Recommendations for a Bad Back

mullers · 14-01-2010 7:02pm #1

Would anyone be able to recommend a good car/4X4 for someone with a bad back. I am 6" 4 with a dodgy back, and my physio has recommended I get a 4X4 to help me. I currently drive an old 318i am I am looking to change it. I find the seating position very low and I can't raise it very much or my head is touching the roof!! Its a daily struggle to get in and out. Budget is fairly tight but I will spend what I need to help. Anyone with back pain will understand...........I would consider a commercial to keep the costs down.

Cheers.

si_guru · 14-01-2010 7:08pm

what about an older MPV.. Galaxy, Sharon or similar?

Anan1 · 14-01-2010 7:34pm

I'd be looking at a SAAB 9-5 if I were you. The seats are really excellent, and they're heated too (this is a big help if you've a bad back). Just stay away from the sports models, the ride on them will be a bit firm.

I'd stay well away from 4x4s, unless you go for a really big one they're less comfortable than a good car. They may be easier to get into, but that's it.

peasant · 14-01-2010 7:55pm

Boxy, small MPV type vehicles also give a good, upright seating position.

Something like the Ford Fusion, for example. The money saved from not buying a bigger vehicle can then go towards a specialist orthopaedic seat ...Recaro have a good range.

Tragedy · 14-01-2010 8:15pm

Volvos and saabs always get remarked upon for having excellent seats.

Volvo S60 has excellent seats, the 2litre LPT is quite powerful, very reliable and can be found cheap enough. Does mega mileage too.

Tropheus · 14-01-2010 8:16pm

I had a 330ci with the standard seats a few years back and it was the most uncomfortable car I ever owned. No matter which way I adjusted the seats, I couldn't get comfortable. I'm 6'1" and also have a bad back.

Whatever you get, you should try and go for the sports seat option as they are generally firmer and have more adjustment which is better for a bad back.

I don't have sports seats in my Audi as they weren't an option on the Allroad, but I replaced the drivers seat with an aftermarket Recaro. It's fully electric and heated. I got it second hand on eBay from Germany. Not cheap, but what price comfort?

Anan1 · 14-01-2010 8:21pm

ksimpson wrote: »

I had a 330ci with the standard seats a few years back and it was the most uncomfortable car I ever owned. No matter which way I adjusted the seats, I couldn't get comfortable. I'm 6'1" and also have a bad back.

Whatever you get, you should try and go for the sports seat option as they are generally firmer and have more adjustment which is better for a bad back.

+1 on that, i've always found the standard BMW seats to be particularly poor. Strange, as their sports and comfort seats are excellent.

mullers · 14-01-2010 8:30pm

my wife has an s40 and while the seats are very very comfortable, i find the position for posture very poor.because i am so tall i cannot lift it high enough to get a good position. as with most standard cars, the roof gets in the way!! hence, the reason for looking at something a bit bigger. have been a passenger in a vw touareg a few times and find them very good for the back.

Gary ITR · 14-01-2010 8:40pm

The Touareg is very comfortable. Not cheap though and certainly not cheap to run. The leather heated seats are really comfy and very adjustable

itarumaa · 14-01-2010 8:42pm

I have an old s40 (1998) and I just don't seem to get the seat adjusted 100%, it is good but it never feels perfect, maybe newer versions are better on this.

Anan1 · 14-01-2010 8:48pm

I've never liked Volvo seats as much as SAAB ones myself.

langdang · 14-01-2010 10:14pm

mullers,
Did your physio make any mention of automatic versus manual?
I'm in the market for a car for someone with a bad back, and I reckon for this particular person the auto would reduce the amount of strain on them.

As previously stated, a lot of newer cars have high upright seating positions, Ford Fusion as mentioned, Ford C-Max etc. If it's a 4x4/softroader you want then there must be buckets of Hyundai Santa Fe, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Nissan quashqai and X-trails out there, dunno which of those are best though.
Try a few options, let us know how you get on...

mullers · 14-01-2010 10:24pm

didnt mention anything about manual vs automatic but i will definitely be getting an automatic.i drive a lot around town and the constant clutching can be torture at times.having driven automatics before, i find them much more comfortable. having done a bit more reading, the touaregs seem to be very pricey to run so am leaning more towards a santa fe or something similar.going to bring a few out over the weekend for a test drive so will report how i get on.there seems to be no end of them for sale at the minute so should be plenty of choice and value.

Midnight_EG · 14-01-2010 10:58pm

Rather than a new car, get new seats!

Recaros by far are the comfiest seat I've ever sat in, and tbh I'm gonna put them in any car I own, as I have them in my car atm.

Most people would agree too

Dark-Mavis · 14-01-2010 11:05pm

Have you tried putting an orthopeadic seat in your car?

Father got one it has a base and a back, called "backfriend". He found it excellent.

19-01-2010 2:58pm

I really have to second the heated seats. Really helpful if you have a weak/bad back especially on long journeys. Should consider getting them installed or from a scrapyard on whatever you do get

Clare_Guy · 19-01-2010 3:11pm

mullers wrote: »

Would anyone be able to recommend a good car/4X4 for someone with a bad back. I am 6" 4 with a dodgy back, and my physio has recommended I get a 4X4 to help me. I currently drive an old 318i am I am looking to change it. I find the seating position very low and I can't raise it very much or my head is touching the roof!! Its a daily struggle to get in and out. Budget is fairly tight but I will spend what I need to help. Anyone with back pain will understand...........I would consider a commercial to keep the costs down.

Cheers.

It's kinda off topic but I had a bad back for a couple of years and was told of a guy in co. limerick who is basically a bone manipulator. The guy who told me was a garda who'd visited this guy as a last resort before he went for an operation on his back, which was so bad he'd been off work for almost a year.

To cut a long story short, this bone manipulator fixed the garda in 5 mins and he fixed me in a similar time. I've taken several friends with back complaints to this guy and all have been fixed too.

If you want more info. just PM me...

mullers · 19-01-2010 3:47pm

I have looked at changing the car seat in the car, but one of the main problems is that the car is very low to the ground (318i).regardless of how good the seat is, getting in and out is painful. raising the seat up means my head is touching the roof !!!

can anyone recommend a car with good headroom and good high seats. a lot of the recommendations earlier are for cars with good seats. but even some of the newer cars out don't suit very tall people. or is an suv the only option ?

Anan1 · 19-01-2010 3:56pm

It may be a bit out of your price range, but something like a Volvo XC70 will be a bit higher than a normal car, will be very big inside, and will have good seats. Just a thought.

fastum1 · 13-05-2010 9:14pm

Hi Mullers
I have the same problem as yourself 6 foot 5 with bad back. I had a citroen c5 automatic diesel 03 which I found very comfortable and had the head room but engine went. I have long body so the jeeps and mpvs don't have a enough head room for me. Only one i found with headroom is the Tourag.
Another car that might be good is the merc e220 from 03 on new shape one.
I am on the lookout now and am looking at a Saab 9-5 auto or Merc e220.

Recommendations for a Bad Back

Comments