15 captured repliesPartial discussion capture · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHSeat & bolster refurbishment: is it a thing?
Leading reported evidence
Replace but the foams can be iirc
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
The bases can't be swapped but the foams can be IIRC.
Leading evidence: 'Replace but the foams can be iirc' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Recommend sorting this out' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I dismantled mine to paint the backs and changed the drivers side foam at the same time.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
My question is - is there anywhere that’s recommended for sorting this out?
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
You can easily change the foam, lots of videos on YT.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
15 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
911uk: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T201111Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
My driver’s seat is far from bad, but when you see a low mileage minter you do appreciate the firmness of the side bolster and tautness of the seat pad leather.
My question is - is there anywhere that’s recommended for sorting this out? In the Lotus world you’d normally go to Allon White, but wasn’t sure if there was an equivalent for Porsches?
If so - what kind of cost (ballpark) would be typical?
If it's the seat back bolsters that are worn, you can swap the backs over, left to right, so both the inner bolsters that have hardly had any wear are now on the outside.
The bases can't be swapped but the foams can be IIRC.
Any decent vehicle upholsterer can build up foam and refit your base leather covers, it isn't a hard job to do.
You can easily change the foam, lots of videos on YT. I dismantled mine to paint the backs and changed the drivers side foam at the same time. Think the foam was about £200 from a dealer. Made an enormous difference, Sport seat had come out of my 986 and had done 130K, so foam was 'tired'.
I think a seat base is around £130 from an OPC. GP Leathertech in Sonning near Reading refreshed mine seats and interior .. Great job and nice guys.. Checkout there instagram and DM Peter if you are interested..Insta :- gp_customs_and_classics Web address gpcustoms.co.uk
I did both my seat bases. I followed this video to help me:
I got the foam, the canvas and the plastic bases from my local service centre. It was not too hard but be careful with the small white plastic clips which can break (I punched them out from the seat base instead of the method in the video and non broke) and the hog rings which hold in three rows the leather to the foam. (I pried them open sideways with two pliers). It made a big difference as the seat base was back to new.
I am re dying the seats in a 996 as i write this, well actually I have stopped for tea but going back to the job in a few minutes.
I intend to write up a photo article for here so you can see how its done.
Back soon with an update.
I had a load of my interior repainted to deal with a few scratches. For a few hundred quid (seats, door card tops, airbag cover and dash top) it made a huge difference. I've since replaced the 996 sports seats wtih 997 ones (a huge improvement!) and they need painting too. I need to get him booked in again....
The process took me 4 hours per seat because I was taking my time and learning how to do this. The difficult pieces will be how the centre sections of the seat are tied from the leather (hog rings x12), to the foam and then the leather through the foam into the plastic seat base (white clips x10). Care must be taken to ensure the leather does not rip or stretch and the foam is not torn. It’s many small steps rather than a few complex processes. In the vid the French guy does butcher the seat a bit vs. my more careful approach. I see not point in saving the plastic seat base vs buying new ones as it’s £65 from Porsche and just as consumable an item as the foam cushions. (The plastic deforms over time due to the tension).
When I did mine I just put a layer or two in the areas that needed it, it certainly makes the seats hold their shape better and make the base more comfortable.
If you order the base from a Targa, it sits around 20mm or so lower.
Nice upgrade!
I have repainted loads of interiors. I use the Furniture Clinic kit.
It is really easy, takes around 4-5 hours.
If you can take the seats out even easier, they will look like new.
I bought a TDV8 RR which a farmer had abused, the leather was filthy, shiny, hard and cracked.
This took me around 6 hours but I did the door cards and dash too.
This Z3 was the same, seats looked beyond repair, but the reality is it is only the paint that is knackered, sand them back and respray them and they can look great again.
I put a steamer on them a week or two later and that pulled all the wrinkles out too.
