mick1

I got it. one side of the rear seat would fold.

mick1

it looks like this:

rockintunes23

I had the split hold down seats and the sky bag option. Loved using the sky bag thing. hehe

jan ken po

I'm sorry, but there is just something wrong about hauling wood in a Benz. LOL. I have it BTW, but I didn't order it...and it was only one left on lot. BUt I have yet even use them in the 3-4 months since I've had the car.

Nuvolari

I have it and it is really practical. It makes the trunk much more useable and recommend it to anyone. I think that the reason so many people do not have it is because dealers rarely option stock cars for their lot with them. Most people buy what is in stock rather than order and therefore you see many on the road without the split seats. I have spoken to several owners that regretted not having the seats because they could not fit larger items in their car.

nlpamg

I regret not having it either. It was really useful in my old C280, which did have it and was a "stock" car from the dealer. I couldn't find split-folds in any 05 that I looked at. It's not even an expensive option, I have no clue why dealers don't get it with it or why it isn't standard...

Alamo Lady

I was insistant on having a split fold-down rear seat with my new car, along with class and a size to fit my small garage (my husband's E300 is there also).
After studying Lexus, BMW, and numerous other cars, we found the C320 to be the only car to fit the bill (albeit more than hubby wanted to pay for a "second" car). We were fortunate to find almost the exact car I wanted (originally I was planning to get the brilliant silver, but now I LOVE my pewter!) in stock at MB of Oakland.

The fold-down seat feature has been used 6 or 7 times, and I'm so pleased to have that option. I have the best of both worlds----the class of a Mercedes, and the usefulness of a small station wagon.

2004 C320 pewter/ash

benzmodz

Ask any person about retrofitting folding seats to a C-Class sedan after the fact and their eyes glaze over with delightful catatonia. The local head office in Australia was asked by a dealer if they could do such a mod to a new car. They simply forgot to order the option for the client and ended up with something close but 2 digits transposed.

Myth 1 - the chassis is not the same in a car with folding seats. It is stiffer.
--------
The chassis is identical because a) the lugs and connection points are in all cars and b) seats themselves are not at all structural.

Myth 2 - Too many small parts are needed and its very complex to order
--------
There are exactly 9 parts + (screws, nuts and clips)
i) 2 side bolsters
ii) 2 vertical folding sections
iii) 2 horzontal folding sections
iv) 2 release handles in trunk
v) A small horizontal pad

Im talking part numbers here not concepts in general. The confusion seems to arise when looking at the pieces and then the sub-assemblies and confusing the two.

This mod would take about 1 hour to fit. Comes in all fabric and leather combinations and in all colours.

What remains to be seen is the requirement for air hoses - which is not yet resolved but can be done manually to drop the headrests.

SUNILP

the hose is actually a vacuum line from front. THe is a small vacuum switch clipped onto the rear sam and then back to the rear seat. When the button in front is pressed, this opens the vacuum switch and releases the locks in the head rest to make them fall.

Tishers

I had been ambivalent to folding seats out of my perception that trunk noise would be greater with the folding seats.

It does add to the utility of the vehicle with folding seats and the cost impact on a new purchase is minimal.

Does anyone have any feelings about a C class with or without folding seats. Do you think it will make the cabin noisier?

W0n6_3d4n

How much does this mod cost?? I want one bad now, since i'm doing stereo upgrade and love big bass

benzmodz

Strangely enough there is more substance to the folding version. More insulation under the bottom half and more material on the top half. This is because there are more trims to make the seat look better when it is opened up.

benzmodz

Lets assume for the moment that you have twin leather with anthracite and that you have 203035 as your chassis code.

The nearest estimate I could get was about 1200 Euro. Which would be about $2500 AUD with shipping but not including customs.

The really cool thing is that you get 3 things in one mod.
- folding seats
- ski bag pass-through
- integrated child seat

(I doubt that doof-doof goes with small kids)

benzmodz

I think that the right section gets its air from the left section. Hence the reason why it is covered up by a cushion at the base. I noticed that there are some dimples at the base where the two cushions meet up.

SUNILP

the entire row of rear head rests are tied together with vacuum lines and there is one line exiting to the left side towards the rear sam.

W0n6_3d4n

Holy sh*t, that's pretty steep. I'll stick with my stock rear seat then . I suppose cloth will be cheaper right?? cos my seat is a cloth.

Saprissa

Sunman,
beyond the cost, and the naysayers who would ask "why would you want to do that?"

- could the vacuum lines be retrofitted to a C-Coupé with folding rear seats ?

- would I need to replace the SAM, or all i need to do is add the small vacuum switch ?

- would my head rest switch on the row, then work ?

- what else would I need ? some sort of wiring from switch row to rear SAM ?

I guess, I need to start putting together a Parts List,
and the WIS to do this, using the Sedan template on a Coupé.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

SUNILP

Carlos,

The SAM can remain. It does not need to be changed. You would have to run a vacuum line from the engine compartment to the rear left near the sam, buy a vacuum switch, run the line from the switch to the rear seats. I am not sure what the inside of your headrests look like. If you pull the head rests off and see a plastic pipe in one of the stems, those would work fine. No wiring is necessary from SAM to Switch in front.

CitronC230K_03

id like to make use of the headrest button on my switch row. for that matter i still need to get around to install my IMS.

Narcissus

well check to see if your frame behind the seat is closed or open, if it's open like mine was, then you can simpy swap the seats/harnesses, went to a scrapyard and traded my non-folding seats with the folding type for 200$ cdn. including handle and everything.

MB-BOB

My W203 has the folding seats. Of course I drive it everyday. But the several loaner cars I've had during A and B services seldom had folding seats. I can say I've not noticed any hint of difference in noise level with or without the folding seats.

Jim Banville

My folding seats :p

Saprissa

and they're all yours !!!

Jim Banville

Actually, they are MB-Credit's for the next few years

killahbean

Does the rear seat even folds down? I got a 2005 C230k Sedan.....if it can fold down wheres the lever to fold it down?