My 16 year old son got his license this year through AAA and they teach the hands to be at 9 and 3 now.

Please send him to Street Survival. www.streetsurvival.org

UPDATE: $%*$%#ing @#$*& of &@!# government!!! AAAAGH!!! :mad0260::paddle:

So after calling around to a few places in Vegas, including one very good body shop I've used in the past... NOBODY will touch modifying the headrest on a new car. Because it's labeled as a "safety system" (and yes, I will continue to use sarcastic quotes around that phrase), they won't modify them for fear of violating the law, or exposure to lawsuits.

So, let's recap. Car purpose built for driving fun, as the successor to the venerable AE86, that I've waited five years for... undone by one STUPID piece of foam and fabric. <beating... head... on... desk...>

Well, if I gotta violate the law to be able to drive my car comfortably, might as well go big or go home. Who's got the proper airbag-system-tricking resistor identified for those aftermarket seats? I think I need me some Brides.

Interesting. Wonder what the rationale is for the change after all these years? Wonder if it has to do with traditional manuals going away and flappy-paddles replacing them?

Bio-mechanics. Hands at 9 & 3 lets you rotate the steering wheel slightly more without having to move your hands from the wheel.

Airbags. 10+2 brings the forearms closer to the path of the airbag. 9+3 keep the hands and arm from any possible interference with the airbag's deployment.

The same is true of this whole thread, until those Brides or Recaros come with side airbags that work with BRZ/FR-S. Otherwise a regular t-bone on the street will have you hoping for paralysis.

P.S. I have zero issues with current headrest, unless I'm wearing a helmet.

True for racing, and driving safety. Bumps in the road also affect your driving direction less with hands on opposite sides of the wheel. One of my pet peeves is people that drive without their hands on on opposite sides of the wheel for on-ramps, curves, etc. (of course, while cruising straight I usually just have one hand on the bottom of the wheel... ;))

Bingo. This is the 'official' reason, though the above quote is more important for active safety purposes. One hand at the top of the wheel is the most dangerous for airbag purposes.

As for the headrest... I miss the day of easily adjustable ratcheting-type headrests on cars.

-Charlie

Not gonna happen.

Did you just not drive before side airbags? Subarus are insanely safe, even without the side airbags.

I've had many friends remove bumper beams (front AND rear), factory seats with airbags, front airbags, etc. and never have a problem with insurance for their cars (after totaling cars, etc.)... but of course, that's not an endorsement of that activity. (full disclosure: I removed the side airbags from my WRX when I went to JDM seats)

-Charlie

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for chiming in with that!

So, what... your helpful solution is that we should all just be you, dsgerbc? Stated right there in the opening post: if you're comfortable with the new style seats, I'm happy, but this thread isn't for you.

As for Brides or Recaros not being as safe as stock seats, you're absolutely correct about that. If you'd read the entire post, you'd see that's why I've been trying my hardest to find a solution to fixing the stock seats, rather than going aftermarket. But something has to change, because that theoretical safety is doing me no good when I can't drive the car for more than 10 minutes without getting distracted by neck pain (and driver distraction is far and away the number one biggest cause of accidents).

Personally, I feel the risk of side-impact is lower where I live than rear-ending, so if I have to give up some safety design safety to be able to drive this car, I'd rather it be side airbags than a proper head restraint for my seating position. Next time, read before responding.

Or, they made a calculated risk. Just because you don't agree with their level of acceptable risk doesn't make them or you stupid.

OP, with my impreza, which has headrests that conform to today's standards, I found raising the headrest all the way helped a little.

This vid said lil less than 20kg... 19.4kg to be technical
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGWXSqiLHXU"]ホット�ージョン Vol.116 (Hot-Version Vol.116) - YouTube[/ame]

Thanks for posting that, ichitaka! I've got to be one of the only people... ever... to consider putting Recaros or Brides in a car not for the bling factor or perceived performance gains, but to actually improve comfort, LOL... :D

Do wonder how much longer, though, before the Japanese government starts regulating aftermarket seats for cars, the way they do wheels? I won't lie: I would pay buckets of money to get a Recaro SR 7 with side-impact airbags installed. (But only if they don't have the same damn head-rest problems.)

SR-7s are hands down the most comfortable aftermarket seat I've ever sat in (I have tried every single aftermarket JDM Recaro and all the USDM ones), and I've driven the SR-7s quite a bit and they're just spectacular. However, modifying the seat to accept an airbag just isn't feasible (not enough space or support in the frame of the bolster to properly accommodate it).

My best suggestion is to find a Toyota or Subaru seat that has stays the same diameter and at a better angle for you and have an auto upholstery shop swap them into your headrests. (Alternatively, you can keep looking around for a shop that is willing to bend the OEM ones for you, or you could even put them into a vice and pound them "flatter" yourself).

I have to add my 2c. The headrest issue kept me from buying a Legacy back in 2006. Same problem. NHTSA mandated them, and they are designed for a 5'9" male. Some marques have found a way to minimize the excessive rake by adding more bolstering to the upper back / scapula area. The new Impreza actually seems to have adjustable rake. But yeah, this is a deal breaker for me.