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

[Casa de Mesa]

Yeah, it's a bit of an overused analogy, but it really does feel like sitting on top of rather than in the car once you get used to buckets...

[Obioban]

^^agree. And a general comment to anyone considering this. Once you've mounted fixed back seat in the car, you need to prepare your mindset for a pretty different experience. You'll be much lower and more upright. I love that, but it's a deal breaker for some.

You can love them sitting in the showroom, but once in the car, your muscle memory will be expecting the stock experience. Just know it will be a good bit different.

lol. It does weird me out when I sit in a stock (sunroof) M3, and my head is touching the headliner with the seat all the way down. Hard to believe how long I lived with that experience.

[Casa de Mesa]

^^agree. And a general comment to anyone considering this. Once you've mounted fixed back seat in the car, you need to prepare your mindset for a pretty different experience. You'll be much lower and more upright. I love that, but it's a deal breaker for some.

You can love them sitting in the showroom, but once in the car, your muscle memory will be expecting the stock experience. Just know it will be a good bit different.

[Obioban]

Fixed back seats have near zero adjustment. I think you just need to sit in them and see if they match you.

[Casa de Mesa]

Definitely don’t buy without sitting in them. I absolutely hate the nogaros fitment. Love the Porsche oem seats. Form fitted seats are pretty personal.

I also would not buy from a questionable source.

FWIW: I've come to really like the tighter fitting Nogaros, but drove a GT3 with the LWBs (carbon seats) for a stint recently. Loved them, but they felt less supportive / snug. For highway cruising, I'd probably prefer the LWBs. For B-roads or the track, the Nogaro's are my choice. Personal preference...

[amiao]

I was scrolling through Instagram and saw the Recaro RSS. Weight was light, price is pretty good as well. Has anyone had any experience with these Recaro RSS? It looks to be comfier than the PP’s.

[rockstar b]

I think that if you’re rolling the dice on aftermarket seats, you’re willing to take the safety risk that comes with something not made by an OEM

[dHam_Slow.46M]

Totally fair, you aren't wrong.

At what price point is a seat not a "cheap seat"? Murray Motorsports sells a fiberglass Sparco seat as cheap as $400usd.

I'm not trying to argue. I have clients ask me about seats all the time and my default answer is always buy from a reputable vendor/manufacturer. But I would like to know why other than "just because."

Along those lines is a "cheap" seat that is brand new better than a 20yr old "name brand"?

I think you kinda hit the nail on the head somewhere in there with the "buy from a reputable vendor/manufacturer". At least with a known maker/brand, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that there's a consistency of quality seats and/or CS to help w/ (hopefully minor) faults. Even with a lower price-tag as long as its made with some sort of QC in mind.

IIRC, donut made a couple videos in their High Low series addressing seats

I just want something that is a nice balance of elegance and functionality but also doesn't break the bank(too much). Hopefully I can meet up with Gearhead one day so I can decide of the Nogaros are the right fit🙃

[George Hill]

The point is that you don't know.

Totally fair, you aren't wrong.

At what price point is a seat not a "cheap seat"? Murray Motorsports sells a fiberglass Sparco seat as cheap as $400usd.

I'm not trying to argue. I have clients ask me about seats all the time and my default answer is always buy from a reputable vendor/manufacturer. But I would like to know why other than "just because."

Along those lines is a "cheap" seat that is brand new better than a 20yr old "name brand"?

[heinzboehmer]

Its the same seat, one just has a sticker and the other doesn't. Does that mean the second option is better because it was $2,000?

I think in this case, the answer is yes. Could frame it as a "Schrodinger's seat" thought experiment. You don't know that the seat meets safety standards until you test it.

I’ve sat in pole positions before and I didn’t find them great for driving for extended periods.

Unfortunately, I think it's highly likely you'll like the Nogaros less than the Pole Positions. The Recaros are wider in the shoulder area and are less concave in the lower back area, both of which should make them more comfortable. BUT, as mentioned, seat fitment is highly personal. Your best bet is definitely to go sit in a pair of Nogaros and see how they fit.

[Obioban]

Does that means its worse though? I buy a bunch of aftermarket parts nowadays and price does not always equal quality.

I'm not saying your wrong, I'm just looking for data.

• Option one is a seat for $1,000
• Option two is the same seat but now it has a sticker (FIA, DOT, Whatever) for $2,000

Its the same seat, one just has a sticker and the other doesn't. Does that mean the second option is better because it was $2,000?

I was just talking with HMS about Schroth Quick Fit Pros and aftermarket seats. They are only certified to be used with a Recaro (I can't recall the model) and Cobra Nogaro's. The concern in regards to the shoulder harness is that in an impact the shoulder harnesses could cut downwards through the seat back. Now does that mean it will do that if you use them in any other Cobra, Racetech, OMP, Sparco, etc? IDK it just means we don't have the data. But saying those seats are inferior to Nogaro's or that specific Recaro is also a stretch IMO.

The point is that you don't know.

As in, certainly it's possible they're fine. But, without doing destructive testing (and that's assuming they produce the seats consistently), you won't know if they're fine or not until you crash-- at which point they could make you dead.

[George Hill]

A cheaper seat is cheaper because it didn't have to undergo rigorous testing to be certified.

Does that means its worse though? I buy a bunch of aftermarket parts nowadays and price does not always equal quality.

I'm not saying your wrong, I'm just looking for data.

• Option one is a seat for $1,000
• Option two is the same seat but now it has a sticker (FIA, DOT, Whatever) for $2,000

Its the same seat, one just has a sticker and the other doesn't. Does that mean the second option is better because it was $2,000?

I was just talking with HMS about Schroth Quick Fit Pros and aftermarket seats. They are only certified to be used with a Recaro (I can't recall the model) and Cobra Nogaro's. The concern in regards to the shoulder harness is that in an impact the shoulder harnesses could cut downwards through the seat back. Now does that mean it will do that if you use them in any other Cobra, Racetech, OMP, Sparco, etc? IDK it just means we don't have the data. But saying those seats are inferior to Nogaro's or that specific Recaro is also a stretch IMO.

[jvit27]

IIRC you have some experience with seats more so than the average user. Can you explain or elaborate on why a "knock-off" seat is bad or what its failure mode would be? I mean we expect that a cheap seat is going to have a lesser quality cover and foam, but what in its construction is worse or what is the failure mode? I would think one of the biggest concerns would be how the threaded inserts are connected/embedded into the seat shell itself. But aside from that what are the construction issues with a knock off?

***I am a big fan of Racetech and Cobra for seat fitment and comfort (and that is what I have in my car), but I always see these cheap seats and other than being a "knock-off" I don't really know what is specifically bad about them.

Think of what a quality/OE seat has to endure in an accident to keep occupant in place. Heavy steel brackets, etc. Then imagine what could happen when a cheap fiberglass seat shears itself off its mounting points.

A cheaper seat is cheaper because it didn't have to undergo rigorous testing to be certified. You're literally just sitting in a body kit bumper from who knows where

[rockstar b]

I had problems with the Nogaros as well. I'm 5'6, 160 lbs, back is kind of broad. I ended up switching to some Sparco GTs and am pretty happy.

[Toby22]

They hunch me forward pretty aggressively and pinch my shoulders together. It’s immediately quite uncomfortable, you’d know within 30 seconds of sitting, definitely know after driving. I’m 6’3” 200lbs 44” chest if that helps.

George Hill tearing out the fasteners was the failure mode I had in mind.

I noticed this right away as well but got used to it after a long drive. I think it’s worse for those with a more broader/muscular build.