MX3 Seat Swap....Review
May-7th-2003, 02:20 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Huntington Beach, CA Uhhh Surfs up Dude
Posts: 2,367
MX3 Seat Swap....Review
Well, finally got the MX3 seats (well, just one seat for now) and here is a quick review.
Pros:
1. Lower center of gravity
2. More supportive
3. Forces you look ahead more (because you now sit lower)
4. One peice seat/headrest, Sportier Looking.
5. Main Color matches pretty good (dark blue in my case)
Cons:
1. Elbows get knocked on center console and door panel
2. More sun glare, visors aren't as effective
3. Less under seat clearance (if you have gear mounted or whatever
4. actually sits about 3" lower (not the 1" i had heard of)
5. Mini-Me profile
6. Fabric Patterns don't really match and not all that nice either
7. Shifter is bit too high (The MP3 shifter might be a good swap)
8. Steering wheel could come down about an 1" (even with tilt all the way down)
So, there ya have it, a few more cons than Pros, but the most important part for me is the extra support, which is definetely has. I will know for sure if the seats are good when i test it racing next week.
here are some pics of the MX3 and Pro seats installed, so you can see the difference between the 2 visually.
Pros:
1. Lower center of gravity
2. More supportive
3. Forces you look ahead more (because you now sit lower)
4. One peice seat/headrest, Sportier Looking.
5. Main Color matches pretty good (dark blue in my case)
Cons:
1. Elbows get knocked on center console and door panel
2. More sun glare, visors aren't as effective
3. Less under seat clearance (if you have gear mounted or whatever
4. actually sits about 3" lower (not the 1" i had heard of)
5. Mini-Me profile
6. Fabric Patterns don't really match and not all that nice either
7. Shifter is bit too high (The MP3 shifter might be a good swap)
8. Steering wheel could come down about an 1" (even with tilt all the way down)
So, there ya have it, a few more cons than Pros, but the most important part for me is the extra support, which is definetely has. I will know for sure if the seats are good when i test it racing next week.
here are some pics of the MX3 and Pro seats installed, so you can see the difference between the 2 visually.
May-7th-2003, 03:15 PM
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: PA
Posts: 2,339
That's a nice looking seat I have MX3 seats, but they must be from the GS or whatever, because they're different, and not as nice. I wasn't too happy when I got them in the mail. They're still 400x better than the stock 323 seats that I had!
Here's the seats that I'll be getting someday, within a year or so:
http://www.corbeau.com/brochure/gts2.shtml
Best. Seats. EVAR!
BTW, I'm going for the clean-stock look. No racing seats for this guy!
I have MX3 seats, but they must be from the GS or whatever, because they're different, and not as nice. I wasn't too happy when I got them in the mail. They're still 400x better than the stock 323 seats that I had!Here's the seats that I'll be getting someday, within a year or so:
http://www.corbeau.com/brochure/gts2.shtml
Best. Seats. EVAR!
BTW, I'm going for the clean-stock look. No racing seats for this guy!
May-7th-2003, 06:11 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 96
Looks very nice. I am having 2nd thoughts about doing this conversion in my car now that you mentioned they are THAT low. I'm 5'8" and I autoX and stuff.... so i need something that'll give me a good agile posture (steering control, view, etc). I feel like the stock seats are just not cutting it for side support when i corner real hard.
May-7th-2003, 06:15 PM
#7
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 39
w00t
I've got the MX3 seats in my Escort Wagon, also. And I dropped my steering wheel about an inch as well. It completely gets my arms in a more natural position when driving, and since I have a long torso, it finally put my head in the area where i don't have to lean forward just to see a stoplight across an intersection.
I've got to say that it's a totally great swap to do. They're MUCH more supportive in the autocross realm than my stock escort seats were, or even the pair of 94+ MX3 seats that I had in there last year. If you want the good ones, get 1993 or earlier model year seats.
I've got a B&M shifter on the way, as soon as it's off of backorder, and I'm thinking it will help the reach to 1,3,5 just a little bit better, too.
Next stop, Stainless Steel brake and clutch lines, DOT5 brake fluid, and some EBC GreenStuff or Hawk pads for autocrossing. And I want to get a 5-point harness, too..
Anyone know a good place to get a 5-point camlok harness inexpensively?
--sarge
I've got to say that it's a totally great swap to do. They're MUCH more supportive in the autocross realm than my stock escort seats were, or even the pair of 94+ MX3 seats that I had in there last year. If you want the good ones, get 1993 or earlier model year seats.
I've got a B&M shifter on the way, as soon as it's off of backorder, and I'm thinking it will help the reach to 1,3,5 just a little bit better, too.
Next stop, Stainless Steel brake and clutch lines, DOT5 brake fluid, and some EBC GreenStuff or Hawk pads for autocrossing. And I want to get a 5-point harness, too..
Anyone know a good place to get a 5-point camlok harness inexpensively?
--sarge
May-7th-2003, 10:27 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Huntington Beach, CA Uhhh Surfs up Dude
Posts: 2,367
My idea for the steering wheel is to use 2 peices of metal pipe, one inside the other for strength. hopefully the bolts are long enough, i suspect they are though...or try to extand the tilt range...i haven't looked at it closely yet.
My idea for raising the seat, was to make a rail-riser out of 1" thick square tubing, replicate the mounting angles for the seat with plates and then again to mount them to the floor. (a bit more involved than metal pipe extenders )
I'm 6'1" and i notice a pretty big amount of extra headroom (although good for helmet clearence, but it really wasn't much of an issue anyway)
Also, after 13 years driving the same car, ya kinda get used to the seating position, so it was a HUGE change for me.
My idea for raising the seat, was to make a rail-riser out of 1" thick square tubing, replicate the mounting angles for the seat with plates and then again to mount them to the floor. (a bit more involved than metal pipe extenders
)I'm 6'1" and i notice a pretty big amount of extra headroom (although good for helmet clearence, but it really wasn't much of an issue anyway)
Also, after 13 years driving the same car, ya kinda get used to the seating position, so it was a HUGE change for me.
May-8th-2003, 07:10 AM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Hamilton Ontario
Posts: 175
Ah man..those automatic seatbelts must suck-***. Worst automotive idea ever....if you don't know how to put on your seatbelt, than you shouldn't be driving(same thing with automatic headlights and whipers...). Did all the American Pros come with those?
Also, Mazdaspeedwest...what's up with your door panels? That's the only time I've seen those particular panels, other than on our 93 GTs here.
Also, Mazdaspeedwest...what's up with your door panels? That's the only time I've seen those particular panels, other than on our 93 GTs here.
May-8th-2003, 08:07 AM
#11
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Southwest Florida
Posts: 435
Nope, I'm too little of a guy for those! I think anyone who's 5'8" is going to have a problem sitting that low. Darryl - did you use the stock rails off your old seats? If you did I thought that would've helped somewhat with the seat height ...
I tried to get some of these seats once from a local junkyard here (LKQ). They didn't have any in the yard, so they had to source them from their other yards. I had two different sets shipped down. Both sets were crap and I refused them. I'm glad now that I didn't take them because I don't think I would've liked them. When, and if, the time comes, I think I'll go with some Corbeau's as well, but I'll have to do some research to make sure they sit up high enough for me.
I tried to get some of these seats once from a local junkyard here (LKQ). They didn't have any in the yard, so they had to source them from their other yards. I had two different sets shipped down. Both sets were crap and I refused them. I'm glad now that I didn't take them because I don't think I would've liked them. When, and if, the time comes, I think I'll go with some Corbeau's as well, but I'll have to do some research to make sure they sit up high enough for me.
May-8th-2003, 08:53 AM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: PA
Posts: 2,339
Originally posted by beachnut
Nope, I'm too little of a guy for those! I think anyone who's 5'8" is going to have a problem sitting that low. Darryl - did you use the stock rails off your old seats? If you did I thought that would've helped somewhat with the seat height ...
I tried to get some of these seats once from a local junkyard here (LKQ). They didn't have any in the yard, so they had to source them from their other yards. I had two different sets shipped down. Both sets were crap and I refused them. I'm glad now that I didn't take them because I don't think I would've liked them. When, and if, the time comes, I think I'll go with some Corbeau's as well, but I'll have to do some research to make sure they sit up high enough for me.
Nope, I'm too little of a guy for those! I think anyone who's 5'8" is going to have a problem sitting that low. Darryl - did you use the stock rails off your old seats? If you did I thought that would've helped somewhat with the seat height ...
I tried to get some of these seats once from a local junkyard here (LKQ). They didn't have any in the yard, so they had to source them from their other yards. I had two different sets shipped down. Both sets were crap and I refused them. I'm glad now that I didn't take them because I don't think I would've liked them. When, and if, the time comes, I think I'll go with some Corbeau's as well, but I'll have to do some research to make sure they sit up high enough for me.
May-8th-2003, 04:43 PM
#14
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vancouver Island, BC
Posts: 153
Originally posted by funkdaddysmack
That's a nice looking seat I have MX3 seats, but they must be from the GS or whatever, because they're different, and not as nice. I wasn't too happy when I got them in the mail. They're still 400x better than the stock 323 seats that I had!
Here's the seats that I'll be getting someday, within a year or so:
http://www.corbeau.com/brochure/gts2.shtml
Best. Seats. EVAR!
BTW, I'm going for the clean-stock look. No racing seats for this guy!
That's a nice looking seat
I have MX3 seats, but they must be from the GS or whatever, because they're different, and not as nice. I wasn't too happy when I got them in the mail. They're still 400x better than the stock 323 seats that I had!Here's the seats that I'll be getting someday, within a year or so:
http://www.corbeau.com/brochure/gts2.shtml
Best. Seats. EVAR!
BTW, I'm going for the clean-stock look. No racing seats for this guy!
1992-1993 are the seats you see above. At 1994 they changed them to a split seat/headrest design and less sportier. They go upon years, not models as they are the same for a 1992 RS or GS.
Later years they had more of a fuscia/green combo with the usual dark blue.
I like my stock seats, but they could be more supportive. For stock, they're great, but for seroius competitive AutoX or racing, they're not good enough.
It's funny though how you find them low, because I think they're high. It's probably the way my interrior is set up compared to a Protege I guess.
I wouldn't mind lowering mine anout 3" to be honest.
~A
