I celebrated the 4th of July by buying American.

[AMGoff]

Chad... Looks like you have a at least a good 4-5 months to save up your pennies before those harsh MN winters set in for a heated seat or two... These look like the most viable options, depending on what you'd want exactly. Looks like $70-80/seat for a standard two-mode (HI/LOW/OFF) heater kit... Or $160/seat for a two-mode heater plus AC/Ventilation kit... Or $170 for a two-mode heater plus massage kit (although this may have to be professionally installed depending on your comfort level) - all of which are available here:

http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/seatheatac.html

As long as you are comfortable removing your seat covers (which I'm assuming you definitely would be at least with your uncle's help), then it appears the basic heater kit is a fairly easy, straightforward procedure... The other two, especially the massage kit may be a bit more involved.

However, if you're looking for a bit more of a "plug & play" install and want more of a factory look and feel - it appears that Metro Auto Salvage in Lakeville, MN has a pair of gray power, heated leather buckets for $110/seat... You can probably work out a better deal on the price and have them throw in the wiring and factory center console controls in with them. Their site is here:

http://www.metroautosalvageinc.com/

I know you really wanted heated seats and a sunroof... But for such the great deal that you got, I would have definitely overlooked them for the time being myself - as thankfully, the seats at least are pretty cheap and easy option to add in yourself. But I'd certainly get on it and have at least the driver's seat installed before winter... If you're like me, that's one option that's become increasingly difficult to live without - especially come the fall.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Thanks everyone, I really like checking up on this thread and seeing the positive feedback. I guess when you come back to the GM team you can expect that, am I right?

Originally Posted by Jesda

We can all thank BBob for stupidly convincing us to leave nasty sludge in our old transmissions.

Just had a flush done on the Buick Century at 141,000 miles. It was slipping terribly and shuddering like mad. After a BG flush and a treatment of BG conditioning fluid, it drives perfectly.

The old ATF was black and badly burnt.

BG FTW! (that's what I sell!)

Originally Posted by LS1Mike

Chad,
Good choice, very nice ride.
I loved my 01 GTP. You have lots of fun with this. Just change the oil and keep up the tranny maintenance and you will go 260,000 just like I did.

Thanks! You got 260k out of it and yours was heavily modified? That makes me feel so confident. Now I know that the transmissions are weak in these cars once you start to modify them, so what sort of tranny maintenance did you do? Regular flushes at every 30k or something more involved?

I've been waiting for you to see this thread, I knew you'd love my choice!

Originally Posted by AMGoff

Chad... Looks like you have a at least a good 4-5 months to save up your pennies before those harsh MN winters set in for a heated seat or two... These look like the most viable options, depending on what you'd want exactly. Looks like $70-80/seat for a standard two-mode (HI/LOW/OFF) heater kit... Or $160/seat for a two-mode heater plus AC/Ventilation kit... Or $170 for a two-mode heater plus massage kit (although this may have to be professionally installed depending on your comfort level) - all of which are available here:

http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/seatheatac.html

As long as you are comfortable removing your seat covers (which I'm assuming you definitely would be at least with your uncle's help), then it appears the basic heater kit is a fairly easy, straightforward procedure... The other two, especially the massage kit may be a bit more involved.

However, if you're looking for a bit more of a "plug & play" install and want more of a factory look and feel - it appears that Metro Auto Salvage in Lakeville, MN has a pair of gray power, heated leather buckets for $110/seat... You can probably work out a better deal on the price and have them throw in the wiring and factory center console controls in with them. Their site is here:

http://www.metroautosalvageinc.com/

I know you really wanted heated seats and a sunroof... But for such the great deal that you got, I would have definitely overlooked them for the time being myself - as thankfully, the seats at least are pretty cheap and easy option to add in yourself. But I'd certainly get on it and have at least the driver's seat installed before winter... If you're like me, that's one option that's become increasingly difficult to live without - especially come the fall.

Thanks Adam! I'll have to see how bad it is in the winter without the heated leather seats, but I have given thought to having them installed.

[hueterm]

Are the heated seat kits reliable? Where does the switch go? It would be nice to have them in the Concours...

[AMGoff]

Originally Posted by hueterm

Are the heated seat kits reliable? Where does the switch go? It would be nice to have them in the Concours...

Mike, I've had a kit installed in the Wagoneer for about 8 years and I've yet to have any problem with them.

The standard two-mode kit that is available through the first link I gave Chad actually comes as two carbon fiber mesh pads, that can be had in 11x11 or 9x18 and can be cut with regular scissors for an exact fit and can be wired directly to your fuse box - generally an ACC circuit. The switches can be mounted anywhere - dash, console, seat-side, etc. as long as it's within wire's length.

The most difficult part is simply removing the seat covers themselves and being careful of any upholstery clips or fasteners. After that, you simply affix the heating elements to the bottom and back cushions, run the wiring, and then refit the seat covers.

It's a good day's work and is much easier if you can remove the seat from the car to do the work first - I found that out the hard way... but believe me, it's well worth it. Then again, I get a lot of mileage out of my seat heaters... I use them all the time, even in the summer with the AC on just because it feels good on the ol' back. So, YMMV...

Personally, I'm really contemplating one of the heat plus ventilation kits... The prices on those have really dropped as of recent years.

I think one of the sites has a PDF with start to finish DIY instructions... I'll have to see if I can find and post the link for it.

[hueterm]

I wonder if the upholstery shop here could install them.....? The Concours has perf'ed leather -- I bet that would work good w/the heated and cooled version.

[dirt_cheap_fleetwood]

I am surprised the Concours doesn't have the factory ones. I though it was standard but I guess not. Up North here about 80% of cars that had available has them and I have never seen a Concours locally that didn't have them.

[hueterm]

No, mine was from Ft. Worth, TX...unfortunately they were optional (at least in 1995). The seats are in such good shape, I hate to look for replacements...

[Playdrv4me]

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

BG FTW! (that's what I sell!)

In the earlier post where I mentioned using a machine that uses the transmission's own pump to perform the flush, I forgot to mention that I usually go to places with a BG Sun machine to do that. The 2002 Ram recently had that done.

[Jesda]

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

Thanks everyone, I really like checking up on this thread and seeing the positive feedback. I guess when you come back to the GM team you can expect that, am I right?

Yeah, right.

[dirt_cheap_fleetwood]

Wrong thread Jesda.

[AMGoff]

Originally Posted by hueterm

I wonder if the upholstery shop here could install them.....? The Concours has perf'ed leather -- I bet that would work good w/the heated and cooled version.

If the Concours has perforated leather and you have access to a local upholstery shop, then I'd definitely just go ahead and spring for the heated and ventilated seats... It's not like it's all that much more expensive for the ventilated and if you're going to have it done, you might as well go whole-hog. If for nothing other than you'll probably end up kicking yourself in the rear come the next sweltering hot day.

[LS1Mike]

Chad,

I installed an Aux tranny Cooler. 60 bucks and two hours of work if you have never done one. Change the fluid every 30,000 to 40,000 miles.
I blew it up with 180,000 launching at the track. The Aux tranny cooler was the ticket. Lots of 3800 supercharged guys put them on.
Basically you send the fluid from the tranny into the tank of the raditor (so the supply to radiator stays stock) Then you pull the return line out of the radiator and install the supplied flared fitting. You hook up the rubber hose from that to the cooler then you run a rubber hose back to a flared fitting you install on the return transmission cooler line. Mount the cooler in front of your radiator and enjoy!



Simple diagram, but it is a simple system. If I remeber the lines on the W-body go only into one tank on one side of the radiator.

Change your Supercharger oil every 40,000 miles as well. If you are staying stock, you will have 150,000 miles of trouble free driving easy.
Even if you do exhaust, CAI and 1 size smaller pulley you should still be good to go!

Your car is great Chad! I sure wish I had kept mine. When the Equinox is paid off in 7 months, I will update the Lebaron with an 00 ish Regal GS or GTP for my DD and the Trans Am will sleep except for July and August.

[Jesda]

I second the cooler idea. My Q45 enjoyed 225,000 miles before it needed a tranny rebuild.

[LS1Mike]

I have a HUGE one on my 1 ton truck for towing. I haven't seen the tranny temp guage go over 180 while towing my 5th wheel over the Cascade mountains.
Best piece of mind you can get for your transmission for under 100 bucks!