Removing Back Seats

I'd say that unless you need the space for some bizarre reason, to leave them alone. Put them both down if you need extended cargo length.

The batteries are behind the rear seats and I believe removing them exposes the batteries. Not a good thing for just average traveling.

I don't think you're going to see that much of an improvement in mileage by removing the seats. You can do more by working on your driving techniques.

 

The top of the floor pan under the rear seat is lumpy; it would be hard to use the surface. Take a look by grabbing the front of the rear seat about where a passenger would sit and jerking up sharply. The steel clip of the seat will pop out and you can remove the lower seat.

I really don't think you'd gain much by removing the seat and back. As is, it folds pretty flat. Without the seat and back it would slope down toward the front seats and be hard to carry anything there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Jul 31 2007, 09:38 PM) [snapback]488453[/snapback]</div>

Agree with Bill. You will not gain anything by removing the rear seat other than more road noise. And you will lose an even surface to store stuff at the same time. Don't do it.

If you really need cargo space, get a rooftop box!

 

I agree with Bill and Zen. However, if you _really_ want that extra bit of space, there is a lot of room under the rear cargo mat (where the spare tire kit resides). There is an additional amount of space if you remove the plastic bin from the drivers side rear cubby area. Add to that the the spare space around the spare tire. I've gotten a load of laundry down there...

If you were really feeling adventurous you could just remove the spare tire and replace it with a can of air-goo that should re-inflate a tire with minor puncture wounds.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oly_57mpg @ Aug 2 2007, 12:50 AM) [snapback]489079[/snapback]</div>

With all due respect to the previous poster.....I DO NOT recommend removing the spare tire for any reason except for an actual situiation that requiered the use of the tire or to check the pressure prior to a long trip. Murphy's law will prevail if you take it out. The goo does not work if the tire completely blows out. I really can not imagine what you need the space for unless your friend is a woman and she is taking all of her 47 pairs of shoes with her. LOL. Just kidding. The added road noise would drive you bonkers. Keep the spare and the special lug removal tool if you have alloy wheels.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oly_57mpg @ Aug 2 2007, 12:50 AM) [snapback]489079[/snapback]</div>

I believe that stuff is not recommended with the Tire Pressure Monitoring System valves. It gums them up.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D Rock @ Aug 2 2007, 10:42 PM) [snapback]489742[/snapback]</div>

That's why I said minor puncture wounds. A blow-out doesn't fall under that category.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D Rock @ Aug 2 2007, 10:42 PM) [snapback]489742[/snapback]</div>

Hahaha! Almost always true... Except my significant other can pack as little as me (one small back-pack for a work-week).

Unless you're packing your car like Hobbit - then you might need to take the seats out...
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/worktruck/

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D Rock @ Aug 2 2007, 10:42 PM) [snapback]489742[/snapback]</div>

Not if there's tons of crap crammed in the car. Big bags would muffle the sound out just as good as the seats.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Doc Willie @ Aug 2 2007, 10:58 PM) [snapback]489758[/snapback]</div>

Ah, right, the important part - if you use the goo forget about saving the tire. You can never get all of the poly-propo-whatever it is out if you use it. You'd have to get a new tire and stem. No biggie though.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oly_57mpg @ Aug 2 2007, 08:58 PM) [snapback]489778[/snapback]</div>

That "no biggie" new stem costs over $100 with a new TPMS attached to it to replace the one the goo clogged. You could pay less for the new tire than the "stem"...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oly_57mpg @ Aug 2 2007, 11:58 PM) [snapback]489778[/snapback]</div>

Ah, WTH....Oly seem to think that if you get a flat while traveling that you will get the type of flat that you can fix with goo every single time. LOL maybe you can take the goo and paste it to the skeleton of what seems to be a tire when you really need it most. Go ahead and take the spare out and get oly_57mpg's cell number to come and get you and your bottle of goo when you need the spare. I am sure that when they get there they will supply another bottle of goo to trash a really good TPMS stem. LOL It is all really good fun here.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D Rock @ Aug 3 2007, 03:11 AM) [snapback]489836[/snapback]</div>

Out of everyone that I have known and my own personal experience of driving in 11 States and five other countries outside the US, the only flats that occurred were from nails or screws. When I had them I would keep my eye on the pressure or I used the goo and limped to a tire store where the goo was still wet enough they could remove it or put a plug in place of the screw/nail(s).

The _one_ person that I know that had a true blow out ended up totaling his brand new Corolla S. The rear passenger tire blew out and caused the car to veer into a ditch where the car hit a driveway, flipped, rolled, and landed upside down. But don't worry, he and his passenger walked away with little more than bruises - and one less new car.

You can control the risk of a blow out by:
Checking your tires before you drive
feel the tread every few days to check for splitting and screws/nails/crap
check the tire pressure
don't hit pot holes
don't hit shite in the road that doesn't any softer than a leaf


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D Rock @ Aug 3 2007, 03:11 AM) [snapback]489836[/snapback]</div>

If you want it, its 0118-999-88199-9119-725... 3. Bonus for who knows what that's from.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D Rock @ Aug 3 2007, 03:11 AM) [snapback]489836[/snapback]</div>

Is for morons that can figure out how to use a $5 pressure gauge and they deserve to have their stems farked up.

Sorry. I think that the TPMS idea was more of a gimmick, like nitrogen filled tires, for the less intelligent.