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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]NP here.  I just bought a used BMW 435i convertible (automatic). I was caught in 1.5 hours of stop-and-go traffic, and my right knee started to hurt.  By the time I got home, it was killing me and I was actually hobbling for a day, and it hurt for a few days afterwards.

Since then, I've only used it for short trips or one longer one in good traffic.  I feel a little bit of discomfort afterwards, but nothing big.

Sitting in my longterm Toyota Highlander SUV made me realize this is a whole different system for gas/brake.  In the SUV, you are sitting as if at a dining room chair and the weight of your leg is pressing on the gas/break (like a piano lever).  But in the BMW, you are really extending your leg almost perpendicular to the ground, and pushing out that way.  Your bum is lower than your knee.

I googled but don't seem to be able to figure out how to make the seat more user-friendly....should I push the seat back far, or up close to the steering wheel, or what else should I do? I was thinking of putting a towel under my bum to raise me up some, but it moved and was uncomfortable...not sure if there is a product for that.

Anyways, any advice for me?  It could be a website for ergonomics, or a product, or just seat positioning advice.

Thank you![/quote]

I can empathize. I drove a Ford Escape from an auction where I bought it, and it had what seemed like the most comfortable seat I’ve ever sat in. Two weeks later, I bought a Subaru Forester at the same auction, drive home the same distance, and it was agony. Same general type of car, same size, similar ergonomic layout and driving position, but totally different feeling seats.

This is one of the reasons people should ask to  test drive a car over the weekend. You need to spend at least a couple hours in the seat to really appreciate whether you fit in the car or not. But dealers won’t usually go for it, and most people never ask.

I’ll freely admit that I’m prejudiced against BMW to begin with, so I’d never own one. The last dealing I had with a BMW was back when I was still a partner in my shop, and I bought a 2001 760iL for literally pennies on the dollar. It was a flood car, I bought it on a salvage title. My plan was to refurb it and sell it, making a tidy profit.  I didn’t need to ask for much, as I only paid $600 for it. I figured I could get an easy $10k for it. So I needed to replace all the electronics, ECU, TCU and main wiring harnesses. I figured that would probably run $5000 or so, leaving me still up $4400. Not bad for three days of work. WRONG! The wiring harness itself - JUST - the harness, was almost $15,000!!!! So I parted the car out for wheels, tires, glass, doors and hood, and scrapped the rest. I still made money, but only a third of what I thought I’d make. And I’ve been sour on BMW since then.

I don’t know what to tell you that might help... me, I’d trade the car for something else. I drive way to much to be uncomfortable doing it. It’s not fun being in physical discomfort just because you like a car.

Good luck. Let me know what you end up doing. [/quote]

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