R129 rear seats

[greybowman]

My R129 (1998) does not have the rear seats fitted, I understand the seats were an option. I would like to fit rear seat (Black leather) but have tried e-bay with no joy, and MB prices are around £2,000 parts only. If anyone has or knows of rear seats available at a good price I would be interested.

 

[stats007]

The seats were standard - you could delete them as a no cost option in favour of storage bins or Bose as an extra depending on model year.

I've seen them on eBay a couple of times though getting a colour match would be a stroke of luck (have you tried eBay germany?) Failing that a breakers should be able to help - plenty advertised in Mercedes Enthusiast magazine or the MBOC Gazette.

 

[television]

As stats there were some black ones last week on Ebay

 

[BTB 500]

Not sure about 1998, but in 1997 the leather rear child seats were a £1360 option on the 320 (only standard on the 500 and 600). Bearing in mind this was 10 years ago, £2000 now doesn't sound too bad bearing in mind I was quoted £2400 for a wood/leather steering wheel (a £553 option when new)!

As Stats suggested, a breaker is probably your best bet ... at least black is a reasonably common colour. Incidentally, you realise the rear seats only have lap belts? So with the new laws you probably can't carry kids there legally (because you can't fit proper booster seats). You can carry one adult on the nearside with the front seat moved forward (there's plenty of leg room in the front), but there's only room for little legs behind the driver.

 

[stats007]

I think the rear seat option for the SL320 was part of the 'leather option' at that time as they came with a cloth interior. Don't think I've seen an R129 with cloth seats!

 

[BTB 500]

My 97 price list shows separate options on the 320 for:

leather seat trim (£1102)
cloth rear seats (£971)
leather rear seats (£1360)

As you say, it would be very unusual to find a car without the leather front seats!

 

[television]

the 1995 pricelist shows rear seats leather £1300, cloth £929 inc Vat

the face lift 1998 August had them as standard, but as stats says, not with Bose.

I have never seen or heard of a cloth SL but there you go, cloth was standard 1995 with the leather option £1053

 

[greybowman]

Thanks to everyone for your replies and advice. I think as Stats said, the rear seats were deleted by the former owner in favour of lockable storage bins. I'll try e-bay Germany but it looks like the solution will be to leave the kids behind!

 

[R129mine]

interesting thread, i have the rear seats but have been doing some reading up on whether lap belts only are allowable, i had my eldest son in the back last saturday and was wondering whether this is a) legal and b) safe (most important) and i am not so sure and will probably take the picasso next time

from the uk department for transport website
http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/childcarseats/faq08.htm

section e) says you can only use these seats without booster or childseat if they are labelled with E 44.03 or E 44.04

see full text below

Some estate cars and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) have small seats at the very rear or in the luggage compartment for use by children. Some 2 + 2 sports cars or convertibles also have small rear seats which are only big enough for children. These seats may only be used without a child seat or booster if they are labelled to the required UN ECE Regulation 44.03 (or later) type approval standard.
If such a seat complies with the type-approval standard, it will have an "E" label, with "44.03" or ".03" (or later eg "44.04") and the weight range of the child for which it is designed. Check with the car handbook, or the vehicle manufacturer, whether the seat is so approved.

will have to find out if the rear seats have such label and if not have to find a booster or childseat which works with lapbelts only or retro fit a lap and diagonal belt, if possible at all and devalue the car in the process?

 

[BTB 500]

We have two small kids (5 and 7), and I've posted about this before.

M-B confirmed to me that the rear seats don't meet the new regulations. I couldn't find any booster seats that were intended for use with just a lap belt. But of course the R129's rear seats were specifically designed for children in the first place, so I doubt a booster seat would improve things. In fact raising the kids would seem a bad idea as it would put them closer to the roll bar (which of course must be raised whenever the rear seats are occupied).

Someone else on the Forum did have rear 3-point belts fitted to their R129, but booster seats would still be required to meet the new regs. And as above, I'm really not sure this would be a good idea (even if legal).

In terms of being safe, these seats were designed by M-B to carry children. They spent millions (literally) on the safety aspects of the R129 (roll bar etc.), so I reckon they're OK for our very occasional use. Particularly as I drive even more conservatively with the kids on board.

 

[stats007]

I have some roll bar crash test videos somewhere of the R129 if you're interested. Even so I'm not sure I'd put kids in the back.

 

[R129mine]

would love to see those,

When possible i will take the picasso when the kids (3 and 7) need ferrying back and forth and in exceptional circumstances will put the eldest in the back seat (with roll bar up) and the youngest in his car seat in the front seat.

 

[BTB 500]

My mum has travelled in the rear of our R129 (at least she doesn't need a booster ).

 

[IanA2]

Do you have a specific reason for wanting them...I have them in the 60 and I have the bins in the 500...I prefer the bins....much more useful!!!

 

[kbhogalW126]

Im possibly considering an R129 at the moment.

Does anyone know who had their rear seatbelts converted to three-point instead of lap belts?

Regards,

KJ

 

[BTB 500]

Im possibly considering an R129 at the moment.

Does anyone know who had their rear seatbelts converted to three-point instead of lap belts?

Regards,

KJ

Someone on the forum apparently had this done, but they still wouldn't meet the new regs. for carrying kids (if that is what you had in mind).

 

[kbhogalW126]

We havent got kids yet.

The general plan is to use the possible 300SL-24 as a daily drive (only do 8 miles return a day) and use the c270 as our long journey (family) car as well as when we have to take people with us (not very often at the mo).

Thing is, when we do hopefully have a kiddo, i was thinking that for occaisional use it would be useful to put a baby in a seat in the back with three point belts.

The other option is to put it in the front while mrs b sits in the back - not the best idea.

We plan to use the C270 more regularly with the kiddo as a pram can fit in the boot.

Im trying to weigh up all the options.

Any advice anyone?

TIA,

KJ

 

[BTB 500]

The R129 rear seats are quite heavily 'sculpted' ... almost like bucket seats. You can just about see in this pic. of mine:

Remember they were specifically designed by M-B for carrying children. Any kind of booster in the back would lift the kiddies up ... bringing them quite close to the roll bar (which you are meant to raise manually when the rear seats are in use). The front seat is out as there's a passenger airbag - most dealers are reluctant to deactivate those.

We took the view that our two (now aged 5 and 7) were best off using the seats as M-B intended on the odd occasion that they went in the SL.

Now we have a baby as well, so the SL will realistically just be me & the Mrs when someone else has the kids.

 

[stats007]

Driver and passenger airbags were optional extras on the 300SL-24 so may not be an issue. '99MY cars got child seat recognition - provided you had an MB child seat.

 

[jaymanek]

Bill beat me to it... the SL rear seats of any era are never going to accomodate a child seat... they barely accomodate a child, especially if the front passengers are more than 4'5" tall..