[dopper99]

Originally Posted by F30AM

Perhaps the OP needs to change the car due to this, if he can.

I think that is an expensive last resort though and its worth trying various seat positions as well as the cushion. Trouble is, once you get the seat just right and the next time it goes into the dealers and they adjust it again. And it can be a pig to get it back again (unless you have electric memory seats of course).

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by F30AM

According to the Autocar road test of the F30 320d manual and F31 330d auto: If you have a manual then the pedals are svery lightly offset to the right. With the auto, the pedal configuration is perfect.

Auto is not great for left foot breaking, the brake pedal needs to be 3 inches to the left

[F30AM]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

Auto is not great for left foot breaking, the brake pedal needs to be 3 inches to the left

Only you would think on these lines. Soooo left field.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by F30AM

Only you would think on these lines. Soooo left field.

Seriously the steering column hurts my left knee

[F30AM]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

Seriously the steering column hurts my left knee

Then raise the bugger and blank out the Black Panel Display. I had to. Damn!

[Carjack]

Originally Posted by Chris Peacock

Ok, so 650 miles into my M-Sport ownership and even with adding the additional lumbar support I am suffering with lower back pain after around an hours driving

Anyone got any tips on how to set the seat to avoid this, as travelling 30-35k miles per year means this is a big issue for me and ruining my enjoyment of driving the car.

Actually missing my Leon at the moment!

I have the lumber support, I also insure that the seat back is never vertical. I always have the seatback angled back at about 10 degrees or so. The seatback will take part of the vertical loading off your spine.
It might seem strange at first but I am sure you will get used to it!
Heated seats are also useful.
I never ever drive with a vertical seat back!

[ZigmundUK]

I also find that depending on my constitution at the time is rather hae my legs straighter or more bent so am closer or further from the front. That then influences the height at which I'd need I be in, the angle of the backrest etc. the fact is that this car must have enough range of movement to match a position was was comfy in another car.

The only limitations I can think of are if the seat reaches the end of motion in any direction before comfort is reached.

[RobUK]

I go on the principle that 'one size does NOT fit all' and that the standard seat will not be ideally suited to everyone. Also, it may be days or weeks before you discover whether a car is comfortable or not - something you can't always find out on a test drive. For that reason I spec'd sports seats + electric memory + lumbar support + heated, to give me the best chance of finding a setup that's comfortable for all occasions.

I'm also very conscious about how I sit in the car. I make sure I don't lean to the left or right and that my lower back is pushed firmly back into the seat so that I don't slouch or slump. Seating is very subjective though and I find the F30 more comfortable than the E81 ever was. Got a mate who runs around in a wreck of a Freelander but who wouldn't dream of getting rid of it as it's the only car he finds doesn't give him back ache... go figure.

I've heard that a good guide is that with your arm straight you should be able to rest your wrist on the top of the steering wheel and that you should be able to fit your fist between the top of your head and the roof of the car.

[mtherr]

Anyone retrofitted the standard seat to add a lumbar support? I know this have been done on various previous models:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=494469
http://www.tmk.com/lumbar/index.shtml
http://aircooled.suomalainenverkkoka...uxfw1hj5yq.pdf

I also found the major required components on RealOEM; however, it seems that a cable would be required and that I cannot find for sure.

Oh... while looking into this, I removed the driver seat and I now have a Driver Restraint malfunction message that I would like to clear

[browellm]

Did you get this sorted? When I got my first BMW a few years ago I used to get searing lower back pain that brought tears to my eyes, so much so I felt like selling the car after just a few weeks.

In desperation I really started playing around with seat angles and suddenly found that if I tilted the backrest to a much shallower angle that I thought looked normal, whilst adjusting the steering wheel for the correct reach etc., the paid disappeared overnight.

I think I was trapping nerves or restricting the blood flow to my lower back muscles. Anyway that cured it. - Try it a good few degrees further back than you would normally.

[stefan4]

I have played around with seating steering positions recently and now have the perfect setup the biggest change for me was tilting the seat base back I didnt realise it pivoted, best seat ive ever had now

[F30AM]

Originally Posted by stefan4

I have played around with seating steering positions recently and now have the perfect setup the biggest change for me was tilting the seat base back I didnt realise it pivoted, best seat ive ever had now

Result! Now superglue your settings!

[benkingsley]

ive recently swapped out my A4 quattro for a F31 touring, mostly because the A4 was poop in a thousand ways but one of the key factors was back pain whilst driving. I'm 6 foot 6 and the combination of dreadful driving position, stupid suspension and frankly crap seats made the A4 a nightmare.

As ive spent several years with Msport seats previously, i knew with enough trial and error and thought i could find the right position, and i have! you just need to dick around with each lever until you find the right position for you.

I find the most useful angle of attack is tipping the seat forwards/backwards - this allows you to angle your seating position through your rear end and thighs and in conjunction with tipping the seat back around, you can find a position that keeps weight off your lower back but also presents you nicely to the dash.

I would also recommend playing around with the adjustable seat cushion bits - they can make a big difference to the snugness of the seats and if you feel confidently squeezed in, i think you relax your back a little more?

Failing that, you can buy a plastic lumbar support device from those clever guys at JML - i had one in the Audi and it made a big difference (though is a bit rich to strap a £10 bit of plastic to a £35k motor!)

[ZigmundUK]

Good advice there. It was about a year into owning my electric memory seated e61 before I realise that seat base knob actually twisted to allow the tilt!!

[ZaheerUK]

Picked up a lower back support mesh thingy from Home Bargains for £1.29. Worked wonders and has made driving the bimmer so much more comfortable! My backache has suddenly disappeared and driving has become a joy!!

[JOE YOUNG]

Originally Posted by Chris Peacock

Ok, so 650 miles into my M-Sport ownership and even with adding the additional lumbar support I am suffering with lower back pain after around an hours driving

Anyone got any tips on how to set the seat to avoid this, as travelling 30-35k miles per year means this is a big issue for me and ruining my enjoyment of driving the car.

Actually missing my Leon at the moment!

Setting the seats on higher position will help your back,legs extended as much as possible and steering closer to relax shoulder without compromising control of the car.Bmw seats tend to go really low for a sporty drive but that wont help your back.Hopefully you'll find the right setting for your seat.

[Chris Peacock]

Just to update this I have raised seat from lowest setting, angled he seat base with more tilt to the back and more recline on the back and we are just about there.

Thanks for all input albeit I am dreading service time and them messing with my settings.

[Hyperbart]

I have had a BMW 1 F20 with the most basic and standard seats: no problem at all. I have driven through Norway, very exhausting 70 km/h roads and no back aches/pains at all.

Switched to Audi A3 Sedan with standard seats semi leather semi fabric : back aches were that bad I really regretted choosing that car. It was my first S-tronic/auto gear so I thought I would get more comfort but if someone offered me the same spec's on a BMW 1 I would change without a doubt.

I'm driving a 2011 VW Passat (temporary car until my BMW arrives) now with a lumbar support but that feels like someone took a metal tube, wrapped a towel around it and put in the back, it's pushing too locally to provide adequate comfortable support for your back so that it makes a slight S-shape.

I drove a BMW 4 as a test drive and I sat in a showroom model 6 with Lumbar support and I added it. Just to be on the safe side, hope I don't regret it like one of the guys here above me because I was pretty satisfied with the standard seats in the BMW.

The big difference with BMW lumbar support is that it exists out 2/3 seperate air cushions instead of something mechanically pushing out of the seating area.

[x-m4n]

Originally Posted by Chris Peacock

Just to update this I have raised seat from lowest setting, angled he seat base with more tilt to the back and more recline on the back and we are just about there.

I found it hard to live with Msport suspension/run flat tyres and there are many speed bumps/holes around where I live... Some people dump the run flats to gain comfort.

Good to see you found a more comfortable driving position.

[dopper99]

What I find so annoying is when the car goes into the dealers for something, they fiddle with the seats .... and you are back to square one trying to get a comfortable position again.

[x-m4n]

Originally Posted by dopper99

What I find so annoying is when the car goes into the dealers for something...

Or my wife goes to the supermarket...

Next time around "memory seats"

[rokut]

A 2013 resurrection is pretty good going!