Status seats..Anything better at same price range? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

mallai · 03-16-2013, 05:22 PM

Hey All..

Getting ready to do my annual upgrade and this year its seats..

I keep checking out Status and they look even better quality wise than last year..Do you have them?..Anybody you know have them?

The ones I'm looking at are $980 each..(I might step up to the carbons @$1300 if there significantly lighter)

I'd love Recaros but I'm sure there some ridiculous price..

:ah:

Status Racing - Status Racing

welles · 03-16-2013, 05:47 PM

I have a Recaro Sport in mine (driver's side only), and I recommend it. It's my second Recaro, and for my money they remain the top of heap in terms of performance seating. I bought mine from THMotorsports, and with sliders (tracks), a mounting bracket from Wedge Engineering, and shipping, it was right around $1000.

Stroked & Blown · 03-16-2013, 06:44 PM

I don't have any experience with Status, but they are the least expensive FIA approved seats I've found.

chrisg · 03-16-2013, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welles

I have a Recaro Sport in mine (driver's side only), and I recommend it. It's my second Recaro, and for my money they remain the top of heap in terms of performance seating. I bought mine from THMotorsports, and with sliders (tracks), a mounting bracket from Wedge Engineering, and shipping, it was right around $1000.

Any pics of the installed seat. I really want to do something else as stock just isn't supportive enough for these cars (less slippery would help a lot even with the stock seat). The Recaros look nice without being too large.
If I only didn't have that IM$B upgrade looming in my future........

thstone · 03-16-2013, 06:51 PM

For that kind of money, I'd be sure to get a seat that is FIA-homolgated. I'd suggest doing some more searching, there are a lot of very good seat options in the $750-$1000 range.

thstone · 03-16-2013, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stroked & Blown

I don't have any experience with Status, but they are the least expensive FIA approved seats I've found.

From their website: The Ring GT-X is currently NOT FIA approved.

welles · 03-17-2013, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisg

Any pics of the installed seat. I really want to do something else as stock just isn't supportive enough for these cars (less slippery would help a lot even with the stock seat). The Recaros look nice without being too large.
If I only didn't have that IM$B upgrade looming in my future........

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chrisg · 03-17-2013, 09:06 AM

Welles, thanks for the pic. With the new brackets and sliders where does the height wind up? I tend to run my stock seat in the high position as I am not exactly a large guy.

welles · 03-17-2013, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisg

Welles, thanks for the pic. With the new brackets and sliders where does the height wind up? I tend to run my stock seat in the high position as I am not exactly a large guy.

I'm 5'8" and 150 lbs. The Recaro sits higher than the stock seat - I have it mounted in the lowest hole in back and the middle (of three) holes in front. I would drop it to the lowest hole in front, but would have to remove part of the track tab in front (as I did in the rear), which would mean removing the seat, which would be a bit of a PITA.

mallai · 03-17-2013, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thstone

From their website: The Ring GT-X is currently NOT FIA approved.

The Status Ring seat is FIA certified, same price as GT's starting at $700. The GT seats are for wider waists (34+) but built the same way.

MConte05 · 03-17-2013, 06:14 PM

Sparco Milanos?

Are you wanting a fixed seat or reclinable?

mallai · 03-18-2013, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MConte05

Sparco Milanos?

Are you wanting a fixed seat or reclinable?

Good question..I'm not sure how much "comfort" I'm gonna be giving up by getting fixed seats ala Status..

I'm wondering if the no recline in a fixed seat is gonna drive me nuts and I should get a reclinable..

Anybody have that problem?

ekam · 03-18-2013, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mallai

Good question..I'm not sure how much "comfort" I'm gonna be giving up by getting fixed seats ala Status..

I'm wondering if the no recline in a fixed seat is gonna drive me nuts and I should get a reclinable..

Anybody have that problem?

Non-reclineable racing seats are not designed to be comfortable unless you're paying big bucks. Ask me how I know this.

MConte05 · 03-18-2013, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekam

Non-reclineable racing seats are not designed to be comfortable unless you're paying big bucks. Ask me how I know this.

True. In my race car I have Sparco Circuits. They are nearly $1000 a piece. But I can sit in them all day long (and I do, as it is a rally car) and be comfortable. However would I want to daily drive with them? No way.

NoGaBiker · 03-18-2013, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mallai

Good question..I'm not sure how much "comfort" I'm gonna be giving up by getting fixed seats ala Status..

I'm wondering if the no recline in a fixed seat is gonna drive me nuts and I should get a reclinable..

Anybody have that problem?

Well, since I never recline my seat in the Boxster except to get it back to the proper position after the car wash guy adjusts it for his 5-3 self, I'd say the only way to answer your question is to know if the fixed angle of a seat you're considering is the same as the angle you prefer to adjust your adjustable seat to. (assuming here that you're the only regular driver.) If it is, then you won't know the difference. If it's not, then you should try and duplicate the angle with your current seat and see if you can live with it.

The other factor is this: there's a reason street-driven cars, even Porsches, have the smallish seat and seatback bolsters they have. A true track seat (sch as the Sparcos mentioned above) have such deep bolsters that getting in and out with a fixed position, non-removable steering wheel is a real pita. Used to put Sparcos in a dual purpose Miata I had back in the day. I'd install them for a track weekend, then get lazy and not take them out for a week or so afterwards. I just wouldn't drive the car for the most part, it was such a pain getting in and out (and using 6-pt harness as well.)

Of course, GT3-style seats are meant to be the best compromise between those extremes. You don't have to drop down into them like you do a race seat, but they still provide tons more lateral support than the stock seats, even the slightly deeper Sport Seats. But the price is that they are that much harder to slide into than the stock seats. It's all a trade-off.