BMW E46: seat swap in under 4 minutes. New manual M3 seats!

Although I filmed this in March, I felt this was a high quality video that was worth bringing to the channel. It is a quick yet informative and helpful guide on how to install any E46 seats into another E46. I found a clean set of manual M3 seats!
Make sure to subscribe for more! / @builtforredline
Music by Joakim Karud / joakimkarud

[@slaymonkey117]

Did you find the manual seats could go lower than electric. I just picked up a manual sport seat from the junk yard to put in my 330ci because My head is on the roof when I wear a helmet in my electric seats. Heard the manuals get you about an inch more headroom.

[@mxchaelfxscher385]

BMW makes the nicest seats

[@BuiltForRedline]

Honestly love my E46 seats

[@emilpapis93]

@@BuiltForRedline I own a 316ti with, probably as stock as possible. The seats are still great!

[@lonegunhunter]

No they don't

[@runnclimb8407]

Great explanation and video. My question (there might be more), are E46 4 door front seats the same as an E46 2 door convertible seats? On my 2000 323ci I need to replace the driver side electric seat. I would like to put a manual driver seat in instead

[@BuiltForRedline]

all front seats are the same mounting. Note that sedan seats don't fold forward for rear access, and that convertible seats have the seatbelt built into the seat.

[@markedwards4764]

Good swop mate ! I love these cars I took my standard leather ones out and replaced with msport ones it's well worth doing plus I had the complete Interior! As it was well worth the price. You have a nice car to top job

[@BuiltForRedline]

Thanks for the kind words! Glad you're enjoying yours as well

[@joseph_the_human]

Do the manual seats recline all the way back??? the electronic ones dont!

[@BuiltForRedline]

I don’t have the seats anymore, but I believe they do!

[@b2bline833]

Is there a big difference between m3 seats and the e46 sport seats?

[@BuiltForRedline]

M3 seats are nappa leather and standard are traditional leather. The M3 stitching has more archs rather than straight lines. The foam is also a little firmer. Bolsters are deeper, not by much

[@donhuan7498]

Could you put that electric from old one on new one M?

[@hyperfun2617]

Your previous seat is electric seat, but i didn't saw any extra socket you unplug for electric seat. The issue is i wanna change from manual to electric, so do i need extra socket wire?

[@BuiltForRedline]

There's only one plug under E46 seats. What changes is the number of pins that are filled. If you're going from manual to electric seats, there's a ton of wiring that has to be done that I am not proficient in

[@quickliqproductions]

also.. when you disconnect the battery.. DONT CLOSE THE TRUNK! its not easy to open it.. while the power is down.. because the E46 has an electric lock in the trunk..

[@BuiltForRedline]

Yes true! I forgot most people aren't willing to climb through the back seats :P

[@e46anas]

you can open the trunk with the KEY

[@ifadebarbersupply4696]

Deadass tho , I’ve learned that the hard way

[@warrenj1uk]

@@e46anas Not if you have an M3 CSL bootlid - there is no keyhole - but good point!

[@warrenj1uk]

@@BuiltForRedline Or if you have a brace across the boot (trunk) you aint climbing through that!

[@Chris55524]

Looks so good! But I thought all M3 seats were electric not manual adjusted?

[@BuiltForRedline]

Nope! These are definitely authentic M3 manual seats

[@nickamarit]

Nice vid man. Quick question: I'm a big man, and on the Base seats, if my thighs are big enough so as to almost get in the way of my hands if I steer 90 degrees and still keep my hands gripped on the wheel, would the thigh extension from the Sports seats make the clearance between my hand and my thighs worse?

[@BuiltForRedline]

you know its funny. When the sigh support is in, your leg becomes more elevated than when its out when no other adjustments are made. What I'm getting too is likely the answer you don't want, but its just one of those things you have to sit and see to find out

[@nickamarit]

@@BuiltForRedline I get what you mean tho (when you said that the legs become more elevated when its in), but I'd still have to really test sit and see for myself to make sure. Thx, man.

[@BuiltForRedline]

@@nickamarit definitely, its just one of those things. Sorry the answer isn't different!

[@deamonkiller2852]

Can I fit power seats to my E46 that came manuel seats

[@BuiltForRedline]

yes, but you won't have things like memory without additional wiring

[@deamonkiller2852]

Built For Redline thanks

[@warrenj1uk]

Decent video, thanks. Good work on thetime lapse filing too. Shame you didnt source the electric memory seats whilst you were changing them. Or maybe they are not available in the US?

[@BuiltForRedline]

I didn't want power M3 seats. I'm really the only driver, so once they're in place, they don't need to really move again. No need having heavier seats for something unused

[@jerryc6497]

@@BuiltForRedline where did you get your front seats? Local sale?

[@brentd8462]

What is done with the electric harness now that you have manual seats?

[@BuiltForRedline]

You don’t have to make any adjustment to the harness when going from power seats to manual ones. The power and ground wires that are used to move the seat now connect to nothing :)

[@brentd8462]

@@BuiltForRedline thanks! Putting recaros in this week on OEM manual sliders (in a power seat car)

[@BuiltForRedline]

You can’t translate the DIY here with Recaros. Recaro’s need special brackets to bolt to the chassis, to accept the stock seat belt, and it’s own wiring harness to keep the seat belt system wired to the car for safety reasons.

[@brentd8462]

@@BuiltForRedline Brey Krause brackets mount directly to BMW OEM manual sliders

[@BuiltForRedline]

Ah okay. So you’re set then. I assumed you had just the seat

[@anthonyk]

was wondering if the e46 manual sports seats fit into e39? i hate the standard seats in my 530i

[@anonypersona3189]

Get E39 sport seats or E38 seats - both are direct fits. E46 seats won't fit without modification.

[@ClaudiuMunteanu]

thanks !

[@BuiltForRedline]

Claudiu Munteanu happy to help!

[@uzi4122]

Seat belt ???

[@BuiltForRedline]

No modification necessary

[@offensivejeux3734]

I'm looking for some of these like this !! Wre can i find some ????

[@firdausHITMAN]

If you are in the UK, ive got some.

[@adistanford]

Those look like they are in really good condition. How much did you pay for them?

[@BuiltForRedline]

Thank you! I'd prefer not to say how much beyond under $600. It varies on color, but I've seen even cleaner grey ones going for as little as $500

[@OfficialTissue24]

Are all e46 convertible heated seats compatible with each other... i.e. Can I take any e46 convertible heated seat and put it in another e46 convertible

[@BuiltForRedline]

yes, but if the car didn't come with heated seats, the wiring harness doesn't support it. You can wire it yourself under the carpets but just be aware. Example - these seats are heated and the stock ones were not. To get them working, I need seats to the center console, and then a few from the center console to the glove box. Not awful but has to be done

[@jasondoe5741]

What was wrong with the ones you had in there they looked good.

[@BuiltForRedline]

The old ones had no bolstering as they were non sport seats. They were also made from fake leather. And then these seats are about 30lbs lighter each (didn’t weigh them). So I got sportier seats, more bolster, and a lighter car. It’s not for everyone but everyone has their reasons. Some people’s seats are really beat and this is an easy tutorial on how to fix that

[@WashJosh]

80lbs?!?! 😵 luxury is a sacrifice

[@BuiltForRedline]

Who needs power seats, set it and forget it!

[@adamxxvii2424]

80Pounds no wonders i was strugling to take mine out of the car

[@jonzxcv]

1st