Seat discomfort

[Fen]

I mentioned this before but not under its own title so looking for more comment.

I've had the car for 9 days and covered around 1,500 miles in that time and every time I spend much over about 1 1/2 hours in it (sometimes much less) I start to get uncomfortable. On the way home from work on Friday the M5 was closed so I had to make a bit of a detour and the journey took 2 1/2 hours and I was beyond uncomfortable when I got home. Ditto bringing the car home on day one and a lengthy trip last Sunday.

It's bad enough that I couldn't face going to the meet today and spending 6 hours in the car. By contrast the week before I bought it I drove my 530d to the south of France and back with very little discomfort at all and I have done the 8-10 hour trip to my mother's in Scotland in the BMW (plus Porsches, 306 GTI-6 etc. etc.) several times without thinking about it. Currently I couldn't even consider taking the RS6. It's the only car I've ever found excruciating to drive a long distance.

Does anyone else find the same - or even better did anyone else find the same and get over it somehow? In all seriousness I'm considering phoning the dealer tomorrow to see what they'd offer me to have it back. I'm also just about to buy a season ticket for the train to get me to work.

If anyone wants a very tidy 56k miles black '03 03 Avant with silk leather, solar roof, black optics, folding & dipping mirrors and a 6310i phone kit then let me know.

[tombs]

Im interested, missed out as I was to slow....but if you want to sell, pm me if your serious or phone me on 07841 412199

[marmite]

Strange really I find it very comfortable
My wife has a bad back and she never has an issue in it
My allroad had standard seats and this gave her a sore back after a couple of hrs

I have done 750 trip in mine and got out with out an issue

You tried your lumber support, is it working ok?

[SteveH]

I had a problem getting the lumbar support in the correct place early days, wound it back a bit and it made quite a difference overall.

[Fen]

My wife isn't an ergonomicist, but she does that sort of stuff in her work (fitting wheelchairs etc.) and she helped me out with some settings. I've been out this afternoon for about 3 hours albeit not in once sitting and it seems much better. Basically in every car I've owned for I don't know how long I set the seat bas low at the back and high at the front to get under thigh support and I had done that in the RS6, but now I have raised the back a bit. I also wound the lumbar to minimum, but then I added a bit back in after a while. I'm hopeful I'm getting it right. Shame there's no memory as first time someone else drives it the settings will be lost again.

I'll bear your position in mind Tombs, but I love the car aside the seating so I want to get it right rather than move it on.

I will be using the train though (based on a pilot run tomorrow not being too unpleasant) as it costs £417 a month whereas I spent more than half that on fuel alone last week!

Thanks for the responses everyone.

[DRC]

What helped in my case was not having anything in my back pockets.
It took a couple of 4 hour drives to realise that the uncomfortable feeling I was experiencing was due to the Recaro seat pushing my credit cards underneath my left buttock.
Had no problem since.

[Fen]

I see how that would work - I think my problem has been that I have been sitting with all my weight on just the bony bits of my backside (not that it's exactly what you'd describe as bony...). Raising the back of the seat spreads the weight along the backs of my thighs which I think is helping a lot.

[RSVI]

I find the seats ok, even on long trips (1100 miles in 3 days). keep trying settings

DRC's comment about the wallet is right, I had to remove quite alot of cards when i got the RS6. Worth a try

[langstone]

I find the seats ok, even on long trips (1100 miles in 3 days). keep trying settings

DRC's comment about the wallet is right, I had to remove quite alot of cards when i got the RS6. Worth a try

Is that 'cause they wore out buying fuel?

Regards

Mark

[skiwi]

i too found the seats uncomfortable at first, but the issue was the height of the seat rear which was putting too much pressure on the inside of my thighs. i tried various things without success, until i got more radical - for me, basically the more horizontal the seat, the more comfortable.

now i would say the seats are fantastic...

[Fen]

More horizontal is exactly what I have tried so that's encouraging. After a day of purgatory at the hands of Virgin Trains I'm taking it to work tomorrow.

[Gavc500]

Fen, your RS6 sounds great, hmmnn, same spec as mine actually!

I suffer with a prolapsed disc in the lower lumber area and seating can be a massive pain, but not in the RS, so persevere and you should find comfort. My biggest concern was the lumber, if you get it wrong, even slightly then it has a major impact. So keep adjusting it in small increments until you find the right setting, plus move the back rest as well.

Can't be more specific but keep going and you'll find comfort. 7 hours driving has no impact now, its a great long distance shuttle.

Gav.

[shimmy]

this was my main complaint of the RS6 while i had her. Always felt uncomfortable on long drives of an hour plus and couldnt find a way of curing it.

it was an improvement when i moved to the CSL buckets even though they have a rep of being awful for bigger blokes (arses)

[Lig]

Hi Fen,

I have had mine for about 3 months now and covered 6k miles and everytime I get in I have to make a minor adjustment - It has never done my back in even after long journeys but just the initial comfort. I came from a 2.7T Sport A6 which had pretty much standard leather seats and to be honest although providing not as much support, were more comfortable. I am just hoping that one day I will get in and it will not cross my mind and I will complete a journey and after think - hey I didnt have to adjust my seat....I hope that day will come sooner rather than later.

Another thing I would like to open up to the floor is.......my drivers seat seems to be slightly twisted 'on the cock' so to speak! (no the car hasn't been in any side impacts or anything) but I find my right thigh sitting on the right raised bolster part of the seat? does anyone else find this? It seems the seat is slightly off set so its a fraction towards the gearstick rather in line with the steering wheel??

Look forward to your comments.
Lig.

[Fen]

Hmm I'm not alone then. My commute is about 1 1/2 hours and I'm doing that no problem now so I'm getting there I hope.

I very nearly bought a CSL. I didn't find the seats a problem on the 30 minute test drive and I'm not exactly small.