Installing BMW 1600 racing seats is one of the most noticeable changes you can make to your vehicle. Keep in mind, though, that racing seats almost never mount up to your BMW 1600 factory seat brackets. This means that installing racing seats (aka buckets seats) in your vehicle requires you to buy not only the seats but also the brackets, which are sold separately. If you have any questions about how to install BMW 1600 racing seats, please call us at 1-800-419-1152.

Q: Do racing seats fit in any vehicle?
A: Racing seats are universal for all vehicles; however, each seat will need to latch to a seat bracket, which is car specific. Make sure there is a bracket available for your vehicle on our website (or by calling us at 1-800-419-1152), or otherwise you can buy a universal bracket and custom fit it to your car. The way the universal brackets work is they come with a pair of brackets that have a multiple 'holes' to be able to interface with the bottom of the racing seat. By using the custom bracket and applying it to the seat first before installing it, you can also be sure that the brackets will match the width of the seats.

Q: Why buy racing seats?
A: Racing seats weigh substantially less than factory seats, thereby improving performance of your vehicle. In addition, they increase support and can generally withstand more impact than factory seats. Beyond that, racing seats look a whole lot better than factory seats!

Q: I drive my car a lot. How do I know which of these seats is the most comfortable? Will all these seats be more comfortable than my factory seats?
A: In general, most racing seats are more firm that factory seats, since most racing seats are made with performance and lateral support in mind. So that means that while they won't necessarily be stiff, they're certainly not designed specifically to be cushy for long road trips either. That said, there are things you can do to maximize comfort with aftermarket seats. A lot of seat comfort has to do with proper adjustment, and this applies to factory seats as well. Always try different positions, along with various steering wheel adjustments, to find out which combination works best for your body type and height. Your knees should be slightly bent when touching the floor, without having to stretch to reach the pedals. The seat back should put your shoulders behind your hips, ideally so that your upper torso is at a 100-110 degree angle to your thighs. If your seat has other fine adjustments such as height or lumbar, play around with them until your seating position feels just right.

Q: Can I use my factory seat belts with aftermarket seats?
A: In most cases, it is entirely possible to maintain your factory seat belts with aftermarket seats. On some vehicles, however, the seat belt buckle is integrated into the seat itself, so it may be necessary in those cases to use aftermarket harnesses that have been properly installed according to the harness manufacturer's instructions.

Q: How do you install racing seats?
A: There are two types of seats. The first is a side mount, which uses brackets that are installed to the floor and to the side of the seat. The second type is one that sits on top of rails and bolt in from the bottom. After purchasing needed parts, simply unbolt your factory rails and install the new ones.

Q: Do you need any extra accessories to install racing seats, such as brackets or sliders?
A: You can't install a racing seat without a seat bracket to mount it to your floorboard. Some seats are rail mounted and some are mounted using side brackets. Seat sliders can be purchased as well to adjust the seat separately. If there are no rails or brackets for your vehicle, Sparco makes a universal seat rail that can be modified to work with any racing seat.

Q: Do racing seats come in pairs?
A: Unless specifically notated otherwise in our product listings webpage, racing seats are sold individually.

Q: Do the seats sold at Andy's come equipped with seat heaters? My factory seats have a heater, and I want to retain that heater functionality.
A: Unless otherwise noted, the seats we sell will not come with heaters. Most racing seats don't have heating functionality. That said, if there is a seat you really want, you can buy a universal seat heater from us to go with it to add the heating functionality. It will require some custom wiring work to activate it, though. To look at our selection of heaters, just type 'seat heaters'in the search bar at the top of this page!

Q: Do custom/racing seats include the brackets to fit my vehicle?
A: No, seat brackets are sold separately. We sell a huge assortment of them!

Q: My factory seats have power functions. Will I be able to retain those when switching to aftermarket racing seats?
A: In most cases, no. Most aftermarket seats and rails have manual adjustments. Certain seats, such as the Recaro Orthoped, do offer certain power adjustments and conveniences, such as heating.