Low driving position
Discussion
Hi - another what car thread but with a twist.
Looking for a new car. Sick of sitting in vehicles with my head on the roof lining (I like an upright driving position but am only 6ft).
So which car might satisfy;
Low driving position where I can sit upright and feel I have some control over the vehicle.
13-15k miles per year so will include quite a bit of motorway work.
Petrol - turbo or NA doesn't matter to me much.
Reasonably powerful.
Good in the corners.
Only needs to carry 2 people but does need to occasionally lug some luggage about.
Reliable with no huge bills likely.
Budget ideally around 7k but can go a bit higher.
For info - I have just sold a meg r26 because I found the driving position bad. Also just test drove an e46 330 m sport and whilst it was a good drive again to get a decent (to me) driving position I felt like I was in the roof lining on the lowest seat setting.
Or do I just have to buy something and put in something aftermarket to get a low down position?
Many thanks in advance.
Looking for a new car. Sick of sitting in vehicles with my head on the roof lining (I like an upright driving position but am only 6ft).
So which car might satisfy;
Low driving position where I can sit upright and feel I have some control over the vehicle.
13-15k miles per year so will include quite a bit of motorway work.
Petrol - turbo or NA doesn't matter to me much.
Reasonably powerful.
Good in the corners.
Only needs to carry 2 people but does need to occasionally lug some luggage about.
Reliable with no huge bills likely.
Budget ideally around 7k but can go a bit higher.
For info - I have just sold a meg r26 because I found the driving position bad. Also just test drove an e46 330 m sport and whilst it was a good drive again to get a decent (to me) driving position I felt like I was in the roof lining on the lowest seat setting.
Or do I just have to buy something and put in something aftermarket to get a low down position?
Many thanks in advance.
Went the aftermarket route in the kit car after banging my head on the hard top or having it push the soft top up. Set of runners, drilled the floor, few washers, built the seats up and bolted them in. Now my eyeline is just over the steering wheel, and I mounted them for my leg length as well, so having the seat pulled fully forward on the runner means that's about right, maybe a bit short for my legs.
No-one else drives it so it's going to be OK. I think start to finish inc buying second hand seats cost me £100 for the pair
It's helped not having side impact airbags and connectors all over the place, but I'm sure there's a workaround for that
No-one else drives it so it's going to be OK. I think start to finish inc buying second hand seats cost me £100 for the pair
It's helped not having side impact airbags and connectors all over the place, but I'm sure there's a workaround for that
Mk5 Golf GTI. I am 6'4" and hence have trouble fitting in a lot of cars, the Golf by comparison is huge inside. I have the seat roughly half way up its height adjustment and still have several clear inches of room between my head and the roof. The steering wheel has reach adjustment so the driving position can be made just so and the back seat space is also huge, there is plenty of head and legroom for another 6'4" guy sat behind me.
As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
Doesn't really fit the 'good in corners' bit but I'm 6'5" and a Saab 9-3 Aero convertible was probably the most comfortable car I've ever driven long journeys, relatively upright driving position but loads of headroom (even more with the top down 
).
I borrowed it for nearly a year (it was a company car belonging to someone that got sacked at my old man's company), nothing ever went wrong with it, decently powerful, it typically did 28-38mpg, big boot, four usable seats... the only things I didn't really like were the utterly hideous plastic interior (although it worked well) and the average ride and handling.
).I borrowed it for nearly a year (it was a company car belonging to someone that got sacked at my old man's company), nothing ever went wrong with it, decently powerful, it typically did 28-38mpg, big boot, four usable seats... the only things I didn't really like were the utterly hideous plastic interior (although it worked well) and the average ride and handling.
I find my Subaru WRX hatchback meets all these requirements. It is however poor on fuel, high tax and low on interior quality and gadgets. Given all of that it copes extremely admirably with poor road surfaces, bad weather, carrying people about, trips to the tip etc and provides a great driving experience (to my mind). Oh and I'm 6'4" and long in the body - I have tons of headroom 
Edited by Ginja on Thursday 12th June 16:49
TurboHatchback said:
Mk5 Golf GTI. I am 6'4" and hence have trouble fitting in a lot of cars, the Golf by comparison is huge inside. I have the seat roughly half way up its height adjustment and still have several clear inches of room between my head and the roof. The steering wheel has reach adjustment so the driving position can be made just so and the back seat space is also huge, there is plenty of head and legroom for another 6'4" guy sat behind me.
As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
99% agree, apart from I'd say there's not that much legroom in the back to have a bigfoot driving and another one sat behind him As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
Does the OP want to just sit low in a conventional car or drive something with a more low-slung/sporty driving position?
If the latter, the Merc SLKs seems to have loads of adjustment and room to get one's preferred driving position.
200K's and even 350s are around at your budget.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
Or a Z4?
If the latter, the Merc SLKs seems to have loads of adjustment and room to get one's preferred driving position.
200K's and even 350s are around at your budget.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
Or a Z4?
TurboHatchback said:
Mk5 Golf GTI. I am 6'4" and hence have trouble fitting in a lot of cars, the Golf by comparison is huge inside. I have the seat roughly half way up its height adjustment and still have several clear inches of room between my head and the roof. The steering wheel has reach adjustment so the driving position can be made just so and the back seat space is also huge, there is plenty of head and legroom for another 6'4" guy sat behind me.
As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
And your got me straight on autotrader!As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
Ginja said:
I find my Subaru WRX hatchback meets all these requirements. It is however poor on fuel, high tax and low on interior quality and gadgets. Given all of that it copes extremely admirably with poor road surfaces, bad weather, carrying people about, trips to the tip etc and provides a great driving experience (to my mind). Oh and I'm 6'4" and long in the body - I have tons of headroom
Not driven one. Normal wrx or S? When you say poor how poor?Edited by Ginja on Thursday 12th June 16:49
Hmmm hmm I happen to be selling my Mk2 MX5 with VX220 seats which make you seat very low ( to be any lower you'd have to lose the rails and thus adjust-ability ).
Wouldn't say it ticks all your boxes though, it's hardly a motorway car or a power plant ( 140bhp ) but it does corner well and costs a lot less than 7k...
Wouldn't say it ticks all your boxes though, it's hardly a motorway car or a power plant ( 140bhp ) but it does corner well and costs a lot less than 7k...
braddo said:
Does the OP want to just sit low in a conventional car or drive something with a more low-slung/sporty driving position?
If the latter, the Merc SLKs seems to have loads of adjustment and room to get one's preferred driving position.
200K's and even 350s are around at your budget.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
Or a Z4?
That looks nice. Big bills possible?If the latter, the Merc SLKs seems to have loads of adjustment and room to get one's preferred driving position.
200K's and even 350s are around at your budget.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
Or a Z4?
nicknameless said:
TurboHatchback said:
Mk5 Golf GTI. I am 6'4" and hence have trouble fitting in a lot of cars, the Golf by comparison is huge inside. I have the seat roughly half way up its height adjustment and still have several clear inches of room between my head and the roof. The steering wheel has reach adjustment so the driving position can be made just so and the back seat space is also huge, there is plenty of head and legroom for another 6'4" guy sat behind me.
As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
And your got me straight on autotrader!As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
CharlesAL said:
Any convertible?
I'm 6'3" with a mark V Golf GTI and I agree with the other post. Never any danger of my head touching the roof. Most comfortable car I've ever driven. Only problem is that the steering wheel is always too far away.
Does yours not have reach adjustment? I have trouble in a lot of cars with the wheel being too far away, the Golf is probably the best I've owned in that respect.I'm 6'3" with a mark V Golf GTI and I agree with the other post. Never any danger of my head touching the roof. Most comfortable car I've ever driven. Only problem is that the steering wheel is always too far away.
TurboHatchback said:
Does yours not have reach adjustment? I have trouble in a lot of cars with the wheel being too far away, the Golf is probably the best I've owned in that respect.
I found it OK in my Golf but there was much more reach adjustment in my 5 Series. It wouldn't put me off a Mk5 GTITurboHatchback said:
Mk5 Golf GTI. I am 6'4" and hence have trouble fitting in a lot of cars, the Golf by comparison is huge inside. I have the seat roughly half way up its height adjustment and still have several clear inches of room between my head and the roof. The steering wheel has reach adjustment so the driving position can be made just so and the back seat space is also huge, there is plenty of head and legroom for another 6'4" guy sat behind me.
As for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
Whilst I agree there is plenty of headroom in the Golf, they're not exactly what I would call a "low driving position". Better than a Focus ST though, you feel like you're up in the clouds in those thingsAs for performance & handling I think it is all the car you could possibly need on the road. As a complete package for the larger bloke I couldn't find anything to beat it.
Being 6'2" and having owned 2 MX5s, Ill say they are tough to beat for a nice, low driving position. Its a compromise though, you will have to fold yourself into it, and it will mess up your barnet.
I currently have a Z3, which is a criminally underrated car imho. Refined, reliable, drives better than expected (get a facelift 6 cylinder model) and has a great driving position with plenty of headroom. Even non 'M' models post 2000 have the wider rear arches, and look great to my eye, but maybe too far under budget for you.
For a £7K budget, a tidy Z4 (3.0 please) would be high on my list. S2000 as mentioned would probably tick afew boxes, but Ive heard the cabin described as 'cramped'.
Boxster S maybe?
I personally find that my long legs getting in the way of the wheel is more of an issue than headroom in 2 seater roadsters.
I currently have a Z3, which is a criminally underrated car imho. Refined, reliable, drives better than expected (get a facelift 6 cylinder model) and has a great driving position with plenty of headroom. Even non 'M' models post 2000 have the wider rear arches, and look great to my eye, but maybe too far under budget for you.
For a £7K budget, a tidy Z4 (3.0 please) would be high on my list. S2000 as mentioned would probably tick afew boxes, but Ive heard the cabin described as 'cramped'.
Boxster S maybe?
I personally find that my long legs getting in the way of the wheel is more of an issue than headroom in 2 seater roadsters.
nicknameless said:
Sick of sitting in vehicles with my head on the roof lining (I like an upright driving position but am only 6ft).
So which car might satisfy;
I am 6ft and never had a car where my head was any where near the roof lining in the the last 40 years.So which car might satisfy;
Do you sit 6 inches from the steering wheel or some weird position?
Most cars have height adjusters. Do you use them?
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