22 replies to this topic

[hafilax]

I've been searching for replacement leather seats for my 855 for a while with NO luck. Just found some at a yard but have no idea what a good price is.
They are black leather (good condition) with the builtin airbags (still intact). Guy at the yard estimated around $300 (USD) with the bags installed - less if he can remove them without damaging the seats.


Two questions: Can the airbags be removed without damaging the seats? If no to the first question, can these seats be installed in a 94 850 with the airbags working?

Plus is $300 (each) a reasonable price?

Thanks for any help,
Steve

Edited by hafilax, 22 February 2005 - 09:32 PM.

[T501]

I've been searching for replacement leather seats for my 855 for a while with NO luck.  Just found some at a yard but have no idea what a good price is. 
They are black leather (good condition) with the builtin airbags (still intact).  Guy at the yard estimated around $300 (USD) with the bags installed - less if he can remove them without damaging the seats.


Two questions:  Can the airbags be removed without damaging the seats?  If no to the first question, can these seats be installed in a 94 850 with the airbags working?

Thanks for any help,
Steve

I'm not sure about the airbags being removable w/o damage to the seat. But I know the airbags won't work in your 94 850. You'd have to upgrade many parts of, if not the whole SRS system to MY 95 SRS.

[maiku]

i thought the SRS was just integrated into the seat...
or was this changed later on?

[Mesoam]

i think 300 for BOTH would be a good price...

[hafilax]

i think 300 for BOTH would be a good price...

Thanks for the input guys. I know I could get $300 for both if it wasn't for the airbags. He figures the airbags alone are worth $150 a piece.

[rubusen]

hafilax:

We took on a project 850 a while back. Good mechanically, but many cosmetic issues. One of those was the hole in the bolster panel on the door side of the driver's seat back. I bid on a couple of leather seat cover sets on eBay, and I think I lost one of the bids to someone who posts frequently on this site. Anyway, those sets went for over $250 each, and the bidder had to install them himself. After losing those, I went to a good local boat upholstery shop, and they guy replaced the bad panel for just over $200. The other estimate I got from an auto upholsterer was $350, so I think I got a reasonable price on the repair. It's a good repair, done with good quality leather, but if you take the time to compare panels, the new one does look, well--newer. Big deal. At least the foam's not falling out any more.

Based on this experience, I think US $300 for a pair of seats that are in good shape is a good price. What about power? Do the seats come with power, or are they manual? I'd be surprised if you got a pair of power seats for that price. If they are power, then the price is excellent in this old fart's opinion!

Cheers!

[Bay13]

The SIPS in a 1997 are all self contained in the seat, no electrical connections so yes they would work in your 1994 with on problem.

[hafilax]

The SIPS in a 1997 are all self contained in the seat, no electrical connections so yes they would work in your 1994 with on problem.

Excellent!!! I was hoping that was the case. How about price, do you think $600 for the pair, leather in good shape, with airbags intact, and power is a reasonable price?

Thanks for the input rubusen. It's $300 each, or $600 for the pair.

Thanks guys.
s

[hafilax]

hafilax:

We took on a project 850 a while back.  Good mechanically, but many cosmetic issues.  One of those was the hole in the bolster panel on the door side of the driver's seat back.  I bid on a couple of leather seat cover sets on eBay, and I think I lost one of the bids to someone who posts frequently on this site.  Anyway, those sets went for over $250 each, and the bidder had to install them himself.  After losing those, I went to a good local boat upholstery shop, and they guy replaced the bad panel for just over $200.  The other estimate I got from an auto upholsterer was $350, so I think I got a reasonable price on the repair.  It's a good repair, done with good quality leather, but if you take the time to compare panels, the new one does look, well--newer.  Big deal.  At least the foam's not falling out any more.

Based on this experience, I think US $300 for a pair of seats that are in good shape is a good price.  What about power?  Do the seats come with power, or are they manual?  I'd be surprised if you got a pair of power seats for that price.  If they are power, then the price is excellent in this old fart's opinion!

Cheers!

I accept old fart's opinions - I am quickly becoming one myself! Was it just a panel that you had replaced for $200? I want to replace the seats because I only have a base model 855T with ugly cloth/leatherette seats. Not sure the cloth would have even looked good 12 years ago!

I believe the seats are power, but will confirm for sure.

Thanks.

[Mesoam]

no tell him 300 for the seats and everything....he would more than likely dammage the seats trying to remove the air bags

[T501]

The SIPS in a 1997 are all self contained in the seat, no electrical connections so yes they would work in your 1994 with on problem.

Woops my bad. I didn't think they would be self contained. Good engineering Volvo!

[rubusen]

These seats have leather faces and vinyl sides and back. When I said a panel, I mean the leather part on the seat back that meets the leather "ladder back" middle panel on its inside edge, and joins with the non-leather vinyl side & back upholstery material on its outer edge. The replaced panel is made of two pieces sewn together, with a vertical seam that curves inward toward the top of the panel. The lower part of the seam is right on the wear point where the bolster frequently is worn through to the foam.

The area I had replaced was less than a sixth (maybe as little as an eighth) of the leather area of the whole seat face, top and bottom. Doing the arithmetic makes $300 for a complete seat that's in good condition look pretty good to me. Again, it's just an old fart's opinion.

Now where do you suppose you can find a good deal on leather for the rear seat and bolsters?

Good luck with it!

[Ivanfbi]

Dude, I have got the beige seats, do you need just front? I am not sure, the guy wants them, but he is still pending.

No, you can't remove the airbags, unless you want to rip it.

$300 for each is kind of pricey, i "sold" all 4 of mine for $300

[850Tu2bo]

check ebay, u find dif. prices ....

[maiku]

i could never find seats on ebay
always wagon benches

[hafilax]

i could never find seats on ebay
always wagon benches

Agreed. This is the first time that I have managed to even find ANY front seats. Confirmed they are power, heated and with the airbags.

Since the airbags will work, then I have no problem paying a little extra for the extra protection.

Thanks for the offer for the beige seats. They might look a little funny in a grey interior though. Also the fact the seats that I have found are (somewhat) local is a bonus since I would think shipping for seats would be ridiculous.

I am sensing that I should defintately hammer this guy down on price. Problem is he'll hold out to sell to a repair shop becuase of the airbag.

Thanks for the input guys.

S

[beachnut]

No way I would spend $300 EACH for seats considering I can go to someone like Classic Soft Trim and order their entire leather seat kit for both front AND rear seats for $795 retail, and it would be NEW. I have yet to see a Volvo seat or leather cover on eBay that looked halfway decent, they always have some wear. Like the previous poster commented, Volvo's leather is crap. Yes, I would have to install the trim myself but it's not really that hard with the proper tools ... done it before on other cars. CST kits are really very nice, not cheap stuff. They are the largest aftermarket supplier and installer of leather seats in the country. When a new car dealership has a post-factory leather option installed in a new car it's almost always a CST kit.

[Joe_m]

The SIPS in a 1997 are all self contained in the seat, no electrical connections so yes they would work in your 1994 with on problem.

Then how are they actuated? Shouldn't they at least have an electrical connection and some sort of input from a sensor to detect when to deploy?

I don't have a practical reason for asking, just curious...

[hafilax]

No way I would spend $300 EACH for seats considering I can go to someone like Classic Soft Trim and order their entire leather seat kit for both front AND rear seats for $795 retail, and it would be NEW. I have yet to see a Volvo seat or leather cover on eBay that looked halfway decent, they always have some wear. Like the previous poster commented, Volvo's leather is crap. Yes, I would have to install the trim myself but it's not really that hard with the proper tools ... done it before on other cars. CST kits are really very nice, not cheap stuff. They are the largest aftermarket supplier and installer of leather seats in the country. When a new car dealership has a post-factory leather option installed in a new car it's almost always a CST kit.

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I have neither the time or more importantly the skills to install leather. I figure installing new seats should be challenge enough alone!

Plus $795 becomes about a grand canadian, plus installation. Another thing I just noticed, not sure if CST distributes in Canada. That still leaves me with my seats (no heat on driver's side) and no airbags.

I'll be sure to give the seats a close inspection before buying. I feel old saying this, but the idea of side airbags is really growing on me.