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RE: E39 Sport Seat Comfort Problem

johnmdanskin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:55:16 GMT

I have been uncomfortable on long drives in almost all of the stock seats I've used. I remember being comfortable on the bench seat in my 85 toyota extended cab pu. I was uncomfortable in the honda accord, bmw x5, bmw m coupe, and excruciated in my mini cooper. My wife was comfortable in the x5 seat, the m coupe seat, and her mini cooper (yes, we have his and hers minis).

I replaced my m coupe seat with a recaro pole position racing seat and I was able to drive for 16+ hours without significant pain. Something about the rock hard back made it work for me.

I replaced my mini seat with a reclining recaro street/track seat (fits a 5 point harness), and despite the fact that the bottom seems to be narrower than my butt (and I have a 30" waist), I have driven for 11 hours with only a couple of 5 minute gas stops without significant pain.

My amazing success with extreme sport or racing seats seems counter-intuitive. I think it goes along with people feeling better in the morning after sleeping on a board than on something soft and comfy. My extreme sport seats are initially moderately uncomfortable, and then they stay there almost forever. My stock comfy seats were great for .5-4 hours depending on the car, and then they became instruments of torture.

The real key is to try out your new seats before buying them.

I spent an hour reading a book in my latest recaros before I bought them.

-john

RE: E39 Sport Seat Comfort Problem

DanChadwick — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:06:10 GMT

[quote][b]eglt (2/8/2008)[/b][hr]I Have a 2003 503i sport package. Great car, but, the driver seat is killing me on long drives. [/quote]

I don't have a 5 series (99 M Coupe with sporty seats, which I find comfortable). It might help people make suggestions if you could describe exactly what hurts, where, and what part of the seat you think is causing it.

I used to have a Mazda MX-6 GT, which had a million adjustments on the seat. I'd joke that I had 18 ways to make it uncomfortable. The lumbar had three setting: way too little, too little, and steel bar in your lower back. I used to roll up a pile jacket, which sound similar to what you've tried.

If it is the lower back and lack of support, you might find a very soft baby or children's pillow and place it carefully where you need it. It would have to be pretty thin, I think.

Maybe a 5 series owner will chime in. So does a 503i have a 0.3 liter motor? :P

E39 Sport Seat Comfort Problem

eglt — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:24:56 GMT

I Have a 2003 503i sport package. Great car, but, the driver seat is killing me on long drives. Anything under 30 minutes is fine. I was thinking of swapping out the seat with a 'comfort' seat but I can't find one on the net. I've tried seat covers and pads and I've been using a folded blanket on the seat, but nothing really seems to help.

Anyone have a idea on some kind of seat pad or cover that actually works? Or know where I might get another seat? Thanks!