New Defender - 3rd centre seat fitting?

[andyxxx]

I want to swap my Defender 90 for a new one but I need three front seats – which is no longer a factory option.

Has anybody fitted centre seats on a post 2007 Defender?

If so – how did the insurance company view this?
If I were to do this, is there anything else besides insurance I should be aware of?

[anonymous-user]

Not sure a centre seat (with just a lap belt) would be legal on a 2007 car.

[piecost76]

The post-2007 Defender has not been Type Approved for a centre seat so not only would it be illegal, your insurance would also not pay out for such a modification.

Was something I looked into but alas no!

[andyxxx]

MMM - thought so - may have to look at a double cab - but they're ugly

[forest172]

I`ve just seen a new one for sale with this conversion. Done by Hudderfield Land Rover Centre,

here you go, looks good

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[Magic919]

Exmoor Trim make seats for the job and people are happily fitting them. I can't see an Insurer being concerned, but I'd be sure to mention the extra seat.

[andyxxx]

forest172 said:

I`ve just seen a new one for sale with this conversion. Done by Hudderfield Land Rover Centre,

here you go, looks good

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Thanks for that - but I need the van

[anonymous-user]

Magic919 said:

Exmoor Trim make seats for the job and people are happily fitting them. I can't see an Insurer being concerned, but I'd be sure to mention the extra seat.

Insurers are all over the seating issues with Land Rovers.
Just because people are happily fitting aftermarket seats doesn't mean it's ok, and Exmoor Trim will sell whatever people want to buy. If a centre seat was still a viable option, why don't Land Rover offer it? One of Defender's big selling points used to be the high passenger capacity. 110s used to be twelve-seaters and have now dwindled to just seven.

[Magic919]

There are clearly constraints that apply to car manufacturers. People making changes to vehicles they have bought are not subject to all of these.

[anonymous-user]

Magic919 said:

There are clearly constraints that apply to car manufacturers. People making changes to vehicles they have bought are not subject to all of these.

True, but increasing the passenger carrying capacity and not notifying insurers of that change is a sure fire route to grief further down the line, especially if using seats that are no longer approved for the model year of the vehicle.

[mph1977]

Crossflow Kid said:

Magic919 said:

Exmoor Trim make seats for the job and people are happily fitting them. I can't see an Insurer being concerned, but I'd be sure to mention the extra seat.

Insurers are all over the seating issues with Land Rovers.
Just because people are happily fitting aftermarket seats doesn't mean it's ok, and Exmoor Trim will sell whatever people want to buy. If a centre seat was still a viable option, why don't Land Rover offer it? One of Defender's big selling points used to be the high passenger capacity. 110s used to be twelve-seaters and have now dwindled to just seven.

12 seater was a Purchase tax / VAT scam , the RoW lWb station wagon was only ever a 9 or 10 seater ...

[Magic919]

I can't see anyone suggesting non-disclosure. Lack of 'approval' is a non-issue in the UK currently, as there is none for modified vehicles (so far).

[anonymous-user]

So just bolt any old seats and belts in?
Good luck with that.

[AndrewIC]

You can change the number of seats on the V5.
I looked at a 90 that had the forward facing seats removed and replaced with side bench seats. The DVLA just wanted a letter to prove they had been installed by a garage rather than a bloke in a shed.
Insurance company didn't have any problem with the conversion either.

[anonymous-user]

Yes, yes....Insurance will be happy as long as it's insured for the number of seats DVLA have been notified of, which in turn requires (as mentioned) what amounts to approved installation. I guess it depends where you take it but I know my local independent won't fit old seats to new Land Rovers. Maybe they like their reputation as it is?

[andyxxx]

In the end I purchased a secondhand (400 mile) Defender (SMC Overlander Nero) that had been specced up and has a single forward facing fold up seat.
The car has tons of upgrade and I told the insurance company (A Plan) about it all and it didn't pose a problem.