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NEXT GREAT DIY IDEA: BMW E53 X5 Comfort Seats retrofitted to an E46 Sedan?!

54K views 27 replies 18 participants last post by  TrickTizzle  
#1 · (Edited)
Opinions needed on this one... :hmm:

Tonight I was just minding my own business using Google to search for BMW E46 heated sport seats for my 330i when I come across a guy at a Russian classified site selling seats from a parted out E53 X5 called "BMW Comfort Seats For E53 and E46 BMWs". :yikes:

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He says that they not only cross fit between E53 X5 and E46 3 series but also the seats are plug and play fitment between the two cars.

So I do some anoraking to verify if anyone has done this crossfit/retrofit mod and come across a seller on eBay selling the same seats from an X5 and his auction page claims that fit perfectly into E46 sedans. They are also many other auctions selling E53 power seats that state they fit into an E46 Sedan.

I go on realoem and discover that some late model BMW E53 X5 seats have P/Ns that cross lists with BMW E46 Sedans as a direct fit!

Part 52100145764 (SEAT FRONT RIGHT) was found on the following vehicles:

E46: Details on E46

E46 320i Sedan
E46 323i Touring
E46 323i Sedan
E46 325i Touring
E46 325i Sedan
E46 325xi Touring
E46 325xi Sedan
E46 328i Sedan
E46 330i Sedan
E46 330xi Sedan
E46 323Ci Coupe
E46 325Ci Coupe
E46 328Ci Coupe
E46 330Ci Coupe
E46 M3 Coupe

E53: Details on E53
E53 X5 3.0i SAV
E53 X5 4.4i SAV
E53 X5 4.6is SAV
E53 X5 4.8is SAV

Details for all
Here is a video showing the idea of how these amazing seats work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5vTqjSU7IU

So now I am looking at these Tan Beige seats at an eBay auction page and I can't help to think if I could pull this off... :hmm:

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Even the basic seat controls are identical to the ones in our E46 car plus there are the extra Comfort Sport Seat controls.

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By The Way before some mentions it: These are NOT the same seats as found in the E39 and E38 BMWs.
Those E39/E38 seats are much heavier and bigger. As seen in these pics below:

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#10 ·
Del,

OMG, better than your battery expose...can hardly control myself. This thread has it all for me...the beige, the leather, the seat, the sports, the heated, the power!

Please stop...

But, if you don't...and your non-sports, beige leather heated seats disappear from your car, would you maybe consider helping my stay warm in the winter (settle guys!)...and let me know. As much as I covet beige leather heated sports seats, right now, having just the 'heated' would be nice...and your seats are mint! You should try sitting in your car occasionally and actually driving it!:lmao:
 
#22 · (Edited)
Thanks but I don't think I would put these Z3 manual seats in place of my power seats. They look sporty. I like the little crouch cushion there...
:p


Yeah

X5 Comfort seats do look somewhat like modern Swedish living room furniture

No way.

Stop trying to turn your car into a couch.


Why not try putting a set of Z3/M Sports Seats.

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#20 · (Edited)
I've seen e46 sport seats retrofitted into the X5, so the other way around should work. If you want something more size appropriate for the e46, maybe comfort seats from an x3 would work? Definitely going to keep an eye on this one... Though I don't think comfort seats ever existed in cinnamon

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-for...s/x5-e53-forum/9031-installed-e46-sport-seats-into-x-last-night-pics-added.html




After sitting in all 3 types of seats (non-sport, sport, and M3) I've got to say the sport and m3 seats are 100x more comfortable than the non-sport. Sport seats are a little more comfortable than the m3 seats, but it's not a huge difference.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Are you sure they don't sit up higher than E46 seats? It looks like they might. If you could switch seat rails it might work.

EDIT: I went and looked at my seats, and it may be a direct fit. It just looks like the seat adjustment cover in the X5 is larger and one piece. Rather than the small cover and the small black seat rail cover for E46.

I'd go "test drive" a used X5 and get some hand measurements.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Yeah that was my concern but I just read the thread that Terraphantm linked about the guy that put in E46 sport seats into his E53 X5.

Everything, even down to the rails, is a direct fit between the two vehicles. All the SRS and Seat Power Plugs are also plug and play. So swapping the rails would be unecessary.

I think the seat adjustment cover edge trim on the E53 seats are bigger because the seat cushion sits deeper into the edge trim whereas the E46 seat adjustment cover edge trim is thinner and the seat cushion floats above the edge trim. It was discussed in that thread. The result is when you put an e46 seat in an X5 the e46 seat looks thinner around the base but the height, width and overall depth are the same between the various E46 and E53-X5 seats.

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In fact there seem to be a lot of folks over at X5post that have threads about them retrofitting E46 sport seats into their X5s. I don't think the reverse, putting E53 seats into the E46 has ever been discussed until now.