Corrado stock Recaro alternatives.

[Keyo 47]

As we all know the cost of Recaro Corrado seats are rather on the high side and anything from 1500 k upwards. I personally really like the look of them. however with the high second hand costs and the odd set that can come up are 25 years old and can be on the tatty side.

 

So I've been digging about and can see Recaro make a seat custom made in their factory that does appear to look very similar to the stock Corrado Recaro, it's called the specialist and comes in options

 

Small - medium - large

Leather in different colours

cloth

leather bolster with suede

Electric seats

Driver + Passenger

 

These seats workout out the same price at the lowend valuation of corrado recaros but of course are new handmade from Recaros factory.

 

I was just wondering has anyone fitted the specialist seats to their Corrado. I can't see a recaro specific seat base although they have a huge range for bases.

 

What do folks think of them ? I would go for Black leather to match my interior.

 

Thanks

 

https://www.recaro-automotive.com/en/comfort/recaro-specialist

 

 

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/recaro-specialist-seat-942997/

 

The official importer partner in the UK (only one in UK) - help out and order.

 

https://www.capitalseating.co.uk/

Edited January 10, 2020 by Keyo

[k993apc 10]

Great seats the recaros. Not far off from getting a pair retrimmed and custom bases

[fragsxr 10]

ive got the stock ultra violets in mine so cant comment on these, there a bit firmer than the stock leather but really comfortable and have stood the test of time really well, slight wear on the bolster, i'll prob look into getting this repaired in the future but top quality.

 

I think you'd be well happy with the leather option they look real nice and would suit the corrado I think

[Keyo 47]

Sounds amazing any info on the seats and bases ?

 

Thanks

[Keyo 47]

Thanks its something I would like to do eventually but it’s all about the fit and the seat base , also need to be at the the correct height sitting in the car .

 

Cool the ultra violet probably the first recaro seats available for the Corrado

[fendervg 32]

No grey or beige leather available for these though from what I can see, so a bit limited? They are nice though.

[Simeon 0]

From the capital seating website:

 

OEM Installations:

 

The N-Joy, the predecessor to the Specialist, (and variants thereof) are fitted as standard or as an option in the following vehicles:

 

VW Golf Mk2

Ford Escort RS Turbo

Ford Sapphire Cosworth

BMW E21, E24, E30

Alfa Romeo 75

 

So you're right that they are basically the correct modern day seat for the Corrado .. but you're looking at £950 per seat plus you have to buy two bases ! Think I'd just pay £2k for factory Corrado recaros personally as you'll get an electric set for that. However, that's almost what I paid for my car in the first place :crazyeyes:

[Simeon 0]

No grey or beige leather available for these though from what I can see, so a bit limited? They are nice though.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RECARO-SPECIALIST-M-PAAR-GRAU-LEDER-NEU-BEZOGEN/283586347243?epid=0&hash=item42071040eb:g:zg8AAMXQ9rVQ6dcQ

 

Here's your grey pair, bit cheaper too at 1500euros :)

[swiftkid 1]

The problem you have with any seat you find is the height, there's plenty of seats around that would look good but none seem to sit as low as the corrado does. There's a recaro option for the mk3 you can pick up for around £300 but having sat in the mk3 seats they would just feel too high, especially with me being over 6ft tall.

 

You can pick up seats from old rovers for cheap but they don't seem to have tilt

 

Plenty of london taxi recaro's for sale but you'd need to spend the next 20 years cleaning them before you'd be sure you got the sick etc. out of it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RECARO-SEAT-LONDON-TAXi/254459357110?hash=item3b3ef5a7b6%3Ag%3ABngAAOSwzZFd%7ET4W&LH_ItemCondition=4

[fendervg 32]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RECARO-SPECIALIST-M-PAAR-GRAU-LEDER-NEU-BEZOGEN/283586347243?epid=0&hash=item42071040eb:g:zg8AAMXQ9rVQ6dcQ

 

Here's your grey pair, bit cheaper too at 1500euros :)

 

Ha ha - I could get a lot of paint and body work repairs done for that - never really understood the obsession with Recaros - the stock seat are pretty good and supportive. They are nice to have and the electrics make for a cool toy, but not for ridiculous money. This would be one of the last mods I'd do unless a real bargain popped up.

[1xshaunx1 27]

Kudos and ace . It why we have a Corrado in the first.

Also have working everything and audios cape door pods, very nice place to be.

Edited January 10, 2020 by 1xshaunx1

[Keyo 47]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RECARO-SPECIALIST-M-PAAR-GRAU-LEDER-NEU-BEZOGEN/283586347243?epid=0&hash=item42071040eb:g:zg8AAMXQ9rVQ6dcQ

 

Here's your grey pair, bit cheaper too at 1500euros :)

 

How tidy do them grey one look!

 

Holly smackarooney look at the sellers other items good find!. All leather colours and retro designs stunning.

 

These would not match my interior but god they are the bees knees.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-RECARO-MODULAR-LS-LEDER-STOFF-NEU-BEZOGEN-/273810022662?hash=item3fc0596106

 

P,s if you look about you can get the stock Recaros seats for £700 each , but its the bases that are the problem as not available from what I can see?

Edited January 10, 2020 by Keyo

[Keyo 47]

The problem you have with any seat you find is the height, there's plenty of seats around that would look good but none seem to sit as low as the corrado does. There's a recaro option for the mk3 you can pick up for around £300 but having sat in the mk3 seats they would just feel too high, especially with me being over 6ft tall.

 

You can pick up seats from old rovers for cheap but they don't seem to have tilt

 

Plenty of london taxi recaro's for sale but you'd need to spend the next 20 years cleaning them before you'd be sure you got the sick etc. out of it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RECARO-SEAT-LONDON-TAXi/254459357110?hash=item3b3ef5a7b6%3Ag%3ABngAAOSwzZFd%7ET4W&LH_ItemCondition=4

 

Bloody hell that is the last place I would expect to look for some but the mention of sick is a major no go ha.

[Simeon 0]

Ha ha - I could get a lot of paint and body work repairs done for that - never really understood the obsession with Recaros - the stock seat are pretty good and supportive. They are nice to have and the electrics make for a cool toy, but not for ridiculous money. This would be one of the last mods I'd do unless a real bargain popped up.

 

Yeah I agree, I'd love a set of recaros, but could probably never justify the price. I had a factory set in a Mk2 a few years back, but couldn't justify the cost of having the drivers seat repaired at the time, so in the end I sold them as it just annoyed me :lol:

[tonedef 9]

I checked the dimensions of the small seat against mine and they’re pretty close, the sides do look a bit deeper though and the trim isn’t quite the same, as in it’s stitched in a different pattern. The things you’re not getting are the bases and of course the electrics......but other than pose value, the electrics only bring weight, I took mine out of the car last week and carried them upstairs to the spare bedroom, glad I don’t do that regularly as they’re very heavy.

 

If you really want recaros, it depends on how long you’re prepared to wait, I hung on for three years to find a pair of fronts in grey, and once I got them I was never happy with the colour match so ended up getting a full retrim in the end, seats, heating elements and new leather cost almost £3.5K, makes new ones a bargain!

[Keyo 47]

I checked the dimensions of the small seat against mine and they’re pretty close, the sides do look a bit deeper though and the trim isn’t quite the same, as in it’s stitched in a different pattern. The things you’re not getting are the bases and of course the electrics......but other than pose value, the electrics only bring weight, I took mine out of the car last week and carried them upstairs to the spare bedroom, glad I don’t do that regularly as they’re very heavy.

 

If you really want recaros, it depends on how long you’re prepared to wait, I hung on for three years to find a pair of fronts in grey, and once I got them I was never happy with the colour match so ended up getting a full retrim in the end, seats, heating elements and new leather cost almost £3.5K, makes new ones a bargain!

 

Bet there nice though !

 

You can get the seats in electric as an option, also in the large size you have an extendable seat cushion.

 

From what I can see it does not get a heat option, do the Corrado Recaro have seat heating ? Also no height adjustment.

 

The only problem is the damn bases.

 

Came across this old thread 2014- looks like someone was making them. ???

 

http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?85461-Modified-bases-for-Recaro-seats-anyone-seen-this

Edited January 10, 2020 by Keyo

[tonedef 9]

The larger size might get too big in the car though, I like that the Recaros taper to the top and overall look smaller than the boxy standard seats which in turn makes the interior look more spacious.

 

Corrado Recaros had a heating option, mine didn't have it when I bought them but as my original seats did I had all the controllers already so bought heating elements from a Mk4 when I was having them trimmed. They had to be modified a bit as the Recaro cushion and bolsters are separate parts whereas the standard VW seats have a single base so the heating element has wings on the cushion section, I cut these off and soldered up the gap in the element. You do have to be careful when buying heating elements though as everything modern uses carbon fibre mats whereas Corrados use copper wire elements, I understand although can't confirm that the old controllers will not run the new elements.

 

The original Corrado seats have height adjustment but it's in the base rather than the seat, I've never used them anything above fully lowered though so it is mainly for pose value, along with heating elements in a car that is SORNed October to April really! I'm sure it would be possible to fab something to do the job with Mk2 bases maybe, making them low enough might be the difficult part.

 

 

 

Bet there nice though !

 

You can get the seats in electric as an option, also in the large size you have an extendable seat cushion.

 

From what I can see it does not get a heat option, do the Corrado Recaro have seat heating ? Also no height adjustment.

 

The only problem is the damn bases.

 

Came across this old thread 2014- looks like someone was making them. ???

 

http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?85461-Modified-bases-for-Recaro-seats-anyone-seen-this

[Keyo 47]

The larger size might get too big in the car though, I like that the Recaros taper to the top and overall look smaller than the boxy standard seats which in turn makes the interior look more spacious.

 

Corrado Recaros had a heating option, mine didn't have it when I bought them but as my original seats did I had all the controllers already so bought heating elements from a Mk4 when I was having them trimmed. They had to be modified a bit as the Recaro cushion and bolsters are separate parts whereas the standard VW seats have a single base so the heating element has wings on the cushion section, I cut these off and soldered up the gap in the element. You do have to be careful when buying heating elements though as everything modern uses carbon fibre mats whereas Corrados use copper wire elements, I understand although can't confirm that the old controllers will not run the new elements.

 

The original Corrado seats have height adjustment but it's in the base rather than the seat, I've never used them anything above fully lowered though so it is mainly for pose value, along with heating elements in a car that is SORNed October to April really! I'm sure it would be possible to fab something to do the job with Mk2 bases maybe, making them low enough might be the difficult part.

 

Agreed small is the one to get.

 

Sure the stock height adjuster is a bit of a pain to be honest I only ever pull by mistake thinking its for back and forth , it literally has the strongest spring in the world ha !

 

My seats are only luke warm and as you mentioned hardly needed as mine is not a daily.

 

Please may I ask when fitting some stock Corrado recaro to a car.

 

They are a direct fit into the sit runners ?

 

In regards to any looms, mine has a heated seat so has a plug - what do you need to do with a stock recaro seat for all the electrics to work?

 

Also is there a manual tilt release as well on the stock recaro incase the electrics or motor fails ?

 

I've seen people mention Sirocco seat bases are more favourable to use then MK2 golf?

 

To be honest if I purchased the specialist I would probably just go manual.

 

Thank You

Edited January 11, 2020 by Keyo

[tonedef 9]

I remember that spring, it was almost as if VW wanted to install ejector seats!

 

The recaro base locates directly into the rails on the floor as you suggest, these are a standard rail across the VW range, I fitted a seat from a Mk3 in mine when it went to the paint shop and the interior was being trimmed but I did have to cut and weld the base as it was about 50mm wider than the Corrado fit.

 

There used to be somebody on here years ago selling recaro looms which is where I got mine from. It’s quite simply a 12V +/- feed from the fuse box though. I’ll try and work out where it terminates at the fuse box as I have the drawing somewhere. It’s totally separate from the heating circuit though.

 

The electrics are for height and recline, there’s still a release lever for the seat back, in fact there’s one on both sides with the recaro although they don’t double as holders for the seat belts like the standard ones as the lever is almost flush.

 

The Scirocco base might be a good call, there was probably a similar requirement to keep the seat low. Are they any more available than Corrado bases though, I’ve never looked for any?

 

Agreed small is the one to get.

 

Sure the stock height adjuster is a bit of a pain to be honest I only ever pull by mistake thinking its for back and forth , it literally has the strongest spring in the world ha !

 

My seats are only luke warm and as you mentioned hardly needed as mine is not a daily.

 

Please may I ask when fitting some stock Corrado recaro to a car.

 

They are a direct fit into the sit runners ?

 

In regards to any looms, mine has a heated seat so has a plug - what do you need to do with a stock recaro seat for all the electrics to work?

 

Also is there a manual tilt release as well on the stock recaro incase the electrics or motor fails ?

 

I've seen people mention Sirocco seat bases are more favourable to use then MK2 golf?

 

To be honest if I purchased the specialist I would probably just go manual.

 

Thank You

[Keyo 47]

I remember that spring, it was almost as if VW wanted to install ejector seats!

 

The recaro base locates directly into the rails on the floor as you suggest, these are a standard rail across the VW range, I fitted a seat from a Mk3 in mine when it went to the paint shop and the interior was being trimmed but I did have to cut and weld the base as it was about 50mm wider than the Corrado fit.

 

There used to be somebody on here years ago selling recaro looms which is where I got mine from. It’s quite simply a 12V +/- feed from the fuse box though. I’ll try and work out where it terminates at the fuse box as I have the drawing somewhere. It’s totally separate from the heating circuit though.

 

The electrics are for height and recline, there’s still a release lever for the seat back, in fact there’s one on both sides with the recaro although they don’t double as holders for the seat belts like the standard ones as the lever is almost flush.

 

The Scirocco base might be a good call, there was probably a similar requirement to keep the seat low. Are they any more available than Corrado bases though, I’ve never looked for any?

 

Ive not looked for any yet bet I know there are members on here that have the knowledge to share on here. The sciroccos seat bases are lower.

 

Guys are the MK2 a direct fit I know they sit higher but look what Ive found below on ebay modified ones that are lower

 

Would these be a direct fit. They say fit Corrado . Says best offer so I reckon you could get a pair for £100.00.

 

So with new custom seats and frames looking at around £1600.00 all in

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mk1-or-Mk2-Golf-Custom-Seat-Frame-one-frame-only/114059183556?hash=item1a8e7505c4:g:kLkAAOSwT9Nd77DP

 

Another seller read description normally £110 for pair

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mk1-mk2-Golf-Seat-Bases-for-recaro-sparco-universal-seats/123917126534?hash=item1cda094b86:g:HfEAAOSwzBJdCHyn

Edited January 11, 2020 by Keyo

[tonedef 9]

There's some discussion on seat wiring here, plus the very simple wiring drawing http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?57847-Wiring-in-electric-recaros

[Keyo 47]

There's some discussion on seat wiring here, plus the very simple wiring drawing http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?57847-Wiring-in-electric-recaros

 

Thanks have you seen the base I posted mate looks like they will work but not sure, what do you reckon ?

 

Appears you jut put the frame on the original tack and then the recaro seat runners on it , it has an adjust height at the front with different holes for the seat pin .

 

I would ask the Recaro to do the embroidery in black to match factory.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Keyo

[Keyo 47]

Sent these questions to seller.

 

Hi,

 

Do these allow for recaros seats to be installed to a 1995 Corrado over the carpets.

 

Will the seats fit higher in the car?

 

The car seat will tilt backwards and back and forth in the track ?

 

The tracks on top of your frame are these the ones that come on the bottom of Recaro?

 

Any cutting or modifying need doing?

 

These are the seats I would like to fit to my Corrado. Thanks

 

https://www.recaro-automotive.com/en/comfort/recaro-specialist

[tonedef 9]

Thanks have you seen the base I posted mate looks like they will work but not sure, what do you reckon ?

 

Appears you jut put the frame on the original tack and then the recaro seat runners on it , it has an adjust height at the front with different holes for the seat pin .

 

I would ask the Recaro to do the embroidery in black to match factory.

 

There looks to be a lot of steelwork there that's going to make it sit high in the car. The genuine ones are flat bottomed, bolted directly to the base which then fits into the runners on the car floor.

 

I've tried attaching photos of mine but having no success at the moment.

[_Matt_ 32]

Read thread with interest, I'd love some recaro's and buying new is attractive.

 

I currently have my seat height at the bottom of it's travels so I'd be worried about these not going low enough. Thansk for contacting them Keyo - should answer concerns.

 

Matt