mrandmrsh
Member Since: 25 Sep 2008
Location: Holmfirth
Posts: 487
  
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| D4 commercial rear seats - pics? Atlantech/Scotseats |
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Hello all,
Have been considering letting the wife use the D3 and get a Def 110 Utility XS for me and for weekend use and put it in the business as a company car (claim VAT back, taxed as a van for BIK purposes for the car and fuel).
Two things have happened.
Firstly, my D3 is in the dealers waiting for the rarer spotted steering rack to appear so I have been lent a D4 3.0 HSE and I love the power (though miss some gadgets mine has that the D4 doesn't have oddly).
Secondly I have been reading on here about the Scotseats and Atlantech to add seats to a D4 commercial without losing the commercial vehicle status.
The Scotseats look a bit flat and uncomfortable to be honest and I have read comments suggesting they are but have also read comments that the Atlantech seats are twice as expensive and 'well worth it'.
I have spoken to Atlantech and they are sending me prices & pics but I wanted a more 'real world' view. Anyone any experience and/or pictures of either (or both!) but most interested in the Atlantech (as a bit more comfortable might be easier to sell to the wife and son).
Yes, I know I could buy a passenger car variant but it means I don't get any of the tax benefits of it being commercial. I also understand I need to leave the windows blacked out/closed.
Many thanks
Craig 2012 Defender 110 XS Utility 2.2
2012 D4 Commercial 255 8-speed, Active diff, lots of extras on order, comes Sept - ORDER CANCELLED (isn't divorce expensive....?)
2008/08 D3 HSE G4 - part exchanged for the 110
1987 110 CSW with 200 Tdi (now gone)
2007/57 D3 TDV6 HSE - NOW GONE owned 1/oct/08 to 31/dec/09
2007 Seat Altea Freetrack4 170 tdi (wife's car, wife now gone!)
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 19th May 2011 1:56 pm |
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pom
Member Since: 10 Feb 2008
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 1790
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| Re: D4 commercial rear seats - pics? Atlantech/Scotseats |
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Unnecessary quote removed
Do what you like to it its your car. The V5 wont ever change same as you cant convert a car into a commercial and get the V5 changed.,
The tax position is between your firm and the taxman.
I'm in pretty much the same position as you, I have a defender and an looking at trading it in for a d4 commercial as they are cheaper than a new defender and dont leak etc
I will be retrofitting a full normal d4 interior into the back of it asap.
The law is a complete ass when it comes to 4x4 commercials. Put 2 pieces of glass into my defender and its no longer a commercial. Total joke so screw them.
Pom
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| 6th Jun 2011 5:46 pm |
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LandyCommercial
Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Scotland
Posts: 23
 
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I have the Scotseats conversion.
They are very basic, just a couple of inches of foam on some ply board covered in cloth.
They squeak a bit here and there but are OK if you take them for wnat they are 'occasional seats'.
if you are on long journeys the passengers can tend to get a bit car sick due to the windows being blanked out.
I will probably try and go for genuine seats in my next one.
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| 5th May 2012 10:24 am |
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highbayrack
Member Since: 09 Jul 2008
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 2776
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Send a PM to liftedDisco, he has the Atlantech seats in his D4 they look really good as they matched the pattern and leather of the OEM front seats. Only slight disadvantage is that they don't fold completely flat as the OEM's do. Rob might have some pictures of his seats  On a mission to find the perfect Pork Pie. Just Found it (I think)..(Yes I have)
Official product sponsor for "Bloodhound SSC" 1000+ mph world land speed record
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| 5th May 2012 11:18 am |
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LandyCommercial
Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Scotland
Posts: 23
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cheers for that, will do.
i am not that fussed about them folding totally flat anyhow.
I might take the blanked windows out this time and put limo privacy glass in, prevent the car sickness!
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| 5th May 2012 12:32 pm |
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geoff.
Member Since: 24 Jan 2010
Location: West kent
Posts: 8531
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give Lee aka (ENT) a shout he's done the full job i,m sure he won't mind talking to you about it
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| 5th May 2012 12:41 pm |
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LandyCommercial
Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Scotland
Posts: 23
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nice one, thanks.
just had a look at the alantechs site, they definately look better quality than the Scotseats ones I have. I am waiting for a price back for leather ones in my new truck.
its all relative though if they are double the price! the Scotseats ones do a job, just a bit more rustic.
ill see whats what when I get a quote.
ill just need a multi-height tow bar then, last one set me back £600 so any guides on that would be handy.
....out of interest, I have 4No Lightforce 160's on a bar on my current disco, the new one has xenon lights so wont need them any more, should I sell them on here or let them go with the truck? (they melt your retinas, seriously bright)
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| 5th May 2012 12:53 pm |
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AnthonyR
Member Since: 08 Dec 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 13
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I ended up buying a set of original LR seats from Duckworth parts, much cheaper and a lot nicer than either of the two alternatives, the tax situation is a bit iffy though.
There are no issues with tax, insurance etc with removing the plastic window panels.
Getting the one way Kinmar security fasteners out of the commercial kit so you can fit the seats is a right b  d though.
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| 5th May 2012 1:51 pm |
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LandyCommercial
Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Scotland
Posts: 23
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I am not that fussed about putting the proper seats in the back, it is rare anyone is in there and even then its usually just to go over fields or tracks or whatever.
The alantechs ones defo look a bit better and at least you get a certificate of conformity or something, NFU insurance never blinked when I had the Scotseats ones put in so they shoudl be fine.
Good to know about the windows, Ill defo open them up this time. thanks
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| 5th May 2012 2:01 pm |
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Ent
Member Since: 12 Oct 2007
Location: In the cack
Posts: 6485
 
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I've seen the Atlantech seats in the back of a D4 XS and I must say I was more then impressed wit the the quality. They look ver OEM and I would say the quality sits between XS and HSE leather. If I were to buy another commercial I would definitely go down this root as the fitting service Atlantech offer is spot on. Club Exped trailer
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| 6th May 2012 3:45 pm |
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Speedsix
Member Since: 10 May 2012
Location: Southern England
Posts: 15
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AnthonyR wrote:I ended up buying a set of original LR seats from Duckworth parts, much cheaper and a lot nicer than either of the two alternatives, the tax situation is a bit iffy though.
There are no issues with tax, insurance etc with removing the plastic window panels.
Getting the one way Kinmar security fasteners out of the commercial kit so you can fit the seats is a right b d though.
Hi I've just ordered a D4 Commercial for delivery in Sept. when you ordered the seats did they come with all the parts required for retro fitting and how did you remove the kinmar nuts?
Thanks in advance
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| 19th May 2012 5:52 am |
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AnthonyR
Member Since: 08 Dec 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 13
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Unnecessary quote removed
The seats I bought came with no bolts and only the centre seat belt I had to buy the outside two belts and a set of bolts.
I found the fixings to be extremely difficult, as not only are they done up very tight but they use copious amounts of thread lock on them as well. I approached a Kinmar distributor and he told me that they really are one way only, no removal tool exists
We tried all sorts of tools and methods but this was the only method that worked for me:
Grind about a 2.5mm wide slot in the top using an angle grinder, this in itself presented lots of problems in how to protect the trim and the carpets from the sparks. I first removed the whole commercial kit by cutting the frame with a hack saw and them lifted the carpet over what was left, this then allowed me to protect the surrounding areas with lots and lots of cardboard.
I made a big screwdriver that fitted the slot exactly by grinding an old socket extension to shape which I used with a big ratchet. If you cut the slot exactly the size of the screwdriver and dead even as welll the fixings then come out quite easily, we found it best to do them as quickly as possible after grinding as the heat seemed to help with the thread lock.
I did speak to a guy who works for Scott Seats, he removes lots of these and also grinds a slot in the top, but he uses a chiesel to turn them, I tried this but found it easy to bend the floor of the truck if you are not careful, my method was MUCH better. He can do his without cutting the commercial frame but he doesn't have to remove half so many fasteners to fit a bench seat as you do when refitting the original LR ones.
Hope this helps.
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| 19th May 2012 8:44 pm |
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AnthonyR
Member Since: 08 Dec 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 13
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The bolt you want are M10x25, I think you need about 12-14 for the LR seats.
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| 19th May 2012 8:50 pm |
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Speedsix
Member Since: 10 May 2012
Location: Southern England
Posts: 15
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Thanks for detailed reply
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| 20th May 2012 8:37 pm |
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dave england
Member Since: 14 Jun 2012
Location: north
Posts: 1
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AnthonyR wrote:
There are no issues with tax, insurance etc with removing the plastic window panels.
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im struggling to find information on this, do we have any proof? as i have removed mine and dont want to get in to bother...
thanks
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| 14th Jun 2012 6:35 pm |
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