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Hey Everyone,
I have W213 AMG E63S and I was wondering if anyone on here has ever converted/changed their comfort seats (massaging seats) into the performance seats. I waited and looked around to buy my W213 with performance seats but couldn't locate one in FOREVER. The one I got literally checked every single box aside from the seats, so I went with it.
Is this doable?
If so, any special programming involved?
Aside from programming would it bolt on easily?
Would you do it if you were me?
This summer I am getting the lowering module and spacers. I'd like to get the performance seats by late summer or early fall. Thanks in advance, I appreciate the insight.
To be honest, I have not really seen a successful conversion. The ones that I've seen being attempted ended up with permanent airbag warnings. The only successful conversion of the seats in an AMG from what I remember required hardware to convert signals. There are also several different variants of the performance seats, so for starters you have to source the correct one. With and w/o heating, w/ and w/o ventilation, w/ and w/o thigh extension and there might be other minor differences between models. The ones in the AMG GT coupe for example don't have the thigh extension.
That said, if you manage to do it, it's well worth it. The performance seats are one of the best aspects of an AMG. They are a unicorn especially for the W213, because most people think they are uncomfortable, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Recaro knows seats. I've yet to sit in an uncomfortable Recaro seat, but admittedly you have to be somewhat in good shape to lift yourself over the bolsters as not to ruin the leather over time from constantly sliding over it.
Last edited by superswiss; 02-20-2024 at 03:35 PM.
Thanks man, I haven't seen a conversation either but honestly that is all that is missing to make my ride complete in my eyes. I appreciate all the information. If I go this route i'll definitely post it and might even make a youtube video about. Thankfully I'm in good shape so the restrictions some may face wont be an issue for me.
They're located in Toronto but provide remote coding services and might be able to do it. They've done a bunch of retrofitting projects. I myself am looking for a 2018-2019 E63s with the performance seats as well. Been searching for a year (also looking for Burmester 3D high end sound system + carbon interior as well). Personally, I'm just gonna wait till the spec I want pops up rather than doing the retrofit route as it could be a headache + costly for the seats themselves.
BTW, comforts seats are not the same as massaging seats. Comfort seats are the default, and massage comes with the upgrade to multi-contour seats. I realize you don't want either, but you should be clear on what you have before setting out on a complex upgrade.
BTW, comforts seats are not the same as massaging seats. Comfort seats are the default, and massage comes with the upgrade to multi-contour seats. I realize you don't want either, but you should be clear on what you have before setting out on a complex upgrade.
That’s in the US. All Canadian ones come from the factory with massaging seats.
As I specifically ordered my car with every option I wanted, I chose the heated and ventilated active multicontour seats. To chose the performance seats for me would have been a downgrade as I would have had to forego other options.
To each their own, but I couldn't characterize it as an upgrade from comfort seats to performance seats but rather a refit.
I drive the car regularly on some pretty twisty mountain roads in SoCal and the multcontour seats do OK. In the moment when I'm ripping up/down Palomar Mountain I'm sure I'd rather be in the performance seats but as the car spends 99.9x% of its time exposed to less lateral loads, my passengers and I get more use out of the multicontour seats and other features I'd have had to forego with the performance seats. While I did make a conscious decision not to get the performance seats, I did however get the CCB option which provides me some daily benefit (zero brake dust) and is also useful for those canyon carving days.
The performance seats and CCBs seems kind of hand in glove so I'm surprised a brake swap isn't also on the to-do list . . . :-)
Thanks man, they are not far from me either. My mechanic shop is literally across the road from them but every time I've tried to go in they've been closed. It's hard to find one exactly how I wanted but this one had everything but the seats lol sucks but I can live with it
If somebody told you your car has CCBs, they were lying. As E634Me pointed out, on these cars red calipers = steel brakes. You might have aftermarket ceramic brake pads, but that is something different.
If somebody told you your car has CCBs, they were lying. As E634Me pointed out, on these cars red calipers = steel brakes. You might have aftermarket ceramic brake pads, but that is something different.
+1 I have ceramic pads on my F-250 and a couple other cars, but they have steel rotors.
The CCB are carbon ceramic disks and matching pads. It is a ~$9500 option for the CCBs and they have yellow calipers.
Although this is for the C63 it shows the different AMG brakes. Above posters are correct, the red calipers are the S Composite Brakes. They use steel rotors. Not bad brakes at all, but you might wanna look into aftermarket full floating rotors. They are a lot cheaper than the OE rotors, too.
If somebody told you your car has CCBs, they were lying. As E634Me pointed out, on these cars red calipers = steel brakes. You might have aftermarket ceramic brake pads, but that is something different.
LOL why would someone have to tell me that they are ceramic?? Why would I lie about having ceramic brake??
This may be a simple misunderstanding of the specific definition of the AMG Carbon Ceramic Brake (CCB) package/option.
As stated above, CCB is not just ceramic pads, but unique calipers, carbon ceramic rotors and pads. It is a special and fairly expensive option.
A simple way to determine if they are CCBs (beyond paint color) can be seen in the front calipers. The CCB calipers are almost a full quarter moon shape, the edge that faces the hub is almost perfectly straight and there are two socket head cap bolts on the OD face of the caliper.
If you don't have the CCB option, you have steel/iron brakes.
To be honest, I have not really seen a successful conversion. The ones that I've seen being attempted ended up with permanent airbag warnings. The only successful conversion of the seats in an AMG from what I remember required hardware to convert signals. There are also several different variants of the performance seats, so for starters you have to source the correct one. With and w/o heating, w/ and w/o ventilation, w/ and w/o thigh extension and there might be other minor differences between models. The ones in the AMG GT coupe for example don't have the thigh extension.
That said, if you manage to do it, it's well worth it. The performance seats are one of the best aspects of an AMG. They are a unicorn especially for the W213, because most people think they are uncomfortable, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Recaro knows seats. I've yet to sit in an uncomfortable Recaro seat, but admittedly you have to be somewhat in good shape to lift yourself over the bolsters as not to ruin the leather over time from constantly sliding over it.
I will say the above couldn't be more wrong for the average E-class driver.
It's not the seats that are uncomfortable, it is getting in and out of them. Once in, they are comfortable (most German bucket seats tend to be comfortable once you are settled in), but getting out can be a pain
I will say the above couldn't be more wrong for the average E-class driver.
It's not the seats that are uncomfortable, it is getting in and out of them. Once in, they are comfortable (most German bucket seats tend to be comfortable once you are settled in), but getting out can be a pain
That's not a comfort issue, that's a being out of shape issue.
Or being in typical condition for someone above a certain age . . .
Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford an E63s while young and spry. It can be difficult loading passengers into some cars when showing off the shiny new ride to a parent or grandparent.
I've got no issues whatsoever with someone preferring the performance seats - debated quite a while myself but opted not to because at the end of the day I didn't want to give up other options and I knew that most of my drive time would be my short trip to the office or the odd road trip with the family and not the mountain carving I used to do every Sunday on my sportbike.
Or being in typical condition for someone above a certain age . . ..
I guess I'm not entirely sure what your counterpoint is. 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese, lack exercise and live of a fried and fast food diet across all age groups. Number one cause of death is heart disease as a result. Starts at childhood. Child obesity is a major health issue. So, data would suggest that the typical condition for someone at any age is being out of shape.
I get the point about age. When I was younger I was in shape by default as I rode my bike and walked everywhere into my 20s and growing up in the Alps I was an avid skier. Now at age 50 I work out 5+ hours a week doing cardio, weight lifting, playing tennis and riding my bike to stay in shape. What's the average age of an E63S owner? I'm fully aware that in 20 years I'll be 70 and at that point the general NVH of an AMG may have to be in my past and probably need to start driving an S Class or whatever the electrical S Class will be at that point.
02-20-2024, 01:21 PM
