I have used both for the past 8 or 9 years. Both are very comfortable,
easy to install, & CAN have speakers, but may not.
Fiero seats give a little better latteral support, you notice it when
autoXing. The Miata seats seem a little more comfortable on a long
drive, but I have made several 12 hour plus runs in the Fiero seats, &
was ready for more. Fiero seats are fast disappearing, at least the ones
in good condition. Remember, the last Fiero was 1988 (?). When I had a
set redone 6 years ago, best price I could find was $450.00. I paid less
than that for a set of Miata seats from a '98 with less than 10,000
miles on them.
Fiero seats, when reversed for easy(er) installation have the head rests
tilting inward, looks kind of funny. Swap the tracks from seat to seat,
& keep the driver's seat on the proper side. If you go this route, you
will have to remove the plastic spring cover, & the coil spring that
tensions the seat forward. No big deal, you just have to pull the seat
back by hand when adjusting the rake.
With both seats, you can use the captive nuts in the floor pan for the
front mount. The Miata requires fender washers, the Fiero needs the
track holes egged to the outside. Both seats require new rear mounting
holes in the floor pan.
All mounting points should be reinforced by welding, or by spreading the
load with large fender washers. It wouldn't be fun in a crash to be held
in place by the seat belt while the seat tears loose & tries to meet the
dash, socially.
Miata seats must have the head rest section of the upholstry surrounded
by a zipper if you want speakers. The later models do not have the
zipper, & are not designed for speakers.
There are a couple of specialists that provide upholstry kits for the
Fiero seats in leather or vinyl at reasonable prices. Upgrades are also
available for the Miata seats from aftermarket sources.
Either seat is much more comfortable than any of the MGB seats, give
better support. They are originally cloth, so they don't burn the bum in
top down/shorts weather, & you don't slide around in them when they are
cold.
Jim Stuart
2 V8's, ever the purest, " no mods for me..."
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