Old Benz Seats

Alright, Benz guys--

I finally went to see and drive a 1988 300SE today. It's in phenomenal condition, drove well and seems to have had lots of important maintenance things done in the past year or so.

But those seats! My buddy who used to DD a 380SE says they're like plywood on top of a boxspring, and I agree. I understand the part about how MB engineers designed the seats to be part of the "suspension," sort of. While driving the car, though, I couldn't stop from bracing myself with my left foot; I had the sensation kind of like sitting on a beach ball. My friend says he got used to it, and came to find it really comfortable, but I'm not so sure.

What do you guys think?

It probably has a bunch of broken springs, you can take it apart and fix them. One with seats in good shape shouldn't be that uncomfortable. Or spend $1200 and get some.of the 80s sheikh style power recaros .

Or buy my MB seat

Hokey smoke, Travis: every time you post, there's four digits between the dollar sign and decimal point!

I'm a little resistant to that idea because everything else on the car is so pristine and works (except the radio, which the owner says has power and the speakers work). The horse hair seems intact, the springs aren't noisy, nor does the seat feel uneven--just, flouncy.

Kent Bergsma came up with this fix.

After some miles the seats start to not seem as bad; ivedriven a couple hundred thousand miles in w124/126 seats and the aren't to bad.

I was mostly kidding about the recaros, although I would like some for mine. I havent ever seen them in blue anyway, which is what the one you were looking at is right? I would say either fix the broken springs if there are any, or get some SEC seats if you really dont like the stock ones, they should bolt in and they arent bouncy like the stock ones. I actually cant remember seeing an SEC with a blue interior, but they probably made them.

I've always equated them to those kiddie rides you see at the park, with a saddle mounted on top of a coil spring. The plywood on box spring is pretty good too.

I remember the 80's when my gf's grand parents owned nothing but Benz's. riding in the back seat confused me even back then. The seat felt extremely cheap to me having ridden in mostly full sized Ford cars.

Couldn't an auto upholsterer cut some foam to glue strategically under the covering?

I never understood Old Benz Seats and why they modeled them after an old davenport.

Yes, my grandparents were quoted $1500+install for one of said spring seats. If you find anything conclusive, PM me if you don't post it.

Kent Bergsma came up with this fix.

I'd sure give that one a whirl for $50. Even in the best shape, older Merc seats don't offer loads of thigh support. They're far from uncomfortable, just take getting used to. Looks like the above kit would firm up any seats, even ones in good shape like the car you're looking at.