does the xr have heated side mirrors?

vcallaway · Post by **vcallaway** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:38 pm

Adding the wiring for the seats is not too bad.

The problem is that you have to remove the whole dash to do it. The harness is pretty much plug and play. The connections for it are on all the dash wiring I've seen. It does however run all the way across the dash to make all the necessary connections.

I have a couple of complete harnesses and switches put away for future restorations. I may add heat to an 89 I just picked up that did not have it.

The heat pads themselves are not too expensive. Here is a link for some that work really well:

http://www.heatedseatkits.com/products.php

MerkXRTurbo · Post by **MerkXRTurbo** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:38 am

Do you have to have a seat reupholstered to install those?

Post by **BRYXR4TI** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:53 pm

MerkXRTurbo wrote:Do you have to have a seat reupholstered to install those?

I dont think so there was a link somwhere that showed sombody fixing the common failure spot on the stock heated seat wire it requires a special set of pliars to remove the clips on the bottom of the seat.
Im assming if you wanted to just install after market seat heaters then you could follow the same process to gain acces to the area where they would be placed

my passanger side seat works but not my drivers and i wanted to fix it but also wanted to get the seat recovered so i might as well just wait and fix it then

vcallaway · Post by **vcallaway** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:55 pm

You need what's called "Hog ring plyers". And of course new hog rings. The best place I've found to get them is a VW shop. Most carry restoration parts and tools.

This is the link for the one I bought:
http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewpr ... 05&cartid=

I wont know for sure until I pull my seats, but you should be able to remove the hog rings and slip the pads in.

It will be a while before I start on the 89. I still have a big winter project list for my 87. When I do I will take pictures.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:48 am

John Brennan wrote:Does that tall person know about the seat height-adjustment crank? I'll bet not. With the head room being what it is, he'd have to be NBA material to run out of it in the XR!

Says you! I've removed the entire crank assembly from my seat bracket and I still have to recline the seat slightly in order to maintain comfortable headroom.

Post by **John Brennan** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:39 pm

You're very tall, and IIRC, long in the body as well, yes? I'm tall-average, at 6'1", and have relatively long legs, yet in so many other cars, I feel like my head is rubbing the roof all the time, which is usually exacerbated by a gunslit windshield. You're always craning your neck to see traffic lights. I love the Merkur's airy cabin and high windshield, which is usually only equalled or exceeded by full-size pickups.

MarioP3_XR4Ti · Post by **MarioP3_XR4Ti** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:38 pm

vcallaway wrote:You need what's called "Hog ring plyers". And of course new hog rings. The best place I've found to get them is a VW shop. Most carry restoration parts and tools.

This is the link for the one I bought:
http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewpr ... 05&cartid=

I wont know for sure until I pull my seats, but you should be able to remove the hog rings and slip the pads in.

It will be a while before I start on the 89. I still have a big winter project list for my 87. When I do I will take pictures.

Taking the heater out or putting it back into the seats is best left to someone who has experience of taking any seat apart and putting it back together. I took one set out of some seats (that were pretty bad to start with) and there are a lot of places the pads are connected and support rings go into the seat cushions and back rest. Some seats (not XR's) are pretty flat and easy to add heaters into. XR's are somewhat form fitting and are complicated.

Really I am not suggesting it can't be done at home, just that it isn't super easy.