Seats or Suspension First?

[ixm3]

Suspension, all day long.

IMHO, when you start pulling serious G's and feel wicked sore from a day at the track due to bracing yourself with the steering wheel, trans tunnel, or Left door panel...then you know its time for seats/belts.

Another issue is that a cushy seat will allow you to fine tune your butt dyno/ g-meter better than a cocooned racing seat. When you tighten the suspension, you'll get less roll and more G's. You want to train yourself to feel this, as well as when the car breaks loose...so you can catch the car sooner. If you get a racing seat first, you may dampen the "bodily" lateral G signal leaving you with more dependence on visual clues. That's not awful ,but it car control is more challenging with fewer signals.

Just my 2 cents.

[MasterP]

Originally Posted by yandy

Thanks for the feedback!



Thanks for the feedback and recommendation of seats, those Profis do look nice. When I buy seats, I'll do both regardless, my OCD side won't let me have mismatched seats in my car like that

I'm the same way, but the plan was to swap out as needed. Maybe leave the recaro attached to driving simulator when not in use.

[dmw16]

If when using the Quick-Fits you are still sliding all over the place I'd look into how they are installed and if you have them adjusted properly and tight enough. Because when I was using them I felt very well planted in the seat.

[yandy]

Originally Posted by ixm3

Suspension, all day long.

IMHO, when you start pulling serious G's and feel wicked sore from a day at the track due to bracing yourself with the steering wheel, trans tunnel, or Left door panel...then you know its time for seats/belts.

Another issue is that a cushy seat will allow you to fine tune your butt dyno/ g-meter better than a cocooned racing seat. When you tighten the suspension, you'll get less roll and more G's. You want to train yourself to feel this, as well as when the car breaks loose...so you can catch the car sooner. If you get a racing seat first, you may dampen the "bodily" lateral G signal leaving you with more dependence on visual clues. That's not awful ,but it car control is more challenging with fewer signals.

Just my 2 cents.

Awesome feedback, some of the things "seat specific" may seem counter intuitive, but makes some sense.

Originally Posted by dmw16

If when using the Quick-Fits you are still sliding all over the place I'd look into how they are installed and if you have them adjusted properly and tight enough. Because when I was using them I felt very well planted in the seat.

I don't slide, from my hips up, I'm very well planted, but in the middle of turns, my legs fly around. There's nothing holding them in place.

[1MOREMOD]

if you have quikfit pro i would do suspension first, its one of my favorite mods. seats are for when you dont want to drive the car much but at the track.

[Craigy]

The seats in this car are so great I can't see why you'd ever want to swap them out, unless perhaps it's a complete track rat car.

I love the seats in my M3.

[Billj747]

Originally Posted by ixm3

Another issue is that a cushy seat will allow you to fine tune your butt dyno/ g-meter better than a cocooned racing seat. When you tighten the suspension, you'll get less roll and more G's. You want to train yourself to feel this, as well as when the car breaks loose...so you can catch the car sooner. If you get a racing seat first, you may dampen the "bodily" lateral G signal leaving you with more dependence on visual clues. That's not awful ,but it car control is more challenging with fewer signals.

Just my 2 cents.

I disagree.

A G is a G. The better your body is held upright and in place, the better you can feel those G's and the limit of the car. Harness & Race seat > Race Seat & 3pt belt > stock seat and 3pt belt.

You don't want your body to move atall, but feel the G's of your body pressed against the vertical sides of a seat which really isn't possible in the stock M3 seat. A C63 AMG's seats are WAY better in this regard.

Have you driven in a racing seat?

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Craigy

The seats in this car are so great I can't see why you'd ever want to swap them out, unless perhaps it's a complete track rat car.

I love the seats in my M3.

I beg to differ. The stock seats are comfy for every day driving but you are sliding around and falling out of the seat under hard cornering. My arms and knees are sore after a track day because I'm bracing myself against the door panel and steering wheel.

If you've sat in the factory Recaro seats that come on some sports cars or even the C63's stock seat, you'll instantly know the difference. A lot more support and they hold you in so you can't move. I loved the grippy fabric Recaros in my Evo X - they even come with holes for you to run a 4/6 point harness. And they are all perfectly comfortable for daily driving as well.

[yandy]

Originally Posted by Craigy

The seats in this car are so great I can't see why you'd ever want to swap them out, unless perhaps it's a complete track rat car.

I love the seats in my M3.

They're comfy, but not exactly great if you do more than 3 track days a year, and I do about 12-16 depending, some are even full weekends.

Originally Posted by Billj747

I disagree.

A G is a G. The better your body is held upright and in place, the better you can feel those G's and the limit of the car. Harness & Race seat > Race Seat & 3pt belt > stock seat and 3pt belt.

You don't want your body to move atall, but feel the G's of your body pressed against the vertical sides of a seat which really isn't possible in the stock M3 seat. A C63 AMG's seats are WAY better in this regard.

Have you driven in a racing seat?

This is my thought, I would think you feel more what the car is "doing" when you're steady in your seat and not worrying where to brace your next knee at.

Originally Posted by Z K

I beg to differ. The stock seats are comfy for every day driving but you are sliding around and falling out of the seat under hard cornering. My arms and knees are sore after a track day because I'm bracing myself against the door panel and steering wheel.

+1 to this

-----

I can't really imagine the Recaro Profis or similar being all that bad on a day by day basis, but no experience yet.

[1MOREMOD]

Recaro profi's are great for the track but not so much for daily use. I don't mind them for short drives but anything longer and they become less tolerable.

[Grail05]

This is my rules when modding...

WHEELS
SUSPENSION OR SPINGS
EXHAUST FULL OR AXLE BACK

now you can get whatever from small to big..

aftermarket seats looks odd if your car is not modded. they look pretty off.

[Sleeper519]

Originally Posted by yandy

They're comfy, but not exactly great if you do more than 3 track days a year, and I do about 12-16 depending, some are even full weekends.

What does the number of track days have to do with the adequacy of the seat?

How can they be adequate for 3 but not OK for 12??

Either they is or they ain't...

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by Sleeper519

What does the number of track days have to do with the adequacy of the seat?

How can they be adequate for 3 but not OK for 12??

Either they is or they ain't...

if the car is a street car used rarely on the track ---->oem seats
if the car is a track car used rarely on the street ---->race seats

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

if you have quikfit pro i would do suspension first, its one of my favorite mods. seats are for when you dont want to drive the car much but at the track.

^^ This man speaks the truth.

[Longboarder]

Originally Posted by Billj747

I disagree.

A G is a G. The better your body is held upright and in place, the better you can feel those G's and the limit of the car. Harness & Race seat > Race Seat & 3pt belt > stock seat and 3pt belt.

You don't want your body to move atall, but feel the G's of your body pressed against the vertical sides of a seat which really isn't possible in the stock M3 seat. A C63 AMG's seats are WAY better in this regard.

Have you driven in a racing seat?

Sorry to go OT but saw your NSX dyno at EAS yesterday. Made some very impressive numbers.

[yandy]

Originally Posted by Sleeper519

What does the number of track days have to do with the adequacy of the seat?

How can they be adequate for 3 but not OK for 12??

Either they is or they ain't...

It's more with justifying the mod/cost vs use than whether they're good enough or not.

See below

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

if the car is a street car used rarely on the track ---->oem seats
if the car is a track car used rarely on the street ---->race seats

This

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

^^ This man speaks the truth.

Thanks for the input

[OC3]

Originally Posted by Billj747

I disagree.

A G is a G. The better your body is held upright and in place, the better you can feel those G's and the limit of the car. Harness & Race seat > Race Seat & 3pt belt > stock seat and 3pt belt.

You don't want your body to move atall, but feel the G's of your body pressed against the vertical sides of a seat which really isn't possible in the stock M3 seat. A C63 AMG's seats are WAY better in this regard.

Have you driven in a racing seat?

With seatbelt-lock trick, I get that (feel the G's) with my M3 stock seat, immediately when it happens. And, because my body remains locked-in upright, I'm able to easily correct, etc, while the car is subjected to G's, at severe slip angles, etc.

Originally Posted by Z K

I beg to differ. The stock seats are comfy for every day driving but you are sliding around and falling out of the seat under hard cornering. My arms and knees are sore after a track day because I'm bracing myself against the door panel and steering wheel.

If you've sat in the factory Recaro seats that come on some sports cars or even the C63's stock seat, you'll instantly know the difference. A lot more support and they hold you in so you can't move. I loved the grippy fabric Recaros in my Evo X - they even come with holes for you to run a 4/6 point harness. And they are all perfectly comfortable for daily driving as well.

With seatbelt-lock trick, I don't slide around, I don't have to brace my legs or arms or upper torso against anything. I'm locked-in tight.

And, when I drive home after a track day, I'm doing so in a comfortable Novillo leather seat, A/C, bluetooth, etc.

[Craigy]

Originally Posted by Sleeper519

What does the number of track days have to do with the adequacy of the seat?

How can they be adequate for 3 but not OK for 12??

Either they is or they ain't...

If you do one track day, the cost of the track day goes up by the cost of seats. More days = spread out and justify the cost.

Also you're prob pushing your car much harder if you do a lot of tracking and would thus enjoy the added benefit of race seats. If you do one or two track days you are prob not pushing as hard and would be happy with stock seats.

[Craigy]

Originally Posted by OC3

With seatbelt-lock trick, I don't slide around, I don't have to brace my legs or arms or upper torso against anything. I'm locked-in tight.

And, when I drive home after a track day, I'm doing so in a comfortable Novillo leather seat, A/C, bluetooth, etc.

I'll have to try the belt lock on a spirited day.

I agree these are great, comfortable seats and they're one of many niceties that are half of the point of this car. Swapping to race seats in this car seems silly to me.

But to OP and others, if it makes you happy, go for it.

[surlynkid]

Safety first. My suspension is stock except for camber plates. I have Schroth quick fit, but at 140, I have decided I want cage in and seats in and harnesses in before I find ways to go faster. Being planted in the seat also allows you to go faster as you can focus on steering the wheel rather than holding onto it for support.

[bigjae1976]

Cloth seats and quick fits works great. I run the Dinan springs and GC camber plates which is all you need. Really, Dinan springs are very similar to OEM ZCP. I don't have EDC either.

A suspension will make the car faster but you'll run out of brakes long before the OEM suspension becomes a limitations.

I'd do camber plates and ache org quick fits and call it the day for now.

My E90 M3 is plenty fast as is. I'll post a video later.

[OC3]

Originally Posted by Craigy

I'll have to try the belt lock on a spirited day.

I agree these are great, comfortable seats and they're one of many niceties that are half of the point of this car. Swapping to race seats in this car seems silly to me.

But to OP and others, if it makes you happy, go for it.

The downside is, you sometimes have to attempt it a few times to get it just right (so that it's not too loose nor too tight). With practice, you can get it right the first time.

Slide the seat back, and recline the backrest, jerk the seat belt to lock the cam but do so with just the right length of the belt stretched out, lock it into the receptacle. And, while maintaining tension on the seatbelt (so that the cam doesn't unlock/loosen), bring the backrest upright and slide the seat forward 'til you're sitting nice & close to the steering wheel and yet not being choked too tight by the seat belt.

I have seat memory button #2 programmed for this position.