Saas Sports Seat Kombat & Mach 2

[nickor33]

Hi. Just thought i might ask if anyone has purchased one the SAAS sports seats . interested in are the Kombat or more preferably the Mach 2. I prefer the mach 2 because i think this type of seat will give more support and better durability ( no recliner ). I am buying to use in motor sport for my r33 gts-t. They look good to and are well priced . Motorsport essential's will sell one for around $450 ( mach 2 ) + cost of rails to fit. This is much cheaper than bride , recaro, sparco. like the idea of the Kombat because it reclines however it may not give as good support. Anyway how do they stack up any thoughts . BTW sparco one starts at $600 is this much better. looked at drift from autobarn look okay

[Beer Baron]

look at velo seats. very well priced. made in aus and good quality. something like a velo GP90 is a good budget entry level race seat. much higher level of safety and than any recliner type seat. the problem with recliners is that if you go into the wall backwards (happens more than you'd like to think) the backs just snap off and then you are flying around the cabin. even worse if you have a half cage or roll cage as you are now heading for the rear barwork as your seatbelts are not going to hold you in flying backwards with no seat back behind you.

seriously for an extra $100 or so the velo is a much better seat. ADR approved too. http://www.velo.com.au/home/

[nickor33]

thanks . yes i was planning on going fixed back . have been quoted $1300 for 2 x Sparco Sprint V seats , 2 x saas 5 point harness , installed to the car .

any one disagree with this being a good price .. much appreciated

quote was from

Motor sports essentials

29e Glenvale Crs

Mulgrave Vic

03 9562 1005

speak to Dean

[R31 drift pig]

Having used almost every common brand of seat available, Bride, recaro, sparco, momo and velo, I seriously couldnt reccomend Velo highly enough.

ive had a pair of Gp90's in my last 3 cars, and they're simply outstanding seats. Really good quality, really supportive, and decently priced. And Velo are ADR approved as well. Also come in a lot wider sizes, heaps of colours, the materials are really good quality, and as BB said, they're australian made. Their factory is 5 mins away from me too haha.

I currently have a pair of Bride GIASII low-max seats in my soarer, only because my wife begged me to get reclinables . But, I am using Velo 3 inch harnesses.

Give velo a call, and ask for adrian, he'll tell you anything you need to know about them.

Edited February 3, 2011 by R31 drift pig

[Beer Baron]

thanks . yes i was planning on going fixed back . have been quoted $1300 for 2 x Sparco Sprint V seats , 2 x saas 5 point harness , installed to the car .

any one disagree with this being a good price .. much appreciated

quote was from

Motor sports essentials

29e Glenvale Crs

Mulgrave Vic

03 9562 1005

speak to Dean

sorry but the sparco seats are metal frame too with padding wrapped around. they are no where near as good as a fibreglass bucket that will actually protect your back. in a big accident with a metal frame seat you have dangers of the thing distorting, or even bits of metal stabbing you etc. you will never find a metal frame seat that is FIA approved. look at the next sparco model up if you really want sparco as it's proper fibreglass bucket, or as above ring velo and ask about their entry level fibreglass seats like the GP90. they are very good. if they are out of budget look for a pair of used ones. sometimes you can pick up some from people who ran out of money on their project and have bought seats brand new and had them sitting in a closet for 3 years. can be a real bargain. hunt out ebay etc.

[Leif]

sorry but the sparco seats are metal frame too with padding wrapped around. they are no where near as good as a fibreglass bucket that will actually protect your back. in a big accident with a metal frame seat you have dangers of the thing distorting, or even bits of metal stabbing you etc. you will never find a metal frame seat that is FIA approved. look at the next sparco model up if you really want sparco as it's proper fibreglass bucket, or as above ring velo and ask about their entry level fibreglass seats like the GP90. they are very good. if they are out of budget look for a pair of used ones. sometimes you can pick up some from people who ran out of money on their project and have bought seats brand new and had them sitting in a closet for 3 years. can be a real bargain. hunt out ebay etc.

+1 for what Baron is saying re: the Sparco Sprint V/metal frame seats in general. I had a fairly major bingle in my S13 at Eastern Creek last year, and when I saw the seat afterward, I thought to myself "never again". The frame was twisted like a coke can. Luckily I walked away ok, but I've learnt my lesson - I'll certainly be getting a full fibreglass seat next time.

[Marlin]

Listen to the baron, the cat knows his stuff. AND he has an Evo he wants to deal me......

Please remember to mount whatever seat you get correctly. Don't discount the forced involved in an accident. A friend of mine recently broke his neck in a Hyundai at the circuit because he took a shortcut mounting the seat. Basically, the fibreglass "race" seat came away from the rail base, leaving him flopping around violently in the rear of the car with the cage bashing him up. He went backwards into the wall, just as Baron describes.

[hrd-hr30]

I'd swear my old steel framed Sparco Sprint had FIA approval on the side of it...

[Marlin]

........ back in the days of the Amazon Desert it may well have Harry.

[Marlin]

.... you could also race without seatbelts back then mate

[PHaT MR30]

Yeh I'm another one for the Velo's our new rally car has Velo Apex seats and they are a very comfy seat!

I would rather use standard seats than those horrid sparco sprint's, uncomfortable, too wide, seating position all wrong.. yuck!

Oh and they don't have a hole for a 5/6 point harness, you have to cut one yourself and to mee that screams dodgy.. very important!

[hrd-hr30]

strange - I found them the most comfortable competition seat around. Mainly thanks to the sprung base. No shell seat can compete with that kind of comfort.

I'd put my money on a steel framed Sparco offering far greater protection in a crash than any factory seats found in Skylines or similar.

They met the 1999 FIA standard, so its not like they're rubbish. The newer FIA standard isn't enforced for circuit racing in Australia, possibly due to there being just 13 seats on the approved list (maybe that's out of date!). But the Sprint can still be used in sprints and even circuit racing in Aus.

I bent mine in a crash* in a rally. At least that makes you replace it rather than think its fine to keep using as would probably be the case if you had a similar crash in a fibreglass shell seat...

* actually, I'd call it an "off". we hit a kerb sideways with enough force to send us airborne and spinning in mid air. but we managed to finish the event. Albeit with with minor chassis and suspension damage, a very noisey rear wheel bearing, and a cracked rim.

Edited February 9, 2011 by hrd-hr30

[LSX-438]

I'd swear my old steel framed Sparco Sprint had FIA approval on the side of it...

The do and they are.

I think ADR compliant too from memory.

[Beer Baron]

strange - I found them the most comfortable competition seat around. Mainly thanks to the sprung base. No shell seat can compete with that kind of comfort.

I'd put my money on a steel framed Sparco offering far greater protection in a crash than any factory seats found in Skylines or similar.

They met the 1999 FIA standard, so its not like they're rubbish. The newer FIA standard isn't enforced for circuit racing in Australia, possibly due to there being just 13 seats on the approved list (maybe that's out of date!). But the Sprint can still be used in sprints and even circuit racing in Aus.

I bent mine in a crash* in a rally. At least that makes you replace it rather than think its fine to keep using as would probably be the case if you had a similar crash in a fibreglass shell seat...

* actually, I'd call it an "off". we hit a kerb sideways with enough force to send us airborne and spinning in mid air. but we managed to finish the event. Albeit with with minor chassis and suspension damage, a very noisey rear wheel bearing, and a cracked rim.

agree that the sprint would be far better than almost any factory seat and certainly much better than any factory 90s skyline seat. purely because at least it doesn't have a hinge and I've seen plenty of skyline (and other similar seats) snap in half so that the back parts company with the base and like in marlins example you end up flying through the cabin getting your limbs re-arranged. especially so in rear impacts.

I'm surprised it does meet FIA standards (though they don't say which). In fact there are plenty of fixed back composite seats that don't meet current FIA standards but are still great competition seats. They are still perfectly acceptable for most forms of motorsport in aus. I still think having seen the wireframe seats in a crash I would always go for the fibreglass/carbon bucket as they offer so much more back protection especially in rear impact and side impact situations. I did notice the new sprint model does have a hole for the crutch belt which is an improvement.

well I guess then just try out some seats and see what you like comfort wise. I would still go even an entry level fibreglass/carbon bucket if you can, but it seems at least the sprint has improved a bit from the one I last used. I still worry about the wire frame though.

[hrd-hr30]

Sparco Sprint V carries the tag FIA CS.180.06 Homologated under the FIA standard 8855-1999. Its a tubular steel frame, not really rair to call it wire.

The new FIA standard is 8862-2009, but as of 16/12/2010 there are 13 seats in the world that comply to the new standard, almost half of which are made in NZ by Racetech - good on them!

FIA STANDARD 8862-2009:ADVANCED RACING SEAT

...considerably in excess of FIA 8855-1999. The new standard will ensure improved strength and support during rear impacts together with more extensive support to the pelvis, shoulder and head during side impacts

From the looks of it, no seat without the wings around the head has any chance of passing.

you'll find both the approved seat lists here: http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/wtech?OpenForm〈=a

[Beer Baron]

yeah the racetech seats are fantastic. very comfortable. probably world leaders at this point. pretty pricey though. I still like the velo's on value for money vs quality. having said that in my own silvia is a jap bucket (don't even know the brand), in the GTR is a recaro profi SPA (very good but stupid money for a fairly basic seat), and in the other GTR is an ex V8 supercar carbon Cobra Evolution which is also very comfy. but I have owned a couple of velo GP90s before and for an entry level seat they are damn good.

[phunky_monkey]

...in the GTR is a recaro profi SPA (very good but stupid money for a fairly basic seat)

True, but the most comfortable seat I've ever sat in!

Racetech are great though, would be my second choice if not for an SPA/SPG.

[No Crust Racing]

I'm gonna go +1 for Velo, I bought last years model Velo Podium FRP seat from a mob over in Perth that were running it out - it was the first Podium, they are heaps nicer now, the seat cost me $500 new, I got some Velo side mounts and the seat delivered to Vic for a total of $750.

I come across it on eBay. Search around and you will find a bargain. A new GP90 is about 600-700 I think so I was very happy with my buy.

Edit: Forgot to add I looked at the Sparco, Cobra and some SAAS seats on the dollar vs quality/comfort was better for me with the Velo.

Pic attached

Edited February 23, 2011 by ActionDan

[Beer Baron]

good buy on the podium. they are a great seat. for that money you got a upper level seat for not much more than the most basic entry level ones. like you said on cost vs comfort/features/safety the velos comes out ahead of most as they are very well priced for what they offer. I mean if money is no object then look at carbon racetechs, and carbon recaro's but they are stupid money. for good value velo is great and they are an aussie company too. lol, I was in an aus navy submarine not so long ago and the captains chair was a velo GP90 with a lambs wool cover! will try and dig up the pic.

[No Crust Racing]

I was in an aus navy submarine not so long ago and the captains chair was a velo GP90 with a lambs wool cover! will try and dig up the pic.

Classic!