Is it just me or does anyone else find these seats really uncomfortable. I have 05 MCS with leather seats and I find the lumbar portion to stick out too much and it's rock hard. I've already used the **** to adjust it and it doesn't seem to help. I'm also used to very stiff rides as my weekend car is a Lotus with the coilovers set aggressively and I've owned an e36 M3, and Boxster S in the past so I don't think it's the car being too stiff for me. My friend just sold MCS because it hurt his back so bad so he's going back to an e46 M3.

I'm just curious if anyone else has this problem.

 

I think the MINI seats leave a lot to be desired for comfort.

My 03 standard seats are OK, but longer trips get uncomfortable pretty quick.

Sat in a new Mustang Bullitt Edition a few days ago, (not a car noted for super comfortable seats I don't think), and it's seats were very comfortable, especially compared to the MINI seats.

Maybe the 07's are better?

 

I think it's the individual. I drive the hell out of my Mini. (Jun 06 w/50K)
I drove an 03 from Louisiana to Cali then from Cali to Virginia with little discomfort, but I can't speak for the leather seats. Granted I only weigh 180lb at 5'10".

 

well I'm not a fatty either 180lbs and 5'11''
must be me... may have to consider selling the car 'cuz this is supposed to be my "comfortable commuting car"

 

I couldn't ever get a comfortable seating position in my MKV GTI. Every single time I hopped in the car I fooled with the position. Got into the MINI, made 2 or 3 minor adjustments, perfect. I don't even use the lumbar support.

If this is your commuter car and it's this uncomfortable, I say sell it. Get an old 5-series mule. No sense owning two tiny vehicles anyhow, right?

 

Took me a long while to appreciate or even get used to the seats in the Mini. At one point I thought of either selling or replacing the seats. I found after about 4 months of ownership I finally got comfortable. Not sure who designed these seats... I'm thinking a crabby German.

 

My 04 had (had being the key word there) the leather package (the one with the little round dots) and my legs would go numb. I knew other people with this problem. Good thing about having friends with MINIs is I swapped
for some cloth ones, they're much nicer but I still plan on have seats made special (with extra cushion because my butt requires it)

you're not alone

 

I actually thought the English Panther Leather seats I got were more comfortable than most OEM seats I've owned, but, they don't hold you in place so out they went for some Recaro's (which I'm happy to say are more comfortable than any other I've owned even on a long road trip and I'm not a little dude either)

 

I'm the exact oposite, the MINI seats for me in my '03 MCS are the best I have ever sat in

 

Asking if its the seats or is it you is like asking which color is best... Its so subjective in its application, its impossible to determine an answer..

Best seats I ever sat in? My Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.. Also My SAAB 9-3.. Also my Ford Ranger ( only the 2004-2005 seats)

See? So many different seats, so many ***'s lol

 

Im not terribly fond of the seats. i wish there was a way to make them better.
I find the lower back support lacking. I have a 2006 With the standard vinyl.
Nice looking but the bolsters are too wide for me and the back is well like i said lacking

 

i don't mean to be rude or anything but wouldn't you rather buy some different seats before you totally get rid of the car? im assuming, and i stress assuming, that if you can afford a lotus and a mini, you can probably afford a pair of really comfy, and really great looking seats. i would look at recaros, as they are in my opinion the best seats money can buy

 

navycav3 has a point.....
I just dont have the money to fix that... Wish i did.

 

I sold my English Panther Leather for $100 less than it cost me to do my Recaro's. Add $50 for a leatherette rear seat and it was my best/cheapest mod yet.

 

A much less costly approach is custom-fitted seats: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=140299

 

FWIW they do say the 2nd gen seats are better but who knows...I never had a problem either way.

 

my MINI leather seats are wayy comfy!

 

I have the same problem with the lumbar in my '03, I keep wishing I could make it retract some more, and it seems to just hit me in the wrong place. You might try adjusting the seatback to a more verticle setting, that helped me....it feels strange at first, but I got used to that quicker than I could the football in my lower back.

 

Something changed between the 02-04 and my '06, I felt the same way about the early mini seats, but my '06s are great, 2nd best I've ever had (1st were the stock Recaros in my 1990 small-bumper 2.0 GLI 16v... LOVED those seats.

 

My 03 is great very confortable Leatherette

Drive 12 hours strait with no back strain what so ever

180 6' tall

 

one thing I love about the R56 is that they really upgraded the seats BIG time--much more supportive and comfy

 

I've been 6 hours in my '06 with leatherette and had no issues. Same height as you ...but 40 additional pounds.

Like so many other things, comfort is going to vary from person to person.

Dean.

 

Most of the time, I think they're OK - not great, but not unbearable. Every now and then, though, I find them really uncomfortable. They do alright on long trips though. After a full day in the car, my back isn't sore, so that's at least better than some.

My issue with the adjustable lumbar support is that it's too high on the seatback. It hits me in the kidneys, not it the curve of my back like it's supposed to. And I'm 6'1", so it's not like my back is shorter than it should be for the support to work. I always have it dialed back and never adjust it out.

 

I've been sitting on my plastic cow hide seats in my 06 MCS for 40,000 miles. To me they are comfortable.

I'll agree that the gen 2 seats are more comfortable, but I'm not going to get a gen 2 just for the seats.

 

I have varied experiences with the seats on my 04 MCS. Because my wife often drives it, we're constantly fiddling with the various controls. Once I get it dialed in, I find it pretty comfortable but that dial-in process isn't easy.
Though I plan to change to leather, I will say the cloth is very grippy and I stay put during the hardest cornering.