W203, wish Saab made the seats!!

[DSM10000]

Went to visit my parents today, a total of 370 miles round trip with the return journey taking 3 hours 40 minutes because of a serious accident on the A30 into Salisbury.

This is the longest trip in the C320 so far and within an hour I was experiencing discomfort especially in my lumbar area, after another hour I was getting aching legs and no matter how I adjusted the seat I could not get comfortable.

Coming home was worse and I was very glad to get out of the car. Other than this the car was very good, responsive, stable and easy to drive on many different roads but I dread another journey of this length.

It does make me very appreciative of my previous Saab 9-5 Griffin as the MB seats are seriously lacking in support for me and has made me seriously consider if I should be keeping the car.

Has anyone else experienced these issues and found any solution(s)?

 

[developer]

Went to visit my parents today, a total of 370 miles round trip with the return journey taking 3 hours 40 minutes because of a serious accident on the A30 into Salisbury.

This is the longest trip in the C320 so far and within an hour I was experiencing discomfort especially in my lumbar area, after another hour I was getting aching legs and no matter how I adjusted the seat I could not get comfortable.

Coming home was worse and I was very glad to get out of the car. Other than this the car was very good, responsive, stable and easy to drive on many different roads but I dread another journey of this length.

It does make me very appreciative of my previous Saab 9-5 Griffin as the MB seats are seriously lacking in support for me and has made me seriously consider if I should be keeping the car.

Has anyone else experienced these issues and found any solution(s)?

Both my E Class' seats have been poor.

I put a small cushion in the small of my back and it helped the ache in my buttocks. I don't know why, but it did.

 

[DSM10000]

Both my E Class' seats have been poor.

I put a small cushion in the small of my back and it helped the ache in my buttocks. I don't know why, but it did.

That makes sense as the sciatic nerve originates from the spinal nerves in the lower lumbar and upper sacral spine and then innervates the buttocks, some of the muscles in the thigh and a large area of the skin of the upper thigh as well as other areas and structures.

I need to give it a try. My partners Audi A4 is just as bad but my previous A6 was very good and I could drive that 600 miles plus in day without problems.

 

[Rory]

Both my E Class' seats have been poor.

I put a small cushion in the small of my back and it helped the ache in my buttocks. I don't know why, but it did.

I use a hand towel folded into a pad for the same purpose - I've never had backache in a car before I got my W203, the seats in daughter's £7500 SEAT Ibiza are better.

 

[DSM10000]

I use a hand towel folded into a pad for the same purpose - I've never had backache in a car before I got my W203, the seats in daughter's £7500 SEAT Ibiza are better.

I was surprised to find that the car has no adjustable lumbar support although the A4 has an electrically adjustable one and all that does is speed up the process of making the seat even more uncomfortable!

 

[Henry D]

I was surprised to find that the car has no adjustable lumbar support although the A4 has an electrically adjustable one and all that does is speed up the process of making the seat even more uncomfortable!

It must be on the option list for the car as my old w124 has a three way pneumatic adjustable lumbar support and very good it is too.

 

[markjay]

I had two Vauxhall Omegas, their standard seats are made by no other than Recaro, and as such they were sublime in spite of being of otherwise rather basic design i.e. not sporty or full-electric. The W203 seats are indeed not quite as good, but I still find them Okay and not as bad DSK1000 finds his.

 

[ecossebev]

It must be on the option list for the car as my old w124 has a three way pneumatic adjustable lumbar support and very good it is too.

l'm 6'4" and l've found the w124's seats to be the most comfortable seats l've ever found in any of my cars.

 

[rf065]

The seats in the CLK must be different, even with a bad back, I've managed over 700 miles in a day without any problems. I find them extremely comfortable & supportive.

Russ

 

[DSM10000]

I had two Vauxhall Omegas, their standard seats are made by no other than Recaro, and as such they were sublime in spite of being of otherwise rather basic design i.e. not sporty or full-electric. The W203 seats are indeed not quite as good, but I still find them Okay and not as bad DSK1000 finds his.

Okay but not good though?

Perhaps it is height related? I am 6 foot 3.

 

[Dieselman]

l'm 6'4" and l've found the w124's seats to be the most comfortable seats l've ever found in any of my cars.

Wait until you try a W210..., though my Citroens and Mrs Dm's car seats are better.

 

[crockers]

Must be that different seats affect different people in different ways. When I moved from a W202 to a W210 both my wife and I found the 210's seats awful within an hour of collecting the car from Stuttgart.
Then had a Saab 9-5 - seats were sublime.
Then an Audi A6. After an hour seats were ok but missed the Saab.
Then a Volvo S60. Again seats fantastic.
Now a W203 and although not as good as Volvo or Saab we can still do long journeys without any major aches and pains. Had two W204 loan cars. Sport gave bad backache , whereas Elegance was much better. So it's a combination of seats, suspension and wheel size.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Is this the moaning old farts thread?

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

Is this the moaning old farts thread?

I know not, HOW OLD ARE YOU?

 

[trapperjohn]

Is this the moaning old farts thread?

Nah. Just having a whinge if you have a twinge.

I know I am very comfy in my 124. It seems Mercedes seats in newer cars are not the best though. Hmm, Who just went bankrupt again? No good having fantastic seat if you cannot sell enough cars to make ends meet.

Anyone ever put Saab seats in a Mercedes?

CHEERS

 

[markjay]

Okay but not good though?

Perhaps it is height related? I am 6 foot 3.

I do find the roof lining too close for comfort even with the seat at the lowest position.

But what I meant to say is that the seat in the W203 is neutral, i.e. I find that it gives me neither discomfort nor great pleasure. The Omega seat was a joy to sit on, it seemed to fit me like hand and glove. If this makes sense...

 

[Dieselman]

Anyone ever put Saab seats in a Mercedes?

Druck.

 

[Druk]

Anyone ever put Saab seats in a Mercedes?

I have a feeling that was a somewhat loaded question?

Both my 124s had Saab 9000 seats as does the 107. Very comfy they are too.

 

[Henry D]

l'm 6'4" and l've found the w124's seats to be the most comfortable seats l've ever found in any of my cars.

I find mine comfortable as well,I didn't think they would be as good as my old Omega elite but they are

 

[surebet]

Went to visit my parents today, a total of 370 miles round trip with the return journey taking 3 hours 40 minutes because of a serious accident on the A30 into Salisbury.

This is the longest trip in the C320 so far and within an hour I was experiencing discomfort especially in my lumbar area, after another hour I was getting aching legs and no matter how I adjusted the seat I could not get comfortable.

Coming home was worse and I was very glad to get out of the car. Other than this the car was very good, responsive, stable and easy to drive on many different roads but I dread another journey of this length.

It does make me very appreciative of my previous Saab 9-5 Griffin as the MB seats are seriously lacking in support for me and has made me seriously consider if I should be keeping the car.

Has anyone else experienced these issues and found any solution(s)?

When I purchased my W203, I took it back after a week, stating the seats were the worst I have ever experienced in any car, and this had been the first new car I had ever bought and the first of such a prestige make. The salesman appeared shocked when I said I didnt think they were fit for purpose. I had identified the seat had a distinct lack of padding and on the seat of the seat about 4 inches from back, if you run your finger along the stitching line(running parallel to the back )you will feel 2 very hard studs under the material ( from memory approx 6 inches apart ). The dealer advised me to go for a coffee and he would remove these. This was duly done (he showed me the 2 hard white nylon studs ) and I was assured there would be no problem with the seat falling apart. Well 9 years on , I still don't think they are the most comfortable seats, however the seats haven't fallen apart and I don't get the really bad pain which I experienced before these studs were removed.
Its a source of annoyance when you buy a so called quality car to experience such a basic problem, hope this post is of some help. Its a pity on such a good car to drive falls down on the seats .