Omey, check these out. They look real comfortable and only weigh 25lbs each. What do you think?

http://bl118w.blu118.mail.live.com/mail/ReadMessageLight.aspx?AllowUnsafe=True&FolderID=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&InboxSortAscending=False&InboxSortBy=Date&ReadMessageId=dcdf82bd-d351-42d0-98a4-3556bee0d181&n=1016973362

i don't have access to MSN cant see pics

[C230KSPORT00]

Ok here they are. They are both from the same seller. Also, they both weigh 25lbs. Omey, what do you think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-New-Real-Leather-S53-Black-MRC-Racing-Seats-sliders_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742Q2em153Q2el 1262QQcategoryZ33701QQihZ023QQitemZ360022297682
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-New-MRC-Fiberglass-backed-K6-Black-Racing-Seats_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742Q2em153Q2el12 62QQcategoryZ33701QQihZ001QQitemZ110226809838

[Cru328prod]

racing seats in a 4 door is gay......bottom line, you'll get laughed at and be called a ricer for life

[C230KSPORT00]

Originally posted by Cru328prod
racing seats in a 4 door is gay......bottom line, you'll get laughed at and be called a ricer for life Na... I think if I get them reapulstered with some kind of Mercedes-Benz ingraving, they will look better than stock ones. Also, its a HUGE weight loss. These seats would be 50lbs put together instead of like 160-200lbs. Thats a massive improvement for performance IMO. ;)

[Cru328prod]

hahah no more heated or power seats...f u i'm lazzy lmfao hahaha

[C230KSPORT00]

lol yea. I have power seats but not heated. O well... The performance benefits out weigh the losses for me. :D

[Cru328prod]

haha dude, invest in a 1992 mustang 5.0 lx, belive me........i had tons of money to blow just like u. then i realized you only can get 300 - 400 hp out of a m111 engine without spending atleast 10grand and not cracking the block or blowing your trans


you get a 1992 mustang lx with a blown motor and trans.......put in a supercharged 396 motor in there and you'll have soo much funny

Mustang 5.0 lx shell.......500 - 1000 bucks
396 motor $6,000
supercharger $6,000
transmission $2,000

15grand for a 800 to 1000 hp monster

[C230KSPORT00]

lol man I wish it was that easy... :p If I did get a different car, I would still have to pay for insurance. And unfortunetly I dont have that kind of money. The way I think of it is.. I plan on keeping my 202 for very long time. And mabey after college when I have alot of moeny to spend I will get another one. Besides... I want a car that car handle those twisties. :D

[Cru328prod]

ummm c230ks suck at doing that, you have to upgrade suspension first hommie before you touch buying seats. Like i said don't bother piecing it together one at a time to get it fast.........get it all at ounce, get a lone. Your young still so u have credit, why not build it. you shouldn't need more then 4grand to get it to 280hp 350 + with nitrous. If you want to do something really sick, bring it to ft.myers. We'll bore it out, new forged pistons and rods and a nice turbo setup for $15000

[C230KSPORT00]

Im only 17. Am I even alowed to get a loan??

[Cru328prod]

find someone to co sign, or sell weed

[C230KSPORT00]

Ok well lets say I did co-sign. What parts should i buy with the loan? Pulley, Powerchip, CAI, sprintbooster racing seats, manual tranny. What else??

[Cru328prod]

I'm assuming your not turboing the car

Pulleys, and ecu can be ordered at
http://www.k1motorsport.com/mb.htm
club202 members get discounts if im not mistaken.

CAI you can get from Chris just talk to Logic......MAKE SURE YOU GET A AEM BYPASS

MAF relocation, don't buy it from K1, i'll do it for you for $50 bucks

Headers (do this before exhaust) .......http://www.supersprint.com/homeuk.htm

Exhaust you can goto any exhaust shop and they will do it for u, you want to buy a high flow cat, and a magnaflow exhaust. You want to do a 2.5" pipe. Remember back pressure is good. Don't let anyone tell you different.

Nitrous....50 wet shot,you can buy that anywhere, we'll have to take into your intake and fuel line, very easy.

You may want to ask proven_guilty where to find a fuel pressure regulator upgrade, cams, and some injectors and

fuel pump and filter

Now remember you have to do your ECU last!!!!!!!!! and tell them everything you've done to the car so they can tune it out to the max

Pulleys are going to be about $200 for installation anywhere...price it out remember to including shipping and get loan. Its the best way to go...everyone will agree with me about doing it all at once

[C230KSPORT00]

Well I already have Loic helping me with my CAI. i already have Omeys recomended exhust. Can I have my tranny switched out with a manual one??

[Cru328prod]

hahahhahahaha i wouldn't even bother...to much money.......just get that 1 built by a transmission shop or call up a bunch of junk yards like LKQ and see how much a man transmission from a SLK230K with everything will cost you. you have call up places like performance shops and see who they recommend, swapping auto to man is very hard and takes alot of hours

[C230KSPORT00]

Damnit man. Umm so how much will the manual tanny swap set me back??? $$

[omeyhomey]

manual swap is usually 2-3k parts & labor.

[C230KSPORT00]

Ok so we have the Pulley, CAI, Sprintbooster, Headers (where can I get headers??), Suspension parts, Racing seats, CF/FiberGlass hood/trunk, and SLK manny tranny. Wow thats ganna be alot of money. :dead: But well worth IMO. :banana:

[JRE320]

You think it's worth it? Better do your math and double check it. :rolleyes:

[Cru328prod]

like i said 100 hp increase for a couple grand when u can just find a c43...save yourself the trouble......btw how many miles are on you car? after 80k gonna start doing some major overhauls as preventive mant. parts are shit faced expensive........i just spent 500 just on a ac hose not including labor


u should change your supercharger oil......i'm doing mine next week i'll do a write up

[omeyhomey]

I am a firm believer in always buying the top of the range model before I buy mods. What I mean is if you plan on modding a car, buy the AMG. If you don't have AMG all money should go into saving up to upgrade instead of being spent on mods. same thing applies to 3-series & M3, A4 & S4.

the price difference between C36 & C43 and their non AMGs is so close you might as well sell the car and upgrade, you will actually save ALOT of money in the long run and you can just swap over all your cosmetic parts to the upgraded car :) .

[C230KSPORT00]

Man I want a C43 so bad. But realisticaly I mean how much money do you guys think I could get for my 2000 C230 Kompressor Sport with 87,300 miles? And how much for a decent C43?? Everyone on here tells me that I should sell my car and get an AMG. I really wish I would have come on Club202 before I bought the C23k cause when I bought it Ididnt know anything about 202s.

[omeyhomey]

C43s are selling for $8-9k frequently so it shouldn't that much more than your car.

[C230KSPORT00]

c43 dream shot down!!! Yea I cant get a loan by myself cause im only 17 so my dad would have to co sign with me. But problem is, is that hes trying to get a car himeself so he cant do it. So looks like im going to continue to mod my C23K but slow down doing it. Im ganna get Logics CAI, mabey that sprintbooster, and then go for some more exterior mods like a C36 bodykit and mabey a black paintjob. Thanks for all ur help guys.

[Cru328prod]

lmao u don't get it.......look on ebay for a c43..........there pretty cheap. Keep your shit stock otherwize the money u put in won't come out of it

[C230KSPORT00]

I only found two C43s on Ebay. One has 69k miles and is sellng for 16k. And the other has 111k miles and is selling for 6k i think. Isnt 111k miles 2 much?? Couldnt there be some serious problems?? They are both out of state.

[Logic]

i think instead of painting the whole car black is to paint the top where the moon roof is . there are some white 202's in here that did it and they look sweet. painting the roof makes it look like a panaramic top

[C230KSPORT00]

Yea I thought about doing that too. The reason I want a paintjob is cause I have so many little blacks spots on the bottom part of the driver and passenger side doors along with the front bumper. They will not come off no matter how hard I wash it. I love the white but its so hard to keep clean. :rolleyes:

[Cru328prod]

dude merc engines last foreverrrrrrrr 111k is like barely any mile mark

[C230KSPORT00]

ok well a new MB isnt happening, atleast not for a little while. I found a junkyard that will give me a 2000 SLK230 kompressor MT with 20k miles on it for $1,500 shipped with a 2 year 40k mile warranty. What do you guys think? How long do you think it will take? My dad is going to do the swap so I wont be paying any $$ for labor :D

[slowpoke]

Originally posted by C230KSPORT00
Im only 17. Am I even alowed to get a loan??

bro,

don't get a loan unless you can earn more money than you pay in interest.

taking out a loan to spend it on a car doesn't make sense. save up instead or use the loan to start a business.

and don't sell weed...:D

[C230KSPORT00]

Originally posted by slowpoke
bro,

don't get a loan unless you can earn more money than you pay in interest.

taking out a loan to spend it on a car doesn't make sense. save up instead or use the loan to start a business.

and don't sell weed...:D Lol yea i decided its not worth it. And I probably wouldnt be able to make the payments anyway. Im just ganna save up for an E55 down the road. Thanks for anvice though. :D

[Cru328prod]

modding cars becomes an expensive habbit

[C230KSPORT00]

Originally posted by Cru328prod
modding cars becomes an expensive habbit lol but so its much fun. Watching your bone stock car become a "head turner". I love it :D

[Cru328prod]

wait till you get that CAI, i was going to get my plates to say MADEULOOK <---thought that was pretty bad ass.........all your gonna hear is wannnnnnnnnnnnnngpssssssssssssshhhhhht. the trick is when you get it........floor it and let go of the gas quick. lol when your supercharger turns off <---which its going to do when your maf goes bad........its going to sound like a vtech. Make sure you relocate your MAF, if you pay for shipping ill give you that piece for the intercooler instead of paying 400 for the relocation...i sure dont need it....might as well see it put to good use, youll need that silicone coupler you can get at autozone specture brand i think. I wish lived closer to me i would have done some bad ass shit. Funds came up short so i couldnt do much...............florida is hurting sooo bad with the economy.

[C230KSPORT00]

What piece are you talking about??? Yea i wish we lived closer so you could help me out with all the shit. We would be able to have "FL meets" just like those SOCAL guys lol. +1 its hard to live in the sunshine state right now if you dont have alot of money... :rolleyes:

[Cru328prod]

thats why i left, its a fabbed up piece that allows your MAF to be closer to your t body. haha there only like 4 members tops that live in florida.....we wouldnt be able to match the cali meets. They would laugh and be like wtf is this lol

[C230KSPORT00]

lol it would be more of small gathering. It would be cool to meet up though, there SO many 202s driving around near me, but all of them old people or just people who just throw some big rims on them and think they look cool. Lol i pull up to a stop light next to these some of these guys and their reaction on their face seems to be like their thinking "wtf?!?! Is that the same car as me?!" Tell me more about this T body piece. How much would this cost me? Cause I am thinking of just doing CAI and suspension upgrade and stop spending money on mods but rather save for the E55.