Identify whether seats match the car?

[OctaviaVRS2]

The title might sound a bit weird, but something strange has happened to my car after being in an independent workshop for several weeks. When I got it back the seats were covered in oily finger marks. They are leather and alcantara, so I was particularly annoyed. The garage offered to clean them which I thought they should have done before offering me the car back. When I was cleaning the car the rear right seat base attracted my attention because it appears the seat is not locked into position and also that someone has opened the small zips, which I cannot understand at all why a gearbox service would require anything to be done with seats. Upon further inspection it does not look like the correct seat base.

 

I'm seeking members' views judged on looking at these photos I have posted.

 

The pictures are, in order (L-R lowest file numbers first), the first 5 are the rear right seat - the one in question. The following three are the left side rear seat. Comparisons I am making are: why the seat extends further and why the seat doesn't come to the edge of the upper bolster. The rest of it is self explanatory; zips that have been opened, one broken. A centre section that's all creased. and the cloth webbing itself dirty with a stain I cannot seem to get out. The main thing I am trying to establish is whether this is a genuine seat for this model. You might ask 'don't you know already?'. In a way I am very suspicious that this is not the base of my original rear seat, but you know how things are...unless your attention is drawn to something it is very difficult to say with certainty. For example, in Img_3470, why the seat doesn't seem to meet the base of the left side bolster. Img_3474 is a mirror of Img_3470 only on the right side, so you can see how the seat base meets the bolster precisely.

 

I have included the part number I saw in the foam on the base when I opened up the underneath. I guess I am looking for validation; whether members think there is something wrong and what you guys think the problem is. Anyone who could look up a part number to ascertain what that number in the foam under the seat is, might shed some light on what seat it actually is. My thoughts are is it from a pre-facelift VRS or it is perhaps from another model that used the same upholstery design.

 

It is a sad suspicion to have, but I wonder if my seat base was sold. I have to be very careful before I make that accusation, hence my posting here to see what the consensus is. Is there a way I can find the manufacturer date or code in order to catch the suspect?

[petrolcan]

Is it possible that the reason the zips are undone is because they stripped the seats down and threw the covers into a washing machine?

[OctaviaVRS2]

33 minutes ago, petrolcan said:

Is it possible that the reason the zips are undone is because they stripped the seats down and threw the covers into a washing machine?

Certainly an interesting possibility, but with the leather I wonder if it could have worked without some other evidence. I'm not sure what those zips are actually for unless its throwing the covering in a washing machine! 

[Ootohere]

Professional or even non professional cleaning of seat covers does not mean they have to go in a washing machine, but you might still remove them to do the cleaning.

[J.R.]

What possible motive do you think they would have for selling your seat base to replace it with another one?

 

You would struggle to find another individual seat bolster for a 12 year old car let alone one with that combination of materials and colour, seat covers and trims in specific fabrics/colours are one of the few items where manufacturers dont have to produce any spare parts for a certain number of years (I think it is 4 years) as long as they can provide a cover that fits it does not have to match the others.

 

Your seat bolsters look the same colour and more importantly equally patinated, you could spend the rest of your life trying to find another that would not look very different and you would not find many to choose from.

 

Dodgy garages, the ones that promise recon engines or gearboxes but who just strip the car down and the extort money from the owners once the vehicle is stripped always seem to place the oily components on the rear seats especially if they are leather and unused, often never having been sat it, the owners after a long battle have to get the immobile vehicle transported away and as a leaving present they always seem to have the oiliest bits on the back seats, if they or someone else tries to put the vehicle back together they will find that parts are from another vehicle and theirs are missing.

 

I dont know why this happens other than spite but its a very frequent occurrence, smaller garages may well store removed parts in the vehicle if it hangs around for weeks like yours so they dont get lost and may well not properly protect them and the vehicle from them.

 

You say it was with them for several weeks for a gearbox service, do any of the above ramblings sound familiar?

Edited 15 August, 2023 by J.R.

[OctaviaVRS2]

7 hours ago, J.R. said:

What possible motive do you think they would have for selling your seat base to replace it with another one?

 

You would struggle to find another individual seat bolster for a 12 year old car let alone one with that combination of materials and colour, seat covers and trims in specific fabrics/colours are one of the few items where manufacturers dont have to produce any spare parts for a certain number of years (I think it is 4 years) as long as they can provide a cover that fits it does not have to match the others.

 

Your seat bolsters look the same colour and more importantly equally patinated, you could spend the rest of your life trying to find another that would not look very different and you would not find many to choose from.

 

Dodgy garages, the ones that promise recon engines or gearboxes but who just strip the car down and the extort money from the owners once the vehicle is stripped always seem to place the oily components on the rear seats especially if they are leather and unused, often never having been sat it, the owners after a long battle have to get the immobile vehicle transported away and as a leaving present they always seem to have the oiliest bits on the back seats, if they or someone else tries to put the vehicle back together they will find that parts are from another vehicle and theirs are missing.

 

I dont know why this happens other than spite but its a very frequent occurrence, smaller garages may well store removed parts in the vehicle if it hangs around for weeks like yours so they dont get lost and may well not properly protect them and the vehicle from them.

 

You say it was with them for several weeks for a gearbox service, do any of the above ramblings sound familiar?

 

Can't really speculate over motive, other than money. Many parts totally unconnected with a gearbox service, were missing from my car and I'm still working through getting replacements, some of which are difficult to get. Fortunately, a very good team at SKODA-PARTS.COM are helping me.

 

The problem with the back base seat is that it doesn't fit. if you look at photo 3469, you will see the back of the seat base is exposed when that is supposed to be underneath as in 3473 As for why the zips are open and broken, that's another mystery. Compare photo 3470 and 3474 you will see the seat width doesn't correspond. In photo 3472 you will see the centre seat has been badly scrunched. It was totally flat and untouched. The rear of my car had never had any passengers since new. Everything was new looking in every way. Its hard to judge from these photos when one is not familiar with the car or the wider context of all the missing parts too many to mention but from old air hoses exchanged for my good ones, to a broken air box exchanged for my good one, right down to the windscreen wiper nut caps, the windscreen washer filter or non-vag bolts where there should be specific VAG hi tensile bolts, leaving me with a broken engine mount on the motorway diagnosed as missing, broken or wrong bolts. Three bolts missing from gearbox housing, yet the gearbox service only involved doing a DSG service, not taking the gearbox off.

 

You will understand I am not looking for motive only that there have already been so many things missing or broken it doesn't see so extraordinarily unlikely as you suggest that my seat base is not original to THIS car. VAG just are not sloppy about seats being different widths as in 3470 and 3474. Does that seem to colour the situation a bit more. These other facts however, are nothing to do with the seat and cannot be judged as part of it. We are just looking at the strangeness that is those two photos that show how far the seat base comes out to meet the bolster edge. I hope my laborious reply helps

[J.R.]

Sounds like a very moody garage, are you sure they have not stolen your DSG gearbox and replaced it with another given all the other parts you believe are not your originals?

 

Regarding the seat squabs I find it really hard to see from the photos which all blend into one and dont have the image numbers which you referred to to make it clearer.

 

Editted, having looked again I think you are referring to what looks like the filler piece between the seat back and bolster, I'm surprised the zips are not at the rear but perhaps its to do with the Isofix connections?

 

Yes it looks like one is too small for the foam contained and the other too large assuming the foam has not been cut on the one that zips up.

 

I would be tempted to cut the other foam piece to be able to do up the two zips.

Edited 15 August, 2023 by J.R.

[OctaviaVRS2]

12 hours ago, toot said:

Professional or even non professional cleaning of seat covers does not mean they have to go in a washing machine, but you might still remove them to do the cleaning.

 

I don't suppose that would alter the width of the seat base though. In Img_3470 and 3474 you will see how on one side the seat does not meet the edge of the bolster. Perhaps the seat shrank ;). No, but I take your point. However, I wouldn't very much like to try to undress the seats to clean them. Would think it would be far easier for a professional with the right chemistry to do them out side of the car but as a whole.

[OctaviaVRS2]

For those giving me the generosity of their time to consider the facts in this case, I would just add that the leather material around the zips area is on my left rear seat, a soft leather, and on the right seat, appears to be a kind of man-made material. I am pretty certain they were both the same as in Img_3473. It would be great if those with Octavia VRS mk2 with the half leather and alcantara would check what they have and let me know.

[OctaviaVRS2]

4 hours ago, J.R. said:

Sounds like a very moody garage, are you sure they have not stolen your DSG gearbox and replaced it with another given all the other parts you believe are not your originals?

 

Regarding the seat squabs I find it really hard to see from the photos which all blend into one and dont have the image numbers which you referred to to make it clearer.

 

Editted, having looked again I think you are referring to what looks like the filler piece between the seat back and bolster, I'm surprised the zips are not at the rear but perhaps its to do with the Isofix connections?

 

Yes it looks like one is too small for the foam contained and the other too large assuming the foam has not been cut on the one that zips up.

 

I would be tempted to cut the other foam piece to be able to do up the two zips.

 

That has occurred to me JR. I will have to look out an old VCDS scan and find the gearbox serial number. I think moody is the right word. For now I am just putting it to the guy and asking why does the sear not lock down, why is it smaller and different shape at the front with different material where the zips are.