Trident Passenger Seat

Hello
I'm thinking of trading in my W reg Harmony for possibly a Trident, for a few different reasons. I looked at a 2007 Trident last week - I'm having a hard time getting my head round losing my lovely wooden interior and swapping for plastic! but I know if I want something newer that's the price I have to pay...  I liked the Trident a lot but one thing baffled me - I could find no way of swivelling the passenger seat right round 180 deg without having to open the passenger door. And neither could the dealer. Surely this can't be the case? It seemed to make no difference how far forward or back the seat was, and how tipped forward the seat back was, it was the seat back adjustment knob that was catching hard against the plastic of the door. I think it could be forced round but would risk cracking the plastic. I know it seems a trivial thing but it's not ideal to have to open the door in perhaps foul weather to do this. I certainly don't have to in the Harmony for either seat.
Can anyone tell me if this is normal?
Thanks
Helen

Hi Helen
Welcome to the forum

Can't speak authoritively  regarding the Trident but we had a couple of VW Californias. From memory we used to open the door slightly just to prevent the seat base scratching the door pillar trim. It would just go with the seat fully forward. Can't remember if you can swivel the seat anti-clockwise so that it's the seat squab rather than the seat back giving a bit more clearance.

I'm sure somebody soon, who currently has a VW, will be able to better answer your question.

Regards
Hubert

Helen

To rotate the front seat you do have to open the door very slightly. From inside, slide the seat all the way forward first, then operate the swivel, open the door catch and at the same time rotate the seat, pushing at the door slightly to allow the seat to turn without scratching the door panel. It sounds complicated, but with practice is really very easy.

Alternative, assuming it's a fine day, just pop outside open the door fully and swivel the seat.

Regards
John

...yes, the only way is to open the door slightly...in all my other T4's and T5's you could swivel the seat both ways, now on my T5 Trooper it only goes one way - it might have something to do with the seat runners set up - this is the only one I've had where the for and aft bar turns with the seat - i.e when the seat is swivelled round, the bar stays at the front...can be a little bit annoying sometimes but after three years I've got used to it.

The only advantage with this set up is that the swivel mechanism doesn't raise the seat up too much, which my shorter wife appreciates.

Many thanks for your replies - seems like it's just one of these things then, a quirk that you have to get used to. This van I looked at, the seat only swivelled in one direction, whereas in my Harmony it swings both ways....! 
Helen

I had a Trident and can't remember having to open the door but perhaps because it was an older van - V reg.