Can Vantage sports seats be heated? Are they comfy?

[notax]

As above, I've owned both a 4.3 Vantage and Vantage S both with standard seats which I thought were great. How do sports ones compare, was there an option to have them heated as those I've seen advertised don't mention that they are? Thanks

[KarlFranz]

I'm sure as others will chime in to explain to you, the standard seats are the Sports seats. The optional carbon-shelled seats are called Lightweight seats and, no, they are not available with the heat option. Lightweight seats also don't have side airbags and are not available for sale in the USA.

[V8V Pete]

notax said:

As above, I've owned both a 4.3 Vantage and Vantage S both with standard seats which I thought were great. How do sports ones compare, was there an option to have them heated as those I've seen advertised don't mention that they are? Thanks

As Karl says, the Lightweight seats are not available with a heated option but when they are this good who needs heating?



They are available either full leather or with Alcantara inserts which I particularly like as it makes them more grippy. Whether you find them comfy or not is personal taste and they are fixed backs so some do, some don't. Those that do absolutely swear by them and I'm now definitely in that club. I think they actually make the whole car / driving experience significantly more "focussed" if that makes sense. Definitely try them.

[mikey k]

I looked at heating the light weights in my last roadster as I've retrofitted heaters in other cars
Decided against it as the base cushion has plastic stiffening bars running across the top.
You'd need to cut the heater pads to avoid them and run the risk of them softening with the heat
I didn't bother

[notax]

Thanks guys, I was considering the retro fit option too - I've had it done on several of my other cars, but am glad Mikey has investigated it already. Yes, it was the lightweight seats I meant by the way!

[telum01]

KarlFranz said:

I'm sure as others will chime in to explain to you, the standard seats are the Sports seats. The optional carbon-shelled seats are called Lightweight seats and, no, they are not available with the heat option. Lightweight seats also don't have side airbags and are not available for sale in the USA.

I looked into getting these through a round-about means, but they came out to $8k *each*

For the price of just one, I could go with a pair of pretty much any aftermarket seats I want and re-skin them in OEM AM leather, and have money leftover.

[jonby]

telum01 said:

KarlFranz said:

I'm sure as others will chime in to explain to you, the standard seats are the Sports seats. The optional carbon-shelled seats are called Lightweight seats and, no, they are not available with the heat option. Lightweight seats also don't have side airbags and are not available for sale in the USA.

I looked into getting these through a round-about means, but they came out to $8k *each*

For the price of just one, I could go with a pair of pretty much any aftermarket seats I want and re-skin them in OEM AM leather, and have money leftover.

Lots have looked but unless there is a very unusual & lucky set of circumstances, hard to see how buying in the aftermarket could ever be justified. It would, for instance, probably be cheaper to buy a car in the 'wrong' colour with the right seats and have it resprayed, than to have the seats changed ! It's actually a reasonable value option when buying the car new, because of course they fully allow the cost/value of the standard seats against the purchase

[notax]

A long time since my first post on the subject but having since bought and sold a new V12S roadster and specced heated seats, I’m considering going for my second V8S roadster but this time fancy one with lightweight seats. Unlike the V12S where I lost my shirt financially, I’m going to buy secondhand this time, thinking of getting my fourth Vantage to replace both my current Chimaera and SLK55 AMG. Budget will be £40- £50k. I may get the lightweight seats retrimmed with Alcantara at the same time - very few seem to have this option, but I like it on my 12C. I guess even if I buy a Vantage without heated seats it would have the wiring for them in the loom? Can anyone confirm? If not I’ll retrofit, probably with hidden buttons as I’ve done on a few other cars 👍 Here’s a pic of the V12S, someone got a bargain, I sold it after 700 miles, mint car, but I didn’t gel with it...

[nickv8]

notax said:

A long time since my first post on the subject but having since bought and sold a new V12S roadster and specced heated seats, I’m considering going for my second V8S roadster but this time fancy one with lightweight seats. Unlike the V12S where I lost my shirt financially, I’m going to buy secondhand this time, thinking of getting my fourth Vantage to replace both my current Chimaera and SLK55 AMG. Budget will be £40- £50k. I may get the lightweight seats retrimmed with Alcantara at the same time - very few seem to have this option, but I like it on my 12C. I guess even if I buy a Vantage without heated seats it would have the wiring for them in the loom? Can anyone confirm? If not I’ll retrofit, probably with hidden buttons as I’ve done on a few other cars ?? Here’s a pic of the V12S, someone got a bargain, I sold it after 700 miles, mint car, but I didn’t gel with it...

Bad news - AFAIK, the lightweights lose heating, side airbags and some adjustments. But I think are more comfortable by default.

Rare to find them on a V12, let alone a V8. Only seen a relative handful advertised over the years. Best part of £20k to retrofit via AM (trimmed).

Would be interested to read why you didn’t gel with the V12VSR and want to revert to a V8. Cheers!

[notax]

There are several V8s for sale in my price range with the lightweight seats. I realise they can’t be heated from the factory, but am keen to try do it aftermarket, in spite others saying it can’t be done. Certainly wouldn’t spend £20k getting done, but confident I could do it for far, far less...

The V12s was the first ‘supercar’ I’ve bought brand new, although been lucky enough to own various others F355 x 2, SLS roadster, 12c... The V12s listed at £176k by the time I’d finished. I collected it from Gaydon and on getting it home found that part of the rear centre console wasn’t fitted (loose in the car) I had also arranged for Aston to decat it following online recommendations, but found I didn’t like the noise (except on start up). I’m keen on noisy cars generally - one F355 had a Tubi, the other a crazy Capristo and I’ve decatted my SLK55. The main issues for me compared to my V8s roadster was that it didn’t feel worth the £100k extra it cost. The chassis didn’t feel up to the power in my view and the gearbox didn’t work as well as in the V8s because it would run into the limiter so fast. I think cars with 600bhp are better with either PDK or full auto gearboxes. I do miss having an Aston, and could do with reducing the number of cars I have, so thinking of moving on the SLK and Chimaera for either a standard 4.7 roadster or another V8s...

[leerandle]

My original 4.3 leather seats were heated and to be honest I never used them from day one (Other than testing that they worked).

I swapped out the original seats for some 'aftermarket' light weight seats and they were re-trimmed with alcantara.

These seats are so much more comfortable and you don't end up sliding around them, like you did on the original leather ones.

I have never understood heated seats, but maybe I am missing something.......!??!

[notax]

I’ve always been a big fan of heated seats, helps with a dodgy back and much better on a crisp winter morning with the roof down - especially with an enthusiastic pace

My 12c has non heated Alcantara seats which help keep the chill off but I’d prefer heating. My SLS was awesome with its neck scarf too Maybe I’m just a wimp I will try and keep original lightweight seats, but agree aftermarkets would be more cost efficient and easier to adapt...

[leerandle]

notax said:

I’ve always been a big fan of heated seats, helps with a dodgy back and much better on a crisp winter morning with the roof down - especially with an enthusiastic pace

My 12c has non heated Alcantara seats which help keep the chill off but I’d prefer heating. My SLS was awesome with its neck scarf too Maybe I’m just a wimp I will try and keep original lightweight seats, but agree aftermarkets would be more cost efficient and easier to adapt...

I can understand the appeal if its a roadster !!

[notax]

All my fun road cars have been roadsters!

[jonby]

A regular on here, who switched to Mclaren (Mikey) had a go at heating the lightweights - I don't think he managed it from memory

Someone else (unless it was also mikey) found a similar seat to the lightweight, from one of the major manufacturers, which they had a go at heating and putting in a vantage

but despite several efforts, I don't think anyone has actually done it

I must have done almost 50k miles now, certainly well over 40k, in 4 successive vantage roadsters with lightweight seats. I have the hood down at every opportunity. There is the odd occasion it would be nice for the seats to be heated but by & large it really isn't a problem. The cabin is quite cosy windows up and the general heating not too bad

[notax]

Thanks, but you’re a hardy Northern type

I did see a post referring to some hard plastic bars making it difficult to fit the elements, but am still tempted. I’ve also switched to a McLaren, with decent heating, but I could still do with a toasty bum!