Headrest Compatibility Question

7740 Views 15 Replies 6 Participants Last post by QuinBougie, May 1, 2018

Q8bug

Discussion Starter · Jun 15, 2015

I hate the headrests in my bug. We're talking, loathe them with the burning passion of a thousand suns. Even when all the way down, they are simply too tall.

Because of this, I want to remove them and replace them with short headrests. I really like the feel of the rear center headrest on a Touareg, for example. It supports my head just where I need the support.

So... does anyone know of a rear center headrest that would fit (plug and play style) the front seats of my Beetle? I don't really care about the back seat since I've completely deleted it. teeheehee

The scrap yard here in Kuwait is an hour's drive into the desert, and given that we're in the high 50's C already, I don't fancy going on a wild goose chase.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Silver Starbug

· #2 · Jun 17, 2015

I used to have a 2000. The day I bought it, my salesperson told me that I should chuck the front headrests and replace them with the rear ones, cause they're shorter and if no one rides in the back, all they do is obstruct your view.
I now have 2015. I hated those high solid headrests with a passion; maybe as much as you hate yours?! So I got a set of 2000 donut style headrests and I'm happy! So happy!!!

My headrests don't fit "plug n play" style like you say. They fit, so nicely, but don't lock in. I love them anyway.

I have asked the fitment questions here about this before, with no real answers; I guess no one really cares about headrests as much as I do (and now you), so I just blindly gambled and ordered my set off of eBay.
I am not a bold person, otherwise, if I would have seen a bug with the headrest that I wanted, I might have asked the owner if I can try one out in my car. Maybe you are brave enough to do that? Can you go to a car dealership and see if they'll let you try? BTW, the center seats are usually narrower, so the headrest might not fit at all.

Good luck!

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squeebug

· #3 · Jun 17, 2015

For the Beetle you can either get the Mexican rear head rests which are smaller or I believe the Passat or GTI (something like that) ones which are smaller. For the NB, if you can find a Jetta/Golf/whatever close to the same year they should fit. I can't remember if those ones are smaller or not.

Q8bug

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 26, 2015

Thanks for the advice.

I went to the dealership here in Kuwait and they wouldn't let me try out headrests from other models. Mean old barracudas...

Since my bug currently has the donut headrests, and since the rear ones were no joy in terms of comfort, I will wait until the furnace days of summer are over and take a trip to the desert scrap yard to hunt for something more comfortable. I'll just think of it as a Mad Max picnic.

sb_beetle

· #5 · Jun 26, 2015

I replaced the solid headrests in my 2004 NBC with the donut style and love them. They do not lock, but I bought some aluminum sleeves that tighten with an allen set screw. This allows me to adjust the height.

Silver Starbug

· #6 · Jun 30, 2015

sb_beetle said:
I replaced the solid headrests in my 2004 NBC with the donut style and love them. They do not lock, but I bought some aluminum sleeves that tighten with an allen set screw. This allows me to adjust the height.

Ooo, another donut fan! They look so much cooler, sportier and "different" than the solid ones that everyone has, don't you think?!

sb_beetle

· #7 · Jun 30, 2015

Silver Starbug said:
Ooo, another donut fan! They look so much cooler, sportier and "different" than the solid ones that everyone has, don't you think?!

Absolutely! ?

Kaylabug99

· #8 · Jul 26, 2015

4

Q8bug said:
I hate the headrests in my bug. We're talking, loathe them with the burning passion of a thousand suns. Even when all the way down, they are simply too tall.

Because of this, I want to remove them and replace them with short headrests. I really like the feel of the rear center headrest on a Touareg, for example. It supports my head just where I need the support.

So... does anyone know of a rear center headrest that would fit (plug and play style) the front seats of my Beetle? I don't really care about the back seat since I've completely deleted it. teeheehee

The scrap yard here in Kuwait is an hour's drive into the desert, and given that we're in the high 50's C already, I don't fancy going on a wild goose chase.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I just cut my front ones today to make them short like the back ones! We used a jigsaw, and blades obviously and cut them to the same height as the back. Now they're all short and they all match

Tool Handheld power drill Rotary tool Machine

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Mode of transport Family car

Xoxo -Kaylabug99

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sb_beetle

· #9 · Jul 26, 2015

I like that mod.

sb_beetle

· #10 · Jul 26, 2015

??

Q8bug

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 12, 2015

Lots of great info, but as I said in my original post, I LOATHE the donut headrests. I find them so hard and uncomfortable.

I've had no luck at the scrapyard yet, but now that the weather is cooling, I plan on trying again.

Silver Starbug

· #12 · Oct 12, 2015

Nice job Kayla! The front headrests pivot and it looks like you've got them on the back seats instead of the front. Did you mean to do that?

My 2010 vert has white seats and I wanted the donuts in the front, but of course they never made them in white, so I am having a beige pair reupholstered. I got a set of rear seat ones, cause they are a bit shorter and they don't pivot. I decided to leave the solid headrests in the back seats cause they are really low profile (kinda like the ones that Q8bug is drooling over).

Silver Starbug

· #13 · Oct 12, 2015

Q8bug; you're still agonizing over your headrests, I see! I totally understand! I like my car to have that special look which is uniquely me and the headrests are just as important!
Have a look on eBay Europe; there has got to be someone selling what you're looking for at a decent price. I suggest you look for a set of backseat convertible headrests; they are very low profile. Keep us posted and if you find them; post pics!

Kaylabug99

· #14 · Oct 13, 2015

Silver Starbug said:
Nice job Kayla! The front headrests pivot and it looks like you've got them on the back seats instead of the front. Did you mean to do that?

My 2010 vert has white seats and I wanted the donuts in the front, but of course they never made them in white, so I am having a beige pair reupholstered. I got a set of rear seat ones, cause they are a bit shorter and they don't pivot. I decided to leave the solid headrests in the back seats cause they are really low profile (kinda like the ones that Q8bug is drooling over).

Yes I put the front ones in the back because since I cut them they don't lock in place. But since the back ones do I moved them up front. For safety reasons I guess.

Xoxo -Kaylabug99

Q8bug

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 18, 2015

Silver Starbug: THANK YOU! I didn't even realize the convertible back seat headrests are lower profile. Will definitely check them out.

QuinBougie

· #16 · May 1, 2018

Thanks for this thread! Im slowly,yet swiftly,yet even slowerly,putting my 99 project together,and this helped with the seemingly, 10' tall headrest.

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