General 500C Lounge, Uncomfortable seats

[BradRRS]

Finally got our 500C last week.

I'm 5'10" and 'normally' proportioned but after constantly adjusting the drivers seat for the last week i have reached the view that i will never find a comfortable driving position.

The claim that it is height adjustable is nonsense. Only the rear of the seat base moves and not the whole seat so it is not possible to lower it properly. On a low setting the front of the seat rubs behind my knee. This might be ok if the steering wheel adjusted in and out as I could move the seat accordingly, but it doesnt. Anything higher than this, my foot is in mid air at a really awkward angle.

Looks like SWMBO has got the car all to herself. Fed up with the bloody thing already!!

 

[ahmett]

Well given that i am 1.90m (6ft 3?) and manage just fine either you havent tried enough to find a proper driving position or you do not have a normal one. I sit very low and relaxxed in the car so my head is far from the roof and my legs are stretched and i just have enough arm span to reach the steering wheel. I have done 4 hour journeys with the fiat and felt absolutely comfortable. The front seats are amazing in my view. The rears? Well as far as i am concerned it is a 2 seat car with the rears only for emergencies or extra luggage = )

 

[BradRRS]

Ok so I haven't tried seat low down and way back with straight arms - I like to drive with arms slightly bent, but I'll try anything to get confortable. A 10 min journey is pretty painful at the moment.

 

[306maxi]

I think you need to try harder.

 

[TrevC]

I'm also 5'10'' and bought a TA Lounge hatchback in March. I find the seats comfy enough, if a little lacking in side support when cornering briskly. The only comfort issue is I find my accelerator foot aches after a while - not a problem unique to the 500. I improved this somewhat by lowering the seat and pushing it back further. I think you just have to experiment. Was the problem noticeable on the test drive? I did my best to make sure I could get comfy before parting with my 12 grand!

 

[RobW]

Look up 'Italian Driving Position'

 

[Super Uwe]

Ok so I haven't tried seat low down and way back with straight arms - I like to drive with arms slightly bent, but I'll try anything to get confortable. A 10 min journey is pretty painful at the moment.

Hello Brad,

I am the same height as you, and I have to say that it hasn't been an issue so far for me.

When you say the journey is painful, where exactly is it causing you grief? I personally have had minor back issues from time to time and have found the 500 seats to be a little lacking for longer journeys, but I certainly haven't had problems after 10mins.

 

[BradRRS]

The problem is that when the seat if the correct distance away for the clutch my right leg isn't supported on the seat base and I get a shooting pain in my right calf. When I lower the seat so that it is supported my arms are stretched out. So I then adjust the back rest and it feels like I am squashed in between the seat base and the seat back!

I have owned a dozen or so cars from two seaters to a 4x4 and always instantly find the correct position. I have sat in the 500 for hours since we got it and it still isnt right.

If the whole of the seat lowered and not just the rear of the seat I could stretch my legs out. It seemed ok on the test drive - which was in a Pop and we bought a Lounge! :bang:

 

[loveshandbags]

The problem is that when the seat if the correct distance away for the clutch my right leg isn't supported on the seat base and I get a shooting pain in my right calf. When I lower the seat so that it is supported my arms are stretched out. So I then adjust the back rest and it feels like I am squashed in between the seat base and the seat back!

I have owned a dozen or so cars from two seaters to a 4x4 and always instantly find the correct position. I have sat in the 500 for hours since we got it and it still isnt right.

If the whole of the seat lowered and not just the rear of the seat I could stretch my legs out. It seemed ok on the test drive - which was in a Pop and we bought a Lounge! :bang:

It's pity about not being able to get comfortable since the TA is very much a fun car to drive.
I did see a full POP interior out of a 500c on ebay only a few weeks ago. Even if you got this (you mention that the POP seats seemed to work for you) it would be shame to put them into a brand new car.
I had the leather on a previous 500 and it was very comfortable and you sat into the seats.
The lounge seats are good in my opinion but you are more 'sit and beg'.
Robw's input about the 'Italian driving position' is apt.
I tend to sit 'a bit up to the wheel' and not sit back like I would have in previous cars.
Hopefully perseverance will pay off.

 

[pravn]

Finally got our 500C last week.

I'm 5'10" and 'normally' proportioned but after constantly adjusting the drivers seat for the last week i have reached the view that i will never find a comfortable driving position.

The claim that it is height adjustable is nonsense. Only the rear of the seat base moves and not the whole seat so it is not possible to lower it properly. On a low setting the front of the seat rubs behind my knee. This might be ok if the steering wheel adjusted in and out as I could move the seat accordingly, but it doesnt. Anything higher than this, my foot is in mid air at a really awkward angle.

Looks like SWMBO has got the car all to herself. Fed up with the bloody thing already!!

I can't figure out your problem. I feel 500C is pretty comfortable. Even i am of same height.

 

[BradRRS]

I can't figure out your problem. I feel 500C is pretty comfortable. Even i am of same height.

Me neither!

What position is your seat? Mine is mid -way between highest and lowest.

 

[BradRRS]

UPDATE - Took the car back to the stealers on Saturday and it turns out the drivers seat mechanism doesn't drop the seat as low as it should - so a new one's is going in on Saturday. Took their Lounge for a drive and it fits like a glove with no leg pain at all.

Does that count as "trying harder"?

 

[Venters]

I would say yes, yes it does count.

 

[RUI]

Does that count as "trying harder"?

Only a 5 out of 10 score from me..If you were really trying you would have shortened your legs and lengthened your arms.

 

[Robnw67]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I am wondering if the OP fixed the problem with the driver's seat by going to the dealer, as I have a very similar problem.

I now have full time pain in my right leg from the attitude that I have to keep it in while driving. The seats are too hard and you seem to sit on them rather than in them. The amount of adjustment is limited, and I can not lower the front of the seat which is required for my stature - big thighs!!. There seems to be no lateral support near the shoulders and I am constantly having to readjust my posture when going around corners. I also slide across the seat while cornering due to there being little or no lateral support at buttock level.

The foot pedal placement is diabolical. If I adjust the seat so that the clutch pedal reach is correct, my right leg is so crumpled that I have full time pain in my right ankle and thigh. If I adjust the seat so that the accelerator and brake pedals feel correct, I can press the clutch barely halfway. In any position, the front of the seat presses against the underside of both thighs inducing pins and needles. Unfortunately, I noticed this on all three of my test drives, and dismissed it as me being over critical. Of course now, 5 months down the line, I find that I have full time pain in my leg and find the car difficult to operate.

Is there anyway I can change the seats without messing the airbag system up? Failing this, does anyone want to buy a 1.2 Lounge in Crossover Black with red and black ambience, climate control, side rubbing strips and two tone sports alloys? 2300 miles on it.............

 

[RobinPJ]

I just wonder if Jason could put you in contact with someone who makes race seats - the cost might be very large, but if you like the car and would otherwise keep it long term then the cost might well be less than the hit of depreciation you will suffer if you sell.

Short of that, would your dealer let you drive a Sport for a decent "test drive" - their seats are different. (I think the same seats are now in the Street but I am confused by the current models so don't quote me on that.)

 

[Robnw67]

Hmm - I test drove a Twin Air with sports seats and noticed the ankle breaker in that model too. To be honest, it's got to a point where I irrationally want to be rid of the car despite the hit I'll take.

I'm just wondering if I would fair any better with an Alfa Romeo Mito......?

Interestingly, I test drove a Volvo C30 at the weekend and just couldn't get that seat to feel UNcomfortable no matter which position I put it in. I guess I'm just the shape northern European car manufacturers design for not Southern European designers!!

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

I cant drive it more than about 1hr without it getting uncomfortable. Its not anything i am worried about because it isnt a comfortable car imo. I am the average 5'10 and it just isnt the proportions that can be comfortable. Long legs and short arms doesnt work for me.The seat base does in fact tilt rather than raise/lower and the padding although ok for short journeys is limited on long trips. Put that alongside my dodgy knee and it gets a bit uncomfortable on anything longer than 1hr.Doesnt bothr me though. Designed as a town car, used as a town car and its perfect for its intended purpose.

 

[306maxi]

I do agree about the ankle thing, but I drove my 500 a bit over 500 miles this weekend and I was fairly fresh getting out

 

[loveshandbags]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I am wondering if the OP fixed the problem with the driver's seat by going to the dealer, as I have a very similar problem.

I now have full time pain in my right leg from the attitude that I have to keep it in while driving. The seats are too hard and you seem to sit on them rather than in them. The amount of adjustment is limited, and I can not lower the front of the seat which is required for my stature - big thighs!!. There seems to be no lateral support near the shoulders and I am constantly having to readjust my posture when going around corners. I also slide across the seat while cornering due to there being little or no lateral support at buttock level.

The foot pedal placement is diabolical. If I adjust the seat so that the clutch pedal reach is correct, my right leg is so crumpled that I have full time pain in my right ankle and thigh. If I adjust the seat so that the accelerator and brake pedals feel correct, I can press the clutch barely halfway. In any position, the front of the seat presses against the underside of both thighs inducing pins and needles. Unfortunately, I noticed this on all three of my test drives, and dismissed it as me being over critical. Of course now, 5 months down the line, I find that I have full time pain in my leg and find the car difficult to operate.

Is there anyway I can change the seats without messing the airbag system up? Failing this, does anyone want to buy a 1.2 Lounge in Crossover Black with red and black ambience, climate control, side rubbing strips and two tone sports alloys? 2300 miles on it.............

There's a big difference in comfort between the leather seats and the standard Lounge seats. Would you consider fitting a set of leather seats out of an A500 ? - this is relatively straighforward.
Re the ankle pain have you tried using a thicker mat with an insert in it to double the thickness - this raises the resting position of the ball of the foot relative to the throttle.

Hmm - I test drove a Twin Air with sports seats and noticed the ankle breaker in that model too. To be honest, it's got to a point where I irrationally want to be rid of the car despite the hit I'll take.

I'm just wondering if I would fair any better with an Alfa Romeo Mito......?

Interestingly, I test drove a Volvo C30 at the weekend and just couldn't get that seat to feel UNcomfortable no matter which position I put it in. I guess I'm just the shape northern European car manufacturers design for not Southern European designers!!

The MiTo is more comfortable and the leather seats are better again providing better lower back support. Also it's possible to lower the seat properly - I have mine at the lowest setting. If you ended up changing to one it will be more expensive to run and the 1.4 is the 'smallest' engine (aside from the TA) you can get. There's no 1.2 and most seem to opt for the 135MA as the 'balanced' choice.