Hmmmm achy back

Wildly Boaring

Short version

I drive a lot and on ****ty roads.
eg this week was in west Clare, west cork. Also kilkenny, carlow, Dublin.

Easily 60k km annually and possibly 80k.

Had a company auris van. But with 2 kids took a car allowance plus mileage deal which is working out well for me.

Got a 520d this time last year.

Have an offer back end last year for 5 series and let it off for what I paid for it, after putting 60k on it.

Wife got new ateca.
I took her kuga.

The problem.
My back is killing me the last 10 days, 2 weeks.
I really think it's down to the cornering of the kuga.
Driver's seat is good on motorway.
It's the titanium x so leather seat with adjustable lumbar.

Was passing a garage with an a4 avant outside yesterday and I was so tempted to just walk in a look for a trade.

If I were to let off kuga privately.
What cars would people recommend?

(Wife's answer is that I should just slow down)
Not tempted by another 520, chain was fine in mine but no interest in worrying about another 1.

I reckon a diesel estate. 4 year old or so. Prefer leather seats and decent alloys.

Maybe a hatch but would a long wheelbase be better?

Find the kuga under powered. Was only ever going to keep it a year or 18 months and get something nicer anyway.

bazz26

Have a look at the Volvo V60, Swedish cars have some if not the most comfortable seats in the business.

scooby77

bazz26 wrote: »

Have a look at the Volvo V60, Swedish cars have some if not the most comfortable seats in the business.

Doctor friend has back issues, and likes his cars. He swears by Volvo ( bought one for wife too)

Wildly Boaring

Thanks lads.

Yeah I've had lot of cars through the years.

I don't have a bad back normally.
But was leaning toward a4 avant myself, maybe GTD golf.

The v60 ocean race spec looks interesting. What's Volvos auto box like?

racso1975

Genuinely look at an auto as well if you do have back problems

James Bond Junior

Volvo V60 auto with winter pack so you get heated seats too. I have an S60 and the seats alone make the car.

Wildly Boaring

Outside of the seats. How does a V60 handle?

I really think it's the ride of the kuga that's after messing me up. It's quite a lean through a bend.

6am the other morning going across the galtees limerick mitchelstown and I was having to brace my back into the bends.

As above, their auto any use?

Leather seats as good as cloth for support?

Any other ideas? I've always got on fine in German cars. VW, Audi, BMW.

James Bond Junior

The P3 Volvo S60/V60 is based on the mondeo chassis so even though it won't match a BMW it still drives pretty well.

Not sure how reliable the autobox is, I think it is a Ford powershift box but I'm not certain. They are a popular car for English import dealers so you shouldn't find it hard to get one to test drive nor one in the spec you would like.

bazz26

Also worth looking at the D3 engine sold upto 2013. This is a 2.0 litre 5 cylinder engine which has a very pleasant torque range. 1.6 is best avoided.

ewj1978

Not to be a smart arse but have you tried to get a physio to look at your back? Not a chiropractor an actual physiotherapist.
I sit a lot in my job and have developed a bad back. Went to local physio and he gave me a series of simple stretches that have done the world of good.

Wildly Boaring

ewj1978 wrote: »

Not to be a smart arse but have you tried to get a physio to look at your back? Not a chiropractor an actual physiotherapist.
I sit a lot in my job and have developed a bad back. Went to local physio and he gave me a series of simple stretches that have done the world of good.

In general my back is good.
I've hurt it a few times and I've a history of competitive sport that has left me plenty wear and tear.

I'm not going to rush out and sell the car. Been driving it since Jan. Gonna at least give it till Easter.

I'd give someone the same advice as you just gave me. I think whilst I may have hurt it, the car isn't helping. I really feel it's exacerbating it. But yes. I'll see a physio before I do anything

9935452

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

Short version

I drive a lot and on ****ty roads.
eg this week was in west Clare, west cork. Also kilkenny, carlow, Dublin.

Easily 60k km annually and possibly 80k.

Had a company auris van. But with 2 kids took a car allowance plus mileage deal which is working out well for me.

Got a 520d this time last year.

Have an offer back end last year for 5 series and let it off for what I paid for it, after putting 60k on it.

Wife got new ateca.
I took her kuga.

The problem.
My back is killing me the last 10 days, 2 weeks.
I really think it's down to the cornering of the kuga.
Driver's seat is good on motorway.
It's the titanium x so leather seat with adjustable lumbar.

Was passing a garage with an a4 avant outside yesterday and I was so tempted to just walk in a look for a trade.

If I were to let off kuga privately.
What cars would people recommend?

(Wife's answer is that I should just slow down)
Not tempted by another 520, chain was fine in mine but no interest in worrying about another 1.

I reckon a diesel estate. 4 year old or so. Prefer leather seats and decent alloys.

Maybe a hatch but would a long wheelbase be better?

Find the kuga under powered. Was only ever going to keep it a year or 18 months and get something nicer anyway.

Id agree with the rest of the posters regarding volvos.

They are meant to have orthopedic seats in them.
I had a s80 on hire at one stage and it was one of the most comfy cars i have driven.



Regarding your back.

I have a bad back myself and know they story with it.

For years i was 'pulling a muscle' once or twice a year but kept telling myself the back was fine.

Eventually last year it gave up and it was into the doctor, physio and MRI etc.

What i learned was most people have damage done to their back.

Physio said 80 % of people who got MRIs done had permanent damage done to their back.

Got exercises to strengthen the core which helped a lot .

Got advise regarding the likes of cars.

Cars low to the ground are bad as you are climbing out of the car, Same with low seats.

Keep your seat tilted back as far as you can as it takes weight off the back.

Lift the seat up as high as you can too .

I got one of the back supports that i use in the car . I find it makes me sit correctly in thte car too



Its worth going to see a physio and seeing what they can do for you.

ml100

Ideally you want a car seat where you can adjust the tilt angle of the base of the seat to make it as level as you can, if it slopes back too much it puts pressure on your lower back, hence most so called sports seats (ones with not much adjustment, something like highline golfs etc. ) aren't great when you have a bad back.

fits

At that kind of mileage the car is certainly a big factor and all the physio in the world won’t help until that’s sorted. Have similar issues myself doing 900 km a week and had to give up driving our Mercedes c200 every day. Thankfully I’m finishing up with that driving next month.

Wildly Boaring

ml100 wrote: »

Ideally you want a car seat where you can adjust the tilt angle of the base of the seat to make it as level as you can, if it slopes back too much it puts pressure on your lower back, hence most so called sports seats (ones with not much adjustment, something like highline golfs etc. ) aren't great when you have a bad back.

Cheers have one.
Had it tilted pretty far back.

Flat now and I've let the lumbar support halfway. Don't know does it do any good at all

ml100

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

Cheers have one.
Had it tilted pretty far back.

Flat now and I've let the lumbar support halfway. Don't know does it do any good at all

Yeah, I don't use the lumbar support, I find it's support is in the wrong place for my back, I have a small cushion (only an inch to an inch and a half thick) that I use which does help on longer journeys.
What helped me was physio to build up core strength which helps you keep better posture, when my back was at its worst I would be very sore after 45 minutes in the car, I could sit all day in a tractor without any problems as you sit upright in a tractor and the seat base tends to be level which takes contact pressure off your back.

dingding

racso1975 wrote: »

Genuinely look at an auto as well if you do have back problems

Agreed, had pain in knees, hip and shoulder. Got an auto and a lot better now.

kirving

Auto makes a big difference for sure, especially when on city streets or backroads where you're through the gears frequently.

My E-Class is nowhere near as comfortable as my previous Volvo S40, not by a long shot. I find VW seats terrible on my back in general.

Stallingrad

A4 has offset pedals, so think would be a poor choice if you back issues.

Nolanautocare and the likes would be able to add support to the seat where needed, a lot cheaper than buying a new car.

James Bond Junior

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Auto makes a big difference for sure, especially when on city streets or backroads where you're through the gears frequently.

My E-Class is nowhere near as comfortable as my previous Volvo S40, not by a long shot. I find VW seats terrible on my back in general.

I had a mk5 Golf years ago that nearly killed my back.

Wildly Boaring

Stallingrad wrote: »

Nolanautocare and the likes would be able to add support to the seat where needed, a lot cheaper than buying a new car.

Yeah. I suppose I realise there's a lot of these sort of options.

But I also know full well I had no problem in a 5 series or a 3 series since 2012

(had auris van in middle but for a few months only)

I really feel it's the way the kuga rides through bends. Find myself slowing a lot now into every bend and bracing against it uncomfortably. Maybe the leather seats aren't particularly bolstered either??

Not rushing to judgement. I'll be giving it at least till Easter.

But I'd plan on selling privately and importing something for what I'd get for the kuga. I've only just started driving the kuga so it's v low mileage and the x has good spec.

V60 auto D3 or D4 looks best idea this minute.

Lantus

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

Yeah. I suppose I realise there's a lot of these sort of options.

But I also know full well I had no problem in a 5 series or a 3 series since 2012

(had auris van in middle but for a few months only)

I really feel it's the way the kuga rides through bends. Find myself slowing a lot now into every bend and bracing against it uncomfortably. Maybe the leather seats aren't particularly bolstered either??

Not rushing to judgement. I'll be giving it at least till Easter.

But I'd plan on selling privately and importing something for what I'd get for the kuga. I've only just started driving the kuga so it's v low mileage and the x has good spec.

V60 auto D3 or D4 looks best idea this minute.

For such high mileage can second volvo. Drove back and forth across Ireland in a day and it was great.

Tensing up in kuga at every bend is only going to exacerbate a back problem.

James Bond Junior

For what its worth, I drove 200 miles today and while I am tired I amn't broken up. Heated seat on and cruise and away I went, God bless Volvos.