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As I have gradually modified the performance and handling of my GTI, I have found the standard seats more limiting. The standard seats are made by Recaro and are excellent and very supportive but if you get thrown about while spirited driving, you'll rein in as a natural reaction. Okay, wearing a full harness would help enormously but it's not so practical for everyday use and a hassle for most passengers. Another alternative would be to add CG seatbelt locks.
I'm not absolutely certain of this, but my understanding is that these Recaros are OEM specials, manufactured as a VW factory option for the Golf Mk5 GTI and R32. I don't know their correct name so I'll refer to them as 'Special Option' for now.
WHY?- Because they give greater hugging support and also look uber-cool.
- Because you got very lucky and the opportunity to get some came up - It would be rude to say no!
- Because they improve your driver's feel and feedback. Taut and tactile as how I like it.
COMPARISON WITH OEM SEATS:The standard Mk5 GTI/R32 seat, also made by Recaro, is considered to be one of the best stock car [No! Not NASCAR!] seats there is, and it's certainly extremely comfortable and supportive for 'normal' everyday, and long distance, driving. But the Recaro 'Special Option' seat is much more ergonomically shaped. You become aware of this in the way that your bum is in a deeper bucket and the upper sides cushion the backs of your shoulders.
I'm exactly 6ft and find that the difference in getting in and out of them is only very slight. However, being the driver I can use the steering wheel to assist me. The outer side bolsters are the most likely areas to recieve most wear in both stock and 'Special Option' seats, and being deeper it'll be potentially worse with the Specials.
SOURCING:With great difficulty - They are as rare as rocking-horse sh!t. They were a VW factory option once upon a time but were over two thousand pounds in leather if I recall correctly. You can wait years to find some used ones for sale and then be in a race to succeed in buying them because so many people want them.
INSTALLATION:To remove your oem standars seats : - Disconnect the pairs of small fiddly plastic plugs of the stock seats under the flap just to the front of each seat.
Then it's easy - Just 4 floor multi-star bolts. And just 4 floor bolts to fix your new Recaros. The trick is to slide the seat to the max on the runners to better expose and access the bolts and to push the back of the seat forward to help.
The trickier part is switching off the airbag deactivation warning - I'll add some info when I get it sorted. Basically, VW dealers are not allowed to change the airbag settings from how the car was supplied ex VW factory.
PLUS POINTS:- You become much more 'at one' with your car and have increased road feedback. Being firmly planted in your seat helps you to better control your vehicle - Need I really say more!
- They are slightly lighter weight but I don't know the actual weight differences.
- It's easier (on a 5-door GTI) to access your seatbelt.
- Turning your head gives you better visibility over your shoulder, hence reducing the blind spot - Another added safety bonus.
- They look uber-cool.
- Your back seat passengers have more leg room and can also use the very shiny high gloss black seat backs as vanity mirrors.
- According to a fellow member (not called Wicked Willie): "They also are great if you have a woman with a short skirt sitting next to you...cos there is no way out of the seats without providing a glimpse or their asses". [Searches for suitable pic of a hot Babe climbing out of a Recaro]
MINUS POINTS: - If you've got child-bearing size hips, they'll probably feel too tight. If your wifey/G'friend/partner has child-bearing size hips, aka a fat arse when female, they'll complain about the tight fit (for once!). You'll need to relearn how you get in and out of your car but try getting in and out of a Noble M12 and these will seem extremely easy by comparison.
- It's still possible to get lifted out of your seat for a second when going fast over a bridge or short rise and fall in the road, but CG Locks would economically solve this.
- They are an expensive mod.
- Some people may have difficulty getting in and out of these seats but I'm 62yo and don't, and neither does my teenage daughter in a skirt. Some passengers may have a resistance to them because they percieve them as being more difficult than they actually are to get in and out of. You quickly find your own technique.
- They don't have adjustable lumbar support but I find that the lumbar support is already in their design. But I'm lucky and don't have back problems as unfortunately some people do.
- You lose the seat airbag protection. If an incident involves whiplash, your head is possibly marginally less protected but I'd have to chat to some crash-dummies to learn more to then be sure of this.
SUMMARY:If the standard seats are a favourite comfortable dressing gown, the Recaro Specials are a figure hugging skin-tight Lycra suit (You now know I used to be an amateur racing cyclist). You feel as if you are wearing your car.
So far, I've driven several sessions each of a couple of hundred miles without stopping, and have felt absolutely no discomfort at any time.
They are an effective halfway house between the excellent oem seats and full-on race bucket seats. For even more body movement restriction I may add a CG Lock to my driver's seatbelt.
I'm already wondering what it would be like driving without Recaro 'Special Option' seats. I get the same physical pleasure with these Recaros as I did when I upgraded my suspension with VWR-KW-V3's. It's not all about how fast you can go but how much you can enjoy taut and tactile driving.
^ These are the R32 Recaros in my GTI. I'll be posting new pics in due course when I have revised their upholstery.
SEAT COVERINGS:Linky : -
Recaro 'Special Option' Seat Coverings
