So I've seen MINI counsel on the hand positioning on wheel. I've been taught for autocrossing to be able to bend wrist at top of wheel with shoulder flat against back of seat.

Now that being said, for the enthusiastic street driving not the track, what about the rest of the seat arrangement? Do you sit high up by pumping the seat up or down low to feel the curves?

Do you try to sit far for leg comfort then adjust wheel to compensate or vice versa?

Thoughts?

 

I have the seat as low as possible and as far back as it can be while still letting me fully depress the clutch. The seat back itself is slightly tilted back from upright to give me some support while motoring and some comfort while sitting through morning traffic.

 

I sit very similar to how I would for autocross, just moved back a little. Seat as low as posible, close enough so that I can rest my wrists on the sides of the wheel while sitting normally and I can depress the clutch without having to strain, but not so close that I have the wheel resting in my lap.

 

Street driving? Sit comfortably. Back from the wheel farther than when autoXing.

I always have my seat as low as possible, because I'm tall enough to need it there regardless.

I sit back far enough to comfortably press the clutch pedal all the way in, and then move the steering wheel to where my arms are comfortable.

If I'm not trying for lap times (and I'm not, on the street!!) I want the car to be comfortable.

 

+1

Actually, the OPs question is a good one. As several have said, I have my seat set basically the same as for autoX and track. The back is pretty upright with knees and elbows bent. This way I don't have to change driving habits and can actually practice things on the street and it translated to those events.

I have changed over the years and with different seats. My wife's MINI has an early version of the sports seats and I tended to drive that car in a little more stretched out position and found it comfortable and still gave good control over the car. With my '07 S, MINI changed the sport seats. They were wider and had less side support and less lumbar support. No position was good for me with them. My current MINI has seats with the adjustable lumbar support and these are more like the seats in the '04 for overall support and car control.

 

Interesting that some feel that for street driving the seat should be low. I am over 6 feet tall and have my seat pumped all the way up for greater visibility.

That said, I also feel that most people have their seat way too far back for optimum control on the street. With the seat back even leaning back. Clearly the seat should not be as close as optimum for auto-crossing or any other spirited driving, but back like a "bus driver" seems a poor choice from my experience. It's not a couch.

But then again I am old and "think" I know how to adjust my mirrors as well. I was teaching a friends daughter to drive a couple of weeks ago and she got in the car and didn't touch the seat OR mirrors. Of course I didn't let her move but she actually said she was told by her father that the mirrors should point down and back so she can see if she is in her lane. We went all over "aiming high" and the fact the car will essentially go where you are looking.

Drivers Ed doesn't seem to be what it used to be.

///Rich

 

At 6' 2" with long arms and legs I have the seat as low as it will go and as far back as the cabin allows. That said, I've got plenty of room.

 

At 6'3", down low to feel the road and so that I can see stoplights when stopped at them.

 

Sight, control and comfort. That is what you look for in autox in that order.

If you cannot as the cones, then you cannot drive. Sit just high enough to do that with the swat tilted just high enough.

Then, have bent elbows for control at 9 and 3. Easy unobstructed turning capability.

For comfort, just adjust for the top 2 and drive around for long enough on the street, you will feel very comfortable in that position. I try not to make any changes in driving position autox, track or street so I practice the same thing for muscle memory.

 

So a lot of people putting seat low but I thought MINI had once explained that seat should go up such that you feel you are in a chair with bent knees... I also find that too low and lack of leg support (that lip some seats have that you can pull forward) ends up bothering me so I raise or put seat up...

Again to be clear I talked about AX but am trying to see what people think is best for daily (enthusiastic) driving ...

 

All the way down...and as far back as I can go without hitting the rear seat. I'm 6'1 and have long legs...and I like my hat to not hit the roof

 

2012 CMS All4

i am 5'8" tall, but wear 34" inseam jeans (long legs)

seat pumped all the way UP
1 click forward from full back
seatback almost verticle
steering wheel full forward and about 1/2 way through the tilt travel
no lumbar adjustment in my cms
headrest full down (push both buttons) in contact with the seatback

as adjusted, i can rest my left foot flat on the dead peddle

scott