# Rear Passenger headrest difference



## JR Martinez (Feb 25, 2003)

*Allow me to guess:

Tallest ugliest rear headrest are for us U.S.A. Big heads, shorter sportier rear headrest are for the rest of the World*

Those big suckers impede visibility, I think I might pull mine to the trunk until a passenger needs one


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## moodylucy (Aug 21, 2011)

I almost always remove mine unless I have short person in the back.


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## LindsayLowhan (May 29, 2010)

Just buy some MK6 GTI rear headrests and swap em.:thumbup:


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

JR Martinez said:


> *Allow me to guess:
> 
> Tallest ugliest rear headrest are for us U.S.A. Big heads, shorter sportier rear headrest are for the rest of the World*
> 
> Those big suckers impede visibility, I think I might pull mine to the trunk until a passenger needs one


Are the smaller rear headrests shown from a Euro version of the 2012 Turbo Beetles? If so, can
we get them through our respective dealers? If so, a part number and estimated price would be
appreciated.


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## KNEWBUG (Sep 13, 2011)

*Rear headrests*

How do they come out. Tried, but did not come out?? 


Thanks,
KNEWBUG


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

I sent an email to TM Tuning in Germany after reading that they could possibly supply the headrests.
In addition, I asked them to explain the replacement procedure...and I also asked if they can
be applied to the front seats as well. Hopefully I will hear back from them soon and post.
They mention advantageous pricing if sales of their products are in quantity and I'll also try
to find out what that involves.


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## dk601h (Jul 5, 2011)

volkswagen always uses a super secure method to attach the back headrests on

You need to use a paper clip or something very flat but sturdy. I have a flathead screw driver in the car at all times

At the base of the headrest there is a very small opening, stick the flathead inside of it and it will deactivate the retaining spring which will allow you to pull the headrest the full way out.


I like the bigger ones, as i have the small ones in the 2010 GTI and they work alright, however are not to comfy for more than a few minutes.


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## JR Martinez (Feb 25, 2003)

I thought I read something about sliding a credit card perpendicular to post when almost out


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## JR Martinez (Feb 25, 2003)

ridgemanron said:


> Are the smaller rear headrests shown from a Euro version of the 2012 Turbo Beetles? If so, can
> we get them through our respective dealers? If so, a part number and estimated price would be
> appreciated.


Saw the small headrest while looking at some euro versions


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## Bef (Nov 20, 2005)

KNEWBUG said:


> How do they come out. Tried, but did not come out??
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> KNEWBUG


We took one of ours out to accomodate the kid's car seat... Took a little finesse, but it came out.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

LindsayLowhan said:


> Just buy some MK6 GTI rear headrests and swap em.:thumbup:


Found this site www.cheapvolkswagenparts.com and plotted in a 2009 VW GTI. Then under
headrests I went to 'outer cloth' and found Description - Anthracite either side 2 door - Year 07-09
at a price of $195.91 each. The descriptive sketch (Part # 22 of the diagram) looks to be the
smaller version of the rear seat headrests that are in the Euro version of the 2012 2.0 Turbo with
black cloth interior. Can this be verified ? Also, will the existing connecting hardware in the new
2012 2.0 Turbo cars work with these headrests ?


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Haven't received any responses from emails I've sent but did notice that a Beetle in
the showroon at my dealer had front headrests that measured about 1-1/2 inches
lower than the ones in the back. I measured the base distance for both the fronts
and rears.....and they were identical. I would prefer much lower ones but may have to
wait until the 'lower' rear ones shown on Germany's car ads for the beetle become 
available.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Heard back from Robert at TM Tuning and was told he can secure the smaller black fabric
rear seat euro headrests that are on Germany's Beetles. He stated a price of $219 each 
but asked that I secure a part number to insure it being a correct part. I spoke to VW
Parts in my area and was told the item cannot be ordered by him but that the Part Number of
it was - 5C5 885 901 MIHR. I have sent this information to TM Tuning this morning and 
will post when Robert gets back to me.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

ridgemanron said:


> Heard back from Robert at TM Tuning and was told he can secure the smaller black fabric
> rear seat euro headrests that are on Germany's Beetles. He stated a price of $219 each
> but asked that I secure a part number to insure it being a correct part. I spoke to VW
> Parts in my area and was told the item cannot be ordered by him but that the Part Number of
> ...


Not sure if Robert at 'TM' will be able to come up with our being able to purchase the euro
version and am looking at the possibility of using the ones on the entry level 2012 Golf 2.5L.
They look like they are able to be placed so that they hug the upper part of the seat back
and thereby allow much better vision out the back. There's a center one as well but that one,
while being smallest of all, won't extend upward more than an inch or so. Need to see if the
Titan black fabric is identical to the ones on the Turbo Beetle Sport and will have to search a 
car down at the dealership. Don't know why VW wanted these big 'balloons' on the back seat
when they used a better design on the Golf. The GTI's are styled the same but have red 
stitching whereas the Turbo Beetle Sport need plain black fabric to match the ones on the front
seat backs.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Came back from the VW dealer and inspected the rear headrests on a 2012 Golf.
They were much higher than those seen in the photo of the Golf interior in the U.S.
brochure. It is evidently an interior photo of the Golf offered in Germany, for when
I navigated through the VW brochure on their site in Germany I was able to see in
a photo that their rear headrests are lower, actually hugging the the top of the seat
backrests (as in the U.S. photo) but, like I said, not like the U.S. car in the showroom.

Have re-emailed Robert at TM Tuning and asked him about availability of the Golf ones
as well as those for the Turbo Beetle. As long as they are Black Titan Fabric/Cloth they
should match 'in color and texture' the U.S. front headrests.


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## LindsayLowhan (May 29, 2010)

Do the front headrests fit in the rears?


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

I believe the front ones are angled forward whereas the back ones sit straight up. Not
much difference in my opinion. The euro ones are so much more compact in the rear,
and the ones for the Golf are even nicer since they are curved to hug the top of the
seat back rest. Did the U.S. pass a humongous law or something?


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## LindsayLowhan (May 29, 2010)

The U.S. passes many dumb laws, just found out the 2013 CC will be a 5-seater now. Barf.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

If all else fails, I could always ask my custom interior friend to shave down the foam and
re-sew the fabric back on. Since I'm not overjoyed with the front ones either, I may tell
him to do all four. He does a lot work for 'movie' cars and did some that were blown up
down in Miami. Need to make sure he doesn't accidently leave some of his volatile ingredients
sewn into the headrests. His unit in 'Nam' was involved in expolives and on a bad day he 
might leave a lttle bottle of 'nitro' where he last was working. If you ever hear about a 'Rocket Car'
flying in the sky over Brooklyn, it could very well be Ridgeman's !


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## voiceprint1 (Aug 30, 2005)

When driving these really cut into rear viability, like 5% of the lower rear view, also because of the angle of the rear glass, and the tiny rear view mirror.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Have spoken to someone who sells old VW parts and she told me she has
contacts in Germany. She said that she would try to reach her contact and
see about ordering them at their VW Parts Dep't.. Hopefully she will get back
to me with regard to what they cost, including shipping them to U.S., and
some additional payment for her time.


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## 01250alm (Nov 9, 2011)

Well, Mexico is not Europe...

These seats are standard in Mexico, Im sure you can order them here.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

I was under the impression that Mexico, while producing the Beetles, will not have 
the car for sale within their borders until much later in the game. If that be the case
then the photo would be a car scheduled for shipment to Europe (most likely Germany)
and not one we would be privy to. If Mexico is offering the car at the same time we are
here in the U.S., then someone should be able to get hold of VW Parts at a dealership
in Mexico to confirm the fact that the smaller rear headrests are available from them.
If not, direct contact with Germany will be needed and my VW Parts Dep't. said he is
unable to order them since the specific part number he tries to call up on his VW computer
comes back as 'not available for purchse in U.S.'.


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## 01250alm (Nov 9, 2011)

I live in Mexico City. Actually I bought mine in August 2011. Here is a picture. You can get all the parts from any dealership in Mexico.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

was able to navigate onto a VW Mexico site but noted that there are no Turbo models
offered and the base Beetle only comes in two interiors. One is Leatherette and the
other being something called Tela Cloth Izzy which in no way resembles the Titan
Black Cloth in the U.S. Turbo Beetles.


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## 01250alm (Nov 9, 2011)

Turbo models are in delearships since a month ago, the vw site needs to be updated. Let me give delership a call and I will get back to you with contact info.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

thanks.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Here's where we stand now. 
* 0125 ALM (member) is working on getting a contact in Mexico for the Euro style rear headrests.
* autopartsoem.net in Texas is going to let me know this week if he can deliver with regard to
new rear headrests in plain Titan Black fabric that were originally OEM on 2010 Golf TDI. To
tell the truth, they are even better looking than the Euro Beetle ones since they curve and 
hug the rear back rest with more of a custom look than the Beetle ones when placed in the
furthest 'down' position.
* VW aftermarket parts dealer told me that her contact in Germany was able to find out that the
Euro ones can be ordered....but not until some time after the end of November. If this becomes
the only alternative for me the cost will be 125 Euros for each of the h'rests, 45 Euros to have
them shipped to me in Brooklyn, and 100 Euros for her time and effort. That translates to about
$632 with the present conversion rate to U.S. dollars. Note: The 2010 Golf TDI ones are priced
at $400 for the pair and that would include shipping to Brooklyn.


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## katie78 (Oct 25, 2011)

I've had my car one day and I'm already finding the rear headrests to be very distracting. I may take them out and put them in the trunk since it's extremely rare for me to have one passenger let alone two.


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## UTE (Nov 12, 2011)

I removed my rear headrests yesterday.

I used the credit card trick (as someone suggested) and it worked. I had to apply more pressure to the catch spring than I thought it would need. And, it's a bit awkward to be pulling up on the headrest while simultaneously pushing in the release on one side and the catch spring on the other.

Bill


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

UTE said:


> I removed my rear headrests yesterday.
> 
> I used the credit card trick (as someone suggested) and it worked. I had to apply more pressure to the catch spring than I thought it would need. And, it's a bit awkward to be pulling up on the headrest while simultaneously pushing in the release on one side and the catch spring on the other.
> 
> Bill


Where did you get the third hand? Oh, I forgot youve got dozens of hands available from all
those women you live with.


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## Pelican18TQA4 (Dec 13, 2000)

Every time I get nostalgic about owning a VW, I remember how awful the newer headrests are, so awful that they push your head forward into an awkward and sometimes painful (after long drives) position.


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## JR Martinez (Feb 25, 2003)

01250alm said:


> I live in Mexico City. Actually I bought mine in August 2011. Here is a picture. You can get all the parts from any dealership in Mexico.


01250alm: Did your Beetle come with those wheels?


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

JR Martinez said:


> 01250alm: Did your Beetle come with those wheels?


Saw them in the color brochure under accessories that are available. They are called 
17" Anthracite Helix.


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## c2tjmc (Nov 16, 2011)

ridgemanron said:


> Here's where we stand now.
> * 0125 ALM (member) is working on getting a contact in Mexico for the Euro style rear headrests.
> * autopartsoem.net in Texas is going to let me know this week if he can deliver with regard to
> new rear headrests in plain Titan Black fabric that were originally OEM on 2010 Golf TDI. To
> ...


I didn't realize I was this naive....headrests would be THAT EXPENSIVE??


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

One of the members on the Golf GTI site was able to measure his rear headrests for me and
came up with 5 7/8" from the middle of one metal pole to the middle of the other, with the
poles themselves measuring 1/2". Found the exact same meaurements for the ones on the 
2012 Beetle and, just for the record, the front ones are also the same meaurements as the
rear ones. Zeb Foster at Auburn VW (in Washington State) has a 'parts ordering' site at
www.1stvwparts.com (Phone # 1-877-737-3670) and he was able to fully confirm the fact that Part # 5K0-885-901-H-83V are the Plain Black Titan Fabric rear headrests from the 2010
VW Golf TDI that match (in color & fabric) the 2012 Turbo Beetle's. Zeb's pricing was lower than
any other VW dealer I could find - $179.34 ea., with shipping all the way to Brooklyn only amounting to $15 and no tax. In my personal opinion these rear headrests are even better looking
than the 2012 Euro Beetle ones, since they curve and hug the upper rear backrest of the seat
quite nicely when in their lowest position. Have sent Zeb the $373.63 and should have them
by the end of next week. Anyone who prefers the Euro ones for the Beetle needs to get hold of
member ALM1250, who lives in Mexico City, since he stated he could get contact information for
ordering them through Mexico. Based off the price listed in Germany, I would assume that the
cost will come in the same vicinity as the ones from the 2010 Golf that I ordered. If I had to rate
functionality and look for the three types that fit the Turbo Beetle I would have them 1. The ones
from the 2010 Golf. 2. The Euro version ones. and 84th - The big balloon U.S. ones but that's just
me.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Using the cardboard template I made to match the exact measurements for the metal rods
on the Turbo Beetle's rear headrests, I was ' today ' able to apply it to the ' just received '
replacement headrests I ordered from VW. As stated previously, they are the same Black
Titan Fabric cloth as the Beetle's, having been originally designed for the 2010 Golf TDI and
the size is exact. Hugging the rear backrest, when in the down position, they will afford me
vastly more visibility through the back glass. If you are able to get a photo of the rear seat
in the Beetle R Concept, you will see that the headrests are not the Euro version for the 2012
Beetle but the 'Golf' style I just received. The only difference in the ones on the ' Beetle R'
involves some contrast stitching, whereas mine are plain black, and they have an R logo 
stitched into them to match the logo on the upper backrest of their Custom Recaro front seats.


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## sonic_va (Jul 2, 2006)

UTE said:


> I removed my rear headrests yesterday.
> 
> I used the credit card trick (as someone suggested) and it worked. I had to apply more pressure to the catch spring than I thought it would need. And, it's a bit awkward to be pulling up on the headrest while simultaneously pushing in the release on one side and the catch spring on the other.
> 
> Bill


Actually the owner's manual shows a diagram with a card-type of item being used. :thumbup:


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## UTE (Nov 12, 2011)

sonic_va said:


> Actually the owner's manual shows a diagram with a card-type of item being used. :thumbup:


Good deal. Mine does not.

Bill


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## sonic_va (Jul 2, 2006)

Anyone ever have any luck getting a hold of those shorter black leather ones?


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

sonic_va said:


> Anyone ever have any luck getting a hold of those shorter black leather ones?


They definitely have them for the Turbo Beetle in Europe. You would need to hook up
with a VW dealer's parts dept in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, etc.. to order them. 
Mexico would have them in the leatherette, which would look 'leather-like' and I'm
sure much cheaper than real leather. In black, I don't see that much of a difference
in the look.


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