Review: Cobra Nogaro seats (uniquely street friendly fixed back bucket seat)

[Cubieman]

Hey Cubieman what is the 2nd pic of the wiring harness that looks like it's from a donor car?

When I bought my seat bases, I got everything, including that wiring in the 2nd pic. Is that your wiring you already have or is that just a reference pic?

I'm asking because I'm trying to see what else I might be missing that I don't have yet should I decide to do heated seats (and converting anything else I need to - seat belt receiver/pretensioners, etc.). As far as I can tell, I should have everything but I might not see the trees through the forest yet... or however that saying goes.

So that particular set of connectors/pigtails (the large ones) come up from under the carpet and then connect to the seat. The two smaller connectors connect to the back of the switch console.

The only reason I have that stuff it is a while back I put halos in my car and added a kill switch to the console (like the one you are switching out) and bought a replacement (heated) console from MpartsWW so I could always make it stock again, they also sent those pigtails. They sold it as a heated seat retrofit kit on ebay.

You should not need those pigtails for the install, however it looks like Bry5on is using them for more easily identifying what wires do what in the main seating harness, I may be wrong.

I do believe all you need is the main harness for the seat thinned down so it only does what you need, in out case, seat belts and seat heats. From there you either can build some extra wiring bits so for example an e39 seat heat plugs in or simply splice right in.

Hopefully you got more lucky with the seats you bought and they are heated so you can use that harness or even the heaters. My "seat guy" claimed they were heated so I was all excited to get the rails/harness/seat heats. As it turns out im just working away at some rusty ass seat rails so I can paint them up.

[Casa de Mesa]

Hey Cubieman what is the 2nd pic of the wiring harness that looks like it's from a donor car?

When I bought my seat bases, I got everything, including that wiring in the 2nd pic. Is that your wiring you already have or is that just a reference pic?

I'm asking because I'm trying to see what else I might be missing that I don't have yet should I decide to do heated seats (and converting anything else I need to - seat belt receiver/pretensioners, etc.). As far as I can tell, I should have everything but I might not see the trees through the forest yet... or however that saying goes.

[Cubieman]

Splicing a couple wires is (personal judgement) about 100 times simpler than stitching in elements (and I’d argue safer). With the orderable e39 elements, you don’t get hip or waist heating like with the e46 seats, but it’s about the simplest integration you can make. But the hip and waist heat hug is nice..

So I just ordered part number 3 realoem (-902/-903) crossing my fingers these are something I can use, $60 shipped for both complete harnesses.

I've also got this stuff to play with as you do. Hope I'm done save the actual seat heats and figuring out what to splice. Should make more sense once the seats are out.

[Bry5on]

I'll be interested to know how this turns out, I guess I didn't want to cut/splice but I also don't want to go nuts buying all sorts of shit I can't use/won't need.

I suppose as long as the spliced points are done correctly it's safe and its of course run through a fuse as well.

I'll probably just get the part # on my factory seats, order that (used), thin down the harness/splice and re-tape.

Splicing a couple wires is (personal judgement) about 100 times simpler than stitching in elements (and I’d argue safer). With the orderable e39 elements, you don’t get hip or waist heating like with the e46 seats, but it’s about the simplest integration you can make. But the hip and waist heat hug is nice..

[Obioban]

Do you have 1 or 2 seat heats per seat? Also, any idea of what kind of harness/heaters you got going on?

If I remember correctly you had HMS sew in E46 seat heats, they unfortunately don't do that anymore and of course the seat heats are NLA.

I'm not to worried about the sewing in of the seat heats, just want to make sure I order the right stuff as it's all so damned expensive.

I just bought some used manual heated seats and extracted the sliders, wiring harness, and heat pads.

sport seats, so 3 per seat. I think? Been a while.

[Cubieman]

I’ve been using my seat heaters every day this month. Multiple mornings in the teens 🥶

Do you have 1 or 2 seat heats per seat? Also, any idea of what kind of harness/heaters you got going on?

If I remember correctly you had HMS sew in E46 seat heats, they unfortunately don't do that anymore and of course the seat heats are NLA.

I'm not to worried about the sewing in of the seat heats, just want to make sure I order the right stuff as it's all so damned expensive.

[Cubieman]

e39 elements are electrically compatible but use different pins and plugs from the e46. You’ll need to splice or re-crimp and re-pin the connectors from an e46 donor harness. I’m deep in the aftermarket seat heating wormhole right now and have both a breakout harness and the e39 elements on the bench for diagnostics. Make sure you get positive-negative wiring correct or the buttons won’t work correctly.

I'll be interested to know how this turns out, I guess I didn't want to cut/splice but I also don't want to go nuts buying all sorts of shit I can't use/won't need.

I suppose as long as the spliced points are done correctly it's safe and its of course run through a fuse as well.

I'll probably just get the part # on my factory seats, order that (used), thin down the harness/splice and re-tape.

[Obioban]

I’ve been using my seat heaters every day this month. Multiple mornings in the teens 🥶

[Bry5on]

e39 elements are electrically compatible but use different pins and plugs from the e46. You’ll need to splice or re-crimp and re-pin the connectors from an e46 donor harness. I’m deep in the aftermarket seat heating wormhole right now and have both a breakout harness and the e39 elements on the bench for diagnostics. Make sure you get positive-negative wiring correct or the buttons won’t work correctly.

[Casa de Mesa]

I have the BK mounts and am in the process of cleaning up some rusty old non-m manual sliders. I wish I could ditch the seat heats but I like them and just have do it as shitty as it may be work/cost wise.

Belive me, I am not casting judgement! I found that control unit on eBay and figured it was a way for me to get the seats in and come back later for seat heaters. And I may just see if I can live without the seat heaters - I rarely use them.

My plan is to redo some of the interior so will likely tackle this down the road if it turns out I miss the heaters.

[Cubieman]

I ended up going with the Brey Krause mounts. Figured they are designed for these seats and they are a known quantity.

Also, here is how I'm getting around the heated seat issue:

I have the BK mounts and am in the process of cleaning up some rusty old non-m manual sliders. I wish I could ditch the seat heats but I like them and just have do it as shitty as it may be work/cost wise.

[Casa de Mesa]

I ended up going with the Brey Krause mounts. Figured they are designed for these seats and they are a known quantity.

Also, here is how I'm getting around the heated seat issue:

[Cubieman]

I've read as many threads as I can on the heated seat deal but still have a bit of confusion. Probably over complicating matters per usual.

I've got stock heated/power seats but want to leave the seats/wiring harness stock, I don't like to modify stock parts.

As I understand it, these are the rough outlines of parts I may need.

- e39 seat heats, bottom and back for each seat.
- e46 seat wiring harness that supports seat heats.


I've read of people of using an e39 seat wiring harness but as I understand one can use the e39 seat heats and they are compatible with an e46 seat wiring harness, yes?

I would like everything to plug and play and avoid the cutting of wires splicing/soldering just to make things cleaner and safer.

To make things "easy" could I simply source a E46 M3 heated/powered wiring harness like I currently have in the car and use that? I figured I would just de-pin the wiring that goes to the power seat motors.

I suppose a non-powered but heated E46 M3 seat wiring harness would be best but I see a few of the powered/heated available for a decent price.

[Obioban]

When going from power to manual seat sliders (from a sedan) can the seat belt receptacles be re-used or one must source non-m sedan/wagon receptacles?

They're the same.

[Cubieman]

When going from power to manual seat sliders (from a sedan) can the seat belt receptacles be re-used or one must source non-m sedan/wagon receptacles?