Technical Brom

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Technical Brom

brom

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We have a 2006 1.9JTD 105. The problem is with the seat back adjustment, which is by a rachet lever, rather than by a wheel. I don't find it too uncomfortable, but the Missus finds the adjustment too coarse - the seat back is either too upright, or too reclined, and it gives her backache. I checked, and Recaro don't make a seat which which will fit the Doblo (not sporting enough, presumably), and I cannot find a replacement seat which would fit, and which has a wheel. It's infuriating, as the car is otherwise very good, but there's no point having an uncomfortable seat and driver/passenger, so we will have to sell the vehicle.
Has anyone any ideas as to modifications or suitable replacement seats?
Incidentally, our car has done 24,000 miles, is driven very gently (60 or so on motorways) and gets around 45mpg. Our daughter has a 100 bhp '53 plate Doblo with 50k miles, and gets over 50mpg. Not fair!
 
Can't offer specific advice on seat except that you can have existing one modified, I have had passenger seat modified to allow my elderley mother to height adjustment. Many Mobility conversion companies out there will sort it for you. You can also fit many different seats with a universal seat subframe.

On fuel economy I think your daughter may cane her Doblo as I found driving carefully at 60 less economical than 75-80!
 
Is the rake the real problem? My wife never seems to be comfortable in any car, but she has a cushion, bought from Halfords for £14 or so. It is the width of the seat, about 6 inches wide and 2 inches thick and gets her comfortable in any car.
trying a £14 cushion might be cheaper than changing the car!!!
 
Re: Seat Back adjustment

Thanks for those ideas - I will get in touch with Motability, and see what they can do. I must admit I was surprised that Recaro were so definite their seats would not fit - I had thought there must be 'universal' frames of some sort.
Unfortunately, it is the coarse rachet adjustment that causes the problem for my wife. She tried the Halfords cushion, but that was no good. We have sat in the new Fiorino Combi, and the seat in that seems superb, with a stepless back adjustment. But the vehicle costs almost as much as the Doblo, and is brand new, so it needs a couple of years to iron out all the inevitable bugs!
On the question of fuel consumption, I suspect my daughter does drive 'briskly'. It would be typically Italian for the Doblo to respond better to being clogged than treated gently. I do wonder if everyone who claims over 50 mpg is relying on the computer readout - ours is 14% optimistic! It will tell me I'm getting 52mpg, and when I check the actual fuel used, it's mid- forties.
 
Re: Seat Back adjustment

On the contrary Mrs O has a 55 plate 105bhp and I can drive it gently on a mix of Motorway and A roads and get an (indicated!!!) 60mpg+
 
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