Rear seat option add on?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Rear seat option add on?
Hello all.
I have been looking and looking for used 03-05 S55's with decently low mileage for about 6 months now. However, I REALLY want one with the rear seat option. I haven't been able to find many with that option for sale unless the car is ridiculously overpriced. I know it was an option that costed $ but, to find used cars same mileage and year going for 25k and the nicer ones at 40k...its hard to justify it.
So....my QUESTION is...how difficult is it to convert the rear seats to the reclining with vented and heated seats? It may just be worth buying one without it and adding it.
Thanks for any replies that may help me out!!
I have been looking and looking for used 03-05 S55's with decently low mileage for about 6 months now. However, I REALLY want one with the rear seat option. I haven't been able to find many with that option for sale unless the car is ridiculously overpriced. I know it was an option that costed $ but, to find used cars same mileage and year going for 25k and the nicer ones at 40k...its hard to justify it.
So....my QUESTION is...how difficult is it to convert the rear seats to the reclining with vented and heated seats? It may just be worth buying one without it and adding it.
Thanks for any replies that may help me out!!
#2
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2006 s65. Ford Excursion 6.0. Pontiac GTO convertible. Porsche 944 Turbo SCCA car. Wife-E550 and 968
Hello all.
I have been looking and looking for used 03-05 S55's with decently low mileage for about 6 months now. However, I REALLY want one with the rear seat option. I haven't been able to find many with that option for sale unless the car is ridiculously overpriced. I know it was an option that costed $ but, to find used cars same mileage and year going for 25k and the nicer ones at 40k...its hard to justify it.
So....my QUESTION is...how difficult is it to convert the rear seats to the reclining with vented and heated seats? It may just be worth buying one without it and adding it.
Thanks for any replies that may help me out!!
I have been looking and looking for used 03-05 S55's with decently low mileage for about 6 months now. However, I REALLY want one with the rear seat option. I haven't been able to find many with that option for sale unless the car is ridiculously overpriced. I know it was an option that costed $ but, to find used cars same mileage and year going for 25k and the nicer ones at 40k...its hard to justify it.
So....my QUESTION is...how difficult is it to convert the rear seats to the reclining with vented and heated seats? It may just be worth buying one without it and adding it.
Thanks for any replies that may help me out!!
Last edited by Zax63; 01-25-2010 at 09:40 PM.
#3
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Mercedes S55 AMG
It will definitely be expensive to convert.
I have the rear reclining seats with vent/heat on mine - it's a nice option, but I would not go out of the way to get it if it means spending much more.
I have the rear reclining seats with vent/heat on mine - it's a nice option, but I would not go out of the way to get it if it means spending much more.
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Zax63...Thanks for even having the glimpse of the idea. LOL. I am still hoping to find one with it to buy. But, not sure I will find someone selling a used 03-05 with it that is reasonable priced.
Rondocap...I have contemplated it over and over and I decided I will not go without it. I don't particularly sit in the back seat myself but...my 63 year old mother and 88 year old grandmother definitely would appreciate and enjoy any trip with that comfort.
I just don't know if I should keep waiting and waiting to find an 03-05 S55 used with that option or buy one without that option and try to add it. Because, I have not seen many with it at all....for sale that is. =)
Rondocap...I have contemplated it over and over and I decided I will not go without it. I don't particularly sit in the back seat myself but...my 63 year old mother and 88 year old grandmother definitely would appreciate and enjoy any trip with that comfort.
I just don't know if I should keep waiting and waiting to find an 03-05 S55 used with that option or buy one without that option and try to add it. Because, I have not seen many with it at all....for sale that is. =)
#5
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S55 AMG '06
You're talking about just the heated/ventilated rear seats that recline (sort of), and not the 4 place seating package right? I have an '06 S55 with this option for sale if you're interested. Silver/charcoal with 39k miles. Flawless. PM if interested.
#6
Super Member
I thought, perhaps wrongly, they were the same thing.
#7
Check out the attached pictures. The one with the light interior has 4 place seating (my car). 4 place seating was about a $4,000 option on the s65. You lose the middle seat and middle seatbelt and gain full lumbar support (up down etc. just like in the front seats) including massaging seats and bolster control. You also get up and down movement of the seat, not just back and forth and you get 3 memory positions.
The regular moving seats look just like a bench seat however the two outside seats go back and forth (and recline obviously while doing that). You only get one lumbar control.
In both cases ventilation was optional (4 place seating came with heated rear seats) and heated rear seats were optional on the regular reclining seats.
I would say the 4 place seating is worth it if you regularly travel with people in the back and rarely need 5 seats.
Overall, me personally, I would have preferred not having 4 place seating but was more interested in a clean car with particular options than in a 5 place car so it was a non-issue for me.
Hope this helps.
D.
P.S. From what little research I have done, it appears that many more S65s have the 4 place seating vs. the S55.
P.S. 2. I added one more picture so you can see the difference in lumbar support controls.
The regular moving seats look just like a bench seat however the two outside seats go back and forth (and recline obviously while doing that). You only get one lumbar control.
In both cases ventilation was optional (4 place seating came with heated rear seats) and heated rear seats were optional on the regular reclining seats.
I would say the 4 place seating is worth it if you regularly travel with people in the back and rarely need 5 seats.
Overall, me personally, I would have preferred not having 4 place seating but was more interested in a clean car with particular options than in a 5 place car so it was a non-issue for me.
Hope this helps.
D.
P.S. From what little research I have done, it appears that many more S65s have the 4 place seating vs. the S55.
P.S. 2. I added one more picture so you can see the difference in lumbar support controls.
Last edited by BVLDARI; 01-26-2010 at 10:11 AM.
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#8
Super Member
Thanks for the detailed explanation and pictures, makes sense now!
The rear seats in my 600 just have the vented and heated options plus recline. Didn't realise you could step it up a notch from there! A very nice option to have if you drive people around in back regularly, the centre area looks nice too.
The rear seats in my 600 just have the vented and heated options plus recline. Didn't realise you could step it up a notch from there! A very nice option to have if you drive people around in back regularly, the centre area looks nice too.
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
BVLDARI...Thanks for the info!! That is some very interesting information. Especially since I am new to the MB scene. (still waiting to find one I would actually buy). I do really like that 4 place seating option. That is really nice. However, I am one of those 'just in case' kind of guys. Even though I would rank the 4 place seating as better, I wouldn't want to lose that center section, 'just in case' I need that seating available.
On another note...if it was a $4k option...I would be safe to assume that I wouldn't be paying more than 4k to add that if I chose?
On another note...if it was a $4k option...I would be safe to assume that I wouldn't be paying more than 4k to add that if I chose?
#10
Super Member
Based on my research (over about a year) I'd say the AMG package definitely attracted a premium, as did Keyless Go to some extent. Everything else not so much. That said a top of line, nicely kitted out S500 would be a bit more than bare bones one.
I would be stunned if a seller was trying to ask $1000 more, let alone $4k, for a vehicle equipped with 4 place seating. The car itself has depreciated by about 2/3rds since new...
Good luck in finding the right vehicle
#11
g9s8r, I just dug it up and that option retailed for $4,250 for the S65. Same thing was $6,190 for the S55 and this is before ventilation which was another $1,670 (these are 2006 prices). So realistically on the S55 you are looking at an $8,000 option which explains why so few of them have it.
As far as being a just in case I felt the same way initially. I was determined NOT to buy a four place seating car. But, after some long discussions with one of my best friends (and car enthusiast), I realized that I very very seldom have 5 people in the car and I cant remember ever running into a situation where I HAD to have 5 in the car. I owned an M3 convertible before which was definitely a 4 seater and don’t remember a single time where I regretted having only four seats.
So at the end of the day, I decided that whether the car had it or did not have it, was no big deal. I was personally after some other must have for me options (park distance, phone, keyless go) and after a nice clean car.
On the other hand, if you absolutely HAD to have 5 people, if one of them is slim, you could open the cover of the center “console” (so you don’t break it) and have that person “sit” there for 5-10 minutes. If they are a “couple” they could sit in the other person’s lap – there is plenty of room. Obviously no long trips here…
Just my $0.02.
As far as being a just in case I felt the same way initially. I was determined NOT to buy a four place seating car. But, after some long discussions with one of my best friends (and car enthusiast), I realized that I very very seldom have 5 people in the car and I cant remember ever running into a situation where I HAD to have 5 in the car. I owned an M3 convertible before which was definitely a 4 seater and don’t remember a single time where I regretted having only four seats.
So at the end of the day, I decided that whether the car had it or did not have it, was no big deal. I was personally after some other must have for me options (park distance, phone, keyless go) and after a nice clean car.
On the other hand, if you absolutely HAD to have 5 people, if one of them is slim, you could open the cover of the center “console” (so you don’t break it) and have that person “sit” there for 5-10 minutes. If they are a “couple” they could sit in the other person’s lap – there is plenty of room. Obviously no long trips here…
Just my $0.02.
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maw1124 (02-12-2024)
#12
Very few options are actually worth anything on the second hand market.
Based on my research (over about a year) I'd say the AMG package definitely attracted a premium, as did Keyless Go to some extent. Everything else not so much. That said a top of line, nicely kitted out S500 would be a bit more than bare bones one.
I would be stunned if a seller was trying to ask $1000 more, let alone $4k, for a vehicle equipped with 4 place seating. The car itself has depreciated by about 2/3rds since new...
Good luck in finding the right vehicle
Based on my research (over about a year) I'd say the AMG package definitely attracted a premium, as did Keyless Go to some extent. Everything else not so much. That said a top of line, nicely kitted out S500 would be a bit more than bare bones one.
I would be stunned if a seller was trying to ask $1000 more, let alone $4k, for a vehicle equipped with 4 place seating. The car itself has depreciated by about 2/3rds since new...
Good luck in finding the right vehicle
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maw1124 (02-12-2024)
#13
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I agree with Fraser. Options are a very individual thing and are worth more or less to different people. My car has all but one options so to ME it was worth more than a bare bones one (which I have seen) and because there were options that I “had” to have, a car that didn’t have those options was worth far less to me than one that did. So in essence, I think I subtracted more for not having options than I added if it did. At the end of the day, think of how you will be using the car and what is important to you. Then figure out if there are any “must haves” and go from there. Lastly, if you are looking at spending $40k on 03-05 S55, I would suggest you start looking at 06 S65 because those can be had in the mid $40s with some luck and generally are better optioned than S55 from what I have seen.
Thank you for the input!!
#14
Super Member
Options are a very individual thing and are worth more or less to different people. My car has all but one options so to ME it was worth more than a bare bones one (which I have seen) and because there were options that I “had” to have, a car that didn’t have those options was worth far less to me than one that did. So in essence, I think I subtracted more for not having options than I added if it did. At the end of the day, think of how you will be using the car and what is important to you. Then figure out if there are any “must haves” and go from there.
#15
Member
Unearthing this old thread!
Before I get flamed, yes I know this is an ancient thread. However I am curious how many W220's are still in existence with the 4 seater package? Being that this thread is 14 years old now kind of makes me wonder. I've looked at a lot of these cars and it seems like an obscure option. I'm assuming it may have been more prevalent in the S600? My car has them, but when I bought it I didn't really have any opinion about them.
#16
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
Post 11 captured most of it, as far as options and prices. I’ve never seen a production breakdown. My car came with Option 402 (Comfort Rear Seats) and Option 582 (Rear A/C).
I used to have 5 people in the car all the time before the kids went off to college. So I converted the rear seat to be 4-seater by installing a cubby hole (like my 500E), since I found it with the Chestnut wood. AND the rear ashtray covers, which I’m pretty sure were 65 only options. That center cubby is common to 220 and 215 cars, so it’s an easy switch (and reversible). The seats and rear A/C, not so much.
I think these packages changed over time, such that the rear memory option was for earlier cars. Mine is one of the last manufactured and I’ve never seen that on an ‘06, whether 55 or 65. Mine also came with Option 785 (19” AMG Forged Wheels), and IIRC there was some interplay between these options such that you had to have the wheels to get the others, or the rear A/C to get the others, or something like that.
maw
I used to have 5 people in the car all the time before the kids went off to college. So I converted the rear seat to be 4-seater by installing a cubby hole (like my 500E), since I found it with the Chestnut wood. AND the rear ashtray covers, which I’m pretty sure were 65 only options. That center cubby is common to 220 and 215 cars, so it’s an easy switch (and reversible). The seats and rear A/C, not so much.
I think these packages changed over time, such that the rear memory option was for earlier cars. Mine is one of the last manufactured and I’ve never seen that on an ‘06, whether 55 or 65. Mine also came with Option 785 (19” AMG Forged Wheels), and IIRC there was some interplay between these options such that you had to have the wheels to get the others, or the rear A/C to get the others, or something like that.
maw
Last edited by maw1124; 02-12-2024 at 12:14 PM.
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S_Holford (02-12-2024)
#17
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Post 11 captured most of it, as far as options and prices. I’ve never seen a production breakdown. My car came with Option 402 (Comfort Rear Seats) and Option 582 (Rear A/C).
I used to have 5 people in the car all the time before the kids went off to college. So I converted the rear seat to be 4-seater by installing a cubby hole (like my 500E), since I found it with the Chestnut wood. AND the rear ashtray covers, which I’m pretty sure were 65 only options. That center cubby is common to 220 and 215 cars, so it’s an easy switch (and reversible). The seats and rear A/C, not so much.
I think these packages changed over time, such that the rear memory option was for earlier cars. Mine is one of the last manufactured and I’ve never seen that on an ‘06, whether 55 or 65. Mine also came with Option 785 (19” AMG Forged Wheels), and IIRC there was some interplay between these options such that you had to have the wheels to get the others, or the rear A/C to get the others, or something like that.
maw
I used to have 5 people in the car all the time before the kids went off to college. So I converted the rear seat to be 4-seater by installing a cubby hole (like my 500E), since I found it with the Chestnut wood. AND the rear ashtray covers, which I’m pretty sure were 65 only options. That center cubby is common to 220 and 215 cars, so it’s an easy switch (and reversible). The seats and rear A/C, not so much.
I think these packages changed over time, such that the rear memory option was for earlier cars. Mine is one of the last manufactured and I’ve never seen that on an ‘06, whether 55 or 65. Mine also came with Option 785 (19” AMG Forged Wheels), and IIRC there was some interplay between these options such that you had to have the wheels to get the others, or the rear A/C to get the others, or something like that.
maw
#18
Member
To clarify, they all have rear A/C, but the "base" version of this is just vents at the back, no controls. The "good stuff" version has independant temperature controls for each back seat passenger (well, not center) and an independent blower that the rear passengers share. You end up with all four seats having independent temperature controls.
#19
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
To clarify, they all have rear A/C, but the "base" version of this is just vents at the back, no controls. The "good stuff" version has independant temperature controls for each back seat passenger (well, not center) and an independent blower that the rear passengers share. You end up with all four seats having independent temperature controls.
To answer the other question, the only "rare" options on my radar for these are the above rear seating / 4 seater options, 19" forged 2-piece wheels and Designo colors.
But these cars predated the "packaging" of options (P1, P2, etc.), and you can see why they went to that system. These were all over the place, almost bespoke from a menu. I've posted that menu here before somewhere. I'll see if I can dig it out when I'm back at a computer.
maw
EDIT... This is what I have on options ... shame how the internet changes over time... glad I saved this ... but notice it's not complete... I have options that aren't priced here... example, how much are the 19" 2-piece forged wheels?
Last edited by maw1124; 02-14-2024 at 02:26 PM. Reason: Options Menu Attached
#20
Member
If memory serves (and it might no...) the center console has vents from the main A/C system of it's not the actual rear A/C with its own rear climate control. It's just another set of vents from the dashboard system, but it's better than having no rear vents at all, like most cars.
#21
Senior Member
Rear AC option
I believe the rear AC option has a dedicated evap coil under the center console so that air can flow through it via dedicated blower for the rear passengers, as mentioned. It comes with above-mentioned temp controller.
The standard HVAC is simply some air from the front coil that is channeled to the rear under the center console, and also through some vents up high on the B-pillars facing the rear passengers.
My standard rear seats have the seat heaters.
i can’t remember if the rear windshield sun screen was standard or not. I have that too.
The standard HVAC is simply some air from the front coil that is channeled to the rear under the center console, and also through some vents up high on the B-pillars facing the rear passengers.
My standard rear seats have the seat heaters.
i can’t remember if the rear windshield sun screen was standard or not. I have that too.
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maw1124 (02-13-2024)
#22
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If memory serves (and it might no...) the center console has vents from the main A/C system of it's not the actual rear A/C with its own rear climate control. It's just another set of vents from the dashboard system, but it's better than having no rear vents at all, like most cars.
That's not Rear A/C.
I'm thinking the rear deck sunscreen was standard on these, and certainly not "rare" even if not standard.
maw
#23
Member
I believe the rear AC option has a dedicated evap coil under the center console so that air can flow through it via dedicated blower for the rear passengers, as mentioned. It comes with above-mentioned temp controller.
The standard HVAC is simply some air from the front coil that is channeled to the rear under the center console, and also through some vents up high on the B-pillars facing the rear passengers.
My standard rear seats have the seat heaters.
I can’t remember if the rear windshield sun screen was standard or not. I have that too.
The standard HVAC is simply some air from the front coil that is channeled to the rear under the center console, and also through some vents up high on the B-pillars facing the rear passengers.
My standard rear seats have the seat heaters.
I can’t remember if the rear windshield sun screen was standard or not. I have that too.
I also had the good rear seats, with the power bottom cushion, lumbar, and heating and cooling in the seat. I do miss the car, but I bit off more than I could chew with it, as it needed so much more than I thought it did initially, so being destroyed in the flooding from Hurricane Sandy actually bailed me out! (I do miss that supercharger, though! My '07 Jaguar XJ8L is no skimp when it comes to being comfy, but 300HP is not 493!!!!)
#24
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