Adding heated seats to not-new car

[Anonymous]

For Christmas, I want to ask for heated seats to be added to my car. It's a 2011 Toyota Sienna with cloth seats (no bells or whistles). It has 100,000 miles and I hope to drive it 5-10 more years. My question is whether I should get heated seats professionally installed or whether I should just get much-cheaper heated pads that go on top of the seats? I guess cost, comfort, longevity, and effectiveness are factors. Usually I am cheap, but I could splurge if this is worth it. Opinions?

[Anonymous]

Aftermarket seats and an install price are going to be at least $2,000, maybe more.

You MIGHT be able to find factory seats from a junkyard and have them installed for less.

Heated seat covers are your most cost effective option, but even then, you'll need a wiring harness upgrade. Heated seats draw an assload of electrical power. Your mechanic will probably also recommend upgrading to a deep cycle battery too.

[Anonymous]

Just my opinion, but unless you live somewhere really, really cold for a long part of the winter, I can't imagine spending money on this. Around DC, I rarely run my heated seats for more than the first 5 minutes of my drive. By then the car is warm enough.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's worth actually getting them installed. If you really want a heated seat, just get something like this: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/arctic-x-heated-car-seat-cushion-in-black/1062221887?keyword=heated-seat-cushion

[Anonymous]

Had a car catch fire from a heated seat overheating. Newish Subaru with cloth seats. Also had them in my now traded Volvo and they had loads of electrical issues(not to mention the entire car did).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just my opinion, but unless you live somewhere really, really cold for a long part of the winter, I can't imagine spending money on this. Around DC, I rarely run my heated seats for more than the first 5 minutes of my drive. By then the car is warm enough.

I love my heated seats and use them at least 10 months out of the year.

[Anonymous]

Might want to look online or at junkyards for "part-out" Sienna heated seats. But you still need some pros to hook up the electrical connection/switch...

[Anonymous]

Just get the pads!!

[Anonymous]

Carmax offers heated seat replacements if you buy a car and when I inquired, they said they could offer the service to non-customers. I think you literally get an entire new seat; frame and all. I use my seat heaters in the summer with the AC on if I have a backache, so I understand your motivation. If it makes you happy I would get the heated seats. If you plan to trade it in later, the new seats may help you get a better price but certainly won’t make a dent in the cost. I’ll never buy a car without heated seats now that I have them.

[Anonymous]

Worst financial decision you could ever make. Plain and simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carmax offers heated seat replacements if you buy a car and when I inquired, they said they could offer the service to non-customers. I think you literally get an entire new seat; frame and all. I use my seat heaters in the summer with the AC on if I have a backache, so I understand your motivation. If it makes you happy I would get the heated seats. If you plan to trade it in later, the new seats may help you get a better price but certainly won’t make a dent in the cost. I’ll never buy a car without heated seats now that I have them.

I talked to Enterprise when I was looking at cars a few weeks ago and the was an issue that came up and they said they have a company remove the covers, install the heat and then put the covers back on - about $500 for both seats. I love my husband's heated seats but I wouldn't install them on an older car. I got one of the heated pads but accidentally left it plugged in and it drained my battery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Worst financial decision you could ever make. Plain and simple.

Really? The WORST financial decision one could ever make? Ok.
However, I despise heated seats. They make me feel like I am peeing my pants.

[Anonymous]

I love my heated seats, but can't imagine getting them installed if they weren't already there.

I just realized that my Acura doesn't have a heated steering wheel and I am bummed about it. Purchased the car in the Spring and didn't think to check on that.

[Anonymous]

I LIKE my heated seats, but don't LOVE them.

Prior to buying a car with them in 2011, I lusted strongly after them. I had driven a few relatives' cars with them, and was like "this is the best thing ever".

After having them for 7 years (both of our SUVs now have them), I'm much more "meh". Yeah, it's kind of nice on really cold days, and I would definitely still want them on any future car I bought, but I wouldn't pay to have them retrofitted into a vehicle that didn't have them.

On the flip side, I would never, under any circumstances, buy a car without HID headlights, a high quality backup camera, and parking sensors. Those are all life-changing.

[Anonymous]

We love our heated seats as well but would NEVER pay over $1,500 for them to be added to a 10 year old car