Please help me spec seats... Buying in the next 48 hours

[mrdeli]

I have spent the last two days trying the seats at my local audi dealer - driving both him and myself mad in the process!

I like the look of the bucket seats, but as my job involves quite alot of in and out of the car, i'm concerned that they may be difficult to live with.

I would greatly appreciate the opinions of those who have each seat type - would you go for the same seats again???

Would there be any resale value difference with each type of seat.

Many thanks for all your help, I'm so looking forwards to being round this forum for a long time yet.

PS. If the car has no bluetooth phone fitted...is there any good way around this?? Many thanks, Mark

[hanbury]

I went for the recaro sports seats (ie 'non-bucket') and, after having the car just ten days and covering 1,200 miles, I wouldn't change my mind if I could. IMHO They suit the car very well, are very comfy, easy to get in and out of and, I believe, have the benefit of a wider range of adjustment than the buckets. I also liked the look of the buckets very much but I just couldn't see myself getting on with them long term - I have had similar seats in other cars and found they felt great from time to time but just became a bit tiresome eventually.

Against that, the buckets obviously look and feel more sporty and will give you better feel/hold if you are tracking the car. I know too that many people are finding them very comfortable if they take the time to get the adjustment right etc.

I know some people believe that the seats chosen will have a detrimental effect on value - especially if it is fitted with the recaros but I personally think this is unlikely. As I said above I think the Recaros suit the car very well and, if anything, I think some people are more likely to turn a car down because it has buckets than recaros because the perceived lack of 'sportiness' is less of an issue than comfort.

As I say, others have a different view and no doubt they'll be along shortly - although not for a few hours (unless they also have a three year old with a streaming cold who can't sleep and wants to watch telly at 4 in the morning)!

[binder]

I tried both and for me the Recaros were more suitable and much easier to live with. I can understand the attractions of the buckets but getting in and out and not being the slimmest in the world made the decision easy for me. Also I liked the Silver Nappa with my Phantom Black. Looking at similar threads there look to be plenty of support for both styles and I would not expect that either style would seriously effect resale values.

[55JWB]

Very simple question, which will the wife prefer?? I know I would have 'put up with' the buckets, but very glad I went recaro's I even thought yesterday in a tight parking space, getting in and out of the car would have been a nightmare

Just my 2p worth...

Jason

[audijohn]

I went for the recaro sports seats (ie 'non-bucket') and, after having the car just ten days and covering 1,200 miles, I wouldn't change my mind if I could. IMHO They suit the car very well, are very comfy, easy to get in and out of and, I believe, have the benefit of a wider range of adjustment than the buckets. I also liked the look of the buckets very much but I just couldn't see myself getting on with them long term - I have had similar seats in other cars and found they felt great from time to time but just became a bit tiresome eventually.

Against that, the buckets obviously look and feel more sporty and will give you better feel/hold if you are tracking the car. I know too that many people are finding them very comfortable if they take the time to get the adjustment right etc.

I know some people believe that the seats chosen will have a detrimental effect on value - especially if it is fitted with the recaros but I personally think this is unlikely. As I said above I think the Recaros suit the car very well and, if anything, I think some people are more likely to turn a car down because it has buckets than recaros because the perceived lack of 'sportiness' is less of an issue than comfort.

As I say, others have a different view and no doubt they'll be along shortly - although not for a few hours (unless they also have a three year old with a streaming cold who can't sleep and wants to watch telly at 4 in the morning)!

Hanbry & 55JWB: has saved me a lot of typing, I agree with every word they have said.

[Dom81]

And I'll sixth that - Recaro's for me

[Andyuk911]

Buckets, because that is what the car is all about ... it depends on your size ...people who get in the car have never made a comment ..

[VARSITY]

Am 6'6" and slightly portly and have buckets. Agree with Andy and would go for buckets everytime.

If you don't like them you can take them out sell them and buy the recaros for a lot less money than you could do it the other way around.

Its what the car is all about.

Just an opinion, however what ever you do you will always wonder what if?

[mrdeli]

wow, thanks for all the quick replys. I guess it really comes own to personal chice - seems quite a lot of you on here have the sports seats - i thouht nearly everyone would have had buckets! I'm thinking that long term not being comfortable may be a bigger issue than longing for the looks of the buckets.

[Dom81]

If I were the only driver then I would probably have gone for buckets - they certainly felt good when I tested them. Problem is my partner will also drive sometimes (not yet though!) and we're very different heights. Adjusting the buckets is harder since they're manual, but there again there's less angles to mess up for the other driver...

I solved things by getting memory on the Recaros, but were this not possible I might have taken the buckets

Other thought is rear legroom, which I believe is worse with the buckets. Certainly the RS4 Recaros offer more legroom than the almost identical ones on the S4 - it's not the depth of the seat that's different, but there's more space underneath for feet. With two children on booster seats, this is much appreciated

Bottom line is that you'll be happy with either

[alex_123_fra]

I went for buckets as both my wife likes them (as do I). I could see them being a problem in "wider-bottomed" individuals.

I happen to love the recaros too and wouldn't have turned down a car had it come with those.

Personal choice really...as said above. Neither will harm resale, just go with what feels right.

[bobjebb]

Buckets, because that is what the car is all about ...

Going to dissagree, because I believe thats exactly what the car is NOT all about! It's a 4/5 door, 4 seat family car that happends to go quickly and handle well. It's not a track vehicle let's be honest, it's an understated sports car - the very reason I think people love them so much. I was personally really dissapointed when Audi even offered buckets as an option, they are great for your GT3's and CSL's but they lower the tone on the RS brand in my opinion. A car with a TV in it doesn't suit boy racer seats for me somehow.

If you look back at threads on here from a couple of years ago, you'll probably see that 99% of those with deposits down on the first cars were buckets all the way and those of us speccing recaros were considered weirdos or just old men with names on cars we'd have trouble selling. Interesting to see the way buyers are thinking now, much more 50-50.

Runs away...

[hunty]

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/li ... 647458.ece

I like Clarksons oppinion on the car, its not often he dosnt give something a good slagging.

He makes a few points about the seats.

I have ordered leather buckets, just had another look through the brochure and now think the buckets with half cloth half leather may have been a better choice.

[t_urbo]

Buckets, because that is what the car is all about ...

Going to dissagree, because I believe thats exactly what the car is NOT all about! It's a 4/5 door, 4 seat family car that happends to go quickly and handle well. It's not a track vehicle let's be honest, it's an understated sports car - the very reason I think people love them so much. I was personally really dissapointed when Audi even offered buckets as an option, they are great for your GT3's and CSL's but they lower the tone on the RS brand in my opinion. A car with a TV in it doesn't suit boy racer seats for me somehow.
...

I bought mine purely because it allowed me to fit my 3 children in the back and at the same time had a bit of grunt.

The car would be better if the buckets went along with the stupid starter button, make's me feel like i'm in a bloody Renault sometimes!

But then again my missus keeps telling me im getting old before my time.


_______________________
07 Model Year RS4
04 996 Turbo S with switchable ecu maps
580 hp on race profile on sunoco GT Plus
550 hp on fast road profile on super unleaded.

[MarkRS4]

Hunty

Can you explain why you have had second thoughts about having full leather buckets? oh and is your car to arrive soon?