New Car, and Back Problems Already!

Howdy, New to the 996 board. Pics below of the new-to-me 2003 C4S I picked up recently. I absolutely love this car. Other car is an 88 NA 944; great car, different vehicle. Here's the question/issue. My back is killing me, literally. Took a 55 mile drive and back yesterday, and I'm remarkably uncomfortable. Actual lower back pain. I blame some of it on German Engineering (seat not meant to cushion, which is fine), and some of it on a very tight clutch that torques my back every time I press it. I've played with the lumbar support and moved the seat in multiple directions, plus brought myself up forward (which I don't like), and nothing helps. There have got to be some old fogies out there like me, whose backs are bad, and who solved this problem somehow. It might actually keep me from using it as a DD if I can't get less-painful. Could swap out seats, but I'm hoping to avoid that; the car is pretty much spotless and stock as-is. Thanks and I'm looking forward to learning about this great auto.

Nice looking ride that appears to be nearly a twin for mine from the outside. Since you mention adjusting the lumbar support does that mean it has the lumbar adjustment (a dual air bladder) that covers a fairly wide range of heights and inflation levels? I have this on my Boxster but not on my C4S so I had to improvise. On the Boxster I can easily get quite a bit of inflation down really low and this helps my back a lot. On the C4S I had to resort to the trick of rolling up a towel and fitting it behind the center seat cushion. It's not ideal but it does solve the problem. At least for me. Back to the lumbar support. If you do have the adjustable lumbar support option you can verify it operates correctly by removing the center backrest cushion and watching the bladders fill/deflate as you move them up & down and adjust the inflation level. If they are both working then I'm out of ideas other than getting an add-on cushion to augment the level of support.

If your clutch is feeling very tight, then it's probably quite worn. Mine was quite heavy just before the pressure plate broke. The new clutch is at least 50% lighter.

Also, look at the clutch helper spring. It could be removed or is broken.

Ya; compared with the 944 it's like pushing an elephant up a hill. PPI did not mention the clutch worn however I doubt it was taken apart and interrogated. Will have to do a bit of looking. Thanks for advice on support; yes it has proper support with bladders. Bladder inflates and deflates but unsure it moves; I'll pull the seat back and take a look. Two issues to work on already. I love this marque! Good thing the 944 prepped me right....

My clutch was very heavy and it turned out to be a broken clutch helper spring. As far as back pain...I'm old enough and I've had back pain in other cars...although admitadly not all that often. My base stock 996 seats treat me fine and I daily drive 50 miles every day. Hope you find a position that works, it'd be a shame to not enjoy your car.

Beautiful car... looks quite a bit like mine too. Do you have standard seats, or do you have the comfort seat option?

I would suggest a round pillow for lower back support. I have found it does wonders on distance drives.

the 996 standard seats are horrible. you need these - scroll down http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...-new-mods.html

Congrats on the car, looks great. I have serious spine injury and when we bought my wife's Boxster (with 996 seats) I wanted to rush to the ER with back pain after driving it for more than 50 miles. I swapped out the seats for some nice 997S seats and its a huge difference. If you can get the GT3RS seats Porka mentioned it would be even better. Good luck and enjoy the car!

Try 2 Alieve in the morning.

I have no issues with my seats but I do have lower back issues. I stretch my lower back evey morning. Simple bend over and touch my toes. Boy does this help. I have had my lower back go out 4 different times. NOT fun.

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usually back pain is a result of an incorrect seating position. your back hurts as it does not get sufficient support. as far as any useless forum advice can go - first try to look at your current seat and try to adjust it in some way to ensure firm contact, or try to visit some sport shops and try out seats they have there. if clutch is tight it is imperative to maintain such distance so your leg would be still slightly bended when clutch is fully depressed and also make sure your body is secured tight when you press clutch and does not turn. as simple solution as it is - this little device helps to secure you to the seat pretty well: http://www.amazon.com/Lock-Performan.../dp/B0010E7OB8

Congrats on the new ride. Time to change those seats? BTW... not sure if this helps but a chiropractor might help ease the pain. I also do streching in the mornings,etc... kinda OT

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WOW that's a great lead. I will try that!

Try reading about back pain and ways to relieve it. Look for how to sit to relieve pain. You will probably find if you tilt the seat up in the front to have your legs supported up instead of taking pressure on your butt and heels then your pain will vanish. Although there is a better method of staying active pumping your right and left feet vigorously. Just maximize your gas, clutch and braking movements. Sure you might end up in jail but hey its good for your back. Of course you could just adjust the seat to pamper your weak old crumbling back Pretty much how I view mine. Just work the seat to be right in all aspects which includes even the back rest angle which should have your palms at the top of the wheel whith straight out arms putting pressure on the wheel as it also presses you back into the seat at the shoulders not the back . Lesson learned: If you are going to grow old, search the internet more and get comfortable.

It looks very similar to my new 04 C4S also. I have the GT3 wheels, and standard seats with no lumbar support. The clutch in mine isn't heavy at all -- seems on par with non-performance cars I've driven. I've had back issues from seats before, but it hasn't been much of an issue with cars, thank goodness. My STi with race clutch and Sparco seat would have done it if I had to do long trips in it, and the Mustang Cobra I drove once was obnoxiously hard. The C4S is much, much nicer than that, although my knees still are almost hitting the steering wheel even with the seat as far down as it will go (grumble about non-tilting 996 steering wheels). Porka: You are evil! Evil! I'm trying to keep my car stock, and you post pics of such nice wheels and seats. Seriously though, that's a really nice looking car.

I agree with porka 100%. The 997 adaptive sport seats are incredible. I have had 7 spine surgeries, including fusion at 3 levels. The stock seats in my 996 are pretty uncomfortable. When the budget allows, I will upgrade. Good luck.

The 996 seats can be challenging to adjust. This actually can be made harder by lumbar support. I suggest: - If you are sensitive to the seat adjustment...assume you won't get it perfect the first time you try this. Get it close. Drive it for a few days with your setting...then do the sequence again. Start this sequence with no extra lumbar support. 1. Get the slant of the bottom cushion right so that you feel slightly more pressure on your thighs than tail bone...but only slightly. 2. The angle of the back can range from comfortable to uncomfortable with only about 1/2" of movement. So..this is touchy. Without actually paying attention to where it's set (close your eyes...), feel where the pressure is. At the bottom of your back (small of you back)...or up by your shoulders. If it's up by your shoulders, tilt the back, backward slightly. Check again. Keep tilting the seat-back backward until you feel the pressure get stronger in the small of your back. Angle slightly forward until you get approximately even pressure along your spine. (Similar sequence, but reversed if you originally feel most of the pressure in the small of your back.) 3. Now just drive off and on for a few days. As you feel that the pressure seems to change (small of your back vs. shoulders)...just blip the angle adjustment. If you actually hold it down...you will go way past your comfort point. Let it alone for a few days...make sure you've saved this position in the seat memory. Try the sequence again. If you've got as close as you can to even support -- now play with the lumbar support if you want. But at least you're approaching it from the most comfortable point where the seat gives you the most even support. Important: if you have the electric memory for your seats, save each day's adjustment before you shut off the car....othewise it will return the seat to the pre-adjustment position the next time you unlock the car with the remote. After you change these adjustments, move the seat forward or backward so the reach to the pedals & wheel is right for you.

Have back pain ... admitting I do and am Getting (?) old I chose a Tip. The seats are fine for me with the adjustable lowerback support. No pain on a three day trip. But I learned the Tip was right for me after earlier Porsches made me uncomfotable. I would agree the Clutch is likely your issue as I have driven several 996 stick cars and found all but one of them much better than the older 911s.

How about using a lumbar support (it's a cylindrical foam pillow appx a 14" long and 8" in diameter).

Should add: I have no problem with the 944 seat, and the clutch is easier, so I'm suspecting the clutch is the singular issue, rather than the seat itself....but... Thanks; some great suggestions. I'll start with the systematic adjustments, watch-wait, rinse-repeat. Seats are comfort seats with lumbar support. I put it my back pillow, and it made things worse. Those 997 seats are nice; will save for them but for now moving the seat to the right location slowly is the way I'll start.

I've tried cushions and all they do is make more pain. Maybe my back is too far gone. It might seem odd that getting the legs supported up would cure all the problems but it works for me. Something about the constant pressure of not supported.

yep I had the same exact problem.. it killed me to drive the car. I almost go rid of it. I took a bath towl. Rolled it up and stuffed it in the lumbar section section of the seat... Been A LOT better.. I drove over 10 hours in it this past weekend and a little pain.. But not near like it was.

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Yup. w/o the towel I can go maybe 30 minutes before it's a real pain. With the additional support I've done 13 hours with no negative effects.

Ok, I brought it in today. Clutch is going, but not gone. They found no problems with the springs or mechanics. Looks like I'm going to take RF5B's step-by-step plan, and all of ya'll who suggested to towel it, and deal. It's way too much fun driving the car to let it sit. It got a good washing today. Sparkle, sparkle.

I have had mine make my back hurt too, Quite bad actually. But its well worth it.