[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

One thing I will add is the lumbar and bolsters are NOT tied to the seat memory function, so if someone else drives your car and changes them they will not go back to where you had them.

This is a very good point. I noticed that the past couple of days. Strange those two settings aren't kept in memory.

[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

This is a very good point. I noticed that the past couple of days. Strange those two settings aren't kept in memory.

I don't think I've ever had a car where the lumbar is tied to memory (this is my first car with inflatable bolsters). I know my Audi and a number of Acura's I've owned didn't remember the lumbar either.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

I don't think I've ever had a car where the lumbar is tied to memory (this is my first car with inflatable bolsters). I know my Audi and a number of Acura's I've owned didn't remember the lumbar either.

Yeah, I think you're right. Normally I don't usually mess around with the lumbar settings anyway, but this is the first time in a long while that I've had the adjustable side bolsters. Being that I'm in my brand new car, I'm eager to play around with all the settings and figure out what's what.

Still, one would think at least the lumbar support position would be locked into the memory settings.

[hottroc]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

I Unfortunately it's not likely to be useful to share an individual's seating position due to varying body sizes, height, weight, etc.

Yes obviously it's individual, I was just meaning I wondered if it made a difference how you set yours up for you, like...height first, then leg distance from pedals, then seat angle, then backrest angle etc or get your distance from pedals first THEN height etc.

Im 5'11 so similar to you. In my previous car I sat a lot lower with my legs nearly straight. I can't do this now, I'd be too low to see over the bonnet, so I'm higher with my legs more bent so I can push the pedals (which seem to have a lot more range of travel). I'm finding the headrests , even when pushed back to the max, seem to push my head forward more than I'd want, almost forcing my back very straight (with no support) or my neck forward. If I tip my seat angle forward to compensate then I lose my thigh support.

Basically it's really weird. I can see what others are saying. I can live with the issue, no pain, just not as comfy as some cars and hard to say why as they are basically adjustable in nearly every way.

[Alex_bm]

For anyone having lower back pain situation, here is a short sequence of steps that helped with my comfort level (car equipped with lumbar support).
If you are looking at the lumbar control knob there are 4 buttons. I have logically numbered them 1 to 4. Button number 1 is the one at the back and 2 - 4 are up, down and outward.
Here is the sequence:
Press button #2 briefly and then press and hold #1 to deflate the lumbar for 5 to 10 seconds.
Repeat this with #3 and #4.

Hopefully it helps.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by hottroc

Yes obviously it's individual, I was just meaning I wondered if it made a difference how you set yours up for you, like...height first, then leg distance from pedals, then seat angle, then backrest angle etc or get your distance from pedals first THEN height etc.

Im 5'11 so similar to you. In my previous car I sat a lot lower with my legs nearly straight. I can't do this now, I'd be too low to see over the bonnet, so I'm higher with my legs more bent so I can push the pedals (which seem to have a lot more range of travel). I'm finding the headrests , even when pushed back to the max, seem to push my head forward more than I'd want, almost forcing my back very straight (with no support) or my neck forward. If I tip my seat angle forward to compensate then I lose my thigh support.

Basically it's really weird. I can see what others are saying. I can live with the issue, no pain, just not as comfy as some cars and hard to say why as they are basically adjustable in nearly every way.

No worries, I understand what you mean. To be honest, I don't necessarily have a special tweak that I use to get comfortable if you will. In fact, it changes once in a while. On the most part I like to have the seat in a bit of a lowered position to where my legs aren't bending too much. However, I sometimes want to change it up and raise it a bit higher. Same thing with the recline angle. I can visualize what you mean about the headrests. They do in fact tend to lean forward a bit. In my case, I suppose it's my posture when I sit but I tend to lean a little bit forward so my head almost never touches the headrest, even if I lean back a bit if that makes any sense. I think it's a habit I have developed from sitting in front of a computer all day long.

As a reminder, I've only had my car for about a week now so I'm probably not the best source of information when it comes to this stuff. However, I can tell pretty much immediately what I'm going to like or dislike about a car within the first day or two. To my pleasant surprise, I seriously like everything about this M340 so far and couldn't be happier.

The ONLY very small gripe I might have is some of the surface materials in the front cabin area that are glossy black. They are fingerprint magnets!

[jd85_m]

It's interesting to see that I'm not the only one finding the headrest in the topmost and backmost position not coming up high enough to support my head. If I push it forward to gain some more height than it just starts pushing my back away from the backrest.

[Seang1973]

Wondering if anyone has any updates to this post. I recently swapped a mk7.5 Golf R with dynamic chassis control to a 2020 M340i. Was only able to take it for a short test drive but didn’t think it was too much stiffer in comfort mode compared to the Golf. Tighter for sure.

But I’m 350 miles in, since collecting it a week ago, and it’s really hurting my back. It has always been a weakness of mine. I had to chop an M2 LCI to go back to a Golf as it caused my back to light up with nerve issues. No such problem in the Golf but I wanted a chance and found the perfect spec, lightly used M340i.

I think I had the seats too low initially. They are merino leather with lumbar (not electric). I’ve now raised the seats up but my back is still recovering from the miles I did visiting relatives last weekend to show them the new motor.

I’m not overweight. Reasonably fit. 6 feet tall, 80kgs.

I’m going to let my back recover over the next week and gradually ease myself back into driving it. Thankfully I work from home so don’t need to drive every day. But my concern is that this car, like the M2 I had, is going to have to go in the interests of quality of life.

It makes me really sad that such a wonderful car in every other way somehow manages to make me suffer.

Thoughts welcome!

[Alex_bm]

Can tell you that in my case it took 2-3 to get used to the seats. I think for me the problem was the lumbar support that was sticking out even reduced to minimum.
The car it-self is not stiff by any means, so this is not caused by overly tight suspension.

I have played with two things:
1. The angle of the backrest to minimize contact with the sore area of the back
2. The lumbar cushion. I moved it about 50% height and then deflated it completely.

Obviously everyone's back their back problems will differ. This is my experience.
I can also tell you that once you first experience the issue it's hard to get it out of your brain and sometimes this could be no longer ride or seating position related...

My next car was Giulia QV and the "seat adoption" period was a lot shorter. Like couple of weeks.

Originally Posted by Seang1973

Wondering if anyone has any updates to this post. I recently swapped a mk7.5 Golf R with dynamic chassis control to a 2020 M340i. Was only able to take it for a short test drive but didn’t think it was too much stiffer in comfort mode compared to the Golf. Tighter for sure.

But I’m 350 miles in, since collecting it a week ago, and it’s really hurting my back. It has always been a weakness of mine. I had to chop an M2 LCI to go back to a Golf as it caused my back to light up with nerve issues. No such problem in the Golf but I wanted a chance and found the perfect spec, lightly used M340i.

I think I had the seats too low initially. They are merino leather with lumbar (not electric). I’ve now raised the seats up but my back is still recovering from the miles I did visiting relatives last weekend to show them the new motor.

I’m not overweight. Reasonably fit. 6 feet tall, 80kgs.

I’m going to let my back recover over the next week and gradually ease myself back into driving it. Thankfully I work from home so don’t need to drive every day. But my concern is that this car, like the M2 I had, is going to have to go in the interests of quality of life.

It makes me really sad that such a wonderful car in every other way somehow manages to make me suffer.

Thoughts welcome!

[TTG]

I have owned my M340 since Sep 2019, it has around 30K miles now and we did a cross country trip on it once and have taken it through all sorts of road trips and not once me or any of my passengers complained about the comfort of the seats. I have full leather seats if that makes any difference.

I still love this car and have no complaints.

[Seang1973]

Alex_bm - it’s not that I don’t love the car. But you’re right that once back issues come into play, it’s hard to see past those. Life is short. I don’t want it to take months to get used to it and suffer every day as I am right now.

I took it out earlier for a short ride to the supermarket and even that has had an effect with the pain now travelling further up towards my neck.

Did you mean 2-3 weeks or months in your reply btw?

TTG - I guess my post wasn’t really for you if you’ve never had any issues. It’s great for you but clearly an issue for me at the moment.

[Alex_bm]

2-3 months. It doesn't mean it would be the same for you though.
Try different positions of the seat and the lumbar and see if you can improve even slightly. That should tell you if there is a solution for your situation.
Also might want try a seat cushion to soften things.

Originally Posted by Seang1973

Alex_bm - it’s not that I don’t love the car. But you’re right that once back issues come into play, it’s hard to see past those. Life is short. I don’t want it to take months to get used to it and suffer every day as I am right now.

I took it out earlier for a short ride to the supermarket and even that has had an effect with the pain now travelling further up towards my neck.

Did you mean 2-3 weeks or months in your reply btw?

TTG - I guess my post wasn’t really for you if you’ve never had any issues. It’s great for you but clearly an issue for me at the moment.

[Seang1973]

Thanks. Right now, it’s going to be on the drive for a week until my back recovers. At that point I might try the alpina comfort plus hack but I’m sensing it’s the firmer leather clad seats that my body doesn’t like.

Feeling sad and old right now.

[RCook]

I have had 4 back surgeries including L4/5 fusion. Have 'drop foot' nerve issue on right leg.

Previous F30 has 'standard' seats, and were fine. G20 had only 'sports seats' when I bought my car They are hard and I have a difficult time being comforable But the thigh extension helps. I am 6'2", a bigger guy.

My solution was a thin gel pad on the bottom seating area, fitting between the side bosters, essentially making the bottom part flat. May need to trim. And a small piece of foam at the crack between back and seat area. Lumbar support doesn't really work as it did on the previous 3.

Pad on Amazon, memory foam from Michaels, the arts/crafts store. Works for me.

[tturedraider]

Nope. Not for me. I’m very fortunate.

[RoGo330i]

“Thanks. Right now, it’s going to be on the drive for a week until my back recovers. At that point I might try the alpina comfort plus hack but I’m sensing it’s the firmer leather clad seats that my body doesn’t like.
Feeling sad and old right now.”

Greetings, OP: I’ve written on other posts that I also had initial back and backside struggles with my new 2022 330i seats. Two things which were quick and enormously helpful: I asked my physical therapist to help me position my seat correctly; and I purchased a sheep skin full seat cover. The seat cover worked instantly because it removed pressure points on my lower back and back side. I have happily and comfortably driven almost 30,000 miles over the past two years. I, too, thought that I was going to have to give up my car.

Hopefully, something will work out for you that someone on the forum suggests, so you can stay with your ride. Keep us posted!