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      02-18-2008, 11:52 AM   #67
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If anything I will bring my car to my upholster and have him customize my seats. I will have him make the same shape as euro but I will incorperate a very slight suade to them! I'll photoshop it and post it up. Glad I went with black. easy to match
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      02-18-2008, 12:13 PM   #68
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Response from BMWNA

"Thank you for contacting BMW of North America, LLC regarding your upcoming 2008 BMW M3. Congratulations on your purchase.

Unfortunately, European versus United States specifications will vary. Sometimes, the revisions are first tested in the European market and if sought after, will eventually be established in the US market.

We are sorry if this is disappointing information for you. If you have any further comments or questions, please respond to this e-mail or contact the Customer Relations and Services Department at 1-800-831-1117, Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time; my direct extension is 7672. Again, thank you for contacting BMW."

Sincerely,

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Representative
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      02-18-2008, 12:16 PM   #69
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
"Thank you for contacting BMW of North America, LLC regarding your upcoming 2008 BMW M3. Congratulations on your purchase.

Unfortunately, European versus United States specifications will vary. Sometimes, the revisions are first tested in the European market and if sought after, will eventually be established in the US market.

We are sorry if this is disappointing information for you. If you have any further comments or questions, please respond to this e-mail or contact the Customer Relations and Services Department at 1-800-831-1117, Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time; my direct extension is 7672. Again, thank you for contacting BMW."

Sincerely,

Bethany Sims
Customer Relations and Services
Representative
you shoudl call her direct and find out how much it would cost to get the euro bottoms imported...
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      02-18-2008, 12:19 PM   #70
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jinxter View Post
you should call her direct and find out how much it would cost to get the euro bottoms imported...
I can find that out from my parts guy.
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      02-18-2008, 12:25 PM   #71
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
I'm wondering how much trouble and expense it would be to swap out the bottom cushions and upholstery. At least a grand, I'm sure.
More like $2000, if the price per seat of the leather cover (some $800) and the seat foam cushion/tight support ($125) is comparable to the E46 M3 Sport seats prices...

Sometimes I wonder how BMW make this kind of silly decisions... if they are that concerned about seat confort they should have not make Sport Seats standard in the M3, or at least offer some Comfort Seats as an option. Hey, after all somebody in BMWUSA found the seat bottoms in the real M3 seats uncomfortable.

I guess that a lot of people buy the M3 without knowing what it is, and BMW is compensating for that with this half-ass (pun intended) solution . But then again, if ass comfort is the issue here, why buy an M3 in the first place? A very nice 550i is much more comfortable, at more or less the same price, with plenty of seat options for any "wide load".

So, what is the point of these hybrid M3/335i Sport Seats?
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      02-18-2008, 12:29 PM   #72
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Originally Posted by Technic View Post
More like $2000, if the price per seat of the leather cover (some $800) and the seat foam cushion/tight support ($125) is comparable to the E46 M3 Sport seats prices...
So, what is the point of these hybrid M3/335i Sport Seats?
My price estimate was based on being able to buy just the bottom leather, but I would guess it only comes as a full seat kit.
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      02-18-2008, 12:33 PM   #73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
"Thank you for contacting BMW of North America, LLC regarding your upcoming 2008 BMW M3. Congratulations on your purchase.

Unfortunately, European versus United States specifications will vary. Sometimes, the revisions are first tested in the European market and if sought after, will eventually be established in the US market.

We are sorry if this is disappointing information for you. If you have any further comments or questions, please respond to this e-mail or contact the Customer Relations and Services Department at 1-800-831-1117, Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time; my direct extension is 7672. Again, thank you for contacting BMW."

Sincerely,

Bethany Sims
Customer Relations and Services
Representative
That sounds to me like this decision has something to do with safety regulations, probably side crash results. BMW already messed up the side crash results of the 5 Series by redesigning the door panels (safety rating decrease), so it could be possible that there is a significant difference in side impact results between the Euro and the USA seat bottoms.

A long shot, but if door panels can really make that difference in the same, fundamental vehicle...
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      02-18-2008, 12:39 PM   #74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
My price estimate was based on being able to buy just the bottom leather, but I would guess it only comes as a full seat kit.
The Sport seats in the E9x can be bought in separate parts, the foam cushion (seat back and bottom/thigh support) and the leather covers (back, bottom/thigh):

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...30&hg=52&fg=25

I think that you posted a more up-to-date BMW parts database than the realOEM.com, and that includes the E9x M3. Those actual M3 seat parts should be listed there.

Changing the seat bottoms should be very easy, although costly... as long as your USA dealer can get you Euro parts.
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      02-18-2008, 12:55 PM   #75
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Changing out seat parts

Quote:
Originally Posted by Technic View Post
The Sport seats in the E9x can be bought in separate parts, the foam cushion (seat back and bottom/thigh support) and the leather covers (back, bottom/thigh):

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...30&hg=52&fg=25

I think that you posted a more up-to-date BMW parts database than the realOEM.com, and that includes the E9x M3. Those actual M3 seat parts should be listed there.

Changing the seat bottoms should be very easy, although costly... as long as your USA dealer can get you Euro parts.
Here's for the M3. Parts 1, 2, 4 & 6 ought to do it.

http://bmwfans.info/original/E92/Cou...2/ill-52_3430/
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      02-18-2008, 12:57 PM   #76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
Here's for the M3. Parts 1, 2, 4 & 6 ought to do it.

http://bmwfans.info/original/E92/Cou...2/ill-52_3430/
Yeap...
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      02-18-2008, 10:53 PM   #77
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NOTHING LIKE A NEW EURO SEAT BOTTOM, GOOD LOOKING OUT GUYS. I WILL BE SURE TO GET ONE. ITS A SHAME WE HAVE TO DO THESE TYPE OF THINGS JUST TO MAKE OUR CARS RIGHT. BMW SCREWED SOME OF US ON THE 19 INCH RIMS AND 2MK BECAUSE OF DEMAND AND OUT OF STOCK. ONLY TO GIVE US THEIR OVER FLOW STOCK OF 335I SPORT SEAT BOTTOMS
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      02-18-2008, 11:10 PM   #78
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It is as pointed out earlier due to U.S. safety crash standards and they could not get approval and did not want to hold up release of the M3 due to seat bottoms.

I am anticipating after 1 year of production they will get approval and change the seat bottoms to the european versions as standard.
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      02-18-2008, 11:24 PM   #79
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The labor to do that will prob run you $700-$1000 for the pair plus the cost of the parts.

Personally i am going the same route as well.
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      02-19-2008, 12:43 AM   #80
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I'm going to complain to my dealer that the car isn't as represented when I pick the car up and tell them that I want the seat bottoms as advertised in the book and every piece of promotional material in existence.
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      02-19-2008, 07:33 AM   #81
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      02-19-2008, 08:19 AM   #82
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Euro bolsters

Quote:
Originally Posted by chasem3 View Post
It is as pointed out earlier due to U.S. safety crash standards and they could not get approval and did not want to hold up release of the M3 due to seat bottoms.

I am anticipating after 1 year of production they will get approval and change the seat bottoms to the european versions as standard.
That's conjecnture and I think unlikely. With mostly new body panels, BMW had to crash test this car. The seat would have been part of what was tested. And after all, a 2" higher foam bolster between you and a T-bone wreck is only going to improve things.
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      02-19-2008, 08:50 AM   #83
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This may just be wishful thinking on my part, but I find it hard to believe that BMW would implement such a half-assed solution as changing the seat bottoms at the last minute. Perhaps there is another explanation, such as a parts shortage that has them using the base car seats on some demo models. The US sales brochure clearly shows the Euro seats, and there are no disclaimers about a Euro model being shown. Beyond that, the cars spotted in NJ seemed to have Euro seats. Hard to believe they would screw this one up so badly, but then again the fiasco with the wheels suggests anything is possible...
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      02-19-2008, 09:58 AM   #84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack's dad View Post
This may just be wishful thinking on my part, but I find it hard to believe that BMW would implement such a half-assed solution as changing the seat bottoms at the last minute. Perhaps there is another explanation, such as a parts shortage that has them using the base car seats on some demo models. The US sales brochure clearly shows the Euro seats, and there are no disclaimers about a Euro model being shown. Beyond that, the cars spotted in NJ seemed to have Euro seats. Hard to believe they would screw this one up so badly, but then again the fiasco with the wheels suggests anything is possible...
It's wishful thinking. From the dealer's Aftersales Training document, "In order to provide an enhanced sporting character and more hold, the seat cushions and backrests in European vehicles have been further developed. In US vehicles, only the front seat backrests have been revised. The seat upholstery installed in US vehicles is the same as that used on the E92 series-model sport seat."

So, basically, BMWNA believes Americans don't need "an enhanced sporting character". Sucks.
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      02-19-2008, 10:26 AM   #85
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
It's wishful thinking. From the dealer's Aftersales Training document, "In order to provide an enhanced sporting character and more hold, the seat cushions and backrests in European vehicles have been further developed. In US vehicles, only the front seat backrests have been revised. The seat upholstery installed in US vehicles is the same as that used on the E92 series-model sport seat."

So, basically, BMWNA believes Americans don't need "an enhanced sporting character". Sucks.
That reads like a slap in the face... more hold = less bolster.
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      02-19-2008, 10:28 AM   #86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chasem3 View Post
It is as pointed out earlier due to U.S. safety crash standards and they could not get approval and did not want to hold up release of the M3 due to seat bottoms.

I am anticipating after 1 year of production they will get approval and change the seat bottoms to the european versions as standard.
That was my opinion as to what could be one of the reasons of this substitution, not a fact...
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      02-19-2008, 10:38 AM   #87
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Thanks, Greg - good to get a clear answer...I certainly don't buy their logic, in fact the seat bottoms on my 550, a far less tossable car than the M3, have more bolsetering than these seats are going to have.

The only thing I don't understand is that at least one of the NJ cars appeared to have the Euro seat. Those pictures weren't super clear so perhaps it was light/angle or whatever...
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      02-19-2008, 01:10 PM   #88
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