B7 S4 Recaro seats

[Rob Avant]

I’m pretty sure I already know the answer to this, just thought I’d double check and be 100%…


The B7 S4 (saloon) Recaro seats are pretty much a direct fit into the B7 A4 Avant.
The rear bench has to be split/ folding and not solid, is that correct?

 

[Charlie Farley]

Evening Rob.

do you have side airbags F&R or just in the fronts.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Fronts are yes but depends on what spec the front are as to what you have loom wise in your avant, if you have all the looms fitted then that's a massive bonus as you can fit full spec seats otherwise it can be a pain to start messing with wiring , or you just use the functions limited to the loom.
rears tend to vary a bit but a lot of guys found it was better to get avant rears to start with but saloons can be converted as far as i'm aware.

 

[Charlie Farley]

new seats on the horizon then.

 

[Rob Avant]

Evening Rob.

do you have side airbags F&R or just in the fronts.

Evening Rob,

Front only… I can’t see any airbag plates in the back so I assume that’s right

 

[Rob Avant]

new seats on the horizon then.

Possibly…
Always looking for the next upgrade for the old wagon, although I do really like my special ed seats.
Just a bit concerned as it’s a fixed rear bench from a saloon and I hear they are difficult to fit.
I also then loose the folding ability which is one of the best things about the wagon!

 

[Charlie Farley]

Depending on what B7 they come from Rob.
My Mate has a B7 S4 saloon with recaros that have the split rear back seats from the factory so its doable and you retain the folding option but the rear parcel cover assembly aattaches to the back of avant seats so you would need to source that mounting bracket as its not on the saloon as far as i'm aware.
also rear seat side infill sections can vary too.
And he can lock the rear backrest in the upright position so they cant be folded, thats handy indeedy.

 

[Rob Avant]

This I think is the problem with the seats I’m looking at, they are from a B7 S4 saloon, fronts are perfect but the rear bench is solid/ fixed so it doesn’t fold or split at all according to the seller.
I could live without the split rear seats but not the ability to fold down completely.
I had read a thread (possibly one of yours) about retro fitting the rear load cover onto the back of the seats so I don’t see that being a big issue.
I hadn’t considered the rear seat side infills either… I might keep waiting for some Avant ones to come up. It’s too much money to spend and not get it right!

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[Charlie Farley]

This I think is the problem with the seats I’m looking at, they are from a B7 S4 saloon, fronts are perfect but the rear bench is solid/ fixed so it doesn’t fold or split at all according to the seller.
I could live without the split rear seats but not the ability to fold down completely.
I had read a thread (possibly one of yours) about retro fitting the rear load cover onto the back of the seats so I don’t see that being a big issue.
I hadn’t considered the rear seat side infills either… I might keep waiting for some Avant ones to come up. It’s too much money to spend and not get it right!

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are we talking about the seat part or backrest Rob.

 

[Charlie Farley]

The set I fitted were from a B7 S4 Avant so they went straight in.
As they were also valcona trim i didn't need to change over the rear side infill sections, mine are airbag infill versions and the S4's were not, not an issue as I never needed to use the them.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I even gained a ski opening in the rear seats that is handy for long bits of wood etc..lol

 

[Rob Avant]

are we talking about the seat part or backrest Rob.

The back rest. The seller advised the rear seats don’t fold down so thought they wouldn’t work

 

[Charlie Farley]

just looking at the S4 parts schematic and it doesnt show a fixed rear ba

The back rest. The seller advised the rear seats don’t fold down so thought they wouldn’t work

are they in the car or just looose ?

 

[Charlie Farley]

If in the car,maybe they are looked , so they wont fold.

 

[Rob Avant]

The set I fitted were from a B7 S4 Avant so they went straight in.
As they were also valcona trim i didn't need to change over the rear side infill sections, mine are airbag infill versions and the S4's were not, not an issue as I never needed to use the them.

I think this is what I need to hold out for, although I know they very rarely come up. Would save charging the door cards too!

 

[Charlie Farley]

Just looking at parts schematic , doesnt show a fixed backrest for the S4 Saloon , well not that i can see but i maybe missing it.

 

[Rob Avant]

just looking at the S4 parts schematic and it doesnt show a fixed rear ba

are they in the car or just looose ?

In the car still

 

[Charlie Farley]

I think this is what I need to hold out for, although I know they very rarely come up. Would save charging the door cards too!

maybe its locked in upright position then, allways possible.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Ideally a like for like swap is best but decent avant S4 recaro's are a bit hard to find and moreso if you have black valcona at the moment.

 

[Rob Avant]

maybe its locked in upright position then, allways possible.

Possibly… I might contact the seller again for some further clarification. He seemed convinced they were fixed and wouldn’t fold

 

[Charlie Farley]

do you have a pic of them Rob you can ping over.

 

[Rob Avant]

Ideally a like for like swap is best but decent avant S4 recaro's are a bit hard to find and moreso if you have black valcona at the moment.

I know, frustratingly the front seats are in great condition too (just going from the photos)
It’s roughly a 4 hour round trip to go and view them and I’m working constantly so didn’t want to waste my time if it was a definite no with the rears

 

[Charlie Farley]

Its normally the drivers side seat bolster , outside edge that take a hammering.
If they are in good condition with little bolster foam damage to the drivers side thats a real bonus.

 

[Rob Avant]

Pics of the rear…

 

[Charlie Farley]

they look good for rears Rob, they look like fixed but then so do my mates , until you see the catch in the top corner on each side, otherwise they look the same.

 

[Charlie Farley]

At the end of the day Rob, if there is no lever on left or right top corner then its a fixed back.

 

[Rob Avant]

Unfortunately, I think that’s the big stumbling block. The seller is adamant they are fixed so it’s a non starter

 

[Rob Avant]

He says the armrest folds down with access to the rear compartment. I guess that’s the ski access hatch

 

[Charlie Farley]

from ease of install it probably is Rob , but parts schematic is not showing a fixed one section back rest for the s4 recaro's , but rather the same frame assemblies but different fitting that make them fixed or folding.
yep that's the one.

 

[Rob Avant]

Thanks for the advice Rob, as always the fount of knowledge with all things B7.
I think I’m going to give them a miss this time around.
Channel the money into the big turbo project instead

 

[Charlie Farley]

Indeedy, all these things can be made to fit with some jiggling Rob, sometimes more jiggling than other..lol, i think they will fit with a bit of tweaking but better to get the right kit to start with sometimes.
But for just ease of fitting and life then like for like option is best.
Fancy some nice OZ alloys then.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I'm still on the lookout for a set of full memory ones, but as such none to be found yet, but there's a set out there with my name on somewhere.

 

[Rob Avant]

Indeedy, all these things can be made to fit with some jiggling Rob, sometimes more jiggling than other..lol, i think they will fit with a bit of tweaking but better to get the right kit to start with sometimes.
But for just ease of fitting and life then like for like option is best.
Fancy some nice OZ alloys then.

Hmmm possibly… What sort of money are you wanting for the rims?

 

[Charlie Farley]

Just been looking the parts again, the rear seat frames etc are the same in Avant and saloon as I suspected in S4 B7's, side infill trims vary depending on options fitted .

going from rear saloon to rear Avant is doable, but going from rear Avant to rear saloon is a different situation altogether.

 

[Tyrer]

I have a set of Split folding rears sat in my garage. With the side bolsters etc from a B7 RS4 Avant - were in my B7. They are RS4 branded.

Have the fronts aswel but the passenger motor needs replacing.

Send me a massage if your interested, no use to me as I now have an A6 Avant.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Charlie Farley]

There you go Rob, a possible light at the end of the Recaro tunnel.