Seat Swapping - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum
Home News Models Alternatives
 
Smart Car of America - America's Largest Smart Fortwo Enthusiast Community   Smart Fortwo, smart car, smartcar
HOME FORUMS GALLERY

Go Back   Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum > Community > smart General Discussion


Notices

SmartCarofAmerica.com is the premier Smart Car Forum on the internet. Registered Users do not see the above ads.
» Auto Insurance
» Supporting Partner
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-24-2008, 08:12 PM   #1 (permalink)
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Orlando
Drive: Cabrio
Posts: 2
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Seat Swapping

Has anyone tried to swap the passenger seat with the driver seat? This would put the recliner lever on the outside (like other cars). It would also make it easier recline the seat to access the rear space when standing outside the car. Any thoughts?

smartlex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 08:15 PM   #2 (permalink)
SCOA Club
 
forestacademy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts
Drive: Passion
Posts: 11,129
Thanks: 56
Thanked 312 Times in 220 Posts
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by smartlex View Post
Has anyone tried to swap the passenger seat with the driver seat? This would put the recliner lever on the outside (like other cars). It would also make it easier recline the seat to access the rear space when standing outside the car. Any thoughts?
It would also turn the side airbags into center airbags, not to much good there.

Also, not a lot of room between the seats and the door, you will not be able to work the levers when the doors are closed.
forestacademy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 08:17 PM   #3 (permalink)
SCOA Club
 
mvaldes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: maplewood, nj
Drive: Passion
Posts: 2,588
Thanks: 20
Thanked 52 Times in 45 Posts
Garage
Oy, what about the passenger weight sensor? I don't think I'd want to open that can of worms...
mvaldes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 08:40 PM   #4 (permalink)
SCOA Club
 
gbryers's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: South Carolina
Drive: Passion
Posts: 2,485
Thanks: 127
Thanked 234 Times in 139 Posts
And given that the should belt guide is nominally on the outside of the seat, putting it in the middle might confuse civic-minded (not the car) cops...
gbryers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 10:24 PM   #5 (permalink)
 
mike-in-sa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Frankfurt Germany
Drive: Passion
Posts: 787
Thanks: 7
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
I'd say the answer to your question is...no.
mike-in-sa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 11:21 PM   #6 (permalink)
 
mendo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Meadow Vista, CA
Drive: Passion
Posts: 524
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Wait, Don't toss this idea out just yet,

how willing are you to change parts?

you may be able to move that part from one seat to the other.

then you could work around the airbag issue, the seatbelt issue, etc......


I am going to say this again, some people mess with stuff and some don't. I think the ones that don't should let the ones that do keep messing with stuff, we might come up with something better.

the alternative is keep slamming those that try something new until they stop posting and you never get the good ideas that others discover.

your choice.

David
mendo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 11:38 PM   #7 (permalink)
 
grwhitaker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Long Beach, CA
Drive: Cabrio
Posts: 242
Thanks: 43
Thanked 12 Times in 6 Posts
Assumption?

You are assuming that the engineers placed the seatback lever where they did just to vex you. I reason that it was placed there because it was considered as the most logical place to put it. German engineering is nothing if not overly analytical about the best or most efficient way to do things, regardless of [sometimes] marketing requests. That is why German cars were years behind everyone else on putting cup holders in their interiors.
grwhitaker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2008, 05:11 AM   #8 (permalink)
SCOA Club
 
forestacademy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts
Drive: Passion
Posts: 11,129
Thanks: 56
Thanked 312 Times in 220 Posts
Garage
The only time it seems to make no sense is when you want to fold the pasenger seat flat, and you have to go over to the drivers side to do it without crushing your hand.

As to us naysayers, were are just making sure you gogetters think it through before you put in the time to reinvent the seat.

Anyway, Smartlex started this thread with a question, "Any thoughts?" and he had not mentioned any consideration on his own, so it looked like he was asking for the Why Nots on this project.

Last edited by forestacademy; 11-25-2008 at 06:24 AM.
forestacademy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2008, 11:13 AM   #9 (permalink)
 
nightrun387's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Portugal
Drive: Brabus
Posts: 30
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by grwhitaker View Post
That is why German cars were years behind everyone else on putting cup holders in their interiors.
this is a cultural issue, in Europe it's not normal to eat or drink inside the car and it's forbidden to do it like talking on your cell phone you can be fine for it, so it´s normal in European cars not to have cup holders
nightrun387 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2008, 11:21 AM   #10 (permalink)
SCOA Club
 
forestacademy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts
Drive: Passion
Posts: 11,129
Thanks: 56
Thanked 312 Times in 220 Posts
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by nightrun387 View Post
this is a cultural issue, in Europe it's not normal to eat or drink inside the car and it's forbidden to do it like talking on your cell phone you can be fine for it, so it´s normal in European cars not to have cup holders
Safey Schmafty

It is a conspiricy driven by the service industry. If you don't eat or drink in your car you are forced to stop at resturants on your way and spend more money and leave tips.

Let's hear your conspiricy theory.
forestacademy is offline   Reply With Quote
Today
 


This ad will not be shown if you are logged in.

Sponsored Links
Advertisement
 
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.2

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:17 PM.



Smart Cars of America, LLC is not affiliated with, authorized by, associated with or have any connection with G&K, Zap, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Mercedes-Benz McLaren Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, smart Canada Division, DaimlerChrysler, Chrysler LLC, DaimlerChrysler AG, Maybach, smart gmbh, a division of Mercedes Benz LLC, the manufacturer of SMART automobiles, smart USA Distributor, LLC, a division of Penske Automotive Group, Inc, the exclusive authorized U.S. importer and distributor of the smart vehicle or any of their official dealerships


Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.2
Garage Plus vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger