Hi all, I owned my MINI (Clubmans S with heated leatherette) since last September and absolutely love it, I can swear this is the 1st car that puts smile on my face every time that I drive it over the 20 years of driving life that I had, I cannot describe how I am attached to it, but there is a big problem that I am dealing with. I have lower back and pelvis floor problem and the driver's seat cushion is too firm for me and over the period 20 min or so driving it becomes unbearable. I tried all sort of cushions to fix the issue but problem with those are that they don't fit correctly and they make the situation worst. I elevated the front side of the seat to get more support under my legs but still not working.

So here are options that I am thinking to do and wanted to get some ideas:

1. I talked to a upholstery shop and he thinks that he can cut a layer of the seat foam and replace it with lower density foam and see how that works, I know that probably somehow could mess up the seat but I was thinking to buy an OEM cushion foam ($117) and let him try on that and swap it with the original foam, or find a similar S seat from a junk yard and try on that.

2. Buy JCW Recaro seat, but I have not seen any of those up-close and I heard they are firmer than the OEM ones. not sure if that works.

3. Buy None S seats from junk yard and swap it with mine since I think somewhere I read that they are softer thatn sport seats.

If I cannot fix this issue with all sadness I have to let the MINI go which is the last thing that I wanted to happen.

 

Try an orthopedic supply house for foam gel type pads made for people with simular issues. Also they make a gel pad product for use in motorcycle seats. Google "seat gel" you'll come up with lots of ideas. Also to get the full benefit and if it's really an issue, I'd talk to some auto upholestry shops and have them build a custom seat for you. You can get a doner from a wrecking yard, they can re do the springs to make them more compliant as needed, use a layer of high density foam for support followed by low density for cushioning and finally a gel pad. Then fit the original cover back to match yore interior.

This is not rocket science and should be able to be done fairly reasonably and quickly. Also if you find the doner seat, I'd think a non auto custom upholestry shop could do it as well.

GL

 

Hi,

Since you have sport seats, you have the lumbar controls, and this is a good thing. The stock seats do not.

I also think my clubman seats were too hard, so I got a set of wet okole seat covers for them. There are lots of threads on them. I am quite happy with them. They add a 1/2 of foam to soften things up.

If that is not enough, you can add memory foam under the seat cover to add more softness. There are threads on that as well. Personally I would go that route before I started modifying the seats (especially with the airbags in them). But that's just me.

Good luck, and I'm sure you can make the seats more comfortable.

 

He said he has the leatherette seats, so I am thinking he doesn't have the lumbar control. I think only the leather seats have lumbar.

As you said, you might want to go down to the junk yard or dealership and ask to try out other seats, like the leather or the ones from a Justa. See if those are any better for you. The idea of replacing the cushion might also work, but you may want to revert your change before it comes time to trade/sell.

You may want to ask this question in the modifications section too.

 

Thanks for all good comments.

@nick49: I tried gel cushions and they really don't make that much help, but I probably will try your second suggestion after I find the spare seat, definitely I don't want to mess up the OEM seat.

@heli-guy:I do have the leatherette seats and they don't have the lumbar support but the point is that I think the back support of the seat is really good, but as far as Wet Okole cover I think I need to specify to them that I need an extra layer of padding in the cushion part of the cover.

@romile: I wish I could rent a Cooper for couple of days and see how it is different from S, I am wondering that if someone who has / had both S and None S Coopers can tell if they find any difference between the seats.

 

I have a non S, but my car has sport seats.

If you have a medical problem with your back, I think the smart thing to do is get a custom seat so you can have your car, which you love, and a seat that allows you to drive it.

My seats are cloth and do not have the lumbar support either.

Also.. do you happen to have runflats on the car? If so, they make the ride a LOT rougher and you might want to consider swapping them for a standard tire. The ride on those is much softer and may not jar your joints as badly when you hit bumps.

 

I didn't think the cushions would really help that much. I think you need the seat frame re-sprung with more compliant, less firm springs.

Take out your stock seat and save it for when you sell, and have a custom one made using the stock frame and back. I think only the base will have to be modded, you should be able to keep the air bag in the back. GL!