Just starting my research into purchasing a 350. Maybe used, maybe new. Having recently sat in one at the LA Auto Show, I know I do not want the standard (?) Recaro seats. As I shop the internet, for new or used, I rarely see one with the leather seats, which I believe will be a bit for comfortable for me. Am I wrong, or are there very few available with the leather power seats?
GT 350 Seat Question
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I was reading in another post that Ford only allocates 19% to Convienence Package (Leather). Good luck on that hunt. You should also focus on a 2017 or newer, this is a much better equipped car (all have Trak Pack goodies).
Simply my opinion, and my opinion only...but I have actually seen the elusive convenience package once...once. My local dealer has a Magnetic '18 on the floor right now. I didn't care for it. Not at all actually. Don't get me wrong; heated and cooled seats are the bees knees, but they just don't seem to "fit" the car. I didn't sit in them, but they just looked odd and out of place.
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When I went GT350 shopping, there were two to choose from. A Solid Black one w/ no stripes and Recaro seats, and a Ruby Red w/ White Stripes, leather seats. I was eye balling that Black one, but the only thing that kept me from buying that one were the Recaro seats. It was priced less than the Ruby one, but I tried getting in and out from both sides multiple times, personally, I did not like it. Maybe, just maybe, if the seats were power seats, I may have picked that one! I don't think that seat edge will hold up with constant getting in and out. Plus the cost of the car, there should at least be power seats. The leather seats are a good fit for me, and the comfort is just right. I am not a large person, and I was barely squeezing in, I can't imagine someone much larger or heavier set. My .02 cents.
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When I went GT350 shopping late last summer, I saw very few optioned with the "convenience package." At 6'2', 214 lbs, fairly hwp. I did not have a problem to get into the Recaros, sitting in them was marginally ok, but getting out of them with the very high side bolsters, was literally a pain. Not a big surprise for a guy in his sixties who played 12 years of football and some hard military under his belt. Plus, I was not impressed with their range of adjustability - or lack of it. As an alternative, the leather seats were far more comfortable, had heating and cooling and still had more bolstering that the seats that were in some of my C5 and C6 Corvettes.
And let's get real for a moment. The GT350 is a fine and pretty unique sports car, but it is NOT a race car. Race cars do not have individually controlled climate control, satellite radio, navigation, lots of internet apps for your phone. Sure, with minimal prep, they are fine for autox and the occasional track day. And for those of us who might want to take a trip in their car, and maybe even take their spouse, these seats make a lot of sense.
If you want to get a step closer to a race car, buy the "R" and make sure not to add back in the radio, Nav, rear seats.... Use the extremely marginal street Pilot Sport Cups that last for maybe 3000 miles and are downright scary in any heavy rain. I had them on one of my Vettes, so I am familiar with their "painted on" tread look. I doubt more than 2 percent of the people on these forums could use the "R" to 100 percent of its capability. And if you had a portion of Jay Leno's income and pull with Ford, then you could get your "R" delivered with the convenience seats like he did.
So lets talk availability. It took me over two months late last summer (using Auto Trader) to find a convenience package car in a color combination I wanted. In '17, Ford underestimated the popularity of this package and simply did not plan for producing enough of them. Perhaps they thought that all their customers for a $60k + car would be twenty somethings (mostly who cannot afford the car)or maybe others through their 50's who other demands on their incomes such as families/children/college tuition.
I do not have any idea what percentage of the '18s will offer these seats. But its your money, don't let someone "seat shame" you into something you really don't want. You would be surprised how many people who saw my car told me that they wish they had these seats.
Good luck in your search!
And let's get real for a moment. The GT350 is a fine and pretty unique sports car, but it is NOT a race car. Race cars do not have individually controlled climate control, satellite radio, navigation, lots of internet apps for your phone. Sure, with minimal prep, they are fine for autox and the occasional track day. And for those of us who might want to take a trip in their car, and maybe even take their spouse, these seats make a lot of sense.
If you want to get a step closer to a race car, buy the "R" and make sure not to add back in the radio, Nav, rear seats.... Use the extremely marginal street Pilot Sport Cups that last for maybe 3000 miles and are downright scary in any heavy rain. I had them on one of my Vettes, so I am familiar with their "painted on" tread look. I doubt more than 2 percent of the people on these forums could use the "R" to 100 percent of its capability. And if you had a portion of Jay Leno's income and pull with Ford, then you could get your "R" delivered with the convenience seats like he did.
So lets talk availability. It took me over two months late last summer (using Auto Trader) to find a convenience package car in a color combination I wanted. In '17, Ford underestimated the popularity of this package and simply did not plan for producing enough of them. Perhaps they thought that all their customers for a $60k + car would be twenty somethings (mostly who cannot afford the car)or maybe others through their 50's who other demands on their incomes such as families/children/college tuition.
I do not have any idea what percentage of the '18s will offer these seats. But its your money, don't let someone "seat shame" you into something you really don't want. You would be surprised how many people who saw my car told me that they wish they had these seats.
Good luck in your search!
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19USMC69, first off, thank you for your service, very much appreciated!! I agree with Shelbyquest18, get what YOU want. I had hoped that Ford would have geared up for the production of more convenience package GT350's in 2018, but perhaps (since the 2018 my is a limited production run) they are just letting it run out. I too, originally was looking for a 2018 convenience package GT350, but after running into shortage of 2017 convenience packages around and having several dealers tell me that minimum ADM on 2018 models would be $5K, I caved and bought a new 2017 that was on order. I have to admit the Recaros are nicer than I had thought and fit me perfectly. Getting out can be difficult in a tight space and I am still amazed at the lack of adjustability on these base Recaros (no thigh nor lumbar nor lower seat cushion tilt)... I admit to being spoiled coming from a Carrera S that had 14 way adjustable sport seats, but (so far at least) the Recaros are very comfortable for me. My main worry is how well the Alcantera (sp?) will hold up long-term.
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Before you make up your mind take a look at this video, he states the differences between these Recaro seats and leather/power seats that could have been installed:
[video=youtube;Krsli2olviY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krsli2olviY&t=350s[/video]
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Got mine last May from a dealer 5 minutes from my home. Avalanche Grey with black stripes.
I had been looking like you, everywhere for the convenience package.
The guy that ordered the car canceled his order as he got tired of waiting for the oil cooler recall to be completed.
Recall was completed and I paid a deposit over the phone and picked her up a few days later.
Like you i'm in my 60's so I love the leather heated and cooled seats - great road trip car. We got one of the last 17's around with the leather seats.
You should search ford.com - there are a few around in NorCal.
I'm 72 and and sit in a 2017 with Recaro seats last spring and said no way. Felt like I sit down on a board and to low. My dealership looked every where and finally found me a new 2017 with the leather heated/cooled seats and there was no turning back. Most comfortable seats since the 2005 GTO I used to have.
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When I went shopping for a 350 I tried the Recaro seats in a 350 the dealer had in stock and didn't like them at all. I have an '18 with the convenience pkg. (leather seats) and they are very comfortable as well as providing adequate side support. The seats in an '18 are leather with suede seat and seat back.
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Nice post. Thank you.
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Nice post R172, I like this guy at Auto Fanatics, he's got some great vids out on improvements to the GT350!
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Your car with Leather seats just went up for sale in Bakersfield. Top of active posts currently as 2017 for sale...
http://www.gt350.org/forum/37-cars-sale/3322-sale-2017-shelby-gt-350-57-000-00-a.html
I've been using the Ford.com website to search for GT350s. I want to eliminate all vehicles with the Recaro seats, but I don't see a search parameter for the Convenience Package (which I believe includes the leather seats). Am I brain dead?
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I have a 2016 Tech Pack with the leather seats. I did not want Recaros but I wanted to track some. It was my only real option at the time. If you are looking for leather look for a 2016. Just plan of dropping some coin for coolers for your trans and diff if you plan to track it.
We picked up our '17 with Convenience Pack a couple of weeks ago in Houston at Texas Direct. Only had 1600 miles, still has the "new car smell". They had a few to choose from, so I drove a '16 w/ Tech Pack and another '17 w/ Recaro's. My preference was definitely the leather seats. They are more comfortable(IMO)/adjustable, plus the heat and cooling feature is just nice.
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