Interchangeable seats

[bajamojo]

Hi! New to this forum. Just got a 2005 Baja. It has some small splits in the drivers seat - I see others have this problem. I found out from a local shop that a quality repair is very costly. Does anyone have a list of compatible Subaru seats from other models? May be cheaper to replace the seat. I know Baja seats are rare.
Thanks to all in advance.

[Rsmith8126]

Hi! New to this forum. Just got a 2005 Baja. It has some small splits in the drivers seat - I see others have this problem. I found out from a local shop that a quality repair is very costly. Does anyone have a list of compatible Subaru seats from other models? May be cheaper to replace the seat. I know Baja seats are rare.
Thanks to all in advance.

I bit the bullet had mine fixed by an expert well worth it's

[starr-]

93-07 impreza, first and second gen forester / legacy are all bolt in. 05-09 outback can fit with seat rail modification. 08-14 impreza seats *should* work by swapping seat rails...
Also, impreza and forester seats usually sit a couple inches higher.

Try searching. Lots of info on this topic already.

[bajamojo]

Thanks for the answers! Are the Baja seats the same for all years (03 - 06)?

[Guacamole]

Thanks for the answers! Are the Baja seats the same for all years (03 - 06)?

No. They're all 100% compatible between model years, but there's different materials used between trim variations.
2003

• Classic: Vinyl & leather

• Sport: All cloth

2004

• Sport: Vinyl & Cloth

• Turbo: Vinyl & Cloth

• Turbo Leather Package: Vinyl & Leather with heated front seats & power driver's seat

2005

• (same as 2004)

2006

• (same as 2004)

[w.rohr]

My 2003 sport cane with leather seats and power driver seat so that list may not be complete. Also, if anyone wants those seats let me know.

[Guacamole]

My 2003 sport came with leather seats and power driver seat so that list may not be complete. Also, if anyone wants those seats let me know.

That's interesting. Do the mirrors & door handles on your baja match the body paint or are they flat black? If they're flat black, your sport has a non-standard upgrade with seats from a classic model. If they match the body, you have an 03 classic & not a sport (you don't have any pics so I can't tell).

[w.rohr]

Ya, they match. And the lady who owned it before me I really doubt would change something like seats and there were no receipts for having them replaced. She did have them rebolstered and re stitched about a year before selling it to me. I am fairly sure it is a sport because those were the ones with the stock overhead lights, the big round ones. Unless I am wrong. And the seats are definitely Baja since they have it imprinted on the top part of the seat.

[Guacamole]

Ya, they match. And the lady who owned it before me I really doubt would change something like seats and there were no receipts for having them replaced. She did have them rebolstered and re stitched about a year before selling it to me. I am fairly sure it is a sport because those were the ones with the stock overhead lights, the big round ones. Unless I am wrong. And the seats are definitely Baja since they have it imprinted on the top part of the seat.

You have an 03 classic, not a sport. The sport model came out after complaints that the baja was too expensive for wide appeal. So Subaru debuted the cheaper "sport" model a few months after the initial launch & re-branded the original model the "classic". The classic was dropped after 03 & changed into the turbo model.
How do you tell the difference?
A baja classic has color-matching mirrors & door handles, & 4-beam headlights standard. On the sport, the mirrors & door handles are not colored (flat black) & only 2-beam headlights.

Baja Classic:

Baja Sport:

Notice the difference in the headlights, mirrors, & door handles.
NOTE: Both are 2003s, the sport in this picture is missing the roof rails, those were standard.
The lights on the roof racks were marketed as "Sport Activity Lights" and were an optional addition to all models on all years. There is no correlation between them & the model type.

It's quite confusing because there's hardly any documentation on this, especially the 03s. I've even seen a dealer once list a 2005 turbo as
"Classic Subaru Baja Turbo Sport".

Like these:

badnamebaja.JPG (498.75 KiB) Viewed 18180 times

[Rsmith8126]

Ya, they match. And the lady who owned it before me I really doubt would change something like seats and there were no receipts for having them replaced. She did have them rebolstered and re stitched about a year before selling it to me. I am fairly sure it is a sport because those were the ones with the stock overhead lights, the big round ones. Unless I am wrong. And the seats are definitely Baja since they have it imprinted on the top part of the seat.

You have an 03 classic, not a sport. The sport model came out after complaints that the baja was too expensive for wide appeal. So Subaru debuted the cheaper "sport" model a few months after the initial launch & re-branded the original model the "classic". The classic was dropped after 03 & changed into the turbo model.
How do you tell the difference?
A baja classic has color-matching mirrors & door handles, & 4-beam headlights standard. On the sport, the mirrors & door handles are not colored (flat black) & only 2-beam headlights.

Baja Classic:

Baja Sport:

Notice the difference in the headlights, mirrors, & door handles.
NOTE: Both are 2003s, the sport in this picture is missing the roof rails, those were standard.
The lights on the roof racks were marketed as "Sport Activity Lights" and were an optional addition to all models on all years. There is no correlation between them & the model type.

It's quite confusing because there's hardly any documentation on this, especially the 03s. I've even seen a dealer once list a 2005 turbo as
"Classic Subaru Baja Turbo Sport".

What do you mean 4 beam headlight and can I change the daylight running light to a blue tent thanks Ronnie

[Guacamole]

What do you mean 4 beam headlight and can I change the daylight running light to a blue tint thanks Ronnie

Okay, so on the Baja Classic & Turbo models, they have what are marketed as "four-beam headlights" (they're just Outback headlights). Basically the low & high beams are separated between two different bulbs rather than a single bulb inside the housing. The high beam (bright) is the smaller one on the bottom & the low is the larger on the top. The sport models just use a single bulb housing.

As for coloring your DRLs... you'll probably have to either change the bulb itself or put a blue filter over the housing. I don't have much knowledge on that subject so I can't give you more than that, sorry.

[kamesama980]

What do you mean 4 beam headlight and can I change the daylight running light to a blue tent thanks Ronnie

The headlights are the DRLs.

What's with everyone wanting blue lights? Just looks silly and doesn't work any better.

[bajamojo]

And what is the purpose of roof rack mounted lights?

[Guacamole]

And what is the purpose of roof rack mounted lights?

More lights to help see what's in front of you. Usually they're for light offroading but they also help around deer-infested parts of the country.

[BajaTim]

@Guacamole I have same torn driver seat cushion cover - OE replacement cover is $440 ()...but 2003 Outback cover is $126? and matching cushion pad $85 - not a perfect match to Baja but black cloth so close enough...Question is: will Outback seat cushion pad simply fit/attach to Baja seat frame? Not having disassembled not sure how they attach (velcro, wire?)...I would probably hire upholster person to remove and fit new.


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