Rear bench solution - any interest?

[snipez999]

http://youtu.be/rji4g6oMykc
Shamelessly nicked from xbimmers. a 450 usd part apparently.

I have a tame coach fitter who can source top quality leather (did some work for me on previous car). I will approach him regarding a centre seat (I have Individual slate leather) pad and see whether the price and quality of fit is worth offering as a group buy. An MOT-friendly lapbelt can be had off Fleabay for around 15 quid so should not be an issue; maybe just longer bolts needed to fit with the standard kit. Will post some pics up as and when cheers.
Certainly the option of a reasonably quick and safe change when I need it is very appealing

[Sanj]

That's a nice mod.

I'd go through a coach fitter too. They'll make that up for far less. Just sourcing the lap seatbelt or 3-point which would make it perfect (thinking if an E53 can have it and X6 surely should). Is the OEM 3-point?

Great find!

I want one now!

[snipez999]

My car's going in week after next for them to get the centre section sized by the foam suppliers then they will imitate the BMW leather and stitch pattern. Decided on the MOT-friendly Securon 2 point lapbelt from Ebay as am more confident about installing longer mounting bolts on existing anchor points than I am about fitting a 3 point harness somewshere there wasn't one before. Hoping to have the finished article Friday week. Will post as many pics as I can. Once they have the pattern it should be a doddle to churn out a few more.

[AW8]

Not wishing to be a killjoy but I would check with insurance company re this.........

Worst case scenarios might be :

(i) They might refuse to cover if declared.
(ii) Assessor might refuse a claim if fitted, ( maybe especially relavant if centre seat occupied by 5ht passenger).

Don't get me wrong I would want this mod too if I had an X6, ( not something I will be worrying about for a good while if ever).

Also V5 wont relate to seating capacity of vehicle.

Maybe worth seeing how owners of seven seat overfinch Ranger Rover L322's deal with these issues albeit that product may have more official approval &/or industry/insurance acceptance.

[snipez999]

Good point as V5 states 4 seater. How far MOT-approved lap belt, torqued to correct spec, would 'protect' you from a claim should you fit it and then have a 5 death total wreck one can only imagine.
At this stage I was considering a solution for the 'odd time when'. Cheers

[X5Sport]

You'll probably have to go via The Department for Transport's Vehicle Certification Agency and get a special test approval certificate (an IVA I think it's called) to use it, even for the 'odd occasion'. By the time you've done all that it would probably be cheaper to buy all the OEM bits.

They could of course be really mean and ask you to undertake a series of crash tests ..........I am joking!!

[snipez999]

Take it you don't want one then LOL

[Minda]

Nice idea in theory

[X5Sport]

[quote=""snipez999""]Take it you don't want one then LOL[/quote]

Not really......

I like it being a 4-seater. To be honest I never carried more than 3 passengers in the X5 and have only once had a full load in the X6. Usually it's just the two of us.

From comments I've seen on line, the 'pad' for the middle passenger is only really for very short journeys as it's damned uncomfortable. It's a good idea, but I'll just never use it.