Proper Seat Position

I just drove from Raleigh to MD and back. I was a little uncomfortable, and I think it's the way I have my seat adjusted. So, what are some of the criteria for proper seat positioning - particularly for a drive that lasts a few hours. So, I'll say up front that I realize that the answer is going to be based on personal preference. But, I have watched a few driver videos of DEs and track events, and the drivers' arms are positioned pretty consistently. Also, I owned an '01 Boxster S and took it for 5-6 hour road trips and didn't feel as physically tired after the drive as I do in my 996 - it's not severe, just different. The ride is stiffer in the 996, so that could be a contributing factor. Here's some info about me, as a point of reference. I have a '99 C2 with simple seat controls - bottom and back. I'm 6 ft tall and 195 lbs. So, I'm pretty avg.; no physical anomolies that would make the seat an odd fit. Bob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Teuxiw8YmI

Unfortunately, IMO, I don't think you can adjust away the uncomfortableness of the seat on long drives. The front bottom bolster sits high & keeps your knees higher then rest of your legs which stresses the lower back. Great position for around town & shorter spirited drives but kills my back after a couple hours. I know someone who had a trim shop install some extra padding to even out the lower seat and it made a huge difference.

A lot depends on what seats you have! Yours doesn't have lumbar (does the up/down also tilt on yours as well? Mine does, so I'd be surprised if yours didn't, a lot of people are not aware that it is there) which helps a ton, IMHO, but besides that there more adjustments than many. The crowded cluych pedal area doesn't help. Seriously, one of my major criteria (and I am similar to you, 6ft , 205, 35" inseam, 34" waist) when searching for a 996 was full adjust, with lumbar(which includes seat/mirror memory, heated, supple leather. Of all the ones I looked at, only 2 had all that, The first one I looked at, at the dealer for $49k w/ 29k miles (which made all the standard leather seats seem nore uncomfortable, and less grabby to me) and mine at $32k w/37k miles. I had just about given up , but so many listers stressed "Wait for the car that you really want..it's out there" . I'm very glad I waited. Except for no self dimming mrrors, it is exactly what I wanted. BTW, on long trips, it is usually better to vary your seating position a few times during the drive, anyway, it puts less stresses on different areas when you make changes. As you pointed out, at DE's & schools, there is a correct position. A long road trip is NOT a DE!! The best driving position (elbows in, closer to the wheel, elbows crooked, etc) may not be the most comfortable for long trips. It's not for me, and when I took the BMW Performace Driving School in Spartenburg, the instructors pointed out exactly that. In fact they recommended that one of the seat memory postions be for spirited driving and the other for comfortable cruising. Just don't have you mirrors looking down the side of the car..no blind spots in either position!

Ben - thanks for the "lean back" advice. But if you're talking about leaning way back, I'm a self-professed geek and wouldn't wear it well. Thanks, Kolshak. You're right - I haven't had any issues with driving around town. But, the longer drive was tough. Perryinva - Thanks for all the insight. I wish I had adjustable lumbar. The seats in the 996 look identical to the ones in my '01 Boxster S. So, I figured it wouldn't be a problem. But, as I've thought about it, I definitely tried to sit more like those youtube videos from DE and track days. Ironic, since I was only driving conservatively (no need for a ticket) - fast, but conservative fast :-) I'll definitely try the long-drive memory position - the #3 button never gets used. Bob

When I first bought my old 996, I drove it 2.5 hrs back to my home. My back was killing me after only 30 minutes. I found out that the steering wheel was telescoping and that helped somewhat after my girlfriend looked it up in the manual (I was slumped over to the wheel). Then, I figured out the lumbar controls (supple package), and then the drive was fine. Those seats were the best seats I have had on long trips, low fatigue.

Thanks, Tippy. Know anyone who has changed the seats from the ones I have to the "supple package" seats? That might be an upgrade worth making.

To my knowledge, it's just supple leather. The seat cushions themselves are the same as stock.

I'm no Porsche seat expert by any means, but when you sit in the 2 back to back, it sure FEELS like more than just leather. On the standard seats, are the seat bolster towards the front (against your lower thigh) deeply separated from the seat proper? I though they were connected, as that is where I feel a lot a difference.

You're right. The seat bolster towards the front is connected. Here's a picture. Can you post a picture of the supple leather seat?

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Here is an example of supple leather in a 997....

I sat in a new turbo today when i grabbed some new oil filters at the dealer. I must say that it really does sit much lower than my car....very very nice feel. I think that my Carrera sits too high, but it is still comfortable in all trips for me. I do like the lower position...kinda reminded me of my brother's 944... j

+1 re the old 944 seats. I loved the support from my 951's seats. The bolsters were firmer, although I can't recall if I felt any better after long road trips. Hell, I was 10 years younger. I DEFINITELY felt better, regardless of the seat!

LOL, I was was almost 25 years younger when I bought my new 944 back in 1983!! Yea, I was ALWAYS more comfortable than I am now!!. But honestly, todays seats are mega better than the old 944 seats in every way. As you can see in the above pics (my 2002 supple seats look just like the 997 seats, though I LOVE that brown leather...mine are black) the way the seat sides are attached, and their lenght are a little different. You can easy stuff a cell phone down between the bolster and the seat in the supple leather.

I have the basic, stock seats with no lumbar controls. My carrera is the only car that I can drive across country (literally, across the country), without getting uncomfortable. Other cars I've done the trip in are: Honda CRX, Subaru WRX, Eclipse, and a Toyota pickup. All these other cars I've done it in have caused my butt and my leg to be unbelievabley painful, with some nerve shooting down my right leg throbbing and cause some numbness and terrible discomfort. Anyway, the porsche seats I've found to be non-fatigueing, and I've been very impressed by them. I sit upright in my seat. I have a slight bend in my leg when the clutch is fully depressed, with my butt and lower back pushed against the seat. My seat-back is then adjusted so that I'm close enough to the steering wheel so that my wrist can hang over the top of the wheel. This means that I sit a little closer to the steering wheel, and more upright than many people do, and I don't do the gangsta lean or anything. It's comfortable plus I'm in a good position for performance driving.

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Not really a reasonable comparison. Here's a picture of supple leather seats from a 996. They look virtually identical to my eye...save for, of course, the supple leather. Might you be thinking about sport seats?

just be glad you dont have a 993

rotokim, are those your seats in the photo you posted? Because those seats have lumbar adjustment...

Holy ****. I've seen posts that are as embarrassing as the one I just posted, but I never expected that I would do it one day. I'm going to have to go into the rennlist protection program and create a new identity! I'm going to leave the office now and go adjust my lumbar support. Thanks, perryinva! Bob

I regularly drive 15 hours+ non stop in my 996 and it is one of the most comfortable cars to drive. I am 6'5", 220# and simply have the seat all the way back, tilted back a little also. Basic power seats. But I agree, it is all personal preference. Obviously, it helps to walk around and stretch when you are filling your tank. If your lower back hurts, tilt the entire seat backwards so the front of the seat comes up as far as it can.

Thanks, 1999Porsche911. I love your car. I'll try your recommendation. Bob

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Umm... I think Perry's focusing on the little black button behind the adjustment levers on your seat, and assuming that's the lumbar support.. Unfortunately, I believe Porsche uses the same parts for both non-lumbar/lumbar supported seats, and just puts a "blank" in place of the button on the non-lumber seats. I know my seats don't have lumbar support, and they do have that black fake-button. I know, because I spent quite a bit of time trying to adjust the (non-existant) lumbar support when I first got the car - Nick

I just came in from the garage - I'm relieved that I didn't just miss the lumbar support button after all these months. Obviously, I thought it was a moment of stupidity as I sat at the office. So, I'm back to no additional lumbar support. But, afer sitting in my Porsche again I am reassured that with a few adjustments (based on the suggestions in this thread), I'll have a much easier road trip in the future. FYI - the next long drive is the 2.5 hours from Raleigh to Charlotte for the Parade. I can't wait. Bob

When I bought my C4S last May, I drove it from Chicago to Vancouver. On the 3rd day of the trip I drove 2,000 km. in 19 hours - mostly because I was stopping too often and taking it easy on the first 2 days. I have never been as comfortable in any other car. I could have driven for another couple of hours. I'm 6'3", 225 lbs. and I keep the seat all the way down and back, and the wheel as close to me as I can get it. For me, that's perfection (except for the right knee and steering wheel interface).

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Where is the lumbar adjustment switch?? My seats look just like Roto's, and my options code says "positrol and lumbar #537" . Am I missing something?

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Farthest one back. Small and round (up-down front-back)

I just have a flat disc, covering the hole that would have been a lumbar adjustment I bet. Why does my car have option 537, and no lumbar switch?

Maybe the seats are not the ones that came on the car?

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No, they are original - car only had 17k miles when I bought it. Strange...

Hey Andy, check out Tim's post on #18. I have lumbar on the passenger side, but not the driver's side https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...&highlight=537

Thanks, Don. The other thread was very helpful. I also have 537 and 538 on my options codes. So the venerable options code list has an error? Oh well. I was psyched again because I thought Andy may have found the link to another less obvious lumbar control - thanks anyway, AndyK. Know what? I'm going to take the 10 pages of codes I printed out, fold them in half, and place them behind the small of my back to provide more support - but only during long drives.

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My own thread! I guess the options coder is still wrong!

I'm confused. If you have option codes 513 and 537 and you have the back round ****, it should be there. Any chance something is disconnected or a fuse blown? I ve only ever seen the round blank, not the actual switch, in cars w/o lumbar. Does it FEEL like switch, when you rock it up/down front/back. I'd find it VERY hard to believe that Porsche would put an actual switch that does no function in lumbarless cars, especially if you have option codes for it. A non moveable dummy mavbe, but not an actual switch. Could be a connector under the seat. Heck I found the right rear and front speakers disconnected, with the connector right there under the speaker. Plugged it in and they both work great. And I'm the 3rd owner. Worth a look.

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There is no switch, it is just a black cap/plug to fill the hole where the **** would be (but is does sort of resemble the switch from a distance). Code 513 is for lumbar, right seat (US passenger seat). Code 586 is lumbar, left seat (US driver seat). If either of these codes are present, then the lumbar support option is provided on that particular seat (mine only has 513, so I only have lumbar on the passenger seat). If these codes are not present, there will be a plug in the hole where the switch would be.

Yeah, it IS hard to tell if that's a switch or a blank in his pic In real life, the blank sort of blends in & the switch stands out. Sorry to get your hopes up! My bad!! (Only lumbar on the passenger seat!!! Someone screwed up THAT order, for sure)

I don't mean to hijack the thread but I have these options: M982 SEAT COVERS FRONT, DRAPED LEATHER/LEATHER/LEATHER M939 SEAT COVERS REAR, DRAPED LEATHER Is that supple leather?

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I think so. I have supple leather and have those two leather options as well.