Anyone ever think comfort seats were... comfortable?

[Mike W.]

Maybe it's just me, I am touchy on seats, but damn, has anyone ever thought comfort seats were really comfortable? They changed little between E3 Bavaria and E28s. Practically none between E12 and 28 except for stitching and power. Even into E39, neither comforts nor sports were better than C or C-. E21, no, E24, no, E23 were the same as E28, no. E36, manual sports maybe better, but only ok, not even good.

Now E28 sports, that's a whole different story, they are nice. And I've heard good things about E34 sports, but the rest of them?

[amagansa]

I think i'm just not picky. My e23 seats had that little bounce in them that I like. My e28 sport seat is firmer which makes sense, feels great, but when I was commuting in the e28, the comforts were also great. And had armrests! Probably also depends on your butt.

[Mdreamer]

I really like the comfort of the comfort seats. If I was buying an e28 new, I'd probably opt for the sports, but because my car came with the comforts as original equipment, I will keep it that way. I had a 535is and I enjoyed the sports seats in it, but I did miss the armrest of the comforts on long trips.

[Mike W.]

I really like the comfort of the comfort seats. If I was buying an e28 new, I'd probably opt for the sports, but because my car came with the comforts as original equipment, I will keep it that way. I had a 535is and I enjoyed the sports seats in it, but I did miss the armrest of the comforts on long trips.

The armrest is nice, very nice on long trips. But with a 5 speed, I wouldn't bother to fold it down unless I was on the road.

[RonW]

I was spoiled on the cloth seats on my '73 Volvo. Each front seat had an adjustable lumbar support. And the cloth made them comfortable year round.

As for the E28, I added a sheepskin cover so I never had to deal with the leather. I said they were good but not great, but that's with the sheepskin.

[LeiseyJr]

It depends on the shape of the coconut hair. When they're in good shape they're alright. When they're clapped they're quit shit. Which is most drivers seat at this point.

I'm a very small fellow quite narrow, so I always feel weird sitting in it. You seat on the seats more then you sit in them. They're seats, the best feature is the armrest.

I sat in a 70s merc seat in the junkyard and that was noticeably more comfortable. I felt like I sank in and while still feeling unconstrained like a proper comfort seat is supposed it.

[Cactus]

Best car seats I've ever slept in. I'm too wide for the sports. Comfort is where it's at.

[Blue Shadow]

Took me a year to finally position my chair where I wanted it after buying the car. Used to drive about 4 hours on the weekend then blast some twisties while visiting friends, just couldn't get it set until that one day.

Friends chairs have me sitting on top of them, mine I sit in, he says cause mine are played out. Don't know if that is true since both were the same when I swapped em and the passenger chair never worked very hard. Maybe his were over inflated. They were not as good as mine.

[Kenny Blankenship]

Maybe it's just me, I am touchy on seats, but damn, has anyone ever thought comfort seats were really comfortable? They changed little between E3 Bavaria and E28s. Practically none between E12 and 28 except for stitching and power. Even into E39, neither comforts nor sports were better than C or C-. E21, no, E24, no, E23 were the same as E28, no. E36, manual sports maybe better, but only ok, not even good.

Now E28 sports, that's a whole different story, they are nice. And I've heard good things about E34 sports, but the rest of them?

Yes, I think the seats are comfortable. Never liked the sport seats. But then I do weigh 50 lbs. more than you...

[tn535i]

Maybe I'm not that picky but I find the comfort seat to be better than some new cars. I don't feel like I need lumbar support in the 535 comfort whereas many new cars this is adjustable and it never feels right for me. Of course my 535 comfort is well worn (to my butt) and even more worn in the clutch leg area so I feel I sit slightly crooked but I'm so used to it.

I'll add e30 sports feel a little narrow to me while the slightly wider e28/e24 sports fit me just right. I don't really have much time in an e28 sport but I also know the e24 plus the sport seat changes so many things about the way the car feels it might not be a good comparison. Same for an e30 with a sport seat. It's about like going from a school bus (535) to a true sports coupe imo. I slide into my 535 and sink way down into my M6.

[Mike W.]

Interesting, I'm really surprised by the results. I have repadded them 8 ways to Sunday and gotten them decent. It's my back, not my ass so much that's so picky, and I admit am touchy on seats. But some are comfortable, E28 sports, I long ago had a 75 Toyota Celica that had comfortable seats, my Datsun does, but most are not, BMW or otherwise. It's a hot button for me at the moment as I just got done cutting up some comforts (dry rotted leather) so I can throw the non metal away and recycle the frames and they're big and heavy and a PITA to even cut up, and never comfortable for me. And the friggin' things weigh a ton, especially the power seats which are ~80 pounds.

Oddly it's not lumbar per say, it's much lower where I like support, almost at my beltline. Oh well, one more way the world wasn't designed for me.

[BMWCCA2]

I've owned 3 E28s with sport seats and now 2 with comforts. While I prefer the sport seats, I find the comforts . . . comfortable. My current manual seats in my '85 535i-5sp have very plush sheepskins on them and they are just fine in my daily driver. I love the BMW sport seats in the 535is and I really liked the BMW Recaros from an E21 that I have in one 2002. The power sport seats in my E39 are a great compromise between a comfort seat and an E28 sport seat and are probably designed to fit even a Burgermeister without giving him a headache but still offering support in aggressive driving. Multi-Contours in Nappa Leather in an F10 5er are pretty fantastic, too.

[HayekFan]

I find the comfort seats comfortable, but only if you raise the front and lower the rear of the seat bottom fairly drastically. That way you're sort of cupped into the seat. If you set it flat, it feels like you're on the seat rather than in it, especially if the leather and stuffing have become somewhat hard with age as mine have.

[RetiredDoc]

I absolutely despised my comfort seats when the e28 was brand new. Despite attempts to adjust the driver seat, I had to tilt my head to my right into the sunroof space to keep my head from hitting the roof, and drive in that position. I am a relatively upright driver. I could have reclined the seat back to gain head space, but that hurt my back way more, so I dealt with the neck discomfort.

But after about 50,000 miles the bottom cushion began to settle in, and I finally had sufficient head clearance. From that point up to about 300,000 miles, head space went from barely clearing the roof to about 3 inches as the cushion sagged more and more.

Then I had a nice custom fit fleece seat cover made and custom dyed pacific blue. I requested a contoured foam layer one inch thick in the seat bottom portion. It made the comfort seat truly the most comfortable of any seat in any car I have ever owned. I had been Recaro shopping before adding the fleece cover, but my butt is so happy those plans have been on hold for the last 5 years.

[JWT]

This is very relevant for me right now. Struggling with either getting the E30 sports (cannot find E28 sport seats) or re-upholster my comforts. I also drive an 88' E30M3 that has the sports (obviously) and enjoy them very much. I also understand that I do not have a 535is but rather a 535i. Just installed the H&R and Bilstein sport suspension set up and do like to get on the gas. Also installed a LSD. Anyway.....if I go the E30 sport seat route will I be sitting a lot lower then the comforts? Do they look too "skinny" in the E28? I am searching for photos and there are not too many showing both seats from different angels.

Anyway....if any of you that have them can send some photos my way it would be greatly appreciated. I ordered the brackets just in case I go this route....just having a hard time making up my mind.....I like the clean look of the sports and I do not do too many long road trips nor is my commute any length of time so the armrest on the comforts does not come into play with the decision. None of the seats in my car are power. All manual. I am 6'1 and 215lbs and those E30M3 seats do not bother me at all.

[a]

I preferred comforts, mostly because i had plenty of them. And the passenger's seat could be re-handed to replace a broken driver's. As comfy as the cardinal leather on the Borman 6 was, the cloth seats were way more comfy.

[SlickDizzy]

I feel like I'd have to try a new one to be a truly fair judge, but I'm a 6'3" 185lb beanpole and have always found them to be hideously uncomfortable; I've had "comfort" seats in E28s, an E34, an E36 and E39s. Only the E39 approached anything resembling "comfort," while I've always found sport seats and Recaros quite comfortable.

I don't have the same problem with Benz seats, I don't know how BMW got it so wrong.

[LeiseyJr]

After reinstalling one in my vehicle it is comfier then I remember, however it shows its age.

[Zeta]

I love my comfort seats. I don’t think I’ll ever change them, because they’re exactly what I want for cruising on long road trips. Personally I think they’re the most comfortable car seats I’ve ever sat in. Granted, my other vehicles have been late 90s Japanese trucks, which are not known for comfortable seats, to say the least (I have to put a pillow on the seat of my Tacoma if I don’t want a sore butt within an hour of driving).

Perhaps my weight and size is just right for the comfort seats. My dad has also remarked on how comfortable the seats are when he has driven my car, and he’s about the same build as me. It also could be that my seats are in the goldilocks zone in terms of being broken in but still in very good condition.

[Blue Shadow]

they’re exactly what I want for cruising on long road trips.

That is what I needed to finally get my couch seat adjusted properly in my car. Took a year from when I got the car to find the spot the seat needed to be in, always fiddling with the buttons until that one road trip a 435-mile ride and it got dialed in.

Put some cheap sport seat in and been using those. Hope I can get the couch seats set right next time I put em in the car without that 1-yr and 435-mile drive to set the buttons right.

[Foonfer]

I forget what I voted, or if I voted at all. Mine would have been either "German humor" or "Geneva convention" regarding the "comfort" seats. And I always, always type "comfort" between quotation marks when discussing these seats.

Luckily I was able to score a pair of E28 Sport seats some 6 years ago, and haven't looked back. They are _just okay_ when compared to the seats on a W212 Mercedes, but they are _extraordinary, fantastic, life changing_ when compared to the stock "comfort" seats.

I have always wondered what's the deal, what makes "comfort" seats a literal pain for ppl like me, but others find them so enjoyable. Reading opinions here and there, my impression so far is that it's not a matter of height but of build - I believe the "comfort" seats are despised by those of us with thinner/slighter builds, and loved by those with heavier/broader builds.

Regarding widths: The E28 Sports are significantly narrower than the "comforts", and the E30 Sports are significantly narrower than the E28 Sports.

Trivia tidbit 1, just because: Each (motorized) "comfort" seat weighs just under SEVENTY POUNDS. The (motorized) E28 Sports are noticeably lighter.
Trivia tidbit 2: Many people here swear by the E34 Sport seats.

Closing remarks: If I were to do it all over again, I would splurge on a pair of manual, period-appropriate Recaros or Scheels. But before splurging, as a minimum I would like a 2-hour test drive on them. Otherwise the E28 Sports are _perfect_ for me and my 5ft-9, 165pound shrimpy self.

[Zeta]

I have always wondered what's the deal, what makes "comfort" seats a literal pain for ppl like me, but others find them so enjoyable. Reading opinions here and there, my impression so far is that it's not a matter of height but of build - I believe the "comfort" seats are despised by those of us with thinner/slighter builds, and loved by those with heavier/broader builds.

Otherwise the E28 Sports are _perfect_ for me and my 5ft-9, 165pound shrimpy self.

Funny, I’m 5’10” and 145, so shrimpier than you, yet I think the comfort seats are great! I’ve never had the chance to sit in sport seats though, maybe I’d love them even more.

[Shawn D.]

I find them quite comfortable, and I've had a number of passengers remark on how comfortable they are.

[BMWCCA2]

After driving about 11-hours round-trip to The Vintage over the weekend in my'85 535i with manual stock seats, there's no way they are as comfortable as the Sport seats in my '87 535is. Maybe it's the plush sheepskin covers that have been on them for decades, but they make my butt sore!

[garageboy]

My fat butt has gotten used to the comfort seats.

When I was strapped in for driver's schools, with an intentionally locked seatbelt, those held me in place for the twisties. As a long-distance seat, my 11,400-mile road trip in 2019 reminded me they were pretty comfortable. When I compare them to other cars, I *DO* think they're real comfortable.

What I DO have a problem with (there's always something) was the electric seat base. Thanks to foonfer, when mine cracked (over-loaded by a guest driver), I found an inexpensive replacement. But I had the original one welded and reinforced at its weak spot... which just went back into service last month after I managed to break foonfer's myself. Gotta get my spare welded now... I know. Fat people problem...

I do like that my 10-way seats work... although I wish I had heated seats... the E39 spoiled me (more my passengers)

[Foonfer]

Thanks to foonfer, when mine cracked (over-loaded by a guest driver), I found an inexpensive replacement. But I had the original one welded and reinforced at its weak spot... which just went back into service last month after I managed to break foonfer's myself. Gotta get my spare welded now...

Oh no!

Always good to have a spare... as the Royal Family has known for centuries