Getting Comfortable

[Chris Hinds]

Evening everyone

It's silly question time I'm afraid! I've had my beautiful Vantage for just 17 days and I adore driving it, looking at it, being in it and generally being around it... but although I've done about 500 miles now, I haven't quite got myself to a comfortable seating position for driving and continually find myself adjusting the seat while driving. Normal daily is an F31 330d Touring with sports seats and no lumbar support and manual manipulation. The Vantage is my first car with electric seat control and I'm wondering if someone might have experienced what I'm feeling and can say "I adjusted that way and it was better". The car is a V8 Vantage S Roadster with the sports seats.

So... What I'm feeling is that my upper back is slightly away from the seat (from chest height up) and that after driving a little way, say 15-20 miles, I feel like the small of my back is very "pushed forward" like there's excessive lumbar support. If I adjust the seat a little in any direct the feeling of discomfort in my back goes for 3-5 miles then it's back again. I've had back trouble in the past but don't get any driving the BMW having got the seat set right.

Currently I have the seat set up with both lumbar supports as far retracted as I can get them. The upper one pushes out above where I'm feeling like the seat pushes me, while the lower one pushes too low. Height wise I'm towards the upper side of the travel as I feel quite "low" in the car generally (I'm 5' 10" but not excessively leggy in proportion) but I'm tipping back quite a bit (rear lower than front) so that my thighs are supported. The rear of the seat is as upright as I can get away with to try and make my back meet the seat.

Has anyone else felt pressure between the two lumbar regions and adjusted that "pressure" away or is it just the design of the seat and I'll get used to it?

Cheers

Chris

P.S. right now the way I feel about the car it could put me in traction and I wouldn't care... fantastic aren't they?!

[a98pmalcolm]

I made a very similar post a few months back in regards to my 07 DB9

I'm the same height as you and even after all the positions I set I can never get it 100%

The lumber supports are awful, they are just a irritating lump in the seat, so like you, they are all the way in.

I have got a position set now which is the best I can get it, but it will never be like my Recaros in my last car..

We are not the only ones like this

[Graze01]

I don't have a solution I'm afraid. At 5'10" I and having done 37,000km in the car I'm still searching for the perfect position. The lumbar supports are deflated and the seat set lower at rear than front to support thighs and then I find the rear of the seat tilted too far back. When move it forward it puts pressure across my pelvis and I end up feeling numb after an hour or so in the car.

It's the only niggle I have with the car

Perhaps the lightweight seats are the answer

Graeme

[britaway]

i have a 2017 vantage and a 2010 dbs. Vantage seats are great, dbs felt awful. I had an upholsterer look at the 2010 seats and the foam was disintegrating. Added new padding and the seats are great again.

[Graze01]

I wondered if it was due to deteriorating foam support as i didn't have the same problems when I first got the car

worth investigating further

Graeme

[bignoise]

im 6'5 and struggled to get comfortable as was getting pain after an hour or so

What I found after reading on here was that I had to sit closer to the wheel than I would normally as the reach adjustment was not enough to prevent me subconsciously leaning forward a bit when driving

So set the height and base angle and back to a comfy rake then with arms straight out adjust back/forwards to ensure wrist rests on top of steering wheel. lowering wheel also helps

Lumbars are minimum

There is also a generic vid on setting driving position which shows the above

I can now do 2 or 3 hr journeys without too much hassle

[David W.]

Sitting closer to the wheel exaggerates the fact that the gear lever in a manual is already set to far back for comfortable shifting.
DW

[AdamV12V]

Lightweight seats are the answer. I could never get comfortable on the Sport Seats either, always feel like I was sitting on them, not in them and frequently would get lower back ache on drives out.

No such issues with the lightweight bucket seats. They are just so comfortable always, despite the apparent lack of adjustments. Probably a bit too late, but something to consider for the next car.

[yellow_tang]

AdamV12V said:

Lightweight seats are the answer. I could never get comfortable on the Sport Seats either, always feel like I was sitting on them, not in them and frequently would get lower back ache on drives out.

No such issues with the lightweight bucket seats. They are just so comfortable always, despite the apparent lack of adjustments. Probably a bit too late, but something to consider for the next car.

My car had sports seats and I totally agree with AdamV12V, I couldn’t get comfortable and retrofitted lightweight seats. What an improvement!
Having said that, I can’t say that I managed to achieve or aim for the same seating position in a sports seat, basically with my knees more towards the wheel, so the advice earlier of sitting closer could be the best compromise, and a lot cheaper!

[V8V Pete]

yellow_tang said:

My car had sports seats and I totally agree with AdamV12V, I couldn’t get comfortable and retrofitted lightweight seats. What an improvement!
Having said that, I can’t say that I managed to achieve or aim for the same seating position in a sports seat, basically with my knees more towards the wheel, so the advice earlier of sitting closer could be the best compromise, and a lot cheaper!

Is your V12S manual or SS3 and can we see a picture of the interior please? If manual, I can add it to the very short list of cars I would change up to now I know it has Lightweights

[old phart]

I found that having the back a bit more upright than I thought would be comfortable did the trick for me. When I purchased the car I got a kick out of going through the presets. The previous owner had #3 set like you were in a rocket ready to lift off. Can't believe he/she ever actually drove in that position.

[V8V Pete]

old phart said:

I found that having the back a bit more upright than I thought would be comfortable did the trick for me. When I purchased the car I got a kick out of going through the presets. The previous owner had #3 set like you were in a rocket ready to lift off. Can't believe he/she ever actually drove in that position.

Perhaps they used that position for something else ..........

[a98pmalcolm]

bignoise said:

im 6'5 and struggled to get comfortable as was getting pain after an hour or so

What I found after reading on here was that I had to sit closer to the wheel than I would normally as the reach adjustment was not enough to prevent me subconsciously leaning forward a bit when driving

So set the height and base angle and back to a comfy rake then with arms straight out adjust back/forwards to ensure wrist rests on top of steering wheel. lowering wheel also helps

Lumbars are minimum

There is also a generic vid on setting driving position which shows the above

I can now do 2 or 3 hr journeys without too much hassle

Where can I find this video?

[rog007]

Had a similar challenge. Would find what I thought was my perfect position and then save it in the memory. Get in next time and it didn’t quite feel right.

It’s just lots of trials and errors. It’s not however just an AM phenomenon; having similar challenges in a Merc. I do wonder if it’s due to the fact that you can have an infinite number of possibilities with electric seats? Old skool seats with just tilt never seemed to provide such issues.

[yellow_tang]

V8V Pete said:

Is your V12S manual or SS3 and can we see a picture of the interior please? If manual, I can add it to the very short list of cars I would change up to now I know it has Lightweights

It is SS3 and unlikely to for sale anytime soon

[V8V Pete]

yellow_tang said:

V8V Pete said:

Is your V12S manual or SS3 and can we see a picture of the interior please? If manual, I can add it to the very short list of cars I would change up to now I know it has Lightweights

It is SS3 and unlikely to for sale anytime soon

Looks great! However much they cost the Lightweights were worth it

[anonymous-user]

Chris Hinds said:

Evening everyone

It's silly question time I'm afraid! I've had my beautiful Vantage for just 17 days and I adore driving it, looking at it, being in it and generally being around it... but although I've done about 500 miles now, I haven't quite got myself to a comfortable seating position for driving and continually find myself adjusting the seat while driving. Normal daily is an F31 330d Touring with sports seats and no lumbar support and manual manipulation. The Vantage is my first car with electric seat control and I'm wondering if someone might have experienced what I'm feeling and can say "I adjusted that way and it was better". The car is a V8 Vantage S Roadster with the sports seats.

So... What I'm feeling is that my upper back is slightly away from the seat (from chest height up) and that after driving a little way, say 15-20 miles, I feel like the small of my back is very "pushed forward" like there's excessive lumbar support. If I adjust the seat a little in any direct the feeling of discomfort in my back goes for 3-5 miles then it's back again. I've had back trouble in the past but don't get any driving the BMW having got the seat set right.

Currently I have the seat set up with both lumbar supports as far retracted as I can get them. The upper one pushes out above where I'm feeling like the seat pushes me, while the lower one pushes too low. Height wise I'm towards the upper side of the travel as I feel quite "low" in the car generally (I'm 5' 10" but not excessively leggy in proportion) but I'm tipping back quite a bit (rear lower than front) so that my thighs are supported. The rear of the seat is as upright as I can get away with to try and make my back meet the seat.

Has anyone else felt pressure between the two lumbar regions and adjusted that "pressure" away or is it just the design of the seat and I'll get used to it?

Cheers

Chris

P.S. right now the way I feel about the car it could put me in traction and I wouldn't care... fantastic aren't they?!

Physios and chiropractors have always told me as a patient that it is good practice to have the seat as flat as possible to not support your legs too much. Otherwise the pelvis tilts backwards and causes problems with the lower back and posture generally. I believe that over time it also causes a small muscular imbalance in the legs/hips which doesnt help matters. On lumbar support, my understanding from the same sources is that it should be supporting you in a good spinal position, i.e. more support at the bottom and less at the top, to help maintain the S shape of the spine. Works for me, I hope it helps you.

[Frances The Mute]

old phart said:

I found that having the back a bit more upright than I thought would be comfortable did the trick for me.

I found exactly the same - along with flattening the seat base out from a usually inclined position.

I think half of the OP’s problem is having BMW seats as a yardstick. They’ve always had great comfort and adjustability in my experience.

Edited by Frances The Mute on Tuesday 16th October 01:45

[cayman-black]

V8V Pete said:

Perhaps they used that position for something else ..........

[cayman-black]

yellow_tang said:

It is SS3 and unlikely to for sale anytime soon

They look great love the colour .