Bimarco Expert lost FIA Approval

[TarkMalbot]

Just found this out as I was considering them for my car.

http://www.fia.com/withdrawal-fia-approved-safety-seat-0

 

[MarkX]

Why expert over futura? Just being nosey, I really like my futuras, one of the most comfortable seats of it's type imo......wonder if they're next to be binned?!

 

[loggyboy]

Unless you're planning on stage rallying I dont beleive fia approval really matters.

 

[MarkX]

Unless you're planning on stage rallying I dont beleive fia approval really matters.

of course you're right, but in my mind I feel better knowing I have 'safe' seats made to a certain standard

 

[M.C..]

Just found this out as I was considering them for my car.

http://www.fia.com/withdrawal-fia-approved-safety-seat-0

Go for the Futura only about £20 per seat more, I have been pleased with mine for the money.
As for the FIA approval they must have met the requirements at one point.

 

[loggyboy]

As for the FIA approval they must have met the requirements at one point.

I suspect they let production standards slip. FIA probably did a few spot checks on off the shelf seats and found they werent as good as the ones they originally approved.

 

[-Jamie-]

You get what you pay for i guess. I personally wouldn't be trying to save a few quid by going for a cheaper brand of seat. Regardless of what certification they have. They are not going to be made with the same standard of materials and to the same high standards as the more "expensive" brands. Horses for courses and all that i guess. Ive seen what can happen to a "cheaper" seat in an accident

 

[sam JFM]

Iirc nothing to do with the seat, its something to do with the use of some specific side mounts that it was homologated with

 

[Sir_Dave]

You get what you pay for i guess. I personally wouldn't be trying to save a few quid by going for a cheaper brand of seat. Regardless of what certification they have. They are not going to be made with the same standard of materials and to the same high standards as the more "expensive" brands. Horses for courses and all that i guess. Ive seen what can happen to a "cheaper" seat in an accident

Oh, you mean like Recaro, with their faulty Pole Positions lol:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1469289&mid=0&nmt=Recaro Pole Position and SPG Homologation withdrawn

 

[TPM Motorsports]

I have these Expert seats in my impreza rally car, brand new never used. The reason they have lost Fia approval is they have been tested with a selection of different side mounts from various suppliers. In some cases the seats haven't met the fia guidelines, so Bimarco have withdrawn them from Fia approval.
However, the seats are to be 're branded as Expert 2 in the next few weeks, to be used with Bimarcos own side mounts and will again be Fia approved. If you have old expert seats, they are going back to the factory, tested, relabeled with new stickers and sent back to the customer - with guidelines to use certain mounts to get fia/msa approval.
But, Bimarco are being very slow on existing seats so I've had the MSA on their case since last week, to get this sorted