What car for a bad back?
Discussion
I've currently got sciatica and an '04 Ford Mondeo. You may think the two are linked, I couldn't possibly comment but I do think the drivers seat is not doing me any favours and I am contemplating a change.
My budget is IRO £300-£400 month, I do 200+ miles a week with 95% primarily on motorways. I'm quite tall at 6' 2" and in the past have found cars from France, Italy and the Far East too short. The car doesn't need to be as big as a Mondeo, but it does need to be a mile eater rather than a bend basher.
Any ideas?
My budget is IRO £300-£400 month, I do 200+ miles a week with 95% primarily on motorways. I'm quite tall at 6' 2" and in the past have found cars from France, Italy and the Far East too short. The car doesn't need to be as big as a Mondeo, but it does need to be a mile eater rather than a bend basher.
Any ideas?
There were some great deals floating around on 7 series/5 GT's BMW's which I would imagine would have very adjustable seats.
Or I recently got sent what appeared to be a good lease deal on a Volvo V60. I have an older S60 and the seats are supremely comfortable and its a great mile muncher so I expect the V60 would be the same.
Both the cars above are bigger cars (Mondeo size+) but then I find these are more likely to have comfortable and adjustable seats.
Private Lease (all inc Vat):
Volvo V60 Diesel Sportwagon 115 R-Design (18 month deal).
£230.39 per month with upfront payment of £1382.33.
Or I recently got sent what appeared to be a good lease deal on a Volvo V60. I have an older S60 and the seats are supremely comfortable and its a great mile muncher so I expect the V60 would be the same.
Both the cars above are bigger cars (Mondeo size+) but then I find these are more likely to have comfortable and adjustable seats.
Private Lease (all inc Vat):
Volvo V60 Diesel Sportwagon 115 R-Design (18 month deal).
£230.39 per month with upfront payment of £1382.33.
It may sound like hell, but having broken my back, my choice for comfort, and my old company car for when I drove 600 miles a week was a Peugeot 308. Smooth, lovely seats with the right amount of support, and at 6ft 1, I was more than comfy!
Could be worth a try, look at their JAF (just add fuel) package aswell!
Could be worth a try, look at their JAF (just add fuel) package aswell!
Get a replacement seat - probably Recaro... http://www.recaro-automotive.com/au/product-areas/... - much cheaper in the long run, usually transferable between cars, too, with new subframes.
As someone with fairly permenant back issues I can sympathise!
The problem is from talking to other sufferers it seems to depend very much on the underlying issue causing the pain and your size/shape as to what cars are comfy and which are torture chambers
For example I've known people who have had to sell their Imprezas because of bad backs but I've always found the seats to be some of the best for me. Here's some of my experiences:
Good:
The problem is from talking to other sufferers it seems to depend very much on the underlying issue causing the pain and your size/shape as to what cars are comfy and which are torture chambers
For example I've known people who have had to sell their Imprezas because of bad backs but I've always found the seats to be some of the best for me. Here's some of my experiences:
Good:
- Saab 9-3 [2004]
- Volvo S60 [2003]
- Jaguar XF [2009]
- Seat Leon (Mk I with the Recaro option seats were great) [2004, 2007]
- Mercedes CLK [2000]
- Mercedes ML [2007]
- Mazda 6 [2006]
- Audi A4 (standard seats - the "sports" seats seem to be better) [2002, 2009]
- Pug 306 [1997]
- Citereon C3 [2002, 2004]
defblade said:
Get a replacement seat - probably Recaro... http://www.recaro-automotive.com/au/product-areas/... - much cheaper in the long run, usually transferable between cars, too, with new subframes.
This,There was no comparison between the seats in my SL500 which was 20,000 way adjustable that were heated and vented along with massage facility compared to the Probax seats that were in my Lotus Elise. Elise - all day long
I think the problem with so many adjustable seats is you can set it at what you believe to be comfortable when in fact its actually worse for you than a seat with a fixed back.
defblade said:
Get a replacement seat - probably Recaro... http://www.recaro-automotive.com/au/product-areas/... - much cheaper in the long run, usually transferable between cars, too, with new subframes.
You make an excellent point - I don't think I've sat in a bad Recaro seat yet!
mph1977 said:
this is of course assuming you are funding it by virtue of being a be-goateed company director, if not and you follow the opinion professed by many PHers on the various motability threads a mingebag spec focus and be glad of it ...
I found the Mk1 focus to be OK on my back actually - did horrible things to my knees though!KaraK said:
mph1977 said:
this is of course assuming you are funding it by virtue of being a be-goateed company director, if not and you follow the opinion professed by many PHers on the various motability threads a mingebag spec focus and be glad of it ...
I found the Mk1 focus to be OK on my back actually - did horrible things to my knees though!mph1977 said:
KaraK said:
mph1977 said:
this is of course assuming you are funding it by virtue of being a be-goateed company director, if not and you follow the opinion professed by many PHers on the various motability threads a mingebag spec focus and be glad of it ...
I found the Mk1 focus to be OK on my back actually - did horrible things to my knees though!Apologies for any confusion!
I always find good thinly padded fixed-back bucket seats to be best for my back once I'm in (believe it or not, the Elise is great), but getting in and out of them can remove any benefit that they give once you're actually in.
Of the mainstream manufacturers, Volvo seem to produce the best seats, in my experience.
Of the mainstream manufacturers, Volvo seem to produce the best seats, in my experience.
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