lexus33

Damn I love my car more than anything and have owned it now for 4 months or so. I have been traveling often on sales calls which range about 75 miles or so each way. I just noticed how damn unfortable this car is. Damn, after an hour and a half of driving my back is killing me. Before the last two weeks I only traveled in the car locally and it is great BUT damn anything over an hour and a half just sucks *****! I know it is a sports car but I hope the future models have some higher class leather and maybe a lumbar system or something. I also am a decent sized guy and my back doesn't even fit in the width of the seat right. My lats hang off the sides. I only noticed it when traveling long distance. I guess I better stop lifting the big weights in the gym hey, LOL.

Seriously, I hope Nissan improves this....LOVE the car but it is NOT a long distance car or even medium distance 75 miles +. Then again I drove a Lexus SC430 before this, so maybe I was pampered before.

35oZephyR

iTrader: (4)

I feel you...

I've driven a plethora of cars/ trucks before but the Z is killing my back on longer drives! I wasn't going to complain since the seats snugged me soooo well. However, I'm going to let you know you're not alone.

The overall design of the seats are fine!
I guess the way the seats are positioned...every time I press down on the clutch my lower back is compressed against the seat. It aches even more when I'm coming from the gym. Maybe
Nissan didn't quite consider this otherwise they would have placed more padding right in that spot.

I was thinking about finding a piece of neoprene or something like that to place there.
Anyone have any remedies besides the obvious of "quit yo bltchin!" ???

Reggi914

iTrader: (3)

I actually think the Z is fine. I have driven it for hours at a time and i enjoyed it.

HokieZ

iTrader: (1)

That's strange I just got back from an 860 mile round trip and had the exact opposite reaction. It's one of the most confortable cars I've done the trip in. No lower back pain which I often get from being 6'4". I've driven Grand Cherokees, Bonneville's, Jetta's, and now the 350 to and fro and the 350 and the Jeep are close to the same in comfort level IMO.

Oh yeah, and you can get 2 sets of golf clubs in the Z, just not with the big sticks still in the bag.....

WayneTN

The best thing to do (not counting replacing the seats) is to get a small lumbar cusion to use when you're going to be driving for a while. I have no problem on short hauls without the cushion and no problem on long trips with it.

WayneTN

lexus33

Wayne any idea where to get one that isn't fugly as hell and won't look like an old mans cushion, lol.

Let me know what your using. I would love to know. It sucks big time!

35oZephyR

iTrader: (4)

Oh I'm willing to bet the seats are extremely comfortable for some people. I guess for lexus33 and I, its pressured at exactly the wrong spot.

I'm going to be on the look out for a reasonable remedy OR maybe just fabricate a thin cushion that looks integrated.

E.F. VaBeach

iTrader: (2)

Your fellow forum members have solved this problem - it's in the interiors forum under "good lumbar support?

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....ghlight=lumbar

It's an squeeze ball-inflatable bladder for about $50. from an aircraft supply company that fits perfectly inside the lower cushion between the spring and the pad. The zippered seat back cover makes the install a cinch - I installed it in about 15 minutes and it works fantastic! The thread has all the info.

It's infinitely adjustable, the mod Nissan should have built in, and it makes all the difference in the world!

shimz350z

maybe it'll inspire you to lose some weight?....the pyschological advantages when purchasing a sports car....it starts to hint..."lose weight dammit so i can move faster in my 1/4 time" ...just playing around.

lexus33

GREAT I love you for finding that thread!!!! Anyone else use that lumbar thing with any luck. Is the install that easy and a self do.

God there is light at the end of the tunnel! LOL

jam350

Sorry your Z is uncomfortable. As another reply pointed out, the fit varies from one occupant to another. Ingress and egress are a bit awkward at times, as you'd expect with any low-slung sports car, but I find my seating very comfortable, both around town and on long hauls.

I have so much fun driving it that the only time I seem to notice what's happening at butt level is when my right elbow turns on the seat heater by mistake.

Hope you can find a way to make it work.

Happy Zing!

NismoKid

Lex, you do realize that you're probably one of the most built people in So Fla so of course your back won't fit, lol. The Z's seats I've heard are even worse for Americans in Japan (very narrow seat backs).

I'm 5'10 155lbs and the Z has always been comfortable when I drive from Orlando to Miami (and back the same day sometimes). The only thing I don't like is when my ankle gets messed up because I press the gas while my heel is at an angle and on the ground.

Edit: I have to keep on the gas since the Base model doesn't have cruise control. My foot only gets messed up when I drive for more than 2.5 hours non stop.

eddytsi

man, i'm getting ready to take a 4 hour drive next month. i guess i'll bring a small pillow for my lower back if i have any discomfort. oh well, i have no complaints here.

lexus33

Hahaha that is funny. Well I am a built guy but not that big, atleast in my eyes. The width of the seats was truely built for the japanese for sure, LOL. I am 6 feet about 210 or so. Your typical gym guy but not huge by any means. Anways I am going to order that bladder from www.aircraftspruce.com. I just hope the install isn't that hard and I can put my seats back together.

NzZ

Sorry man, not feeling ya. I'm not a big guy but the Z is the most comfortable car I have ever owned - including a lexus, an acura, and 2 hondas. The seats fit me just right...and the lumbar support is perfect for me. I drove 1200 miles straight over 24 hours without a single problem...and I have a 6 speed in which you move around a lot more than an AT.

NzZ

PhoenixINX

and you're running on STOCK suspension... ha!

John

iTrader: (17)

Seriously! You guys are a bunch of wusses. You bought a sports car, not a luxury car. Yes, the car gets uncomfortable, it was never designed to be confortable for long distances. Driving a sports car long distances isn't just uncomfortable, it's tiring... live with it or buy another car. The ride, stiffness, and seating positions are just not conducive for comfort... live with it!

If you complain now, try driving the car with a true track suspension for a long distance, not the OEM one. I'd laugh to hear you say how comfortable a stock Z is after that.

shopdog

I'm a big guy, 6 foot and 250 pounds. When I first got my ZR, I thought the seats were awfully uncomfortable. My left hip hurt, the outside of my right thigh hurt, my back hurt, all after only short drives of half an hour or so.

But I just got back from an 830 mile trip, and I feel fine. The only things I did differently were to remove my wallet from my left hip pocket, took the cell off my belt and put it in the console box, and tweaked the seat bottom front edge height (front ****) to give my right leg a bit more support when working the throttle.

A 1 inch wider seat *would* be better, but I adapted well enough on that long trip once I emptied my pockets and tweaked the seat just a little bit. The only continuing annoyance is the location of the seat heater switches. I've *got* to rig up a cover for those damn things so I don't keep turning them on with my elbow.

cyclopz

I bought the lumbar support from the aircraft supply people and the install in my cloth enthuziast seats was simple, I moved the seat foward then the back foward, unclip the bottom of the cover, it's a interlocking plastic guide that slides over oneanother. Then recline the seat back and pull the bottom towards the front of the car and slip the bladder in. I put a piece of cardboard against the springs and then the bladder between the cardboard and the cushion. Route the tube to the back and around to the outside little compartment on the side of the seat to store the bulb. Then just push the cover back under and move the seat back foward and reattach the retaining clip. The whole thing took about 15-20 minutes to do both seats. This thing is just what everyone needs. It works perfect!!!!

35oZephyR

iTrader: (4)

I wish the only thing I was experiencing was discomfort.

I've driven my share of track worthy cars, but to me, these seats can be painful. Like I said, the levels of discomfort varies with different people. For some, it's probably unbearable and to others it may feel like their living room couch.

The Z can jar me around all day for all I care cuz I love it. However, this back sh*t hurts so I'm going to find a solution.

Wuss