Sorry, I didn't take any pictures of the seat install but it was very straight-forward. The only complicated part was wiring the seat harness to work with the horizontal power functions. If you're installing the manual slider, then it's probably way easier.
Space-wise, the seats are a bit smaller than the OEM M seats but still fill out the cabin pretty well. I'm 5"7' and have about 8-10 inches of space between the back of the seat and the back panel. For my own personal ergonomics, the seating position is an inch or two lower, which takes a little getting used to and I need additional lumbar support to feel comfortable. There is an adjustable lumbar cushion for the Nogaro, which I plan to order.
I ordered the seats and the Brey Krause Hardware from HMS Motorsports. I live nearby the Danvers, MA location and was able to talk to Cody and get the full run-down on everything needed for the seats.
BK R9224 - BMW E46/E85/E86 Seat Mounts (Qty 1) - $300
If you are planning to add wiring for seat controls, there is a very comprehensive set of instructions along with a parts list. Pricing for the E30 door switch (used for the seat control buttons) was all over the place. $80 each on FCP Euro but only $15 each on Pelican Parts (you need 2 switches).
http://qnuwm.rpstd.servertrust.com/v...ions/R9286.pdf
There is also a video of someone installing the electric controls for a Nogaro in an M2, which I found to be very helpful:
If you plan to use a 6-point harness, this is the extra mounting point hardware required for a full setup for both seats. Note that the Lap belt snap mount kit (BK R9225) includes mounts for 2 seats. If you only plan to use a harness for the Drivers seat, then you do not need the Passenger side submount (BK R229).
BK R9228 - Driver side submount - E36/E46 (Qty 1)- $60
BK R9229 - Passenger side submount - E36/E46 (Qty 1) - $60
BK R9225 - Lap belt snap mounts - E36/E46 (Qty 1) - $84
Seat Installation tips
- If you are doing the wiring, make sure to test the controls in the car BEFORE mounting the seat to the bracket
- Keep all of the main bolts connecting the seat to the mount bracket relatively loose BEFORE putting the seat in the car. Tighten them after you've bolted the seat bracket into the car. If you tighten everything beforehand, then there's a high probability that at least one of the holes in the seat mount will not lineup with the holes in the floor of the car. Ask me how I know!
- For the wiring part, a wire stripper/crimping tool, small set of needle nose pliers and electrical tape are extremely helpful
Airbag light.
The main issue is that the signal from the seat occupancy sensor is missing once you switch out the OEM seats. The airbags will still fire in the event of an accident but they will fire at full-force regardless if anyone is actually sitting in the seat. There are a few ways to tackle this issue. You can have Cobra install seat sensors into the seat or you can try installing them yourself. The sensors are ~$160 each. This is the most expensive, yet complete solution. The second-most expensive option is to order a seat occupancy sensor gadget from Ebay (~$80 each) which basically tricks the car into turning the airbag lights off. The cheapest solution is the resistor method, which again tricks the computer into thinking the seat is always occupied. This method requires some irreversible soldering to your car's electronic panels.
I haven't tried any of these yet and plan in the near-term to drive with the sensor light on. Supposedly in Massachusetts, if you car is 10+ years old you can pass state inspection with an airbag light on the dash. I haven't tested this yet but will find out this month when I go for an inspection renewal.