any experience of after market heated seats?

[LaurasOtherHalf]

the mrs is after a new car & finding one with heated seats is like hens teeth, but the dealer has mentioned that they can fit aftermarket heated seats to a car they have ready built in stock.

any idea if these are any good?

car is a mini countryman btw

[stewjohnst]

Not quite on topic but my brother once got me these for xmas as a piss take.

The heating element is just a small wire that warms with current, it worked for a while then one side shorted out and it meant the other got so hot it burnt my toes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-PC-Laptop-Foot-Warmer-...

[laam999]

My current mr2 has them fitted. I was sceptical when the seller told me they're aftermarket, but they''re the only one I've used that don't make me feel like I've wet myself. No idea what make etc but they're v good.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

laam999 said:

My current mr2 has them fitted. I was sceptical when the seller told me they're aftermarket, but they''re the only one I've used that don't make me feel like I've wet myself. No idea what make etc but they're v good.

ah right that sounds ok then, you'd think a mini dealer wouldn't be fitting anything too bad.

other thing is that they'll be on fabric seats, don't know why but i always assumed you only got heated seats on leather

[shaun442k]

I retro fitted them to my old MGF.
Took about a day to fit as I had to take the old seats apart, put wiring into the fuse box then hide wires throughout the car. Definitely worth it though. And this was on cloth seats.

Not sure how you'd get on if the car has airbags in the seats though?

[V8RX7]

shaun442k said:

Not sure how you'd get on if the car has airbags in the seats though?

It's not an ejector seat !!!


ie there are no airbags where you sit so they are a non issue.

[shaun442k]

V8RX7 said:

It's not an ejector seat !!!

Sorry, I meant dismantling them might be an issue if they have airbags built in.

[Toaster Pilot]

Are you sure the dealer isn't just ordering in OEM Mini parts rather than "aftermarket" ? Seems odd that a main dealer would do otherwise. How much are they charging?

I saw a "heated seat cover" that plugs into the 12V socket the other day, tempted for my shed for the winter

[JulesB]

Only experience I have had was with my brother fitting aftermarket heated seats to his 67' bug. The seat set on fire about half an hour later on the motorway..

Probably was not down to the quality of the parts supplied though, more down to user error, he can't wire a plug together so there was never any hope for these seats..!

[Toaster Pilot]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-CAR-VAN-HEATED-SEAT-... << there's what I was on about, tempted for those frosty mornings but can see a flame filled interior on the horizon

[kambites]

V8RX7 said:

ie there are no airbags where you sit so they are a non issue.

I'm just trying to imagine the use-case for air-bags under the bit you sit on.

[kambites]

Toaster Pilot said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-CAR-VAN-HEATED-SEAT-... << there's what I was on about, tempted for those frosty mornings but can see a flame filled interior on the horizon

I'd be a bit concerned about the current that a heater which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket would draw. They're only rated about about 150 watts.

[Toaster Pilot]

kambites said:

Toaster Pilot said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-CAR-VAN-HEATED-SEAT-... << there's what I was on about, tempted for those frosty mornings but can see a flame filled interior on the horizon

I'd be a bit concerned about the current that a heater which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket would draw. They're only rated about about 150 watts.

Yeah I think it has a 15A fuse in so 180W maximum at 12V (and 150 a safe working maximum I'd expect) - not sure how effective the heater will be in that case.

[kambites]

Toaster Pilot said:

Yeah I think it has a 15A fuse in so 180W maximum at 12V (and 150 a safe working maximum I'd expect) - not sure how effective the heater will be in that case.

The problem is, a 15A fuse will probably let you draw about 25 amps if the start-up surge isn't too great, which could easily be enough to melt the insulation on the rather pathetic wires they use to feed the socket on some cars.

[northwest monkey]

Personally, I wouldn't bother. I've had them in a couple of cars & you'll use them a couple of times when you first get them. The times when it's really cold they would be useful, you put a massive thick coat on & can't feel them anyway!

A heated steering wheel however would be lovely

[kambites]

northwest monkey said:

A heated steering wheel however would be lovely

Heated pedals and gear knob please. Bare lumps of aluminium get cold!

[Toaster Pilot]

kambites said:

The problem is, a 15A fuse will probably let you draw about 25 amps if the start-up surge isn't too great, which could easily be enough to melt the insulation on the rather pathetic wires they use to feed the socket on some cars.

According to another ebay auction for a similar product, it's rated at 35W. I guess the heater will be pretty pathetic.

[mikeday1991]

AFAIK Recaro will sell you a seat with both heating and cool elements if you want to push the boat out!
On the wish list for me...

[LaurasOtherHalf]

northwest monkey said:

Personally, I wouldn't bother. I've had them in a couple of cars & you'll use them a couple of times when you first get them. The times when it's really cold they would be useful, you put a massive thick coat on & can't feel them anyway!

A heated steering wheel however would be lovely

You seem to have ignored the point where I mention the car is for the wife, hence all heaters will be set to thermo-nuclear & heated seats will be used in all months except July & August (though I have to admit some July & August use up here in the north)

[KTF]

Tbh, unless it is full leather then you dont really need them. On fabric I have never noticed the cold but you do with a leather one which is why most have heated leather seats fitted but not heated fabric ones.