E46 Leather Seats - Liveability in winter and summer

[brettbimmer]

^LOL awesome! Now we just need to find BP one of those 80 cars that is wrecked but otherwise has a perfect interior! Maybe he could trade them for the interior from that rare beast known as an "Alcantara".

[az3579]

I'm not too familiar on all BMW leathers, but in reference to the E46, I think that Nappa > Montana.

I disagree. I don't like the feel of Nappa; I prefer the texture of Montana.

Winter: heated seat retrofit
Summer: 3M Crystalline tint

:-)


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It is my understanding that heated seats (OEM) cannot be retrofitted into an E46. My BMW tech friend says the heating elements are attached to the seat covers, and are inseparable. So, the only ways to retrofit are: 1) buy new seat covers ($$$$$$$$$$) or 2) get aftermarket.

[QUOTE=Hermes;323811]I doubt you have your top up in summer, besides it probably breathes better than my steel top. The leather itself isn't too bad in summer, its the byproduct of an all black interior on a hardtop that your car turns into an oven. It was the same back when I had my E32 with black leather.

BP, maybe buy some grey seats and dye them NB?

Dye doesn't work. No way in hell I'd dye seats.

[NorCalZman]

It is my understanding that heated seats (OEM) cannot be retrofitted into an E46. My BMW tech friend says the heating elements are attached to the seat covers, and are inseperable. So, the only ways to retrofit are: 1) buy new seat covers ($$$$$$$$$$) or 2) get aftermarket.

another member just did the retrofit. He obtained heating elements from a source in europe and had them installed by an upholstery shop. He then bought a heating retrofit kit from BMW which has all the wiring, etc. and had that installed. Now he has heated seats. I have the heating elements on order from the same person so I will let the mafia know how my experience with this retrofit goes.

[az3579]

another member just did the retrofit. He obtained heating elements from a source in europe and had them installed by an upholstery shop. He then bought a heating retrofit kit from BMW which has all the wiring, etc. and had that installed. Now he has heated seats. I have the heating elements on order from the same person so I will let the mafia know how my experience with this retrofit goes.

Those elements are not OEM BMW. The OEM ones are sewn in. My friend has done hundreds of seat occupancy sensor jobs; he swears they're sewn in.
Whatever this guy bought is not E46 heating elements, it's from somewhere else.

[NorCalZman]

Those elements are not OEM BMW. The OEM ones are sewn in. My friend has done hundreds of seat occupancy sensor jobs; he swears they're sewn in.
Whatever this guy bought is not E46 heating elements, it's from somewhere else.

Funny, the elements are shaped and cut for BMW sports seats and contain the correct style plug to connect to the BMW connectors for the retrofit kit. If they work they work, IMO. I will let you know when they arrive. :-)

[az3579]

Funny, the elements are shaped and cut for BMW sports seats and contain the correct style plug to connect to the BMW connectors for the retrofit kit. If they work they work, IMO. I will let you know when they arrive. :-)

Please do. My biggest concern with aftermarket stuff is whether the THREE heating modes would work just like OEM functionality.

[NorCalZman]

Please do. My biggest concern with aftermarket stuff is whether the THREE heating modes would work just like OEM functionality.

well the seller (in europe) swears these are OEM (X3 sport seats to be exact but they are the same as E46 seats), but whatever right? I will be happy to let everyone know if the 3 step heating works.

[az3579]

well the seller (in europe) swears these are OEM (X3 sport seats to be exact but they are the same as E46 seats), but whatever right? I will be happy to let everyone know if the 3 step heating works.

Could you please link to this kit?

[NorCalZman]

Could you please link to this kit?

The retrofit kit you buy from BMW, but the elements are sold by this seller:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Original..._qi=RTM1562569

These are for the E90 and they have the wrong connector for the E46, but if you message him and ask for the first gen X3 sport seat elements which DO, he will send them to you. One of our members already did this. I am waiting for mine to arrive so TO BE SAFE one could wait until we have multiple confirmations that these work ok. I am taking the chance because I want them pretty badly and am willing to risk a few hundred bucks. I was going to wait until my own experience turns out ok before I start sending our other mafia members there.

[danewilson77]

BP... I had to unsecure then move my heating element to the new cover.

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