Advice please - new car = backache

laissez-faire · 28 Jul 2007 at 17:02

I just bought a new Focus, have done about 200 miles in the last 2 days and my back is really sore. It isn't that I am not used to spending long periods of time driving, I reguarly drive 1000 miles in a weekend up and down to Scotland.

Is it possible that my back will just get used to the new seats soon? It seems to be more the muscles on the back that are sore rather than the bones. It is high, just beneath my neck. Have tried the seat in pretty well every position and it seems to be very comfortable, yet each time I get out of the car I am in pain!

laissez-faire · 28 Jul 2007 at 17:08

[TW]Fox said:
The seats in the Focus are tailored towards comfort for shorter journeys - ie, you will find the seats very comfortable for the first 30-60 minutes but then it'll be less so.

Whereas the seats in the larger Fords are the other way round if anything - not quite so accomodating immediatly, but over time, the comfort level does
not reduce.

That made more sense in my head than it did as a forum post.

That does kind of make sense.... but I have just spend a fair amount of cash on a new car so that doesn't make me too happy

laissez-faire · 28 Jul 2007 at 17:11

What I am hoping is someone will post 'I had pain in my back when I first changed my car, then my back just got used to it and now I can sit in there all day and be fine!' lol

laissez-faire · 28 Jul 2007 at 17:18

I am hoping that the backache is simply being caused by tiredness - I had very little sleep last night. I still really hope my 'bedding in' theory is right, a bit like when you ski the first time in the season and you ache a lot that evening. Hopefully anyway!

laissez-faire · 29 Jul 2007 at 11:38

Yes - I have focus Zetec with 'Sports seats'. I want to cry.

laissez-faire · 29 Jul 2007 at 12:06

Maybe I could persuade Ford to fit them at cost price....

They have the side airbags in them.

laissez-faire · 29 Jul 2007 at 17:51

R124/LA420 said:
Take it from somebody who lives behind a wheel, it is an adjustment thing.

Can you give me hints how to adjust the seat? My 'theory' could be that because the seats are very 'comfortable' when you first get in the car it tricks you into thinking the seat it adjusted correctly which is why so many people complain. I can't understand what could be so wrong with the seats, also the fact that I never sit properly and always slouch when I am at my PC etc and never get any back trouble just makes it seem so strange.

I rallied an 18 year old landy with 350k-km on the clock with the Army in the OTC that had seen active service at least 4 times for 250 miles cross country, it took 11 hours (we came in first) and by the end of it my back was only slightly sore! I just find it very hard to believe that the Focus could be worse than that haha! The Landy seats are considerably more basic than the civilian ones, I might have a picture somewhere!

The other thing I could do is to ask my physiotherapist what exercises I could do to build up the muscle in my back to stop the pain. That would probably be one of my cheapest options!

laissez-faire · 30 Jul 2007 at 10:07

Mr Nice said:
This might be way off the mark but you don't by chance have a pretty fat wallet (ie cars and loads of reciepts) that you keep in your back pocket?

I found this to be the reason I couldn't get comfy in a MG ZT-T (before you flame me, it was a company car)

Yeah I do... but I never had any trouble with that in the past! I'll try taking it out though, cheap fix!

laissez-faire · 27 Aug 2007 at 17:15

R124/LA420 said:
You sorted it out yet mate?

Have had the car a month today and have done about 2000 miles in it now. It still isn't as comfortable as my Golf but I think I am getting more used to it now. It still isn't great though! I appreciate all the tips from this thread, they have made it easier. I did have the seat quite high but have now lowered it so more of my weight is on my legs instead of my backside which is more comfortable.

Sam

laissez-faire · 18 Sep 2007 at 17:21

Yesterday I did over 600 miles, went up to Fort William, then to John O'Groats and then back to Edinburgh. When I got out of the car in Wick I actually could hardly stand up straight. I had to get my flatmate to massage my back so I could carry on driving. As he said 'Dude, this is gayer than like, 8 guys doing each other' but anyway, it was awful.

Anyway, seat adjustment not working. It must just be something about the seat.

I have been looking at these guys ; http://www.recaro.com/index.php?id=166&L=2 but I think since they will work out at about £1200 with the side airbag that I can only really justify replacing the drivers side so it will look a bit dumb but at the end of the day a car that looks dumb is better than a car I can't drive without getting sore.

Has anyone got any experience with these seats?

I guess hopefully when I change the car I can get something for the Recaro seat on ebay.

PS - if anyone has been wondering where I have been in the last fortnight I have been at uni and I never go on the internet much really when in Scotland, it was only over the summer where I had a job and thus had nothing to do a lot of the time so just ended up on here as an enjoyable way to pass the time!

edit> I spoke to Ford parts and they said that they can't just sell me a 'seat'. They have to order each part of the seat seperately, i.e. the base, the sides, the back, the headrest, the adjustment mechanism, the airbag etc and then upholster it. In summary they said £2.5k per seat!

laissez-faire · 18 Sep 2007 at 17:28

Tom|Nbk said:
This must be a MK2 thing. My MK1.5 Zetec seats are superb

Umm, maybe it is just me and Fords not getting along, because I had a Focus mk1.5 for about a week as a courtesy car and even doing just 200 miles in a day in that I thought I was going to cry. Have never had a problem with any other car, even an old defender!