Driver's seat is worn out

[jorton]

2005 Ford Focus zx4

It doesn't support my middle back or my bottom any more. I spend 1 hour plus driving per day.

At Ford parts. com a new one is $2500 - $3500.

What are my other options. Thanks!

 

[IveBeenRued]

I'd take a look at http://www.car-part.com/. It is a site that allows you to search junk yards in your area for parts.

 

[xxch4osxx]

$2500-$3500 for a seat? Does it come with gold or platinum threads? lol That is insane!

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted by jorton
At Ford parts. com a new one is $2500 - $3500.

Buy another Focus with a good seat and throw the rest away? Might be cheaper!

Seriously, I would talk to an auto interior/upholstery repair shop & see what they can do, unless you get lucky finding a junk one. I'm heading in your direction with the xB, it's getting shaky (literally).

 

[philipp10]

There has got to be a zillion of them in the junkyard. I'll bet for $100 you'll find a decent seat.

 

[czbrian]

If the rest of the vehicle is in good shape, I would find a good auto upholstery shop and get it fixed up like new or better.

 

[eljefino]

Take your old one out; it could have broken springs underneath or have other obvious damage. The redneck fix is to stuff foam pool noodles in there.

My cavalier and camaro had a seat frame where you could change the butt cushion. Couldn't swap the entire seat because the seat belt buckle and recline levers would have wound up in the wrong spots.

 

[skyactiv]

Take it to an auto upholstery shop as stated above. I'm sure there are a few in San Antonio. In fact, you live in a better part of the USA to have the highest level of work done for the cheapest price.
Don't call shops, visit in person to get a few quotes.

 

[sasilverbullet]

Originally Posted by skyactiv
Take it to an auto upholstery shop as stated above. I'm sure there are a few in San Antonio. In fact, you live in a better part of the USA to have the highest level of work done for the cheapest price.
Don't call shops, visit in person to get a few quotes.


A few? Haha, there's probably over 50! Call the dealer and find out who they use.

 

[andyd]

Unless a later model seat is a fit. I would get your re-upholstered. The front seats in my 528es could be swapped sorta

 

[Chris142]

I took my Jeep seat to an upholstery shop for the sane worn out foam problem. $40 and a couple hrs later it was as good as new

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by czbrian
If the rest of the vehicle is in good shape, I would find a good auto upholstery shop and get it fixed up like new or better.




Good idea.

For $2500 plus you could put in the top of the line Barcolounger and have plenty of money left over.

 

[chefwong]

Originally Posted by skyactiv
Take it to an auto upholstery shop as stated above. I'm sure there are a few in San Antonio. In fact, you live in a better part of the USA to have the highest level of work done for the cheapest price.
Don't call shops, visit in person to get a few quotes.



I concur. Labor, pricing of everything is all region but a good upholstery shop, you're still looking at a good 1K+ for a new cover...
And if you are OCD, then another 3 Hundred or so for them to redye/respray the rest of the front so it matches with the aging of the car.

 

[KrisZ]

I would visit a local junk yard and pull the seat out of one they have. These cars were fairly popular and had a long run with little changes, so finding one with a good seat should not be a problem.

Suggesting spending $1k to get the seat uholstered is ridiculous on such an old and run of the mill car, but as usual it's easy to recommend something this expensive when it's not your money being spent.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
but as usual it's easy to recommend something this expensive when it's not your money being spent.
Central theme in a lot of BITOG threads. LOL dropping 1000 on a seat on a 15 yeat old 1500 car.

 

[khittner]

I've had the same issue with the seats in my Camry, and my wife's Highlander. The cloth covers have been fine, but the foam, particularly the bottom cushion's foam, breaks down along the edge that the driver slides across getting in and out of the vehicle. I've bought OEM replacement bottom cushion foam, and had my local upholsterer do the replacement. Presto, a seat that's shaped like, looks and is OEM, and feels like new because the key weight-bearing part is new. The OEM bottom cushion is $120-ish, and my upholsterer charges me $150 to do the installation. Not the cheapest solution, maybe---but , then, it's not the cheapest outcome, either.

 

[AZjeff]

It cost me $175 to have the driver's seat recovered because of torn seams on the seat bolster, common on GM trucks, and he replaced some foam while he was at it. Totally worth it.

 

[czbrian]

It shouldn't costs anywhere near $1K to get that seat repaired by an upholstery shop in San Antonio. Maybe in New York or something but around here there are tons of hole in the wall repair places that can fix up a basic cloth seat nicely for a few hundred bucks at most.

 

[Audios]

Can you get an OEM seat cover and have the seat re foamed and covered?

 

[KrisZ]

If an upholestery shop can do it for couple hundred bucks, then I agree it's a viable route, provided they can fix whatever is wrong with the seat so that it provides proper support, not just make it look pretty with new fabric.