What's a fair price for a good set of factory seats?

[zachmac]

I am considering putting either Procar Rally or Corbeau seats in my 79 Spider and I have a forum member close by interested in buying my factory seats. They are in very good condition, no rips or tears or discoloration and still lot of support in the cushions and no sign of the dreaded seat back side lean. The side covers are all in place and the only issue is the drivers seat back release latch has to be helped (which is probably an easy fix but I haven't gotten to yet).

So, my question is what is a fair price to ask for a decent set of factory seats, both fronts and the rear? Can't seem to find any for sale used right now so need help setting a fair market price?

[spidernut]

Color matters. $125-$250 depending on color and condition.

[zachmac]

Tan. Is that a price for the whole set? Both seats and the rear top and bottom? Seems awfully cheap considering the cost of any replacement or rebuilding ones you might have?

[spidernut]

I was referring to the front seats only. Back seats are $75-$125 if and only if the wire frames aren't rusted.

If the vinyl is the original material even in perfect condition it will have a very limited life due to its age. With the original materials, the buyer is purchasing the frames and foam more than the upholstery. With new upholstery, you could probably get about $350 for front and back in excellent condition.

For comparison, PicknPull charges $20.99 for the bottom back seat section and $20.99 for the top back seat section. The front seats go for $35.99 each. A decent set was just sold in Fairfield, CA. That would be about $114 for both front and rear seats with tracks.

[zachmac]

If the vinyl is the original material even in perfect condition it will have a very limited life due to its age. With the original materials, the buyer is purchasing the frames and foam more than the upholstery. With new upholstery, you could probably get about $350 for front and back in excellent condition.

For comparison, PicknPull charges $20.99 for the bottom back seat section and $20.99 for the top back seat section. The front seats go for $35.99 each. A decent set was just sold in Fairfield, CA. That would be about $114 for both front and rear seats with tracks.

Not trying to be argumentative and trying to stay reasonable but maybe its a West Coast versus East coast thing? Fist off, Spiders don't exist in PicknPulls in the South East. They only keep late model stuff they can reasonably expect someone to come pick. IF you do find one in some yard it has been sitting out in the elements for years with no top and any seat frames are mostly rust.

Plus how do you get from a junkyard set that needs recovering costs $228 for the pair and a set ready to bolt in is only worth $130 more? Yet the back seat is worth that by itself? I'm not following your math.

Lets say I did find good frames and (although it is unlikely) usable cushions and I can buy them for ~$115 per seat. I still need to clean the frames up and paint them, purchase a set of covers and install them. That will add at least $400 without any labor and assumed you have the skills an tools to do that all yourself. So, doing all my own labor I am out $630 (not counting misc. costs of hog rings and pliers, paint, etc.) and I don't have a back seat yet. If I have to pay an upholstery shop to do the work I'm over $800 total minimum.

My seat set needs nothing but bolting in and although I am not 100% certain, I am 95% certain they have been recovered within the last 5 to 6 years and then sat for 4 in a climate controlled garage, so lots of life left in the vinyl. Cushions are fine, headrests not all collapsed like some deflated balloon. Seems to me $500 - $550 for both fronts and the back would be reasonable? A buyer would be in cheaper then you can construct / rebuild a set yourself with none of the labor. Where is my thinking flawed, given that I am on the East coast and shipping a set from anywhere else will add prohibitive $s?

That all said, I do get that the real answer is "only what the next guy is willing to pay for them".

[aj81spider]

Here's an east coast set on ebay for $275.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fiat-124-Spider ... 9e&vxp=mtr

[mscafide]

Those are not too bad but not perfect and not original.

Still, if someone had trashed front seats that would seem to be a reasonable price for them.

But they have no bids. A fair price is determined by tou and the buyer.

[DieselSpider]

Problem is that you really won't know how they will hold up to use until you start using them regularly again. Stitching that has started to decay while sitting unused still looks nice until someone has started using them in application for a while and they suddenly they may start comming apart with the foam splitting and collapsing.

You have to find a buyer willing to roll that dice knowing they may possibly end up in a short time right back where they started.

[zachmac]

Thank you to all for the input, the buyer and I have come to agreement on what we both think is fair.