The quest for the perfect van seats

[86scotty]

Don't say Scheel-Manns, unless you're buying.

Help me brainstorm some alternative ideas for front van seats. I know the usual players, Sienna, etc. but I know there are some other good options I'm not thinking of. I can fab any flat bottom seat to my swivel bases just about but seats designed for a van are certainly easier.

My goal is to find something very clean out of a salvage vehicle until someday I might be able to afford Scheel-Manns or the like, budget about $500 for both. I'm a big fan of Sprinter front seats but they are hard to find except super dirty/worn or with blown airbags.

IMO a van front seat needs an inner arm rest. I wouldn't consider anything without. Also, I'm mostly steering clear of any domestic van seats because they are absolutely lousy and rarely have lumbar, handy upgrades like rear pockets or much adjustability.

Here is what's currently on my search list:
Sprinter
Transit
Metris

What other vans/minivans/SUV's have inner armrests?

 

[jkam]

Don't forget the RV market.
While my old 96 class C, Lazy Daze doesn't have all the bells and whistles, the seats are decent and have held up well for 27 years now. They are on swivel bases.
Newer RV's might have the bells and whistles that you require.

 

[grampswrx]

German car seats. Most are recaro. Something like the seats out of a VW vanagon would be pretty sweet. Might even have swivels too. I am thinking about older MBs or BMWs. Many are in junk yards from reapirs being too expensive.

 

[Raul]

I have 2005 Audi A4 S-line front seats. I loved them. Had to fabricate some extension for the guides, but I bolted them to the van bases. Passenger side on a swivel.

Arm rest is from Amazon. Installed driver on passenger side so controls are on the inside making it easy to operate while inside the van. Electric controls are not computerized so you just need to provide power and everything works.

 

[Sigg]

Find some sport seats out of a P2 Volvo S60 or V70 (they were factory on the T5s and an option on the other trims). You can get some skins to match your seats from lseat.com and also add an armrest like Raul did. They’re some of the most comfortable seats out there, and they’re not that hard to find in junkyards. At some point, that’s what I’m gonna do. For now I just enjoy them in my Volvos and gripe when I get in my van. Haha.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Choff]

Conversion van seats from junk yard, Been sitting in them for 200,000 miles

 

[86scotty]

I have 2005 Audi A4 S-line front seats. I loved them. Had to fabricate some extension for the guides, but I bolted them to the van bases. Passenger side on a swivel.

Arm rest is from Amazon. Installed driver on passenger side so controls are on the inside making it easy to operate while inside the van. Electric controls are not computerized so you just need to provide power and everything works.

Slick, and the armrest matches. How hard was it to add? I can do most fabwork I've ever needed to but dismantling seats is just a **********.

 

[Scotty D]

Do the front seats have to match?
Get one from an old junked volvo semi that has the Bose Ride system , you will be the coolest van guy on the internet

 

[Raul]

Slick, and the armrest matches. How hard was it to add? I can do most fabwork I've ever needed to but dismantling seats is just a **********.

It was easy. Removed the airbag and was able to drill a hole and bolt the arm rest to the seat structure. Filled the airbag room with foam.