Uncomfortable seats

[tylerthegoat]

Hey everyone.

I just purchased a 2016 Scion FRS and am having a lot of trouble getting comfortable in the seats. I'm a pretty tall guy (6'4 ~200 pounds) and my waist width is 36". My main concern is that my thighs/hamstrings tend to rest against the side seat bolsters and after 10-15 minutes I get burning and stabbing pains throughout my legs. Naturally, this is a cause for concern and I have since been trying to figure out a way to prevent this from happening.

I purchased a seat cushion from Amazon but it surprisingly does not seem to help at all (if anything, it just makes me sweat a lot).

I've done a lot of research the past couple of days regarding modifications I can make to either make my seat more comfortable or simply replace the stock seat with an aftermarket seat. It seems like other people have had similar problems and have went to an upholstery shop to replace the firm foam with memory foam, but after getting a quote and talking to the shop owner of a local upholstery shop, he said that while it is a common complaint, it is largely a coin toss whether it helps or not. He said that about half of his customers come back after a couple of days and claim the memory foam helped very little.

I appreciated his honesty, but I am now slightly worried that I'm stuck with a car that has the worst seats I've ever sat in. This is not something that I noticed during my ~20 minute test drive. If anything, I was amazed that I was able to sit in the car with plenty of legroom and headroom. I did not pay much attention to the way the seat was designed.

Does anyone have any recommendations or has anyone gone through something similar? Luckily, the place I purchased the car from has a return policy, and I have a few more days before I'm stuck with the car. I'm leaning towards returning the car as I'm in pretty bad pain, but I really enjoy the way it drives and it is one of the cleanest cars I've ever seen.

Thanks in advance.

[Yoshoobaroo]

Are you slouching? I find it hard to believe that the pressure on your hamstrings is so large it causes pain. I have experienced pain in the back of my leg because of an intervertebral disc pinching the sciatic nerve because I was slouching. Make sure your back is straight and there’s an arch in your lower back, that helped a lot for me. I ended up adding an aftermarket lumbar support to my seat.

[JD001]

Sounds like "buyer's remorse"..

[Ashikabi]

Sounds like a you problem, not a seat problem. I don't believe the bolster touching your leg would actually cause these symptoms. Much more likely, your back is messed up because of a tight posterior chain and hip flexors. It wasn't evident in your last car because the you were accustomed to the seating position. Get stretched out and your pain will likely disappear. I've dealt with back pain many times over my professional career and it was ALWAYS muscle related.

That includes back pain I attributed to my FRS. My lower body is very tense while driving it, which pulls my lower back out of place, eventually causing significant discomfort. Perhaps try stretching calves, ham strings, glutes, and hip flexors multiple times a day until the last minute you have to return the car. Make a decision then. You can't stretch all the way out in one session, that's why I recommend taking as many days as possible

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

[tylerthegoat]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

Are you slouching? I find it hard to believe that the pressure on your hamstrings is so large it causes pain. I have experienced pain in the back of my leg because of an intervertebral disc pinching the sciatic nerve because I was slouching. Make sure your back is straight and there’s an arch in your lower back, that helped a lot for me. I ended up adding an aftermarket lumbar support to my seat.

Nope, I have pretty good posture and sit upright. Slouching is uncomfortable for me as I have slight scoliosis and work out to prevent my lower back from hurting. It's surprising to me too because it's the first time I've ever experienced anything like this from a car seat. I'm coming from a Speed3 and I wish I could swap those seats with the ones in the FRS as they were miles more comfortable for me.

I actually sit at my desk with a lumbar support cushion for my chair and so I'll try and put that in my car and see if it helps. Thanks.

Originally Posted by JD001

Sounds like "buyer's remorse"..

Ha. I promise you it's not. I'm actually enjoying the hell out of the car aside from the seats. If only Recaros were cheaper...

Originally Posted by Ashikabi

Sounds like a you problem, not a seat problem. I don't believe the bolster touching your leg would actually cause these symptoms. Much more likely, your back is messed up because of a tight posterior chain and hip flexors. It wasn't evident in your last car because the you were accustomed to the seating position. Get stretched out and your pain will likely disappear. I've dealt with back pain many times over my professional career and it was ALWAYS muscle related.

That includes back pain I attributed to my FRS. My lower body is very tense while driving it, which pulls my lower back out of place, eventually causing significant discomfort. Perhaps try stretching calves, ham strings, glutes, and hip flexors multiple times a day until the last minute you have to return the car. Make a decision then. You can't stretch all the way out in one session, that's why I recommend taking as many days as possible

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

This is possible. I do have pretty tight hamstrings and calves according to my doctor. Thanks.

[Ashikabi]

Originally Posted by tylerthegoat

Nope, I have pretty good posture and sit upright. Slouching is uncomfortable for me as I have slight scoliosis and work out to prevent my lower back from hurting. It's surprising to me too because it's the first time I've ever experienced anything like this from a car seat. I'm coming from a Speed3 and I wish I could swap those seats with the ones in the FRS as they were miles more comfortable for me.



I actually sit at my desk with a lumbar support cushion for my chair and so I'll try and put that in my car and see if it helps. Thanks.







Ha. I promise you it's not. I'm actually enjoying the hell out of the car aside from the seats. If only Recaros were cheaper...







This is possible. I do have pretty tight hamstrings and calves according to my doctor. Thanks.

Sure. Hope you get it figured out

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

[soundman98]

move the seat forward, at least 4 clicks. does the pain go away?

[wolffbite]

+1 to try a lumbar pillow. There is ZERO lumbar support or adjustment on the stock seats, and a pillow changed my overall posture in the car for the better. It will also scootch you far enough forward that your legs may no longer be pressed against the bolsters, as the seat widens a tiny bit from front to back.

Even if your back isn't hurting, your legs could be hurting because your back is not supported properly.

I'm also 6'-4" and ~200 lbs for the record with ~34" waist.

[Ultramaroon]

Man, all us tall people waiting for that plus-size Miata alternative! Yay!

Interesting deal with the hammys. What's your inseam? Are you all torso?

6'5" um, heavy AF, 37" inseam. Super comfy in the seats. Most comfortable I've ever felt.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

6'5" .

You missed a foot!

[Sapphireho]

This thread is giving me flashbacks.

[sunami88]

Originally Posted by Ashikabi

Sounds like a you problem, not a seat problem.

That's a new take on the 'ol Apple slogan: "You're sitting wrong"

[Ashikabi]

Originally Posted by sunami88

That's a new take on the 'ol Apple slogan: "You're sitting wrong"

It is what it is

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

[tylerthegoat]

Originally Posted by soundman98

move the seat forward, at least 4 clicks. does the pain go away?

Interesting suggestion. I sit with the seat almost maxed out (probably about a click or two away from the max). Will try this out tonight and report back.

Originally Posted by wolffbite

+1 to try a lumbar pillow. There is ZERO lumbar support or adjustment on the stock seats, and a pillow changed my overall posture in the car for the better. It will also scootch you far enough forward that your legs may no longer be pressed against the bolsters, as the seat widens a tiny bit from front to back.

Even if your back isn't hurting, your legs could be hurting because your back is not supported properly.

I'm also 6'-4" and ~200 lbs for the record with ~34" waist.

Oh wow, we almost have the exact same body. Will definitely try a lumbar pillow and report back.

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Man, all us tall people waiting for that plus-size Miata alternative! Yay!

Interesting deal with the hammys. What's your inseam? Are you all torso?

6'5" um, heavy AF, 37" inseam. Super comfy in the seats. Most comfortable I've ever felt.

It is indeed very strange. My inseam is 32". I would say I'm slightly more legs than torso. The fact that you're heavier and taller and still manage to be comfortable gives me hope.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

You missed a foot!

This gave me a good chuckle. That's probably how I look sitting in my car.

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

This thread is giving me flashbacks.

Did you go through something similar?

Originally Posted by sunami88

That's a new take on the 'ol Apple slogan: "You're sitting wrong"

I just might be sitting wrong lol.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I didn't expect this thread to blow up like this. I'll definitely give it a couple of days and report back with any updates.