Heated Seats are a must !!! crank the back support ALL the way out, works for me

I drove 3,500 miles in one week, no problem

 

Yes, I am......I have degenerative everthing (lol) disks, verts, just a bag of bones. I broke my neck two years ago and screwed my back doing a bunch of things. The bike aggravates it after a long ride.....other than that I am fine......chiropractors, massage therapists, accu-punctureist, personal trainers, physical therapists, emergency rooms, orthopods, and a whole host of other medical professionals have put their kids through colllege on me. My Mini seat is fine though.

OH, Sport w lumbar

 

I have a small PARS defect in my lumbar spinal area, and the Cooper nearly crippled me on our cross country trip. I ended up wearing a brace, and going through a few months of rehab. It sucked.

The lumbar adjustment is too high in the seat to truely have a positive effect on the entire lumbar area. It is in part due to the seats' need to fold forward. If there were more material to the seat, down low, it would not fold without interference.

So, I had to buy a back support pillow. It helps me tremendously, but without it, I struggle within minutes.

 

No lumbar on my sport seats.. not a problem on short drives... but will opt to take my other car for longer drives.

 

So...THAT explains your sunny disposition

(Just kidding bro...don't ever change)

 

I have cloth/leather seats w/lumbar on my MCS...love them, my back feels great driving this car!!! Oh, and I agree, use the heat...definitely helps when my back is sore prior to getting into the car.

 

Its all in th eadjustment of th eseat. I found that after a day of driving the mini my back would hurt also. I like to sit low and away from the steering wheel. The main adjustment I made was to raise the back of the seat bottom a couple clicks, that completly made the discomfort go away. I have done a 500 mile trip with absolutly no discomfort once I figures out where the best settings were for me. BTW I have 2 herniated disks and its still ok.

 

I have the 03 (before they added the extra padding) MCS cloth sports seats w/out lumbar. I drive 140+ miles a day and have no problems. In fact if going on a long trip it is the car of choice. I've done a few 450 to 650 miles day trips, and no problems. Make sure you get it adjusted just right though. I can tell when someone has messed w/ it. I can't stand my wife's Tacoma.

NIk

 

Our MC CVT has the standard seats and I find them to be comfortable. Have done over 10 hour long road trips in them without any issues. My '05 MCS has sport leatherette seats with no lumbar support and are equally comfortable.

I think frame size and body weight has a lot to do with how comfortable you feel in these seats. I am 5'10" 185 pounds...

 

Gots an '02 S with leatherette and no cruise. Just a plain jane go fast machine. Fix'in to run to Florida next week, 1,100 miles over 2 days. Then come back in a week or so. First long run in it. I'll check in here when we arrive and post an update. BTW, got a cracked tailbone and bottom 2 discs are scrap from motocrossing and cafe racing 30 years ago.

....Les

 

LOL - I knew someone would make that crack

 

just to clarify, though I think I know the answer - is the adjustable lumbar only available on leather or leather/cloth sport seats, or can you get it on the leatherette? I agree with C4 that I think your body type, proportion, weight, presence or lack of injuries makes a big difference

 

Thru '05, it's not an option with leatherette!

 

While not quite as comfortable on long trips (1000+ mi) as our Audi seats have been; The sport leatherette seats in my 04 MCS were fine on a 1600 mi. trip last yr. and this yr my wife's MC maiden voyage was nearly 2400 mi....

If the seats are not supportive enough; or supportive in the wrong areas--thats what bothers my body.. The MINI seats seem "just right" for us..

 

Yes, only leather or cloth/leather seats.

 

My CVT has the heated leather seats with the lumbar supports. I make all kinds of excuses to drive my MC on distance trips, as it is VERY comfortable for me. BTW, I'm 6', and weigh aroud 280 or so, and usually average around 360 roundtrip miles when I go see the family in northeastern Ohio [and I do it about once a month]. Going to the Dragon is around 450 one-way miles from here, and, while I AM tired after the distance of the drive, I cannot blame it on the seats at all.

 

Yeah, different. I have 6 screws (one of which is loose...yeah, yeah, I've heard the jokes...), 2 titanium rods and 3 cages(spacers) in my lower back and a 12 hour haul on the interstate in the MCS, leather is no problem aside from ordinary stiffness. I think the seats are great. The thigh support could be extended 2-3 inches though.

 

I drove 12 hours from Las Vegas to Wahington and felt great after the trip....except tired....took a long nap....

 

I don't know how you guys do the heated seat thing in the summer - even when the A/C is cranked and I'm freezing, my back is still sweating due to the seats. I guess the leatherette doesn't breathe very well?

Also, find the seats to be great except for the lower back support. I don't have the lumbar support, though.

 

I do 100+ miles a day. Sometimes my back hurts after work, but after the 50 mile commute home, my MINI seat makes it feel better

 

--You know I only got to test drive a MCS once. It had the sport suspension and leather seats but I think I was laughing too much during the drive to notice if the seat was comfortable. When I sat in my co-workers MCS it still felt pretty comfortable. I asked my gal who was riding with me in the test drive if the ride was rough or if the seats were uncomfortable. She said the car was more "bouncy" than my soft Altima, but she said the seats were very comfortable from what she remembers.

I'll pick up my new MCS this October or mid November so I guess we'll have to see then. I ordered the leather seats which I hope will come with lumbar support. Man for that price you'd think it would come with lumbar and massagers build in! We both have slight back problems so we'll report back if it's unbearable. Sorry to hear some people don't like those seats tho.

--pyratio

 

My previous car, Neon, no problem wih the seat...my wife's Civic kills my back. I ordered my MC with the standard seat ( not sport seat ) as it seemed closer to the Neon's seat that I liked. The MC's seat bothers my back a little, but now I bunch an old polarguard winter jacket against the bottom of the seat as a pillow and it solved that problem and I always have a coat in the car in case I need it, and often bring the coat into restaurants or movie theatres for my back

 

I have an '02 MCS with cloth seats, no lumbar support. Long trips of over 6 hours are absolutely no problem, but everything is about finding the right seat position, and with all of the controls there are allot of choices.

My back is showing signs of it's age, 57. I'm 6'2" and 225lbs. Wouldn't think about getting anything other than another MCS with sport seats and cloth upholstery. I agree with the others, heated seats are the mutts nuts.

 

#1-call your chiropractor

#2-try the easy adjustments listed above

#3-if all else fails you can perform surgery on your seats. a colleague of mine had to take apart his leather seats and pare down the lumbar section because it was hurting his back.-apparently an easy fix and instructions are somewhere on NAM.

FWIW we are both chiropractors.

 

I find the seats comfortable (firm but supportive) for long drives.

My wife had a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 8-way power seats and your butt was numb after about 3 hours on the road. Not so with the MINI.

I keep the seat about 1/2 between lowest and highest position. I keep it there to assist egress, since it puts my hip level-closer to my knee-level.
The back of the seat is about 2-3 notches from upright. My legs are slightly bent when the pedals are fully depressed (driving position recommended by Vic Elford - but he'd probably tell me to put the seat lower a little more!)

I don't have lumbar or heated seats. I'm 6'2" and have a relatively big build.