scheel mann - complaints?

[vandiesel]

Originally Posted by wander

I’m getting pretty weary of the over priced comments. Are you paid too much on your job? The person writing the check likely thinks so, but that’s the “market price” of labor with the exception of minimum wage, which is an arbitrary and artificial number. I won’t go into the economics of the Great Depression that was extended by government interference through wage and price controls.

If you are willing to pay for the Scheel-Mann Seats, then they are priced appropriately. If they are “too expensive” don’t buy them and the price will drop or they will make crappy seats, so they can afford to sell them cheaper.

So, if stuff is too expensive, take the lead by telling your employer you need a 30% salary reduction.

Let the hate begin, but I don’t really give a rat’s behind.

With you on this one!

[mgmetalworks]

I field a lot of questions about Scheel-Mann seats and I've heard a lot of gripes about the price. Here's what I tell people...

Before I met Toby (the SM distributor), both my wife and I spent a considerable amount of money every year on physical therapy for back pain and, me in particular, "restless leg". Probably due to the 12 straight years of sitting in crap office chairs in a drab cubicle hell for way too many hours every day...I digress...

Anyway, we first bought a set of seats for my wife's car. After a couple weeks with them, she noticed a marked difference in her back pain, less fatigue after commuting and better comfort/support while driving. Then I bought a pair for my Transit. Same thing...I noticed less back pain, less restless leg, less fatigue, more overall driving comfort.

In all, I think I've had 6 pairs of Scheel-Mann seats (various models and fabric styles) in multiple vehicles of ours and the price doesn't even factor into my logic any longer. I don't see the physical therapist a couple times per month any more (neither does my wife), I don't have any soreness or fatigue like I used to driving long distances and I don't fidget and readjust constantly when I'm in the seats like I do in stock seats. For me, comfort is far more important than price.

That said... there are some folks that don't like these seats. I was a bit more rotund than I am right now and admittedly, I didn't fit very well in the taller bolstered styles of SMs. I'm still not a perfect fit in the Vario style but the taller backed Vario XXL is a good fit. The larger folk may not like the fit of the seats...you'd just have to try them out. My recommendation is to try to find someone near you who has a set or find Toby at one of the shows and sit in the seats before writing them off due to price. They have proven to be very good seats for us and well worth the investment.

[scuba]

Originally Posted by scuba

Do you remember where you tapped into power for the heat? I'm going to do that today, but would love to tap into the (now unused) harness for the powered Ford seat rather than run a new power line somewhere.

To answer my own question, I tapped into what looked like the power for the powered seats (2013 XLT E350) under the driver's seat. Unfortunately for my purposes, I didn't check that it was ignition-only, and it looks like the power there is always on. I'll just have to remember to turn off the heater.

Just fyi for anyone who finds this thread searching for installing Scheel Mann heater and like me is too lazy to make a fresh power run to the dash.

[mk216v]

Originally Posted by mgmetalworks

I field a lot of questions about Scheel-Mann seats and I've heard a lot of gripes about the price. Here's what I tell people...

Before I met Toby (the SM distributor), both my wife and I spent a considerable amount of money every year on physical therapy for back pain and, me in particular, "restless leg". Probably due to the 12 straight years of sitting in crap office chairs in a drab cubicle hell for way too many hours every day...I digress...

Anyway, we first bought a set of seats for my wife's car. After a couple weeks with them, she noticed a marked difference in her back pain, less fatigue after commuting and better comfort/support while driving. Then I bought a pair for my Transit. Same thing...I noticed less back pain, less restless leg, less fatigue, more overall driving comfort.

In all, I think I've had 6 pairs of Scheel-Mann seats (various models and fabric styles) in multiple vehicles of ours and the price doesn't even factor into my logic any longer. I don't see the physical therapist a couple times per month any more (neither does my wife), I don't have any soreness or fatigue like I used to driving long distances and I don't fidget and readjust constantly when I'm in the seats like I do in stock seats. For me, comfort is far more important than price.

That said... there are some folks that don't like these seats. I was a bit more rotund than I am right now and admittedly, I didn't fit very well in the taller bolstered styles of SMs. I'm still not a perfect fit in the Vario style but the taller backed Vario XXL is a good fit. The larger folk may not like the fit of the seats...you'd just have to try them out. My recommendation is to try to find someone near you who has a set or find Toby at one of the shows and sit in the seats before writing them off due to price. They have proven to be very good seats for us and well worth the investment.

Agreed with your sentiments. I still miss my pair of s-m's, they made driving fun again. And if the '19 F350 didn't already have cooled seats, and Ford hadn't made the airbag sensors/seat mounting such a PITA, I'd have another set of s-m's in this Ford.

[pjpvi]

Quote:
Originally Posted by scuba View Post
Do you remember where you tapped into power for the heat? I'm going to do that today, but would love to tap into the (now unused) harness for the powered Ford seat rather than run a new power line somewhere.
To answer my own question, I tapped into what looked like the power for the powered seats (2013 XLT E350) under the driver's seat. Unfortunately for my purposes, I didn't check that it was ignition-only, and it looks like the power there is always on. I'll just have to remember to turn off the heater.

Just fyi for anyone who finds this thread searching for installing Scheel Mann heater and like me is too lazy to make a fresh power run to the dash.

Sorry for late reply. Been traveling and just saw this. I think that is what I am tapped into as well with a relay that triggers on a power lead that is tied to "ignition on" only. I still need to figure out why my heat isn't so hot, but out traveling around in truck / trailer combo at the moment. Glad you got it all figured out!

[scuba]

My heat isn't so hot either. I could feel it (mainly in the seat bottom) when both panels were plugged in, but my goal is to only use the seat back panel, and when I unplugged the bottom, I can't tell if the back is heating up much.

Toby mentioned not knowing if I could run only the back panel (using the SM-provided relay and switch), so as a fall back I could ultimately just connect 12v to the back panel, but for now I'll be continuing to test to see if I feel the (subtle) seatback heat.

"If you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." (paraphrasing) -Ronald Reagan

[Annie O]

Originally Posted by mgmetalworks

I field a lot of questions about Scheel-Mann seats and I've heard a lot of gripes about the price. Here's what I tell people...

Before I met Toby (the SM distributor), both my wife and I spent a considerable amount of money every year on physical therapy for back pain and, me in particular, "restless leg". Probably due to the 12 straight years of sitting in crap office chairs in a drab cubicle hell for way too many hours every day...I digress...

You make them sound so delightful! I'll scour this thread more thoroughly but do you know any smaller peeps who use the SM seats and like them? I am 5'4"... I'd like to arrive after a day or 2 of driving and not feel like I need a chiropractic visit before getting on my bike at my destination

[wander]

Originally Posted by Annie O

You make them sound so delightful! I'll scour this thread more thoroughly but do you know any smaller peeps who use the SM seats and like them? I am 5'4"... I'd like to arrive after a day or 2 of driving and not feel like I need a chiropractic visit before getting on my bike at my destination

Do a general search for Scheel-Mann on this forum. There have been other discussions.

That said, I don't think size makes a difference. I never had back problems driving, it was always my knees. I can only drive a few hours until I feel like I need a walker just to get to the gas cap. Others have said they have totally solved the back issues. You might also pose that question to Toby.

Good luck!