I'm looking for a 05-06 MCS with lumbar adj. on the seats (bad back). As I understand it, these are only available on the Cloth/Leather, and Leather seats. For 2005, what seat colors came in cloth/leather? (I've got an '06 dealer's brochure that lists Tartan Red cloth and leather, and checkmate cloth and leather. These two would have the lumbar, right? And were they available on the '05? )The photo below is from a '05 MCS with "Space Cloth". I'm assuming that these don't have the lumbar. Is this correct?

Sorry for all the questions. Thanks everyone!

-Andrew

 

I could be wrong but I think the only sport seats that didn't come w/ lumbar are the full cloth ones. As far as cloth/leather or leather/leather combo colors, I don't know.

I just re-read your post and you already knew what i wrote.

 

Lumbar support is *not* available on leatherette or full cloth. As the OP said, the only seats that come with lumbar are the full leather and leather/cloth combo. The leather/cloth combo is the tartan red cloth/black leather seats (red cloth in the center, black leather on the outsides); the leather is black, blue/black, cordoba beige, and english panther black.

Note that cloth/leather does not mean cloth or leather... It refers to that specific cloth/leather combo upholstery.

With that said, have you sat in and/or driven a car without lumbar (but *with* the sport seats)? Most people agree that the sport seats are amazingly comfortable... many stating that they don't even need lumbar. If you haven't already, take a good long drive in one to see if it's really necessary. Just my two cents....

 

Well, I don't know about calling them "amazingly comfortable," but depending on your back, it is nice to have the lumbar support. I personally don't use it regularly but have in the past when I needed to stretch my back on a long drive. The sport seats are actually not that comfortable, although I don't mind them.

 

If you asking me, the yes. I have the sport seats w/o lumbar. I couldn't afford leather at the time. The sport seat are great and the backs of my legs thank me for not getting leather. But I'm sure lumbar would help greatly if I had a bad back.

 

Thanks for the advice. Had I not driven any of them, I'd also question the need myself, but yes, I have driven for about 1/2 hour both the MCS's lumbar and non-lumbar sportseats. I've also driven for about 2 hours in the regular seats in a MC. The Lumbar ones were much more comfortable. Also, cloth in general beats the hell out of leather or leatherette for me, b/c of summer, perspiration, and shorts.

What does a person "need"? I think better way to phrase the question, might be "How much are you willing to pay or what are you wiling to sacrifice for a certain level of comfort and performance?" To give you an idea of what I'm willing to go through for comfortable seats, I personally installed Mk IV Jetta Recaros in my B13 SE-R.

-Andrew

 

As the previous posts suggest, but don't state outright...
your assumption is correct that the space cloth seats do not have lumbar adjustment.

(My '06 MCS has the Space Cloth seats, which saved me from getting the leather and heated seat options

 

I actually have the Space Cloth sports seats - I know it seems silly - with the heaters. My last car had a lumbar adjustment that I always used, so I was pretty worried about not having any lumbar adjustment in the MINI, especially since I have had lower back problems in the past. I have gone on three 5+ hour trips so far, and I find that if my back starts to hurt (which it actually hurt less than in my last car), I switch on the heated seats and it really soothes the pain for me. The last trip I took, I never even experienced any pain. Of course, everyone's back is different, but for me, leather/leatherette was not an option and I just couldn't afford the cloth/leather seats - so I compromised and haven't had a problem.

 

".... and if that doesn't work, I grab the Guinness from the chilled glovebox..."

 

Only the leather seats have the lumbar support, the space grey cloth, and leatherette, etc, didn't come with the lumbar support, only the leather seats come with it.

 

HEY I like the seats
i happen to have the pleather sports seats and i think they fit nicely .
i just wish the pleather wouldn't get so hot and sticky in the summer

 

i have an 05 with panther leatherette sport seats... and it DOES have lumbar support

 

Hmmm...wondering if this be some kind of regional option unavailable in the NA market? I notice that your location is Shanghai...

 

oh, sorry... don't be confused by my location. i live in shanghai now for work. the car was purchased in Los Angeles. Premium and sport package with the panther leatherette seats.

I know that the sport package comes automatically with the sport seats. Maybe the premium with that package opens up the option for the leatherette?

sorry, i dont have the answer as to why it is that way but i have a couple friends with leatherette and lumbar support

 

I really don't want to say you're wrong, because I hate when people say, "you're wrong". But the leatherette just flat-out absolutely does not come with lumbar support. There is no combination of options or packages that creates this possibility. As many have said in this thread, the only upholstery that have lumbar are the leather and the leather/cloth combo....

There are three things I can think of: 1) They messed up at the factory and put the wrong seats in the car with the wrong upholstery; 2) You are unfamiliar with your car's actual upholstery; 3) someone re-upholstered the seats with leatherette...

 

i bought the car brand new and i ordered it with panther leatherette in the sports package.

i dont know how to prove it to you since im in shanghai and my car is in LA but i swear on everything i care for and love that I HAVE leatherette seats with lumbar support. my friend that has the same setup owns a JCW package that came with leatherette and lumbar support. i can't remember what the other car's set up is...

so to answer your theories :
1) no mistake, i ordered it this way and so did my friend
2) i am very familiar with my interior (oooh, that's kinda dirty )
3) no reupholstering here, came from the factory like that