Hi Joe,
Like almost everything else in life, turning the front seats is easy as long as you know what your doing. Everyone has their own method but it has to be said that to achieve success whilst not causing any damage, you have to get the seat in precisely the right position before swivelling.
My formula works for me every time:
1. Ensure the vehicle won't move. With DSG place in Park. For Manual vehicles place the vehicle in gear in the opposite direction to the way it would roll, e.g if it's likely to roll forward then stick it in reverse. Also with a manual vehicle it's a good idea to chock one axle.
2. Release the handbrake.
3. Whilst standing outside the vehicle with the drivers door open wind the seat back fully forward.
4. Ensure both armrests are fully down.
5. Slide the seat to the following precise position.
View attachment 54057
In my photograph you can see the hole on top and at the front of the seat element of the seat runner. The rear of this hole needs to be lined up with the front edge of the chassis element of the seat runner. This photo shows it correctly positioned in order to turn the drivers seat. At first you will probably want to crouch down to see it in order to get the positioning right. However, it's dead easy just to do it by feel alone in the dark.
6. Turn the seat. You will find that if positioned as stated above the seat will miss everything. Having said that, if you have your steering wheel adjusted to be well away from the dash then you may have to slide it back in a little. However, I have never had to do that.
7. Adjust the seat to suit.
8. Apply the handbrake.
To return it to the driving position just do everything in the reverse order making sure the seat runner hole is in the same position as described above.
I think VW could easily provide some simple mechanism to ensure the seat is positioned correctly to swivel. Alas so far they haven't bothered.