# Switching your E30 seats!



## Bimmer_Elohim (Mar 17, 2004)

hey guys, i want to give my '85 325e's interior a little facelift and put in some leather seats. Since I'm in school with limited cash i was gunna try and find some used ones in good shape. Was there any variation in the E30 seats, so i don't end up with something that won't work! BTW it's a 4 door if that matters any.
-Thanx :bigpimp:


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## Bimmer_Elohim (Mar 17, 2004)

Does the lack of response mean that no one knows? or was that just a really dumb question? :dunno:


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## ADuquequax (Apr 10, 2004)

Bimmer_Elohim said:


> hey guys, i want to give my '85 325e's interior a little facelift and put in some leather seats. Since I'm in school with limited cash i was gunna try and find some used ones in good shape. Was there any variation in the E30 seats, so i don't end up with something that won't work! BTW it's a 4 door if that matters any.
> -Thanx :bigpimp:


hmm.. not as familiar with 4 doors, but as far as I'm aware, there were no substantive changes across the model run where E30 seats would not fit any other E30's.. best bet, get seats from another 4 door E30, '85-'91 I'd think would be just fine. After that, front seats at least from the 2-dr models should be ok. I'd be least sure of seats from the '84 318i, although I suspect that there's darn few, if any, leather seats from that year; also, the 325ix front seats _might_ be different, (don't know for sure), but I'm thinking it's possible the mounting setup is different due to the transfer case or other extra hardware necessary for the 4wd, which obviously is not on the standard E30's. E30 M3 rear seats are slightly different from the others, basically designed for two to sit, as there's a higher middle bolster, so rear passengers have seating with more lateral support than the stock bench seat.

Dumb question? No, there's never any dumb questions... (dumb answers.. maybe!)


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

The major differences between E30 front seats were the material, sport or not, and 2 or 4 door. The materials were cloth, leather, and vinyl; vinyl holds up best over time. The E30 sport seats were the best OE sport seats BMW made, IMHO; very well bolstered. Worth picking up a set. 2-door front seats fold forward; 4-door front seats don't.

You can put in E36 seats, but you need to fabricate a rail to make 'em fit.

Rear seats differ more between the E30 models, but I don't recall off of the top of my head which fit where.

I really wouldn't consider leather an 'upgrade.' IMHO. Slippery and doesn't last as long as cloth or vinyl.


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## Bimmer_Elohim (Mar 17, 2004)

Thanx for all the help guys! I think I'm gunna take your advice and look for some vinyl seats instead....now just to find some in good shape :rofl: ....maybe even look at some ricardo's


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