Is it possible to convert the fixed rear seat to a folding one (not necessarily split folding -- just folding)?

Yes you can, I have converted my rear seats, you will need to purchase the folding rear seats including the brackets etc, and you can fit them in.

saz,
Do you have a list of part #s you can post? How much did it cost?
Cheers!
BN

I checked into this a while back but "assumed" I didn't want to pay the price MB would be asking for new parts. I was looking for salvage seats but the couple I found were from cars that were a little too beat up. I am curious as to the cost and parts list as well.

I finally picked up the folding seats, brackets, etc and was thinking of trying to get them in this weekend. Does anyone have any directions/instructions? Anything would be helpful as at this point it will be completely trial and error.

How about those part numbers? Curious to see how much $$$...

I imagine the seat is bracketed in the back, access should be through the trunk...

Keep us updated on how this turns out. I desperately want to convert my non-folding seats to folding seats.

I paid $280 for a salvage seat on car-parts.com. My fear is that there may be a couple little parts and pieces that got left with the doner car and MB will shaft me for a $50 bolt or something...I will keep optimistic until I hit a roadblock and will let you guys know how it turns out.
Now, anybody with a shop manual or something????

Since you are from the US, you can subscribe to WIS for a short period at a low cost and download all the WIS instructions you need from Startekinfo.

Did you get all the "electric" parts too, switches detecting the backrest position and the harness?

Thanks for the WIS idea. I may have to try that if noone on here can do a DIY or have any good tips.
I am not going to do any of the electronic hook ups. I think it will be much, much better to simply put the hardware in and not bother with an e- Nanny to tell me my seats are down.

You're probably right about the electronics.

That could become a large job in itself.

Is it really neccessary to change out the seats entirely? I haven't looked at them yet, but I am wondering why not just modify the seats to do this. Simply cut the seats or detach it, then just add the hinge and bolts on the bottom and top or where ever. I am sure you could even just drill in a door hinge to the bottom and to the trunk or something? Haha.

jctevere,

Not a bad idea until you get ready to sell it.

Better to do it with all the right parts.

@C300Sport -- did you ever do this? Am looking into this again.
Thx!

interesting....

I have been wanting to do the same thing. My son is a hockey player so its a pain in the butt not having the fold down seats. The cost? Also how do i get access to the WIS?

I'm not sure what sort of room a hockey player might need (?hokey sticks?), but BMW has a pretty good idea for ski's where as an option, you can have a port (opening) through the backing of the armrest that is located on the rear seat.



Two things to note: (1) that sure looks like it is wider than the arm rest cavity on a W204 and (2) whether you can freely access that same area from the trunk, I honestly have not looked... But its another idea you guys might want to look into. You maybe even be able to retrofit the BMW kit for a cleaner look!

Here;s the kit #

And it is a legit number for a BMW 5 series (click on the Ski Bag link for a drawing of the kit).


Mercedes Benz STAR TekInfo

Subsrciption costs:

Subscription:*=== Length ==== Price===== Description:
Day ------------ 24 Hours ---- $18.00 --- 1 - Day Access
Week ----------- 7 Days ----- $95.00 --- 1 - Week Access
Month ----------- 31 Days --- $275.00 -- 1 - Month Access
Year ------------ 365 Days -- $2950.00 --1 - Year Access

That one day access sure is tempting... Assuming you can either download the info and or print it out somehow.

You know if someone was industrious, they could download the whole manual in a couple of days. You really wouldn't have to print it off, you could just save the pdf files. Probably be a good idea to be sure you have enough storage on your computer.

Does anyone know if there is some kind of control to keep someone from doing that?

Ive had the interior completely out in my 08 and my 2011 Cs, seats rugs and all. The rear seat in the 08 was identical to the the 2011, difference was the backing on the trunk side was heavy duty plastic not just fabric, but they both attach the same. You have to pull the door surrounds out and the rear lower seat, then pull the two skinny panels to sides of seat backs, then there are brackets where seat hinges on. You may be able to reach by just doing the lower rear seat, depends on your skill. The nonfolds in my 08 still fold, you have to access them from the trunk shelf w a flathead screwdriver. No different than the new car, jsut the bracket and holder are in a different spot w a cable running to the trunk deck.

@jimmy -- is the rear seat back one piece or multi-piece in your '08? My '09 is a single piece all the way through -- so not sure what "skinny panels to the side of seat back" that you were referring to.

It was 2 piece in my 08 I think, maybe one not sure, traded it in 2 months ago. All you gotta do to check is lay in the trunk and look up at the deck where speakers would go, you will see two holes larger than the rest that have a hinge inside of them. Use a large skinny flathead and pop both left and right putting a little pressure on seat backs and they will fold into the car. They wont go too far w seat bottom in the way, but that comes out easy too. Inside back seat pull up hard from where passengers calf would be sitting in back seat. theres a left and right clip. it just pops up, then push seat bottom towards trunk/rear of car hard and pull up. seat comes out. the rear clips under seat back are like snake fangs, you gotta push and pull to release them, theres 2 lined up w the 2 up front. Once bottom is out seats fold all the way down and you can see the attachment point. The skinny sides Im referring to are the 2 leather/mb tex panels that sit on an angle next to seat back kinda on the quarters. 2 screws one low one high and a push clip in the middle and it comes out. you may be able to swap w out removing, dont remember exactly, the 2011 has folding seats 2 piece, the 08 didnt. The real difference is like I said the seat back trunk side has heavy plastic backing, and the trunk lid where your rear deck speakers would go has 2 pull handles left and right. Its actually pretty easy to do this, takes 5 mins tops, no tools other than skinny screwdriver needed. Then you can figure out what brackets if any are needed. If you post a pic of your setup on hinge bottom I will look on mine w folding seats and take a pic for you to compare. I bet its the same just need the 2 piece seats and the pull handles/cables. You can prob just get the cables/handles and use the seat you have now, just be careful loading the car not to damage seat backs

thanks for the info. My wife has a 2011 BMW 328xi and has this in hers. In looking at the other posts seems like there may be another solution that I will look into as well.

Hmmm, this thread has me thinking about taking on the challenge. C300Sport, can you post those pics?

I did a little checking on this and it seems that you may have to install hinges/brackets to complete the retrofit? Can someone please post some pics pics of a car with the seats removed,

• one of the normal non-fold seats removed
  
• one with the folding seats deployed?

You can print to PDF and save PDFs to your computer. you can also screen print and save in MS PAINT.