# I just can't get comfortable in this car!



## Matthew330Ci (Sep 9, 2002)

I've driven my car for about 2400 miles here in the states since late april when I picked it up here in Santa barbara. i drove in europe for 2200 miles in feb/march but i was too busy to notice much of anything really..

and i just cannot get comfortable in this car no matter how i adjust the seat, i can find positions where i'll be comfy for a while but after several minutes it starts to get uncomfortable.. it's hard to pinpoint exactly what, probably a combination of many things but i think the major culprit is the seat bottoms that sink way too much towards the butt no matter how much i raise that side. i have power SP seats.. which i also find still way too wide.

well, i'll keep looking for that perfect setting..

anyone else not comfortable in their 3er?


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## AndDown (Jun 17, 2003)

I actually find the SP seats more comfortable than my X5 seats - I find I'm always fiddling alittle with those, but not with the 3'er. I'm not a big guy (only 5'7") so I find the 325 SP seat more suitable than the X5. Sorry, can't help you here :dunno: ; you just might have to buy back your Honda! :tsk:


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## TGD (Aug 7, 2002)

*Seat comfort*

Sport Seats have so many settings, it is difficult to get the perfect one. I thought I have found it, but althought OK for long trips, I got too tired from the clutch in traffic.
Now I am trying a new position, closer to the wheel and lower. I have a better feeling for the steering, I don't get tired from the clutch, but my response from gas to brake is not as fast as it was.


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## GregE_325 (Jan 16, 2002)

I only have the standard seats, and they are absolutely the most uncomfortable seats I've ever seen. Anything more than about 20 minutes in them, and my back aches badly. The lower back and rear seat needs more contour and support. 

-- Greg


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## PABS (Apr 3, 2003)

For all the engineering that goes into these cars I don't understand why adjustable lumbar support is not standard on all BMW seats.

The most comfortable seats I've ever had were in my '84 GTI.


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## routesixtysixer (May 2, 2003)

The most comfortable seats I have ever owned were in a 82 Chevy El Camino... 60-40 split bench! :dunno: 
My main complaint in my 04 330Ci is that with the seat properly adjusted, the steering wheel is just a bit too far away to be comfortable. I am 6-3 (mostly legs) so the problem is my stature, I know... thank goodness for the telescopic function or I wouldn't be able to reach the steering wheel at all! I guess europeans are, for the most part, long arms and short legs (compared to me).


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## TVV 330i (Aug 5, 2003)

I've got a 2003 330i w/ sport seats. I have found these car seats to be the best that I have ever owned. I am 5' 9'' and 175 pounds... so perhaps size matters? Sorry to hear you can't get comfortable. BMW hit the bulls eye for me!


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

I also find my sport seats to be uncomfortable after about 45-60 minutes of driving. While they're much better than the stock seats, there nowhere near as comfortable as the seats in the 5 series or in many other cars i've driven. I think the primary problem is lack of sufficent lumbar support, and possibly that the cushion is too firm. Then again, i've drivne other cars that had "firm" seats and never had a problem. I think ti might be that there's not enough padding-- the seats actually have a pretty thin back rest and bottom cushion, so its like putting a thin layer of foam on top of a board (kind of like airline seats in coach). If I keep the car long enough, I may have the seat foam changed for some tempur-foam.


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## Artslinger (Sep 2, 2002)

My 325i SP seats are the most comfortable of any car I've owned. :thumbup:


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## Tanin (Dec 21, 2001)

routesixtysixer said:


> My main complaint in my 04 330Ci is that with the seat properly adjusted, the steering wheel is just a bit too far away to be comfortable. I am 6-3 (mostly legs) so the problem is my stature, I know... thank goodness for the telescopic function or I wouldn't be able to reach the steering wheel at all!


I'm 6-3 / 195 and all legs as well. Unless you are built like a T-Rex your arms should be proportionate to your legs.  
Although it took me a good month or two to find the optimal seating position in my 2001 330i SP, it's now "perfect" for road trips or track events. However, I will say they pale in comparision to the seats in my dad's 540 Sport.


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## Jupiter19 (Jun 14, 2003)

I have the standard seats, and they are much better than any other car I've driven. I find that the lower back support for me is excellent (I have a sensitive back). I've driven my mom's 02' camry for 10hrs one day, and halfway into the first half of the trip, my back started hurting, a day later, I woke up and could not walk and it took a week of pain killers for it to feel better. Now, about 2 weeks ago I made a road trip to DC (about 13 hrs in 2 days) in my car with no problems, 2 days later I made a road trip to Rochester, NY (15hrs in 2 days) and I was so afraid that the acumulation of sitting would kill my back, but I had no problems at all with it.

I found that the lower back support was excellent, and that usually when I got tired of the position I was sitting in and tried to move around, the seats wouldn't give to much, and I realized that that was what made the difference for me, these seats kept me in the proper postion and that is why they are great from my back. In my mom's car, when I'd move around to a more "comfortable" position, I was actually moving to position that were bad posture and contributed to really bad lower back pain.

On another note, I loved the seats in my 97' Mustang :eeps: , everyone else was uncomfortable after about 20 minutes in the car, but I loved mine. 

Sorry for :blah: 

edit: I am a 5'7 girl, so I don't know if that makes a difference


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## gmlav8r (May 28, 2003)

Too Bad. 

I find my 330ci to fit me the best of any car I have ever driven.

Dumb suggestion. But, I forgot the steering wheel is adjustable not only up and down but also forward and back for the first 50miles. I was a little too busy driving in Munich. So, I then immediately pulled the steering wheel to the full back position (closer to the driver). I was then a satisified customer again.


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## MR325iT (Feb 21, 2002)

Artslinger said:


> My 325i SP seats are the most comfortable of any car I've owned. :thumbup:


Completely agree. Long drives in these seats have been painless for me. My E36 was the same. I still think Volvo has the most comfortable seats in the business (maybe not the most supportive, so I don't know how they'd hold up on long drives, but I can't complain about the SP seats at all.

Only gripe is when I get the steering wheel in the right position, it blocks the top of the speedo and tach (and I have the seat all the way down on the floor).


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## Bavarian (Jun 15, 2002)

Matthew330CiM said:


> I've driven my car for about 2400 miles here in the states since late april when I picked it up here in Santa barbara. i drove in europe for 2200 miles in feb/march but i was too busy to notice much of anything really..
> 
> and i just cannot get comfortable in this car no matter how i adjust the seat, i can find positions where i'll be comfy for a while but after several minutes it starts to get uncomfortable.. it's hard to pinpoint exactly what, probably a combination of many things but i think the major culprit is the seat bottoms that sink way too much towards the butt no matter how much i raise that side. i have power SP seats.. which i also find still way too wide.
> 
> ...


Perhaps this is not the problem in your case, however I refrained from the SP for the exact reason of the seats being uncomfortable. I found the sport seats to be plain bad. Besides, the car already came with the sport suspension :dunno:, so I figured I'd get things like Parktronic instead of paying for the SP, which in turn would forever punish me with puny seats. 

Yes, I know. Half the E46 population will now shout at me :violent: about how I didn't praise the SP seats. Well, it is about personal choice after all. For those that like the SP seats, great - enjoy your seats! :drink: But there are those who aren't too hot about them. I am 6' 1" and 225lb  and I don't like the SP seats.


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## Dan4tuc58 (Feb 25, 2003)

i have the sports seats and i can drive 3hrs straight w/ no problems 5' 9 - 160....obviously comfort level goes down a bit nearing 3hrs non-stop but i just shift around a bit in my seat and i'm fine.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

i know what you mean. 5'6" 153 lbs. regular seats seem wide to me. the side bolsters don't hold me in. on harder corners, i have to brace myself w/ my elbow against the side bolsters. :thumbdwn: most other times, i've gotten used to the 3er seats. i used to have g2 integra and the seats were just near perfect for me. i've learn to adjust to the higher sitting position and moved the seat very forward to get better reach/control of the clutch.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

HW said:


> i know what you mean. 5'6" 153 lbs. regular seats seem wide to me. the side bolsters don't hold me in. on harder corners, i have to brace myself w/ my elbow against the side bolsters. :thumbdwn: most other times, i've gotten used to the 3er seats. i used to have g2 integra and the seats were just near perfect for me. i've learn to adjust to the higher sitting position and moved the seat very forward to get better reach/control of the clutch.


Ditto. I'm 6'1". I also feel like the seats in my old G3 Integra hold better. The 3er sport seats are normally fine, but on the track, I have to brace myself against the dead pedal like crazy. Not enough lateral support. I need harnesses.

I have also scooted up... this is so I can get good upper body distance from the steering wheel so I don't feel I'm driving with splints on my arms. But now my legs are so long, it's getting just a tad close to cramped down by my feet. If only the seat height could go down another inch...


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Dan4tuc58 said:


> i have the sports seats and i can drive 3hrs straight w/ no problems 5' 9 - 160....obviously comfort level goes down a bit nearing 3hrs non-stop but i just shift around a bit in my seat and i'm fine.


About a month ago I did an 8 hour non-stop drive from No. Cal. to So. Cal. (took PCH and 101)

I felt fine for the most part except for being planted in the seat for so long... I shifted around in my seat a bit and I was fine...


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## rwebbe (Jan 20, 2002)

*Mine OK finally*

It took 9 months to adjust seat and steering wheel so I was not only comfortable, a reasonable distance from airbag, able to hit brake pedal quick, see top of speedo. Standard coupe seat with lumbar is great. I am 5'11", 165 lbs. I can drive 500 miles without fiddling with seat adjustment. Am older than most of you youngsters, but work out in the gym every other day, swim 6 laps in 60' pool once a week which assists in keeping these old bones flexible. I love my little coupe and only cuss it when on rough roads. It is a life saver when I do stupid things on the road.


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## Maverick (Jun 25, 2003)

My 325 SP seats are one of the few places that I am truly comfortable!


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

tommyd said:


> Actually yes! there was this lever on the side of the seat that allowed lumbar to be positioned in 4 different settings...
> :rofl:


i was actually refering to the bmw. but i think you can get the lumbar as an option in euro/uk models.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

HW said:


> i was actually refering to the bmw. but i think you can get the lumbar as an option in euro/uk models.


I got it as an option on mine... :eeps:


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Interesting topic.

I too can not find the most comfortable seating position with sport seats on the coupe. 

On the other hand, I find the Sedan much more comfortable than the coupe.

The fact is that the seats (by default) on the coupes are lower positioned than on Sedans.

My last loaner was a 330d with Sport Seats and it took me only a few tries to adjust the seats and it was very comfortable.

I'm still searching the perfect seat position on the coupe though.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Alex Baumann said:


> The fact is that the seats (by default) on the coupes are lower positioned than on Sedans.


Hmm... interesting... I always feel like I'm sitting really high up when I sit in my car compared to sitting in a sedan.... :dunno:


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## plugot (Mar 14, 2002)

*Driving position*

I find the sport seats on my 01 330CI to be extremely comfortable -- once I finally got it worked out right. My last BMW, an '84 318i had HORRIBLE seats. After 20 minutes I'd have lower back pains. I finallly resorted to having the driver's seat rebuilt. I'm glad I forgot that little issue when I bought my current BMW otherwise I wouldn't have. Part of the change though is that after attending the Bragg-Smith High Performance school a few years back, I completely changed the way I address the wheel and the clutch. So I'll pass it on, maybe it'll help.

Do Not extend the wheel far out in the "Italian" style. Instead, adjust the seat so that you are pushed back into the seat with your thighs supported by the seat cushion. This feels very awkward at first, but (BIG BUT) it takes the pressure off your legs for serious clutch work. Next, get as CLOSE to the wheel as you can. If you've ever seen pictures of NASCAR racers, it looks like they're right on top of the wheel. It's for the same basic reason, you don't want to be "stretching" when turning the wheel quickly as you rapidly lose wheel control and stress your upper back as well. 
Now I know this all seems counter-intuitive to the way most of us who drive sports cars where taught, but after many hours in the school and a few days on the street, it's made a huge difference in my comfort as well as steering control. Try it, you can always go back to the more "traditional" positiion.


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## rmongiovi (Feb 7, 2003)

Sitting that close to the steering wheel is also a good way to get really hurt when the airbag goes off :thumbdwn:


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## tommyd (Jul 8, 2003)

HW said:


> i was actually refering to the bmw. but i think you can get the lumbar as an option in euro/uk models.


uh... i have adjustable lumbar in my car... (bmw)


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## Matthew330Ci (Sep 9, 2002)

well, i've adjusted the seat to its uppermost position to get the bottom cushion somewhat flat and i'm getting used to feeling like i'm sitting on top of the roof. besides that, it is much more comfortable now..


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

It took me about a week of trial and error to find the right combination of adjustments. Once you find it, lock it into memory if you have that feature. It is attainable.

Now it feels perfect.


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## Bob325 (Dec 16, 2002)

...see your Chiropractor..


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## woohoo (May 29, 2003)

It took me a few weeks to get comfy with the seats. 

Try creating a few profiles (settings) with the memory seats. Try them out for different intervals and different driving situations... hopefully that helps! :thumbup:


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## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

I think my SP seats are absolutely awesome, I can drive for hours non-stop and be perfectly comfortable


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## '02-325XiT (Jul 27, 2002)

I have just come back from a 2200km trip (12hrs each way) and had a chance to play around with various adjustments to see what would keep me comfortable for the longest time.

I'm 6'3", 230lbs, so normally I have the seat almost at its lowest position, to keep a 4-5" space between the top of my head and the roof liner, and almost all the way back. In this position, my legs are bent in such a way that they are supported at the heels and near my hips, but not much along the bottom of my thighs, so I find my legs get tired. I can use the seat extension on the sport seats and raise it to give some support, but the rest of my thighs along the seat surface are not taking up much weight.

What I did for this long trip was raise the seat until my head was against the headliner, then reclined the seatback 2-3 notches to give my head some room. To compensate, I pulled the steering wheel all the way out and raised it, and I also slid the seat one notch forward to get the proper reach on the pedals. 

This worked great! - my thighs on the seat were taking more of the leg weight because my knees were bent more, and my back was taking more of my body weight because the angle was further back. I wouldn't drive this way around town, because the leg position is not as smooth for continuous braking / clutching, accelerating, but on the highway I could drive for hours and hours without fatigue. 

I guess the moral of the story is play around with the seat adjustments, even to the point of being extreme, you may be surprized.


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## Artslinger (Sep 2, 2002)

How about a back rest....

http://www.autobarn.net/bacresseatcu.html


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## gordo325xiwagon (Jun 2, 2004)

GregE_325 said:


> I only have the standard seats, and they are absolutely the most uncomfortable seats I've ever seen. Anything more than about 20 minutes in them, and my back aches badly. The lower back and rear seat needs more contour and support.
> 
> -- Greg


I've added an adjustable lumbar support for about $30 total cost. I am now trying to to extend the seat bottom out about two or three inches for additional thigh support,

The lumbar relieved most of the sciatica and the thigh support will take some of the pressure off the bottom of my butt. The seat is not difficult to remove, and once out, it is relatively easy to modify the cushioning inorder to find a better fit. The thigh support is going to be an add-on to the front of the seat.

I don't know who they used to fit these seats but it wasn't anyone like me...5'10" 165#


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## NH-SHICKS (Nov 3, 2003)

I don't know what bothers you, but adjust so that your neck is straight with your spine. This keeps fatigue down. 

Steve


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