BWM breakers/E87 isofix

[Craikeybaby]

I've been investigating fitting an isofix child seat into my E87, and it seems like I need to buy some isofix covers, then cut the seat material/foam to fit them to allow access to the isofix mounts.

I then thought that an easier option would be to find a seat base with the covers already fitted and just swap them - then swap back when Baby Craik has finished trashing the seats.

Where would be the best place to look for a seat base in the correct trim?

[hornetrider]

They'll be in the seat back, not the base. I assume.

[Craikeybaby]

It's the base, it has a lip at the back.

[Sohlman]

The leather of the seats will cover them. Carefully lift up leather at the base of the back of the seat and you will be able to slide the isofix in there and attach to the isofix bar mount. It's a bit tricky if never fitted before.

Whatever you do don't cut your seats

The plastic guide you can get attached to the isofix bar to make getting an isofix system in and out easier. They in affect lift the seat back up so you can slide the isofix seat connector in and out without doing gymnastics with your fingers and the seat.

[Craikeybaby]

I'm not sure that pushing the seat down permanently is going to be a good idea. The split line is the one that goes across from left to right, I can't see how you can access the isofix points without the slots.

[Sohlman]

On the picture you have black plastic covers which just unclip. I was assuming the seat isofix was the same as an e90.

With the covers off you can then just slide the isofix seat base in.

[Craikeybaby]

That isn't my car, I don't have the covers, hence trying to buy a seat base with the covers already fitted.

[hornetrider]

Craikeybaby said:

It's the base, it has a lip at the back.

Ah yes.

Ebay?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E87-1-SERIES-M-SPORT...

[Craikeybaby]

I've contacted a few people breaking E87s on eBay, but they all seem to have the wrong colour seats, or no isofix slots.

[Craikeybaby]

In the end I couldn't find the correct seat with isofix slots at a sensible price, but I was able to buy the slot covers from BMW. This evening I'll be taking a Stanley knife to my seats…

[Spuffington]

I really don't think that taking a stanley knife to your seats is the way forward here.

Neither my F25 X3 or E89 Z4 have the plastic covers over the ISOFIX Fittings, but instead you feel for the fittings and push the child seat onto them, there's no need to cut the seats!!!!!!!!

Certainly having the covers makes access to the fittings easier - did on the F20 1er I had and the F11 hire car I had last weekend in Germany, but it's certainly not a prerequisite.

Please, please, please don't go cutting your seats.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Spuffington said:

I really don't think that taking a stanley knife to your seats is the way forward here.

Neither my F25 X3 or E89 Z4 have the plastic covers over the ISOFIX Fittings, but instead you feel for the fittings and push the child seat onto them, there's no need to cut the seats!!!!!!!!

Certainly having the covers makes access to the fittings easier - did on the F20 1er I had and the F11 hire car I had last weekend in Germany, but it's certainly not a prerequisite.

Please, please, please don't go cutting your seats.

I'm fairly sure (although happy to be corrected) but the issue seems to be that the seat base includes that vertical lip that the covers are slotted into on the above pic i.e. it's all one piece. Therefore if the slots aren't there how do you get to the points?

Does seem very odd that there's no way in though

[Spuffington]

Swervin_Mervin said:

Spuffington said:

I really don't think that taking a stanley knife to your seats is the way forward here.

Neither my F25 X3 or E89 Z4 have the plastic covers over the ISOFIX Fittings, but instead you feel for the fittings and push the child seat onto them, there's no need to cut the seats!!!!!!!!

Certainly having the covers makes access to the fittings easier - did on the F20 1er I had and the F11 hire car I had last weekend in Germany, but it's certainly not a prerequisite.

Please, please, please don't go cutting your seats.

I'm fairly sure (although happy to be corrected) but the issue seems to be that the seat base includes that vertical lip that the covers are slotted into on the above pic i.e. it's all one piece. Therefore if the slots aren't there how do you get to the points?

Does seem very odd that there's no way in though

Sorry, re-reading you are right.

I would suggest if there's no covers there then ISOFIX isn't fitted. Can't imagine BMW expect their owners to slice through their seats.

[hornetrider]

I'd be very surprised if there is an isofix bar in there if there are no covers. There's absolutely no way I'd be taking a scalpel to a set of seats!

[Craikeybaby]

The bars are there, I removed the seat base to check. The bottom of the seat base moulding is pre-marked for cutting.

If it is a problem there are plenty of standard rear benches available in the correct trim so I can swap back and sell the car.

[Craikeybaby]

Isofix bracket by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

The isofix backets are there, unfortunately I couldn't remove the seat due to not having the correct torx bit for the seatbelt mount handy. I've got the correct bit from work now, so will remove the bench later.

[Craikeybaby]

I've now fitted the isofix flaps, so thought I'd post some photos of how I did it.

These are the mouldings in the back of the seat to show you where to cut (I later found out that those vertical bars need to be removed too):

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

And with the back of the flap:

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Marking the four corners of where I will cut:

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Cutting the cloth:

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

The bits I removed:

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

First one fitted:

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Material removed and tools used:

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

All done:

Fitting isofix flaps by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

I'm glad I got this done when I did, as my son arrived 6 weeks early, so early that the seat from the BMW was still in the garage and needed to be refitted before I drove my wife to the hospital!