Seats

[Grey Ghost]

I have just returned from a 3 1/2 hour highway drive in my 300 TDT wagon. Despite the fact that I just had the driver's seat box replaced ($300 for part alone!), I was stiff & uncomfortable when I got out. what else can be done to improve the comfort of the seats?

I was planning 2,000 miles of driving in early August, but I'll be crippled unless I can make the seat more comfortable!

p.s. I am 6'3" 230 lbs...might have something to do with the situation!

[VLayton]

Did you get the new $125 seat pad installed as well? Other than that I'd say sheepskins in the short term, more driving in the long term!

Vince

[D.L. SWINFORD]

Skip #2;
What happened to the seats?
My '85 300DT born in March of '85 with 277K miles with seats of MB Tex are as new.
Low seat and side bolsters have support as new.
I have a small fabric crack on the drivers seat by the hieght adjuster.
I'm not 6" any inches but I do weigh 220 lbs.
What caused your seat to fail with so low miles?
Dere ain't no justice is day?
Happy Happy, Luv ya; Skip # uno, Don

[Grey Ghost]

for $7.99, I bought a seat cover long-favored by NYC cabbies...it's a bunch of 5/8" wooden "beads" strung together with monofilament in the shape of the seat. when my arse gets tired/sore, I shift my body on the beads, which must stimulate circulation (or relieve pressure points).

I'm going to ask my mechanic about the $125 seat pad to which Vince refers...don't forget I already poured $300 into the lower seat box (springs).

Skip#1, all of the seats in the Grey Ghost are too dam' soft, in my opinion. The leather is all fine, with no significant cracking. This car has been garage-kept over its entire life, so cosmetically it's in fine shape. Since I'm the primary driver, I haven't done anything about the other seats.

[mbzjag8090]

I too have trouble in my 1984 300 D front seats. I find it uncomfortable for trips greater than a few hours. For anthing longer, my SD does the job. I wonder what the difference is, as they both supposedly have the horsehair seat padding.

[Grey Ghost]

I already have $300 (plus labor) invested in driver's side seat springs. I sat in the passenger's seat yesterday, and it's just as soft. Perhaps cars of that era just had super-soft seats?

(also, the average German doesn't weigh 230 pounds)

let's face it, I'm just getting OLD!

[Grey Ghost]

I had this discussion with my mechanic, and he told me that these seats weren't designed for us big Americans. He has had numerous clients weighing as much as I do (240#) come in with the springs smashed to smithereens.

Just one more reason to LOSE WEIGHT!

Fat old dogs die sooner than thin old dogs...why can't I learn from their example???

[Tom Hanson]

6"4", 210 lbs, and no seat padding or springs will last more than a few years. Give your new seat springs a few months and they will soften up a bit. It worked for me last couple of Benzes. Even my new car is stiff. I have a very bad back and can only drive a couple of hours without a stop to stretch. I don't smoke in my car either, so it's a good excuse to stop.

[Grey Ghost]

my complaint with the 123 seats is that they're too dam' SOFT (i.e. my big butt sinks in too far!)

[Jim Grillot]

My initial thoughts the first time I drove the 85 300TD (which was 5 years ago and at 68,000 miles) was that the seats were much firmer than our 96 Jeep Cherokee and firmer than American cars in general. Especially cars like Buicks and Cadillacs.

Man, did they feel good!!! Reminded me of the seats in our 84 Audi 5000T.

Since then, I have worked on a number of SD's and D's which have broken-down seats. On one 1982 SD, an upholstery shop replaced the spring box, bolsters and pad. What a difference! Felt just like my TD the first time I sat in it. It wasn't a cheap job, but the seat felt like new.

[zak]

Ghost, I am no proctologist, but I would stay away from those beads !

[Grey Ghost]

Zak - the beads, while not being very pretty to look at, do make long stints driveable

Next time I have the Ghost in for service, I"m going to have my garage replace the pad that sits on top of the springs as well. That will make my little seat restoration project's cost exceed $500 (ouch)

[Tom Hanson]

I thought those beads were the cabbie's hair extensions !!

[Marshall Welch]

I have a similar problem in my '82 300D-Turbodiesel and am trying to decide whether to have work done. The driver's seat seems to lean to the left when I'm sitting in it. Otherwise, the seat and backrest pads seem still fairly firm, and don't seem to be disintegrating yet.

I took it to a good local upholstery shop for a look. The operator said his best guess is that this is due to weakened, but not yet broken, springs on the left side of the seat box.

He was somewhat puzzled at how this could occur- the car has only 62,000 miles and I acquired it from my parents earlier this year. Obviously my parents didn't drive it a whole lot over the years. My father weighed probably no more than 180 lbs at his heaviest, and my mother much less than that. I weigh about 160.

Estimate for repair:
New seat box from local MB dealer: $358.02
New "horsehair" seat pad: 150.00
Labor 200.00
[and I figure I might even replace the backrest pad at the same time so that would add even more expense]

Due to the cost the upholsterer seemed to share my ambivalence about proceeding with this work. I have a slightly bad back and can get a back ache if I sit too long in a too soft or sagging seat. I haven't taken the car on any long trips yet, as I have been going over it and doing the prescribed maintenance, but that's just about completed. I carry a small/thin wallet in my LEFT back pocket so doubt that the wallet is contributing to this leaning to the left.

The upholsterer said he'd be happy to install the above parts if I were able to get them elsewhere for less. However, he is against replacing the seat box with a used one- he said a used one could very well have problems of its own which could be even more severe. I think I am in agreement with using only new replacement parts.

Has anyone had a similar problem? Input would be appreciated.

[Grey Ghost]

Marshall, you are being quoted bust-out retail prices for the components. Tom Hanson of Caliber Motors can provide the materiele for much less.

My seat sagged to the left as well. I believe this happens as the first place your bodyweight hits the seat (as you get into the car) is the left front.

$200 for labor also sounds high...a good independent shop can do it for less

[Jim Grillot]

You also need to replace the corner supports.

Also check Mr. Murphy for parts prices.

Here's the prices for the parts I purchased on 08 Jan 03 for an 82 300SD seat rebuild.

Seat box $ 209.00;
Seat pad $ 99.00;
2 ea corner supports $ 12.00;
Inbound freight $ 25.00

Bear in mind, however that the dollar-euro relationship has changed substantially since Jan 03. For instance, a new ACC for my 300TD was $ 250 two years ago. Now it's $ 450.

[Marshall Welch]

Thanks for your feedback. I'll shop around for the replacement parts.

In an earlier post on this thread, Jim mentioned replacing the "bolsters":

....On one 1982 SD, an upholstery shop replaced the spring box, bolsters and pad. What a difference!....

Are bolsters a different part than corner supports?

[Jim Grillot]

Same part. My supplier called them "seat pad reinforcement," part no 126 914 22 15.

[Marshall Welch]

This is to follow-up on my earlier post- my driver's seat has been leaning to the left. I got quoted outrageous prices from the local dealer. I shopped around per other forum members' suggestions and found these replacement parts from a local part supplier:

Seat box (springs): $250.00
Seat pad: 90.00

I had them installed. What a difference it makes! The new seat is definitely firm but that's how I like it. No more low back pain from my seat leaning to the left. I went on a 2 1/2 hour drive this past weekend- no problem at all.

The parts supplier said that the current wholesale for the seat boxes is $275.00. He had one remaining that he had picked up at a much lower price than that and passed along the savings to me. He said that the seat bolsters are only needed for leather upholstery, not the MB Tex in my car.

I think I'll keep the old seat box in case this happens to the passenger seat- maybe new springs could be welded in or something. I think it might be worth trying if there's a chance of saving the replacement cost of another seat box...