Best car for driver with back problem!

suitseir

A friend of mine has a recurrent back problem and has to change the car AGAIN because that last two cars he had, as in, the seat (driver's) made the condition worse! He is in the market again and its a shame he has to sell the fab car he has but it is making his condition worse! No jokes, please and NO he hasn't been using the back seat of the car, for extra curricular activities--- for those with an imaginative imagination!!!:eek:

Can anybody or has anybody had a similar experience and if so, what makes of cars would boardies recommend?

EPM

Citroen C5.

Whats his budget?

R.O.R

Volvo S60 or S40 have excellent seats with good support..

KTRIC

Don't mean to state the obvious but would it not be easier to replace the seat in the current car or maybe get it altered.

Beta Ray Bill

EPM wrote: »

Citroen C5.

Whats his budget?

Bingo!

Air suspension and very comfortable!

Saab Ed

Yeah French or Swedish is the only way to go

Stevie Dakota

This was discussed recently. Don't just go for what are perceived to be comfortable cars such as Volvo, SAAB and Citroen but be sure to take 24 test drives. Everyone is different, and even one of the perceived comfy cars may not suit your friend.

the_syco

Mate has a bad back, and tried going for a beamer, as it's meant to have good back support. Jeeps and their ilk are meant to be good, mainly as you're not bending down (mate is above the 6 foot mark). There's a jeep-type-car (you'll know if you saw it, looks odd) which he said fits the bill, but it was at the €15,000 mark, me thinks. Couldn't afford the beamer, or the others, so he's stuck with his current car.

It's not what's comfy, as such, more of what gives good back support, and is comfortable.

Owen

I'll be hung drawn and quartered for suggesting this, but how about a Jeep? A lot of people with back problems think the seat is 100% at fault, but having to stoop down to get into your standard car, and climb up back out again can have a worse effect than the car itself. A Jeep means you can walk into the vehicle without having to stoop.

I'd buy something Jeep-like, and make sure the seat has lumbar support.

kuro_man

Mercedes S-class (older one obviously) with pnumatic-adjustable seats
also available on AMG's or high-spec C/E-Class but S-class would be more softly sprung.

mike65

Whats the problem? Lower back support? If so then nice HARD seats with lumbar adjust are whats needed. Avoid soft seats they are a killer.

bostoncommon

I know they are not a great car but the seats in a Scenic cant be beaten!
Because you are sitting up high it doesnt seem to hurt your back as much
or maybe something similar like a Verso?

stealthyspeeder

kuro_man wrote: »

Mercedes S-class (older one obviously) with pnumatic-adjustable seats
also available on AMG's or high-spec C/E-Class but S-class would be more softly sprung.

+1 on the AMG seats, Im 6ft6" and these are the only seats that support my lower back.

I uses cushions and backs supports, tried everything but the best so far is a €4 cylindrical bean bag from Tescos!

bazz26

R.O.R wrote: »

Volvo S60 or S40 have excellent seats with good support..

+1

I have an S40 and the leather seats are like sitting in an arm chair. The most comfortable car I have owned so far and I've had a good few.

R.O.R

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I would have said something that didnt require you be sit down into say something like a SUV where the seat is at a nice height. It makes entering and exiting much easier. My mate has a new model S40 and I dont think the seats are anything special.

Had a driver in recently who'd been looking at an SUV due to back problems caused by an accident. We'd just go back a nice X-Trail Elegance (leather and all the toys) so he took it around the block to see if it helped. Within 500m he'd figured that it wasn't helping his back any so we turned back. Might just have been the X-Trail as I found the seating position horrible as well.

Took him about 200m to decide that the S40, despite the much lower seating position, was the car for him. He's now getting on a lot better in work as his back isn't at him all the time.

BTW he came out of a Megane Saloon.

hick

VW do a special drivers seat for folks with bad back, it's the lumbar support option I know two folks one with a golf and the other with the passat that couldn't do the mileage the have to without it. But pleanty of others do too

here a quick search criteria for ye

http://www.carzone.ie/search/results#nParam=200590%2B200289%2B200298%2B297%2B335&sortby=Make|0&channel=CARS&currency=EUROS&keywords=lumbar&keywordSelectionIndex=2

Guy:Incognito

I would have thought lumbar support was standard on most cars at this stage, no?

Maybe I'm just used to French cars.

My Safrane had 4 switches on the front seats for inflating different sections (Lumbar, sides of the seat back, sides of the seat base and to raise your legs). Cant say I was ever uncomfortable in that car.:)

tossy

French cars might have comfy suspensions but the OP said its the seat that is the problem,Tell you friend to take a spin in a car that has Recaro seats fitted and he will be sold,unfortunately to get a car with Recaros you normally have to go upmarket or top spec but you can also retro fit Recaro seats,if he is serious about curing the problem tell him to look into it,you will not sit in a more comfortable car seat,its no fluke that almost every top sports stadium in the world now has Recaros fitted for players to sit on in the dug out.

Matt Simis

I was hit by a falling 0.5" thick, 7ft pane of glass as a small child, broke over my head and upper back. Obviously I have had back problems ever since. The 18way powered + Hot and Cold seats in the Phaeton were a major draw to me and the ability to program seat positions to each key is a big feature too (otherwise you end up with a compromise position that can be quickly adjusted to either driver, which is no good if you need it fine tuned).




However, Im selling the car and likely will have to get one of those seat covers or something, I cant spend my life buying cars around seats, so I might as well start now! I would echo other posters, try out several different cars, dont presume the easy choices are the best.

ninty9er

Not wanting to take away from the aargument, but does this poerson drive a manual or automatic car?

Clutching can put strain on the lower back depending on the car.

liv491

I Also suffer with my back tried an X-Trail nearly cried the whole way home now have a Nissan Qashqai could drive from Cork to Donegal without any pain

suitseir

Yes, Lower back problems. Can be quite bad at times. Thanks for all the replies BTW.

mike65 wrote: »

Whats the problem? Lower back support? If so then nice HARD seats with lumbar adjust are whats needed. Avoid soft seats they are a killer.

suitseir

Manual. Drives a Saab 93 Diesel.

ninty9er wrote: »

Not wanting to take away from the aargument, but does this poerson drive a manual or automatic car?

Clutching can put strain on the lower back depending on the car.

suitseir

Thanks for all the replies. I have noted all types as suggested and he is going to spend the weekend taking a few test drives. Someone suggested a Saab. He drives one at the moment.......and finds it most uncomfortable.

Anyway, this is a good start.

Thanks

sparklepants

EPM wrote: »

Citroen C5.

Whats his budget?

I just thought I'd say that I drive a C5 ('02) and the seats have no lumbar support. It's a smooth drive sure, there's loads of space and the arm rest is welcome, but the seat itself isn't particularly suited to someone with back problems like me. I used to drive an old Laguna before that and found the seat was excellent by comparison.

An automatic with a high seat position might be the best option. I would avoid any car with sunroof as it takes up valuable headroom and prevents a tall person from keeping the seat at the highest possible setting. I also avoid cars with with odd handbrakes like the Zafira or with handbrakes on the passenger side like the Volvo V50!

meesa

What about this then?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/features/2003/06/motorised_bed.shtml

stealthyspeeder

meesa wrote: »

What about this then?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/features/2003/06/motorised_bed.shtml

I'd love to take the ladies out for a ride in that!

HashSlinging

depends what type of back problem, I'd stick with the 5 star NCAP cars as they have bigger seats and better head support.

I'm 6' 4'' and had back issues for years, nothing to do with my choice of cars but things have moved on a lot since 01 - 03.

BlackWizard

ninty9er wrote: »

Not wanting to take away from the aargument, but does this poerson drive a manual or automatic car?

Clutching can put strain on the lower back depending on the car.

I second this. Get your friend to try out an automatic.

kuro_man

Here is an ad for a Mercedes S-class which specifies the pneumatic seats:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/908618

Beauty of this system is it inflats bags (at the touch of a button) in various zones in the seat to increase firmness. No messing will dials or wheels. Worth a test drive anyway.

Nforce

I'm in the same boat....I'm currently seeking a replacement for my bmw 320d. I suffer from quite severe neck/upper back pain. The multitude of speed ramps littered around Irish towns doesn't help matters.... even when crawling over them.:(