Project Bucket Seat (Chapter 1)

It is common knowledge that Satria Neo is the antonym of the word 'comfort'. Being 185cm in height, the word of 'comfort' would seem like a farcry. The reason for this is due to the design of the car and the stock seats that comes with the car which results in a very, very limited headroom. So if you're as tall as me, you'll find myself sitting inches from the roof of the car.

For those who are above average in height, it is almost a necessity to 'do something' to release more headroom.  Also, the height adjuster which comes with some versions of the SNeo, would serve no purpose if you're looking to release more headroom. So the only real solution to the headroom issue is aftermarket.

There are few options to release more headroom, some resort to removing chunk of cushion from their stock seat to allow them to sit lower, while some take the bold move and completely remove and replace the stock seats. I for one, chose the latter option.

I considered a few bucket seats ranging from Bride to Recaro and from original to imitation. Since the sole purpose of this project is to release more headroom, I was of the view that there's no point in going for original which can be very costly. Say, one Sparco Evo costs RM2400 +/- a piece excluding rails and brackets. So I decided to go for a replica ones (a decision which I soon regret)

Having considered a few bucket seats, I opted for the Sparco Fighter due to its price and design. It looks reasonably nice and is able to fit large size people like myself.

This is how the original Sparco Fighter looks like

And this is my Sparco Fighter replica. Doesn't look as good but what about its quality?

I bought the seat for around RM500. The seat comes with rails, thereafter I went to customize a bracket for my SNeo. I paid another RM200 for the bracket and installation (feels a bit pricey) but the workmanship, i feel, is really good.

The result? AWESOME. I was able to release a substantial amount of headroom though coming in and out of the car has become a challenge. If you're parking close to a car at your driver's side, be rest assured that you'll never be able to climb out.

Well for the headroom? I think it's a worthwhile price to pay. I found out that the headroom increase is attributed to my customized bracket because it's designed in such a way that it's almost stick to the ground :P coupled with the bucket seat which has minimal cushion pad.