Jusy
a thought, are your RS4 Saloon rears fixed of folding ?
rear folding seats -project starts again (ish)
- Thread starter swisstony
- Start date
That is what I kinda figured but the fronts need to have it... the rears not fussed would be nice maybe something I can modify if I get to the point where it's bugging me it hasn't got it.
So there’s a possible answer , maybe worth just lift the bench and see how it differs from your A4, then you can workout the best plan to go forward.
As detailed on the other thread but finally got around to fitting the fronts. Never taken seats out of an audi before but how hard can it be 
As it turns out there is a knack... seat all the way forward to access the rear two bolts, then slide all the way back for the two fronts. At the same time, remove the little plastic trim to reveal the seatbelt loop that needs pushing down to hook it off the fixture. Unplug the ..plugs , then twist the handle to fold it forwards as that makes it easier to rotate the entire seat and out it came, be careful not scratch any plastics on the way out. Then a good chance to hoover
Before
Mid way
And finally all sorted. As many have pointed out the leather is really supple and so much nicer. Now for next job the fun and games of the rears.
As it turns out there is a knack... seat all the way forward to access the rear two bolts, then slide all the way back for the two fronts. At the same time, remove the little plastic trim to reveal the seatbelt loop that needs pushing down to hook it off the fixture. Unplug the ..plugs , then twist the handle to fold it forwards as that makes it easier to rotate the entire seat and out it came, be careful not scratch any plastics on the way out. Then a good chance to hoover
Before
Mid way
And finally all sorted. As many have pointed out the leather is really supple and so much nicer. Now for next job the fun and games of the rears.
Looks fantastic chap, I didn't realise how much better Valcona is over the standard leather until I fitted it, had I known I'd never have bothered with the standard leather seats in the first place
cheers well chuffed with them and gave them a good test drive today as was in the car for around 4 hours .. nice and supple and my bum appreciated it I thinkLooks fantastic chap, I didn't realise how much better Valcona is over the standard leather until I fitted it, had I known I'd never have bothered with the standard leather seats in the first place
Valcona is very nice, there is only one problem with them, and that is that they can mark easily due to the soft suple nature of the leather.
Valcona is the top spec leather finish.
Valcona is the top spec leather finish.
so this is valcona leather then ? Well you learn something every day..Valcona is very nice, there is only one problem with them, and that is that they can mark easily due to the soft suple nature of the leather.
Valcona is the top spec leather finish.
It certainly looks like it, it has a very soft and pliable feel, something the other finishes lack.
Look familiar.
these were my factory fit s-line valcona trim seats that went to another ASN member when upgrading to the recaro's
these were my factory fit s-line valcona trim seats that went to another ASN member when upgrading to the recaro's
Are you sure chap,
in my interior trim options sheet from audi, valcona is the top trim level and also the most costly option when ordering new at the time.
in my interior trim options sheet from audi, valcona is the top trim level and also the most costly option when ordering new at the time.
regardless of the name it's Nappa leather... soft and comfortable, i actually just read that some people actually have added PPF on them to protect the leather... don't know if that is a smart move, leather does need to breathe and treated once a year or so...
reading up on this, seems conflicting reports but regardless whether it is nappa or valcona, it looks and feels so much better and overall the interior looks less dated if that makes sense. ( as long as you avert your gaze from the rears
)As to PPF, that would be plain stupid as ppf is a film, not flexible to the extent that leather bends and certainly would not follow the grain. You would end up with an interior that looks like some far east house with plastic over your sofa
yes california, the vineyards !!!.. sorry I think I have a drink problem
Valcona is a much softer and smoother trim than nappa , it looks similar but is not the same, and that’s from a reliable source
It is very durable when looked after but will show marks easily and can show water mark’s aswell if not treated correctly.
well the hook tool arrived yesterday so went back out to the car, removed the headrests, pushed the tool in and tried loads of way to release, push this tab out and nothing. Utter failure. Tried the hook tool, tried the screwdriver, nothing works and this ****** backrest is going nowhere.
So yes I can swap the bench, but cant even get the backrest out to do a colour change. Thats it, I officially give up, stupid thing.
So yes I can swap the bench, but cant even get the backrest out to do a colour change. Thats it, I officially give up, stupid thing.
Napa leather is a type of leather not just a name... look it up... or click this link
en.m.wikipedia.org
Napa leather - Wikipedia
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Dude try it again... when you are less frustrated it'll work you just need to find the neck for it
I seem to recal I had this seat trim discussion a few years ago with other guys on the B7 forum and i put up the info on trims etc so everyone was upto speed on what's what,I 'll look back and post it again.Napa leather is a type of leather not just a name... look it up... or click this link
Napa leather - Wikipedia
Lol I think you don't get my point.... if the leather is softer regardless of what name Audi gave it... it is napa leather... also the main reason why I put that Wikipedia link up.I seem to recal I had this seat trim discussion a few years ago with other guys on the B7 forum and i put up the info on trims etc so everyone was upto speed on what's what,I 'll look back and post it again.
No I did, i was just clarifying which was which, anyway enough of this seat material milarchy...lets move onto servotronic steering. 
It's Nappa not Valcona. Valcona is the standard leather.
Proper awesome. Love my Black Interior
Don't think that's right chap. If you have a search, most forums suggest Valcona was the expensive upgrade over standard Milano leather. There are 3 main categories:
- Full grain leather (best quality, expensive, Nappa is this one, Audi brands it Valcona)
- Top grain leather (most common, good middle of the road leather, Audi brands it Milano)
- Genuine leather (despite it's name doesn't refer to it's authenticity, generally considered the cheap leather found on budget wallets and the like)
Audi Car Leather - Leather Repair Company - Leather Encyclopaedia
Audi Car Leather as with most carss there are genuine leather car seats options as well as fake leather options like vinly in your Audi.
prorestorers.co.uk
Milano, coarse grain like the SE seats:
Valcona, smooth grain:
Hope that helps
I think we are becoming leather seat anoraks....lol, but hey it needs to be done, and its a service we are providing to the wider Audi community.. 
Fun fact (if you're a leather nerd like me), Audi only use bull hides for their interiors as they are of a higher quality than cow hides, and tend to wear better too!
Allways handy to know .
I'll keep that one ready for the next Audi pup quiz night.
I'll keep that one ready for the next Audi pup quiz night.
Dont forget, Volterra aswell, that was a b7 offering in the exclusive package.
Ok , back on subject matter of folding rear seats.
Not 100% but i think there is an element of welding and fabrication required to do this mod in your saloon if it has fixed seat backs at present, just something in my greycells that pinged up.
Not 100% but i think there is an element of welding and fabrication required to do this mod in your saloon if it has fixed seat backs at present, just something in my greycells that pinged up.
If I'm honest chap, I was half expecting that to be the case.
Would be such a shame to only fit part of your lovely Valcona interior, just for the sake of the headrest tubes. Why not go down the route I did? Admittedly you will have to ruin your current Special Edition seat back (they're only worth about £60 anyway), but it will be worth it and will save you £300+ for new headrest tubes.
What I did was take a Stanley knife, and cut an inspection window through the leather on each side, and in the middle, per my red outline below. Once you've cut a window out of the leather, you'll have to rip the foam out behind it, but it's easily done, it's just foam after all. That will give you complete access to the tubes, pinch the base with a large set of pliers, and tap them upwards, and they will come free totally undamaged. I removed all 6 of mine this way with no issues and reused them for my new interior.
Sure, you destroy the old seat back, but you have your Valcona replacement ready to go, and one you see it fitted you'll soon forget about that. Doing it this way will take you about 30 minutes, with no fuss or frustration, and just some foam bits to hoover up once you're done!
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If you were hoping to sell your current interior as a set, you could always pay the £58 here for another rear Special Edition saloon seat to re-complete your set, and you'd still have saved £270+ compared to if you broke the tubes out and had to replace them! Oddly enough the Special Edition leather interior is the most common leather interior of them all. Not very special lol hence they don't sell for much.
Please trust me, butchering the seat back is the best way to go, both from a financial point of view, and preserving your sanity!
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Please trust me, butchering the seat back is the best way to go, both from a financial point of view, and preserving your sanity!
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I just dug out my invoice for when I broke my original tubes and had to order new ones when doing my very first B7 interior replacement. I'd have cut them out like I did on my second time round if I knew I was gonna have to pay this, especially given my original interior was the cloth one!
£322.26
And that was 18 months ago! Lord knows what they cost now, if they're even available...
£322.26
And that was 18 months ago! Lord knows what they cost now, if they're even available...
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@swisstony dude just try the tool again, take your time, there must be a neck to using it... once you got the hang of it the others will be easier to remove the first one will take the most time... or do as stated above and cut the backrest...but had you gone for an Avant you'd be done by now lol simple bolt off bolt on and call it a day.
Thanks everyone, small update. Even though I have several attempts at this hook tool and no joy, given the cost difference between the backrest and the tubes, I will be this weekend going down the cutting the insopection hatch route . So thanks Rob that sounds like a plan and and I will report back.
In other news when I did the front seats swap I full expected to have to clear the airbag light as I guessed tinkering with the seats would cause the code to come up. So when all fitted I got out my handy OBD eleven and cleared the code. Did it work, nope, no matter how many times I tried it. So then got out my vagcom this morning before work and tried that. Yes cleared it, and immediately came back !! Thinking something must be wrong for it to be as stubborn as that.
So got on my hands and knees and took all the plugs out , spray of contact cleaner, reset it again with VCDS and all is well with the world. Must have just been a dodgy conenction.
Talking about plugs, the seats I received have extra plugs , assuming this is heated seats but as my car does not have that I guess unless I go down the route of swapping out the climate control unit plus buying one of those looms I shall just have to have a cold bottom on cold days
In other news when I did the front seats swap I full expected to have to clear the airbag light as I guessed tinkering with the seats would cause the code to come up. So when all fitted I got out my handy OBD eleven and cleared the code. Did it work, nope, no matter how many times I tried it. So then got out my vagcom this morning before work and tried that. Yes cleared it, and immediately came back !! Thinking something must be wrong for it to be as stubborn as that.
So got on my hands and knees and took all the plugs out , spray of contact cleaner, reset it again with VCDS and all is well with the world. Must have just been a dodgy conenction.
Talking about plugs, the seats I received have extra plugs , assuming this is heated seats but as my car does not have that I guess unless I go down the route of swapping out the climate control unit plus buying one of those looms I shall just have to have a cold bottom on cold days
