Seat Comfort
#34
06-14-2006, 09:29 AM
#35
06-14-2006, 09:41 AM
Originally Posted by badco
So yeah, this is a dead thread, but I noticed that Javarama shares my exact problem - or at least he did almost two years ago. Do you still have your car?
I'm 6'1", 180#, suffering from a bulging disk, and it's looking like there's not going to be any way for me to get comfortable driving my '05 Coupe.
And yeah, I've done the seat mod.
There seem to be two big issues at play (for me, at least): seat/control relationship and the shape of the seat itself.
First - the relationship between the pedals, steering wheel, and seat. The car seems to have been designed for people with apelike long arms and short legs. If I'm close enough to grip the wheel properly, my knees are on the dash. If I'm far enough back for proper legroom, I'm barely touching the top of the wheel with my fingertips. The wheel only telescopes a couple of inches, which isn't nearly enough.
I drove a loaner '05 G Sedan for 10 days or so recently, and I was astonished at how much more comfortable it was - and how much more fun it was to drive with a proper driving position! Perhaps due to a higher seat and more headroom, the ergonomics in the Sedan just make a lot more sense.
Second - seat shape and adjustment. The seatback is virtually flat from the butt to the headrest, putting the headrest SEVERAL inches behind the driver's head. There really should be only 2 or 3 inches there. The seat bottoms are absurdly short, and not supportive anyway, as any attempt to raise the front of the bottom cushion raises the back of the bottom cushion almost the same amount (the front and back don't REALLY raise and lower independently.) Thigh support sucks. My legs float above the seat, and the right one floats higher, as the pedals are much closer than the dead pedal.
I don't know how I didn't notice this on the test drive - but I guess one doesn't really notice that kind of stuff on a test drive.
I can't drive this car and enjoy it. My options now are to:
- Give it to my wife and take her Xterra. She fits fine in the car.
- Spend $4k on a pair of leather or Alcantara, Topline series Recaros. Lose the airbags.
- Nobody sells aftermarket seats in Stone, so go rice and install a mismatched aftermarket driver's seat. Lose airbags and potentially power, leather, heat, etc.
- Trade it in and take the hit.
I love this car but I'm beginning to hate it too.
badco
I'm 6'1", 180#, suffering from a bulging disk, and it's looking like there's not going to be any way for me to get comfortable driving my '05 Coupe.
And yeah, I've done the seat mod.
There seem to be two big issues at play (for me, at least): seat/control relationship and the shape of the seat itself.
First - the relationship between the pedals, steering wheel, and seat. The car seems to have been designed for people with apelike long arms and short legs. If I'm close enough to grip the wheel properly, my knees are on the dash. If I'm far enough back for proper legroom, I'm barely touching the top of the wheel with my fingertips. The wheel only telescopes a couple of inches, which isn't nearly enough.
I drove a loaner '05 G Sedan for 10 days or so recently, and I was astonished at how much more comfortable it was - and how much more fun it was to drive with a proper driving position! Perhaps due to a higher seat and more headroom, the ergonomics in the Sedan just make a lot more sense.
Second - seat shape and adjustment. The seatback is virtually flat from the butt to the headrest, putting the headrest SEVERAL inches behind the driver's head. There really should be only 2 or 3 inches there. The seat bottoms are absurdly short, and not supportive anyway, as any attempt to raise the front of the bottom cushion raises the back of the bottom cushion almost the same amount (the front and back don't REALLY raise and lower independently.) Thigh support sucks. My legs float above the seat, and the right one floats higher, as the pedals are much closer than the dead pedal.
I don't know how I didn't notice this on the test drive - but I guess one doesn't really notice that kind of stuff on a test drive.
I can't drive this car and enjoy it. My options now are to:
- Give it to my wife and take her Xterra. She fits fine in the car.
- Spend $4k on a pair of leather or Alcantara, Topline series Recaros. Lose the airbags.
- Nobody sells aftermarket seats in Stone, so go rice and install a mismatched aftermarket driver's seat. Lose airbags and potentially power, leather, heat, etc.
- Trade it in and take the hit.
I love this car but I'm beginning to hate it too.
badcoI have my seat set up with the lower cushion bottomed out and then racked back at about 75% of it's travel. I have the seat back about 10% back past what would be considered vertical. The lumbar support is adjusted to 20%. My legs (34" inseam) don't contact either the door or center console. With the position, I can either do the one hand on top of steering wheel, elbow on door panel armrest and with hand at 9 on wheel, or both hand at 10 and 2 with the correct bend at my elbows. I drove this car from Kansas City to Atlanta (900 miles) and I didn't get fatigued at all. With any other car, I'd be constanting adjusting my position. I wonder why I'm so comfortable and you're so miserable? I have a prior lower back injury too and I'm fine.
I wish the seats at a little more bolster on the lower cushion, but they're pretty much perfect for distance driving and some sporting driving.
#36
06-14-2006, 10:39 AM
5 11 170lbs here... no problem with the seat, except that would like the seat to provide more support in terms of cornering.. (like the coupe seats that are closer to bucket seats)
I believe the back pain problem is kind of hit and miss tho; and my seat is starting making some noise at the rail btw..
I believe the back pain problem is kind of hit and miss tho; and my seat is starting making some noise at the rail btw..
#37
06-14-2006, 10:42 AM
Originally Posted by badco
So yeah, this is a dead thread, but I noticed that Javarama shares my exact problem - or at least he did almost two years ago. Do you still have your car?
I'm 6'1", 180#, suffering from a bulging disk, and it's looking like there's not going to be any way for me to get comfortable driving my '05 Coupe.
And yeah, I've done the seat mod.
There seem to be two big issues at play (for me, at least): seat/control relationship and the shape of the seat itself.
First - the relationship between the pedals, steering wheel, and seat. The car seems to have been designed for people with apelike long arms and short legs. If I'm close enough to grip the wheel properly, my knees are on the dash. If I'm far enough back for proper legroom, I'm barely touching the top of the wheel with my fingertips. The wheel only telescopes a couple of inches, which isn't nearly enough.
I drove a loaner '05 G Sedan for 10 days or so recently, and I was astonished at how much more comfortable it was - and how much more fun it was to drive with a proper driving position! Perhaps due to a higher seat and more headroom, the ergonomics in the Sedan just make a lot more sense.
Second - seat shape and adjustment. The seatback is virtually flat from the butt to the headrest, putting the headrest SEVERAL inches behind the driver's head. There really should be only 2 or 3 inches there. The seat bottoms are absurdly short, and not supportive anyway, as any attempt to raise the front of the bottom cushion raises the back of the bottom cushion almost the same amount (the front and back don't REALLY raise and lower independently.) Thigh support sucks. My legs float above the seat, and the right one floats higher, as the pedals are much closer than the dead pedal.
I don't know how I didn't notice this on the test drive - but I guess one doesn't really notice that kind of stuff on a test drive.
I can't drive this car and enjoy it. My options now are to:
- Give it to my wife and take her Xterra. She fits fine in the car.
- Spend $4k on a pair of leather or Alcantara, Topline series Recaros. Lose the airbags.
- Nobody sells aftermarket seats in Stone, so go rice and install a mismatched aftermarket driver's seat. Lose airbags and potentially power, leather, heat, etc.
- Trade it in and take the hit.
I love this car but I'm beginning to hate it too.
badco
I'm 6'1", 180#, suffering from a bulging disk, and it's looking like there's not going to be any way for me to get comfortable driving my '05 Coupe.
And yeah, I've done the seat mod.
There seem to be two big issues at play (for me, at least): seat/control relationship and the shape of the seat itself.
First - the relationship between the pedals, steering wheel, and seat. The car seems to have been designed for people with apelike long arms and short legs. If I'm close enough to grip the wheel properly, my knees are on the dash. If I'm far enough back for proper legroom, I'm barely touching the top of the wheel with my fingertips. The wheel only telescopes a couple of inches, which isn't nearly enough.
I drove a loaner '05 G Sedan for 10 days or so recently, and I was astonished at how much more comfortable it was - and how much more fun it was to drive with a proper driving position! Perhaps due to a higher seat and more headroom, the ergonomics in the Sedan just make a lot more sense.
Second - seat shape and adjustment. The seatback is virtually flat from the butt to the headrest, putting the headrest SEVERAL inches behind the driver's head. There really should be only 2 or 3 inches there. The seat bottoms are absurdly short, and not supportive anyway, as any attempt to raise the front of the bottom cushion raises the back of the bottom cushion almost the same amount (the front and back don't REALLY raise and lower independently.) Thigh support sucks. My legs float above the seat, and the right one floats higher, as the pedals are much closer than the dead pedal.
I don't know how I didn't notice this on the test drive - but I guess one doesn't really notice that kind of stuff on a test drive.
I can't drive this car and enjoy it. My options now are to:
- Give it to my wife and take her Xterra. She fits fine in the car.
- Spend $4k on a pair of leather or Alcantara, Topline series Recaros. Lose the airbags.
- Nobody sells aftermarket seats in Stone, so go rice and install a mismatched aftermarket driver's seat. Lose airbags and potentially power, leather, heat, etc.
- Trade it in and take the hit.
I love this car but I'm beginning to hate it too.
badco
#38
06-14-2006, 02:05 PM
i didnt know the coupes seats were different? i can never seem to be comfortable in my sedan 6MT. im always messing with the seat controls and when i seem to have finally found the right position someone %$@*'s with my controls! GRrr i find it more comfortable reclining the back support ( / ) (leaving room so someone can still fit back there) and pivoting the lower part of the seat so it feels like im leaning forward. another thing is the support when flying over on/off ramps im almost on the passenger seat! damNNIT
#39
06-14-2006, 07:16 PM
Originally Posted by Eticketride
Where should we carry it?
ETicketRide
2003 G35 Sedan/Ivory Pearl/Willow Premium/Sport/Tint
ETicketRide
2003 G35 Sedan/Ivory Pearl/Willow Premium/Sport/Tint
There was a period of time when it was hurting the most that I couldn't drive the G35. Low enough that getting in/out of the car was pure torture. The truck had smooth leather and bigger door opening so the problem was much less extreme.
More recently, with the nearly weekly round trip from 400-1070 miles, I've taken to using a heating pad. But this is not something I'm blaming my car for.
#40
06-15-2006, 02:27 AM
Originally Posted by GeeSpot
Thanks King but Recaro doesn't make seat brackets for Infinitis.....the fabrication of the brackets would cost more than the darn Recaro's.....several of us have looked into this idea before....
Originally Posted by inTgr8r
Another option is to re work the existing seats.
I'm in the middle of that very thing as we speak.
I have the controls removed & they're being relocated to the center console.
The seats go in to be reupolstered before the end of the month.
I'll have a complete write up when I'm done
I'm in the middle of that very thing as we speak.
I have the controls removed & they're being relocated to the center console.
The seats go in to be reupolstered before the end of the month.
I'll have a complete write up when I'm done
Are they also adding additional supports? How much does something like that cost?
I tried installing coupe seats in my car today and the main harness has a different connector with 5 more wires.
The strange part is that the coupe seats (at least these) are only 6-way as where my old ones with less wires are 8-way. I was able to get the up/down to work but I can't get the forward/back to work yet so I had to put my old ones back in until I can figure out what I am doing wrong.
#41
06-15-2006, 10:46 AM
Originally Posted by GeeSpot
Thanks King but Recaro doesn't make seat brackets for Infinitis.....the fabrication of the brackets would cost more than the darn Recaro's....
This article describes mounting a set of Recaros with Sparco brackets. In this case at least, they bolt right up:
http://www.subdriven.com/news/publis...icle_434.shtml
I'm doing some research today to see if I can find specs on the Sparco and Recaro bolt patterns.
#43
06-15-2006, 11:14 AM
Originally Posted by badco
Given that most bottom mount seats are generally four bolts in a rectangular pattern, couldn't one use another manufacturer's mounting kit if the bolts line up?
.
.
The Infiniti frame is an irregular pattern.
Getting adapter rails is the issue.
#44
06-15-2006, 11:23 AM
Originally Posted by ttrank
Are they also adding additional supports? How much does something like that cost?
I'm getting the lower bolsters built up some..
He's not sure if the back bolsters can be done due to air bag issues.
I'm getting Alcantara inserts added. (back seats as well)
It'll be about $2K
The seat controls I'm doing myself.
#45
06-15-2006, 11:29 AM