New S3 bucket seats

AL_B

AL_B

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Apologies if this has already been posted somewhere... but I asked the salesman for factory confirmation on the following questions....

Questions:

1) Do the bucket seats have side impact air bags?
2) What parts of the seat are electric?
3) Are the bucket seats heated as standard?
4) What style is the leather in the rear seats when you specify buckets for the front? (i.e. are the rear seats plain silk nappa leater or dimpled?)

Answers:

1) Bucket seats do not come with side air bags.
2) Bucket seats are manually adjusted. They do however, come with electric lumbar support.
3) Bucket seats are heated as standard.
4) Rear seats are finished in the same grade leather as the front bucket seats - Fine Nappa Leather, only available in black.


Personally I can't understand why, for whatever it is 1600-1700 quid, they can't be fully electric!? Are they fully electric on the RS4?

Has anyone been in an S3 yet with bucket seats?
Are they restrictive for getting in the back?
How do they adjust for rear entry [ooh err missus]? :)

AL
 
You got answers from a salesman? well done sir. The RS4 seats are fully electric and have a sport mode where the sides move in and give you a squeeze to hold you in whilst cornering!! The A3 brochure says you can spec electrically adjustable seats, but only on a sportback, god only knows why....
Can't say I have seen an S3 with buckets fitted, there was a video floating around (youtube probably) showing someone trying to get into the back with some difficulty. I'll see if I can find it.
 
The seats have a leaver on the side to tilt forward, but this does not slide the seat forward, for this you need to pull the seat forward using the under seat ratchet adjustment (the one you use to get comfy when you are sat down).

I have had this confirmed from the Audi sales in Bristol via UK customer services/product marketing.

I cant say this is a worry, for me as the tilt and slide movement in my current S3 is probably the only frustrating experience I have with the car, it seems to be effective around 25% of the time in moving the seat forward and then depositing it back in the right place next time. You would have thought that for nearly £2K Audi could have engineered this functionality in the new car as well?
 
JohnS3 said:
The RS4 seats are fully electric and have a sport mode where the sides move in and give you a squeeze to hold you in whilst cornering!! QUOTE]

Thought the RS4 buckets were manual as well (except for the sport mode bit) and that you had to spec. the normal recaros if you wanted fully electric ?! :think:
Click to expand...
 
Redwing289 said:
Thought the RS4 buckets were manual as well (except for the sport mode bit) and that you had to spec. the normal recaros if you wanted fully electric ?! :think:
Click to expand...

Just checked the Audi confandangulator, it says "RS 4 bucket seats with manual position adjustment, electric lumbar, electrically inflatable side bolsters operated from 'Sport' button on RS sports steering wheel or dedicated seat switch (to reduce weight no electrical seat adjustment available) (Standard)" the recaros on the other hand are electric. So you're right and I'm wrong. Dohh!
 
Bucket seats ordered as well, January delivery. Very happy with the decision as I was not overly impressed with the dimpled leather standard seats on the demo I had a test drive in.
 
The buckets in the S3 do not have the same electric functions as the RS4 as the S3 ones tilt to allow access to the rear. There is no room for an electric mech without lifting the mounting point. Thats why the electric ones are available on the sportback as they do not need the rear access facility.
 
I ordered mine, car is still at the dealers to register... 2 weeks now... just because it's a left hand drive... I don't think they are Recaros, at least I've not seen any inscription in the seats... But that doesn't mean they aren't. I think they are not but your Audi costumer service can find that out for you.

I'm not too concerned about that...

Pedro
 
Hi Guys
We are recaro dealers and recaro make all the seats for Audi as far as I know.
I know Recaro do the sport seats that are in the S3 and it has a tilt and slide subframe made for Audi but you can also get the same stuff from Recaro and if you wanted the same seat that is in the RS4 we can get that also fully electric with a possibilty of a tilt and lift subframe as in the golf V6 4 motion but would have to check for definate when I get back to the workshop on monday if anybody wants to know for sure
 
audi upgrades
I'd def be up for the same seats as the RS4! Group buy anyone???
 
The thought of how much a pair of RS4 seats would cost is scaring me tbh :)
 
Probably cheaper than as Audi options list I would say... Already specced mine and they are... niceee!

Pedro
 
I'd rather have the RS4s for sure. I noticed that audi have stopped calling them RS4 style. They're just called bucket seats
 
They look good don't get me wrong nut for the price Audi are charging are you prepared to sacrifice side airbags, adjustment and have you seen the video on YouTube showing how they crease so easily as you literally sit on the side and you need to be a contortionist to get in and out the back.
 
The standard seat with electric lumbar are fine - save yourself the money!
 
jamiekip said:
The standard seat with electric lumbar are fine - save yourself the money!
Click to expand...

Actually mate they are not, it very much depends on your physique. I have recaros in my 8L S3 which are superb, 4 1/2 hours in the S3 today and sat at home feeling great. 5 1/2 years with the S3 and never had any back problems at all from driving, ever.

I test drove a 2.0T DSG S-Line and an 8P S3 in two occasions each for at least an hour, once in the S3 for 4 hours. I can say that after 3/4 of an hour I was figeting all over the place eac time and after 4 hours was definately not fine... Quite sick infact. :puke2:

It does seem that the current sports seats in fast Audi's have people who love 'em and people who hate them. :aggressive: like me! LOL

I wonder if its related to if you hate marmite or not? Strange as I hate marmite too. Perhaps I should do a poll? :nyah:
 
stevec said:
Actually mate they are not, it very much depends on your physique. I have recaros in my 8L S3 which are superb, 4 1/2 hours in the S3 today and sat at home feeling great. 5 1/2 years with the S3 and never had any back problems at all from driving, ever.

I test drove a 2.0T DSG S-Line and an 8P S3 in two occasions each for at least an hour, once in the S3 for 4 hours. I can say that after 3/4 of an hour I was figeting all over the place eac time and after 4 hours was definately not fine... Quite sick infact. :puke2:

It does seem that the current sports seats in fast Audi's have people who love 'em and people who hate them. :aggressive: like me! LOL

I wonder if its related to if you hate marmite or not? Strange as I hate marmite too. Perhaps I should do a poll? :nyah:
Click to expand...
Don't get me started on Audi Sports Seats. I had a very unpleasant experience with these Instruments of Torture in a 3.2 S-Line that I very quickly disposed of.

BUT

Having test driven an S3 with standard seats (and electric lumbar) I can say that they ARE different from the S-Line Sports Seat. They seem to be bolstered differently, and they have an additional stitched panel in the seat base which gives them a better shape. If you compare pictures of each, you will see what I mean.

The best advice I could give to those who hate the standard Sports Seats as much as I do is to put your prejudice to one side until you have tried out the S3 standard Sports Seats. Autocar found them very comfortable and supportive, and I am inclined to agree. I personally see little point in incurring the significant extra expense for the Recaros for the reasons already stated above.
 
I'm not willing to pay for the S3 bucket seats and would be happy with the standards with lumbar but I'd pay out for the RS4 seats with the electric bolster and lumbar. Especially if they're in a similar price bracket. Plus with a retro fit you could remove them when you sell the car and fit in a new car, or sell them or sell the standard seats!
 
stevec said:
Actually mate they are not, it very much depends on your physique. I have recaros in my 8L S3 which are superb, 4 1/2 hours in the S3 today and sat at home feeling great. 5 1/2 years with the S3 and never had any back problems at all from driving, ever.

I test drove a 2.0T DSG S-Line and an 8P S3 in two occasions each for at least an hour, once in the S3 for 4 hours. I can say that after 3/4 of an hour I was figeting all over the place eac time and after 4 hours was definately not fine... Quite sick infact. :puke2:

It does seem that the current sports seats in fast Audi's have people who love 'em and people who hate them. :aggressive: like me! LOL

I wonder if its related to if you hate marmite or not? Strange as I hate marmite too. Perhaps I should do a poll? :nyah:
Click to expand...

I hear what you're saying, and from reading s-line owners thoughts on seats I opted for the electric lumbar option on my S3 as lots of people we're complaining of discomfort on a long run. The lumbar support option really is worth it, adjusting in and out on the horizontal, as well as adjustable up and down on the vertical, so no matter how tall you are or how you sit, you'll get the right support. For £150 or however much it was it's well worth it - just my thoughts though!
Personally think the buckets are a bit OTT, but again, that's just me - or maybe it was £1600 price tag!!! Yikes!
 
Yeah Jamie, in part agree with what you say... I'm just a bit mad, I specced my S3 in 2 minutes in November... Me and the salesman we went over the option list one bye one and just added the options like that... When I saw bucket seats I knew it was a must have option on an S3 (for me at least) I have a few options I did not tick that now I regret like the cruise and the Sat Nav Plus...

Will check if it is possible to retrofit a RNS-E in my car... I have symphony!
Pedro
 
so so glad i didnt spec the bucket seats :icon_thumright: they look good sure, but the standard ones are more practical, and look just as good!
 
newbiecrg said:
Will check if it is possible to retrofit a RNS-E in my car... I have symphony!
Pedro
Click to expand...

Yes it can be done!! Just check the wiring in the existing quadlock before you plug it in.
 
could you be more specific? please... An Audi workshop controller (whatever that means) told me it was not possible...

Thanks
Pedro
 
jamiekip said:
I hear what you're saying, and from reading s-line owners thoughts on seats I opted for the electric lumbar option on my S3 as lots of people we're complaining of discomfort on a long run. The lumbar support option really is worth it, adjusting in and out on the horizontal, as well as adjustable up and down on the vertical, so no matter how tall you are or how you sit, you'll get the right support. For £150 or however much it was it's well worth it - just my thoughts though!
Personally think the buckets are a bit OTT, but again, that's just me - or maybe it was £1600 price tag!!! Yikes!
Click to expand...

I was on the M4 during my test drive with the 8P S3 and had the fright of my life whilst crusing along at 70MPH and the fuzz appeared like a flash in the rearview mirror. They seemed to take an age to sloooooowwly psss the S3 and then zoom off again.

Anyway, the reason for missing them initially was the attempts (dismal I should say) to get the eletric lumbar adjustment to offer any relief what so ever to my back.
After 20 mins I gave up.
I then sat in an RS4 for 20 minutes with bucket seats and though "Yes these are fab!" so i ordered them.

As I plan to have the car for 5 years or so (like my 8L S3), the £1600 is not too bad as I get a £510 monthly car allowance, and I figure my back and neck is worth the money...

As for getting in the back, my mates can cope with that problems on the way to play footie each week, i'll be sat in the front anyway! :yes:
 
newbiecrg said:
What about the GPS antenna? Did you had any Sat Nav at all before?

Thanks
Pedro
Click to expand...

The GPS antenna is mounted under the dash at the side of the left hand airvent. I get enough Sats for navigation.
 
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