Hate the sport seats
 

I took delivery of my new X5 last week and after about 500 miles I have come to the realization that I have made a mistake on the seats. Any idea if it is possible to switch at the dealer level? Or am I stuck?

:wavey::xoutpost::wavey:

it's not impossible to switch the seats. but it's not financially advantageous to.

I'm guessing you're stuck, because you now have a set of used sport seats. I can't imagine anyone wanting to trade for the comfort seats that they ordered. Having said that, I wonder if your sport seats fit an E53? Perhaps you could simply sell them outright and then buy a set of comfort seats. At least that would offset the cost a bit for you. Maybe there's someone out there who would love to get a decent deal on a set of new E70 sport seats to replace their old E53 standard seats??? GL!

Post some pics.

I AGREE!!! I hate the sport seats, wanna buy mine?

Well, when you order the Sport Package plus Comfort Seats you pay full price for the Comfort seats and get no credit for the sport seats you didn't get. Maybe you can buy the comfort seats from the dealer for the same $1200 you would have paid had you ordered them originally. I would put some pressure on your dealer, it's worth a phone call.

Good luck, Bimmer seats are expensive. I had to buy one because there was an imperfection in the leather in my 545....the seat was 1300.00. I got it for 900 with my BMWCCA discount.

What are the complaints/issues with the sport seats?

i agree i hate the sport seats... i wanted to replace it with comfort seats but the salesman said its not possible (he told me its better to exchage it with another car..

WTF? That doesn't even make sense. What would make it easier? That "salesperson" was on crack.

If someone finds out the replacement cost of the comfort seats please post.

I'm about to order my car tomorrow, those who bought the sport seats and didn't like them, can you tell me what you don't like about them? I assume you're intention is to upgrade to the comfort seats?

The seats are too firm. Also it is just too skinny for me on longer drives I get real uncomfortable.

The thigh bolsters are too close together for me and have no give.

Agreed. I have wanted to ditch my sport seats since I got them. I wanted comfort seats but there were none in the pipeline and I couldn't wait 4 months.

i second this exactly

I agree, the sport seats initially were very firm, but with close to 4000k on the seats, they are getting better (softer) and more formfitting. They will never be as comfy as the comfort seats, but I'm liking them better now.

Are the comfort seats any softer, or just more comfortable because of the extra adjustments, ability to form fit them more to your body?

Very much softer. Plus they have more adjustments. They also don't have as rised bottom bolsters leaving much more width for you legs, so that they don't feel pinched.

Well this is encouraging.

I checked with dealer, would be looking at a cost of over $4,000 to replace just one seat!

For those that find the Sport Seats uncomfortable
 

If you don't mind me asking, how tall and "wide" are the gentlemen that are having complaints with the sport seats? I am 5'10" 175 lbs, should I be concerned with being uncomfortable in the sport seats?

My X5 will be built during the first week of April so I need to know soon so I can make a change... if I can still make a change to my order!

I am 6'3" 208lbs

Mine's going in the April production also, do you know exactly when that starts (April 2?)? I'm thinking of making the change to the comfort seats from sport seats also...... I'm expecting a call from my salesman when it hits the status just prior to production, last chance to change options. Haven't gotten that call yet, but I'm assuming that will be this week.

Mine has an April 10 production date. You should get the production number and call the 800 number to get the exact date.

6'2" 220

If I had one recommendation it would be to go back to your dealership and sit in a sport seat for 20 minutes and make your mind up then.

Sorry to draw this out, but... Is there a big difference in rised bottom bolsters with the comfort seats? Is that something that's adjustable on the comfort seats? I like having those bolsters there on the sport seats, similar to the side ones, to get that cockpit feel when taking corners fast, etc... , and haven't noticed it to be bothersome when test driving the car (I'm 5'10 190) but that's just from test drives, 20 minutes or so in the sport seats..... BUT I also like the extra comfort and adjustments of the comfort seats.

I'm going to try and get to a dealership and compare the two, but I'm running out of time before I have to decide and don't know if I can get to one in time.

Bottom line, sport seats are harder, narrower and have far less adjustability than comfort seats. If you want a fairly stiff seat that hugs your body then get them otherwise get the comfort seats which is what I did (comfort seats can be adjusted to hug you body too). I want sport seats in a sports car, I want to be as comfortable as possible in an SUV.

Fair enough, thank you. I guess I'm trying to get as much of a "sports car" feel out of this SUV, best of both worlds as much as possible in one vehicle (short of getting a Cayenne Turbo). As long as I can conform the comfort seats as you mentioned, I think that's my answer as far as the seats are concerned.

Thanks again.

Sounds like comfort seats is the right decision. I think you "might" be unhappy with the sport seats but it's highly unlikely you'll be unhappy with the comfort seats. Ideally you should go to dealers and try out both seats. If the $1200 isn't a big deal go for it.

too late to change for me
 

As for me it seems that I am too late to add the comfort seat option. My 4.8i will be completed by the end of next week so my dealer said that a change to my options will be out of the question. My only hope is that since the gentlemen that voiced the loudest complaints about the sport seats are considerally larger than myself (I'm 5'10" 175) my frame will make a better fit in the sport seats. I appreciate all the feedback, good luck with your X5s.

at 5.10 and 175 ... i think you will be happy with the sport seat considering your thinner frame...

the wider people are the unsatisfied ones... just too tight of a fit.

i am 150 at 5.7 i have had many bmws (328ci, M3, 330i & X5) all with sport seats and love the hugging of the seats...

Interesting thread, I came on here as I was offered the following today for delivery on teh 29th April....


3.0d se
Titanium Silver
Black leather
Media Pack
Dynamic Pack
19" wheels
Parking camera
Lumbar
Hi-Fi
Heated Seats and a couple of other options for April 29th


Or a 3.0d SE still speccable for the 2nd week of May. Only problem is I will get a much better deal on the Silver one already specced, but it doesn't have comfort seats and if the sport seats are anything like the ones in our 535d sport touring I would cry!!
The were the worse seats I have had in a car in a long time, the seats in our 120d M-Sport are far superior, and the seats in our 335i sport touring (which has replaced the 535d) are the same. The main problem with the seats was the headrest is to far away, so trips down to the South of France were terrible as a passenger.

Are the seats in the X5 the same as the 5 series??

Thanks

This is the car that I have. Given a choice now I would have waited for the comfort seats, yes the headrest is far away.

I will say though that the seat after 1000 miles have begun to break in somewhat so they are getting a bit more tolerable.

If you have a look the X5 Sport seat is totally different to the Sport seat in the E60 5 series. I had a 535d Sport and didn't like the seats either.

Thanks Gbay.


Wagner, it is true, exchanging the sport seats for comfort is very, very costly.
You need new seats, new wiring laid down, new control units programmed to your car and take around 14 hours to do. Total cost is around $8k if you do it your self, add another $3k for the dealer to do it if you can actually find one who is prepared to do it, most won't touch the wiring harness when it is to do with the airbags!

Chaeper to trade cars for one with them in.

I find all BMW's have firm seats to start with but the leather yields in time. The basic structure of their seats is very good and I'm sure the Sports seat in the E70 will be far better than the E53 - which wasn't brilliant I think.

For me the Comfort seat also looks a little at odds with the Sports nature of a BMW/SAV in general....:rofl:

I just ordered my X5 with the active ventilated seats. The only difference in the sport versus comfort seats in appearance is the headrest. Though, I do agree the comfort headrest does take away from the sporty look a little, but I'm guessing it's worth it for the extra comfort. I don't know if I'll really need that neck adjustment, but it seems worth sacrificing the look a tiny bit for the added comfort in the rest of the seats.

i'm a 6 foot-ish soccer player, and I'd have to say that I would never buy a car without solely d/t the thigh suport. I love the extension.

I think you'd like the m/c seats more because you can adjust the bolsters.

You guys got me thinking about this since I am 6' 210#. My E70 (stil on order) will have sport seats since here in Canada they discontinued any kind of seats for X5 2007 but the sport seats. They are still delivering some with comfort seats but I was too late with my order. So, seeing that some of you don't like them I visited the dealership today and tried out a model with sport seats. When I was bying the car all the demo models had comfort seats only, and only vehicles with sport seats were non SAVs. So I sat in a sport seat today and can happily say that they are not that bad at all. They differ from sport seats BMW puts in (all kind of) other cars. Besides that, :iagree: with people saynig that sport seats look much beter.