Driver's seat is worn out

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.


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Read a couple threads on other sites where people did this....they were super happy afterward.
 
Originally Posted by skyactiv
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.


Interestingly what you allude to due to location close to the southern border wasn't my experience. The Hispanic shops I stopped at were appreciably more expensive than the guy I went with and he specialized in restoration and hot rod work not basic repair stuff. I think Caucasian = charge more at some shops.
 
Is there any possibility of swapping with the passenger seat? Maybe parts of the seat frame unbolt in a symmetrical fashion.
 
Seat parts really add up with Ford. They do not sell complete seats except same year for theft or insurance claim, I have the forms at work. You have to buy every part individually and assemble.
 
Just an FYI, often the OEM foam cushions are available from discount Ford parts houses (if you can find the part number) and ebay/internet. It's generally rather easy to replace the foam.
 
Originally Posted by 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.

It's a lot cheaper than buying a new car. If buying a $1000 seat would make you want to drive the car for many more years it's a bargain. I also doubt it would cost $1000.
 
Originally Posted by hatt
Originally Posted by 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.

It's a lot cheaper than buying a new car. If buying a $1000 seat would make you want to drive the car for many more years it's a bargain. I also doubt it would cost $1000.
No guarantees that blowing $1000 on a seat for 15 year old car is going to buy you years of worry free driving. That's not a bargain, because you are putting $1000 into a $1500 car that is still worth $1500 when you are done.

When is the last time you bought seats from a junkyard? I got a full set of VW MK4 leathers for like $250 from the yard in 2015. Might be closer to $350 now, but that's still 65% less money for 75% more seats before currency exchange. I scrapped the car and sold them for $150 in 2016.

There will be a decent, matching seat for OP's car sitting in the local upic, without a doubt.
 
You may just need the seat cushion.
$7 at Pull A Part.
If you need the entire seat, it's anywhere from $25-$32.
Take a field trip and save yourself some serious coin.

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Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by hatt
Originally Posted by 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.

It's a lot cheaper than buying a new car. If buying a $1000 seat would make you want to drive the car for many more years it's a bargain. I also doubt it would cost $1000.
No guarantees that blowing $1000 on a seat for 15 year old car is going to buy you years of worry free driving. That's not a bargain, because you are putting $1000 into a $1500 car that is still worth $1500 when you are done.

When is the last time you bought seats from a junkyard? I got a full set of VW MK4 leathers for like $250 from the yard in 2015. Might be closer to $350 now, but that's still 65% less money for 75% more seats before currency exchange. I scrapped the car and sold them for $150 in 2016.

There will be a decent, matching seat for OP's car sitting in the local upic, without a doubt.

Swapping in good junkyard seats would be fine. If stuffing pool noodles in there gets you by that's fine too. The point is putting a grand into a known(your $1500 that you kinda know what's going on car is better than a random $1500 car) good car is an okay solution if it keeps you from dropping $20K.
 
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I have a friend that makes awesome marine canvas. I removed the seat from my Suburban and brought him the foam. He made me new foam out of much firmer foam than the factory stuff. I slipped the leather back over it and the seat is even better than new. Pays back in spades on long trips.
 
Just buy new foam and upholstery and do it yourself. Its easy, just get a set of hog ring pliers and some rings.
 
I'd either put up with the discomfort ( how bad can it be?) or cut my losses and get a better car. With that old of a car I'm sure there are other issues with it.... unless the car is a creampuff.
 
cheaper solution: Costco sells a seat bottom that provides cushion and support. then there's a cushion
for the back that has a strap that slips the whole thing over a solid back chair for bring-it-along back
support.

about 40-50 total
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
Is there any possibility of swapping with the passenger seat? Maybe parts of the seat frame unbolt in a symmetrical fashion.


I've done this on numerous cars. Take out both seats (or have upholstery shop do it), get into both seats. See if the foam is repairable via glue and lamination. If not go to wrecking yard and get spare passenger seat. Have upholstery shop swap all the good parts from you passenger seat and the donor seat into your driver side frame, recover both and drive away.

It'll be around $600~$750 for both front seats if you do the running around ... But you will have the equivalent of nearly new seats that will hold up for a long time.

I had the big Bronco done this way about 5 years ago and we have vacationed with it and drive it daily - no seat pains. Looks original. Folks comment on how nice it is. One reason I'm still driving it
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Does the car have side-impact airbags built into the seats? Does it have seatbelt pre-tensioners that are attached to the seat? These are things to consider before swapping in any old junkyard seat, or swapping the passenger seat to the driver's side. I used to have a 99 Explorer with side-impact airbags in the front seats. A previous owner swapped in a different driver's seat for some reason, and the replacement seat did not have an airbag. As a result, the airbag warning light on the dash was always flashing. After a LOT of searching, I eventually found a replacement seat in a junkyard with an airbag (that was apparently an uncommon option on that era Explorer - the seats I found were from a Mountaineer, which I forgot to include in my searches). The seats I found were nice tan leather, beautiful condition, power adjustable - NICE upgrade for me. The color didn't match my interior, but I didn't care. I ended up grabbing both front seats for my sweet upgrade. And that fixed my airbag problem.
 
I had the one on my 2003 Ram, 200,000 miles rebuilt at a local upholstery shop. I did confirm this shop had a very good reputation. think it cost me $125 or so.

other than that, I'd start hitting the salvage yards.
 
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