Who Has Scheel-Mann seats??

mtnbiker49

New member
Hi, so I am in the market for aftermarket seats for my Xterra, however I have not had luck trying to find a Scheel-Mann (SM) Vario seat to try out first. I drove about 2 hours away to try out a Recaro seat, but I did not particularly enjoy it. So, before spending a ton of money on one seat, I am hoping to find someone in the northeast US that would let me sit in their SM seat. Having called around to shops offroad shops with no luck, this is my last option. I am located in northeast PA for reference. Thank you.
 
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Superduty

Adventurer
I did some research on them a few weeks ago. THIS THREAD has some good info. Once I saw the price of them, I realized they were way out of my budget. They sure do look nice.
 

cobro92

Active member
They are expensive but if you are a full timer (or serious weekend warrior) that spends every single day driving hundreds of miles then it’s worth it. They are incredibly adjustable and supportive. Or if you have back problems. Most people don’t need them IMO.


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tacollie

Glamper
I've been considering them but hesitant because of the price. Also, going into newer vehicles you loose some airbags. I need to figure something out. My back doesn't like the stock Ford seats.
 

1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
I have a bad back to go with losing my leg and the Scheel-mann seats were life changing.
I used to only last 1-2hrs before I would have to spend 20-30min out of the vehicle. Now I can do as long as my bladder can handle and I have slept in them.
Even the dogs love them.

20210601_091823.jpg
 

Wilbah

Adventurer
You might call some local trucking companies and see- they will often put them in tractors for long haul drivers. Also what about the Scheel-Mann distributor? Can they point you to any customers who have installed them? (If its a single person they might not be willing to but maybe they contact the person for you or something?). They are expensive so hopefully have some way for you to "try them" before spending the $.

Edited to add- Main Line Overland in West Chester PA is a distributor. Dunno if they have them in stock to check out?

Contact Us - Main Line Overland
 
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mtnbiker49

New member
So I sat in one and here are my thoughts:

The width and depth of the side bolsters are excellent. The extendable thigh supports works great and doesn't make any pinch points. If you are 6'2", you'll want the XXL versions.

The bad is that the seat is super firm. Like too firm. Will it loosen up over time? I don't know, but it isn't worth a $2k trial. It really is a shame they don't offer softer foam as an option. I have seen people mention the hardness issue and I can now attest that it is a valid point.
 
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MOAK

Adventurer
So I sat in one and here are my thoughts:

The width and depth of the side bolsters are excellent. The extendable thigh supports works great and doesn't make any pinch points. If you are 6'2", you'll want the XXL versions.

The bad is that the seat is super firm. Like too firm. Will it loosen up over time? I don't know, but it isn't worth a $2k trial. It really is a shame they don't offer softer foam as an option. I have seen people mention the hardness issue and I can now attest that it is a valid point.
Good you got to sit in one. One thing I’ll mention; after spending a career averaging 140,000 miles a year, I found the seats that were solid were actually much more comfortable than soft cushy seats over the course of a 10 hour drive 5-6 days a week. Week after week, year after year. Still, and investment in seats is worth a ton of research.. I’d love to find someone to ride with that has a pair.
 

CKent323

New member
"mtnbiker49, post: 3010939, wrote:

So I sat in one and here are my thoughts:

The width and depth of the side bolsters are excellent. The extendable thigh supports works great and doesn't make any pinch points. If you are 6'2", you'll want the XXL versions.

The bad is that the seat is super firm. Like too firm. Will it loosen up over time? I don't know, but it isn't worth a $2k trial. It really is a shame they don't offer softer foam as an option. I have seen people mention the hardness issue and I can now attest that it is a valid point."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MOAK is spot on, sitting in the Scheel Mann seats 8 - 10 hours a day for weeks was more comfortable and less fatiguing than sitting our old OEM captains chair seats.

When I first sat in the Scheel Mann seats I thought, Dang these things are firm! I wonder how that is going to work out after 8 hours of driving?

I can now tell you that after over 5,000 miles of sitting in our new Scheel Mann Seats during our 82 day trip to Alaska, Canada Montana, South Dakota and back to California that they show no signs of loosening up and the firmness is not uncomfortable at all, just different. The adjustability of the seats helps to fit them to each person. The firmness is also a benefit on off road bumpy surfaces. We are held snugly but comfortably with minimal bouncing from cushion rebound. We are still big fans of these seats.

To be sure not everyone needs or will appreciate performance seats like these. If you stay on pavement and you like a big soft chair then by all means find a big soft cushy seat. For those who venture off pavement I think you will find that the Scheel Mann seats are plenty comfortable for the on pavement driving and will be most appreciated for holding you securely and comfortably while not bouncing you all over the place when driving on or off pavement.
 
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I've been researching these seats. I really need to find someone who makes the seat tracks for my vehicle. You would figure Suburban/Avalanche stuff would be more popular.
 

NorthwestDriver

Active member
My neighbor has custom Scheel Mann seats in his MB Sprinter. I sat in them the other day. Better than my F150, but no better than my 2005 XC90 or LR3.

If budget were a concern, I’d track down some Volvo seats and modify the brackets to fit into the existing tracks.
 

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