My BMW Sport Seats are a pain!

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I got a 325i with the sport package which includes sportier style seats this past September.The seats are killing me!

I never have back,butt or leg pain but this car gives me sciatic pain like crazy.I've actually had to take tylenol and excedrin for the last 2 days.

Literally a pain in the BUTT LOL!

BTW,I've never had this problem with any other car i've owned.Never!

Is it possible that this may pass and is only temporary or I am I getting "old"
shocked.gif
.If this keeps up I will trade/sell the car and get something more comfortable like a Camry.That should prove I getting old!

[ November 08, 2005, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: Alan ]
 
My experience is just the opposite. My 96 Camry gives me leg pain but my BMW 325 with the standard (non-power) seats is OK except on very long trips. I think my legs are too long for the Camry. Maybe the newer ones are better.
 
The Gen 5 Camry's are roomy. I am 6-4 and drive a manual 02 SE. Enough leg room for everything. Gen 4, nope, can't work the clutch.
 
Check the BMW boards, you should be able to find someone with the non-sport seats who would trade for yours in a heartbeat!

You can probably get someone to kick in a few bucks too.
 
Are the BMW Sport seats not adjustable? I have had three Porsches with the Porsche sport seats and they are fabulous.

If I have to drive for an hour in a GM J car (cavalier, sunfire etc) I am wracked with pain, so its not like I am immune to seat pain
 
Yes they are the powered version so they are pretty adjustable(no lumbar to adjust though).

What also irritates me the most however is the cramped right side of the drivers footwell.The side of the dash runs too close to the gas pedal.I can't get my right leg comfortable at all.
It's like my right leg is always tense from switching back between the gas/brake and it's really uncomfortable!
The joint that connects the leg bone into your pelvic/hip bones get sore as heck in a matter of minutes into driving as it's always tense and my leg has no room to get into a comfy position!

It's getting to the point where it's unbearable.Along with my leg/joint pain it now seems the discomfort is giving me now throbbing headaches(at Chucky Cheese's with kids screaming combined with a hangover type headache).

It's almost like a iron maiden with a BMW label on it.

I just got it and don't wanna trade it in,take a loss but I feel like I am at a breaking point and a more comfortable car would be the best solution!

To qoute the Jackson 5 hit:"It's torture!"
 
I think you have support problem(s). Thighs need to be supported othervise thigh muscles will be under continious stress even when plainly sitting. Slanting the front side upwards and sitting as back as possible to use the full lenght of the padding may help. I don't mean moving the seat back, it should be in the proper position.

Hip pain problem may indicate that the seat padding is too hard and can't (de)form under load to provide enough supporting area. However it also could be related with the lack of thigh support.
 
yeah, even on my old 88 325is e30 my GF (and others who have to spend long amounts of time in the front pass seat) all complain about how uncomfortable it is on their lower back and legs.
I find them just right, but they could be a bit more accomodating in the cushioning areas.

I find that both Volvo and Saab have designed seats for the most comfortable long distance cruises. IMHO, regardless of how great a car is to drive, it's seat comfort is very important!!!
 
Well the seats are very supportive thigh wise.The seat cushioning is very FIRM,TOO FIRM!It's too uncomfortable for me.
 
BMW sport seats have always been uncomfortable, my father-inlaw has a 5 series with the sports package. The only good thing is the seat extends in the front to support you thighs but is no more comfortable.
 
I cured the problem!
I sold the car!

S&M seats begone!
 
I love BMWs but I can't figure out why they use seats that don't seem to work for anybody! Having said that, for me the sport seats work much better than the non-sport versions in most BMWs. I actually like the E46 sport seats, and the sport driver's seat in my E30 is very good, except for lower back support.

By contrast, the Japanese figured out how to make EXCELLENT, perfectly supportive seats by the late eighties. The seat in my old '88 Sentra were the best-contoured I've ever owned, possibly the best I've ever sat in. Why can't BMW get it right?

- Glenn
 
The sport seats in the E46 had NO LUMBAR support,that's just unacceptable in car that cost $35K.They were too firm,too sunken and the bolters were unecessarily hard,a recipe for pain for most.Those seats just plain suck!I can imagine how the normal E46 seats are like(i've read you can actually feel the metal frame bars easily through the cushioning lol).I did a search on "BMW uncomfortable seats" and found MANY have the same problems with many selling the car!

It's a shame because it was really a nice car but NOT worth it.

BTW,
My 2001 Hyundai Accent had 10X more comfy seats with an adjustible lumbar.Maybe BMW should study those seats.
 
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