Talked to the insurance company today. I didn't really get a definitive answer, but the overall answer I got was that modification doesn't really have any bearing on medical injury claims. They are handled on a case by case basis.

My question was, if I remove the airbag seat and get injured in an accident, would the insurance company try to blame the modification on the injury and deny coverage. I don't think that would be the case. She made it sound like you're covered regardless of airbag or not; modification or not, but wasn't really able to give me a black and white answer because every claim is situational and it's not possible to give a blanket answer.

My plan now is to go ahead and proceed with installing my Sparco EVO. There is no other good long term sollution to my seat problem other than replacing the whole seat. It's really a fixed back race car seat, not a road car seat, but I got it for free so I may as well put it to use. It will probably be a few weeks though, right now I've got to concentrate on getting my Kart ready to go racing. The track opens next week and I've still got a lot to prepare.

 

Well, you can take this however you want, but I admit its a far off opinion from a guy that's never once thought of being an insurance claim agent...

But, if you suffered an injury that would've been avoided by the airbag you removed... then insurance shouldn't pay for it.

Now, there are some accidents where the airbag wouldn't have helped... in which case, the claim should be paid for.

All-in-all... I personally would just stick to using a padded seat cover, hell add some of my own pad if it were really bad. But I've never really been uncomfortable in any car, besides a Corvette (I'm just too tall, barely can get in). But I did buy seat covers for my Fit, primarily to keep the seats as clean as possible for as long as possible.

I bought neoprene seat covers (same stuff wetsuits are made of). It has a little bit of extra foam cushioning.

If you get any seat covers that "stink" in the first few weeks... just leave em out in the garage, back porch, laundry room or where ever until it doesn't make you want to puke when getting within ten feet of it.

 

Yea that's why I didn't feel comfortable doing anything until talking to my insurance company. The only thing stopping me now is carefully reading the insurance contract agreements, which they suggested doing, but didn't say that it would necessarily provide me with any further clarification.

Yea but that's completely hypothetical, and "would have" or "might have" will not hold up in a court of law. If something like "the fiberglass from the aftermarket seat broke into shards and punctured your lung" occured, then I could see that being a valid arguement.

Is there a certian ammount of risk and liabilty one would take when changing a seat in a car, sure. Is that a risk worth taking for you; maybe not. For me it is, because without that seat, I hate driving the car. I drove cars for the first 28 years of my life that had ZERO airbags. Does that mean I was subject to any less medical coverage, no.

Ultimately, the padding and material of the seat is not the problem, it's the position and lack of adjustability. Simply adding a cover to a horribly uncomfortable seating position and seat dimensions will in no way solve the problem.

I appreciate your input though, and when involving safety, I take it all with humility.

 

I too hated the seats in my 2012 Sport. I found that over about 6 weeks I got used to it. Allowing some time to get used to it may help. I sure miss my 2009 SI seats though

 

It still bothers me after a couple months. It's really the lack of leg support that is the problem. Only about 1/2 of my upper leg actually touches the seat, it just feels like I'm sitting on 1/2 of a bottom cushion. Take an office chair chop the first 6 inches off the bottom and sit on it, that's what it feels like to me.

Until I have time to install my Sparco, or Si seats, I've been folding up a towel and putting it at the front edge of the seat. It makes it tolerable for now. Still annoys me every time I drive it. If it didn't result in me losing a couple grand, I would have traded it in.

I'll probably end up going Si seats at some point, keeping the safety, oem look, and comfort.

 

I noticed the seats were uncomfortable right away. I was bummed but was already committed to buying Wet Okole seat covers not for comfort but to protect the interior.

As an unintended consequence, they made a huge difference in comfort. Did it make it like a totally different seat? No. But it improved it probably 80%. Still a little uncomfortable on rides of 3 hours or more. Need to get out and walk around a bit.

My review HERE

 

if you guys dislike the OEM sport seat and ever change it one day
can you sell me your passenger side front seat please?

 

I don't think I'm going to end up changing my seats. Bought this car because I wanted something i DID NOT need to modify. Probably end up driving it for a couple years, or as long as I can stand and getting something else.

 

Doesn't always work like that. There are things I absolutely love about my Fit, but the seats [i]"ain't" one of them! I agree with the OP... the seats in the Honda Fit absolutely suck eggs, and worse.

Also, I don't buy the "it's just an economy car" excuse... Honda could have and should have put better, or at the very least more adjustable seats in the Fit.

I drove the Fit I don't know how many times before purchasing. It was only after a week or so of ownership and constant driving that I noticed just how bad the seats are.

As a comparison, every other car in it's class I've driven has seats that blow the crap out of the Fit seats for comfort, or adjustability, or both. I tested a Chevy Sonic LTZ which is cheaper than the Honda Fit (if you shop around) and I couldn't believe the immediate noticeable difference in comfort... and they even give a height adjustment. It's a manual height adjustment, but it works wonderfully nevertheless. As a side note, the Sonic also adds more power, a larger [and yes faster] engine except for the 1.4 liter, but that is the turbo engine, which, blows the doors off of the Fit in the power/torque category.

Ok, sorry... this isn't a specific car comparison thread. But the seats in comparison to the Fit seats are noticeably incredible in the comfort and adjustment category. Sorry man, Honda ripped it's buyers off in the seat department... period!

Something else, I've never had a ride bother my lower back the way the Fit seats do. If I drive for longer periods of time I feel stress on my extreme lower back the next day.

Enough ragging and b!tch!ng.

I'm just saying... for some, and for me specifically, I test drove the crap out of Fits before I committed, and didn't have a problem with the seats until I drove enough every day to be able to notice just how bad they are. It's a shame too, I think they actually look kinda' nice the way the lower cushion has that molded effect.

Bottom line of this rant? Sometimes it takes actual ownership, unfortunately, to be able to tell just how bad something is about a particular product.

Again, Honda ripped off it's customers with the Fit seats. They could have at least made the drivers seat better.

Otherwise, I've been fairly happy with my Fit. It's a cool little ride in many ways.

 

Lol... looks like a frackin' toilet seat for your car!

 

I wish I had read this sooner. I've had my new 2012 for about a month. Although I really like the Fit a lot I am already considering how to get out of it without losing my shirt. The seating position has left me with an ache in my right leg. Today I was actually limping at work. This car REALLY needs a seat height adjustment. There are eight inches of empty space above my head doing nothing. What good is all that room if it can't be used for more comfort. Like others, I did not suspect this problem during test drives. The car is so distractingly good on a test drive there is no way to anticipate this comfort problem. Anyway although it may kill me to have to give up on such a great car, I just don't known if I can live with this.

 

The 2012 seats are different than the 09. The 2012 is mega comfy. Rode in one for 18 hours straight with no issue.

 

Yup, it sucks. I've paid enough on mine now I really wouldn't be losing much to sell it. I plan on selling it (or trading it) in the next 6 months and getting a 9th gen Si. Kind of a cross between my M3 and the Fit.

In the mean time I've been sitting on a memory foam contour pillow. It's much better but still annoying and not 100% comfortable.

 

Is the ache from the seating position, or from the relatively light spring on the gas pedal that forces you to somewhat hold your foot up? There are threads here on increasing the gas pedal spring force, which may well ease your discomfort considerably. (Using the cruise control if it's feasible for your drive can also help a lot if this is the case; so can developing the knack for driving with your left foot and switching feet every now and again.)

I don't find my Fit's seats to be all that bad—I don't feel overly fatigued or bent out of shape after long drives—but there certainly are cars with more comfy seats.

 

From my experience dealing with insurance companies, I can try translating this for you and others for reference. This sentence " ... every claim is situational and it's not possible to give a blanket answer ... " means when you file a claim, the insureance company will determine at that time the cost of the claim and the likelyhood they can get out of paying. The bigger amount of the claim, the harder they will look for ways out. The claims will go the path of least cost and the least resistance. This is not right or wrong, keep in mind that insureance companies exist to make money.

If you decide to change the seats and wants it to be covered by insureance in case of accidents, you can ask the insureance comapny to sell you a policy with the replaced seat specified in the policy. I cannot tell you how much they will charge, or if they will even sell you such policy.

Sorry to hear so many of you have issues with the seat. I lucked out because the seats work fine for me and my wife. They are not great, but works.

 

Thanks DrewE and Potenza. Good thoughts. Trying anything I can. I appreciate the input.

 

Thought my seats we ok for first couple of months of short drives, but changed my mind after a long trip with 8 hr stints at the wheel. My a$$ felt like I was sitting on a board for too long. My thinking is that they are designed by short people for short people that weigh about .5 of a normal American. Seat covers only helped with the lint and sliding in and out. I will try the washers but I think an inch of foam under the seat covers will help, but 4 inches behind knee will only be solved by a longer seat cushion.

 

I actually ended up modifying the lumbar support to make the seat back more flat. It let me sit further back and made life a lot better. Not sure it would help in your case as I am about average height with shortish legs.

Have you done anything with that free EVO? I do a lot of long distance drives.... :P

 

No idea on how I can change lumbar support, how did you flatten the back? If it helps sit further back on the seat it might help.

 

hahahaha!!