Solutions...

[Big Col]

to a tricky problem. The problem being the MINI sucks at long jorneys for me. I dunno how Heather can do the mileage she does! The drive up to Abz from Glasvegas leaves me walking like somebody Wul's age and not the sprightly young thing I am that's only seen half the winters his old frame has. Anyway, as I had mentioned on here before, the solution may be a new set of front seats. Does anyone on here know if it's likely to be the seats that are causing the problem or is it more likely to be what our resident blow drier suggested which is the suspension? If it is the suspension the MINI may have to go the same way his did. :(

[Craig]

if you have run flats Col, change them for standard tyres BEFORE you get rid, it might make the difference you want...:approve:

by that I mean, borrow a set of wheels for a short while to see the difference, I'm sure someone will have a set you could have a lone of.... If not next time you are down central way, let me know and I can give you a run in my car (Sport Suspension Plus and my standard tyres will be going back on soon...;))

[Scottie]

BG I don't know about the seats I find the JCW seats to be comfy but then I'm not 6ft something.

The car still bumps along the road but I don't bump out of the JCW seats cause I'm well and truly wedged in there.:I;):p

Mind you the JCW suspension I reckon smooths alot on the harshness out IMO.

[The Dogfather]

Go on, buy an MX5 ;)

[Crombers]

What the F is going on now

1st BDM & now BC :eek:

I travel down to my sisters in Herts (400 miles) & I don't feel a jot worse for wear. I too run on SS+ 17's & runflats.

Get your act together ya big woose :kiss:;)

(BDM I know you suffer from a bad back so your let off ;))

[GAJ]

I think it is a height thing. I find the seats pretty unsupportive but I rarely drive long distances; when I do it's uncomfy. I would have thought that the JCW seats would be better.

I dont have runflats, got 17" and SS+.

[Crombers]

quote:Originally posted by GAJ

I think it is a height thing.

Oh & I,m 6.0 foot so disagree with the height thing Gaj.

Col , yer a wumin's blouse :eek::p;)

[ianking]

After getting back into a mini from my 1 series i have noticed how un-comfy the minis are. The mini has sport plus and the half leather seats and its hurting the base of my back. I drive about 75 miles per day. The 1 series had the full leather sport seats with the electric bolsters which were great at holding you in. If i could get a pair of the Bmw seats to fit into the mini then I would be sorted.

[Wul]

Col - i'm 5'11" and dinnae get any grief from my back either - I concur with crombers prognosis!;)

Defo agree re the runflats too - bin them asap (given your mileage shouldn't be too long) and get normal rubber and tyresafe in!

As for the age thang - i may be older than you - but ma paper round musta been a helluva lot easier than yours - you've got a face like an arabs sandal!! :p and you run like a wummin! :clown:

[Smurf]

Have you got sports seats Col? (like with the Chilli pack?)

Wind the lumbar support out!! It could be worth a try. (It works for me....)

[Burple]

It must be a 'lanky git' thing :D


..cos I'm alreet!

Have you tried adjusting the height of the seat? might give youa better position, and like Vaila says, fiddle with the lumbar support..
:p

[Big Col]

Crombers and Wul ...if you took the difference in your height to mine off of you two you'd both be 5'6" and 5'5" respectively. Which would basically mean you'd both be lnl and BS' height. As a result ye both dinnae have a clue whit ye're talkin' aboot with regards to the height thing since I think Gaj is about 6'5" or there abouts so you two lil folks can sharrap!

I've got the sports seats and have had the lumbar supports in, out, in, out and have shaken it all about. My back still gets sore regardless.

I'm due a new set of front tyres just now so I might get rid of the runflats and see if it helps any. I really don't fancy paying the frightening price of the JCW seats to solve the problem so I'll have a look about for recaros or cummat if the runflats don't help.

The thing is that I don't have a history of a sore back and I never got a bad back in any of the hirecars I drove up here in before I moved up so it must be something the MINIs doing. :(

[Wul]

C'mon now lankies - size isn't everything now....is it?;)

As for you Col - if you took the same difference and added it to your height you'd be 6'11"ish which would mean you'd be even taller - but would still moan just as much ;):p

[Gismo]

Col, the mini has a very unatural seat position, i too used to get a bit of a sore back.
Even at 5' 7" i drive with the seat as far back as ma wee leggies allow :I this due to a serious knee problem fae ma fitba days.
Anyways, try one thing, allow your seat back, not the bit you sit on, to go back at least one further notch, it's not comfy to start with, but, it stops you from stooping or leaning towards the dash, keep your back in the seat back and your arms outstretched.

Have to agree with others though, get a grip ya f@nny :p

[Crombers]

<looks at Wul>

Col sounds serious mate :eek::dead:;)




Oi Col , bet you end up in a 1 Series
Boggin lookin but well comfy..................shoite Fi's got one of em........................I,m off , bye :p

[Crombers]

quote:Originally posted by Bonnie Scotland

Have to agree with others though, get a grip ya f@nny :p


Quality BS :approve:;)

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by crombers

<looks at Wul>

Col sounds serious mate :eek::dead:;)




Oi Col , bet you end up in a 1 Series
Boggin lookin but well comfy..................shoite Fi's got one of em........................I,m off , bye :p




1 series are great wee car's :D:cool:.

[AeroJonny]

I'm 6ft (so a short arse compared to Col then! ;)) and I had a lot of lower back pain in the car, but I had the seat at its lowest height setting. By bringing the height up a wee bit I've completely eliminated the problems I was having. Another thing (one for the guys!!!) is to make sure u don't drive with ure wallet in your back trouser pocket as it forces you to bend your spine to sit up straight and hurts. I've driven soon after injuring my neck quite badly while out egg chasing and the pain certainly didnt get any worse.

[Big Col]

I cannie move me seat back an extra notch Alan mate, it's as far back as it goes. :( I'll try jacking it up a lil bit though since I do have it all the way doon.

The wallet was removed from the back pocket soon into my first journey up here mate. Not 'cos of a sore back though, it just made me @rsecheek go to sleep. :)

[Gismo]

quote:Originally posted by Big Col
I cannie move me seat back an extra notch Alan mate, it's as far back as it goes.
I mean the recliner bit Col, not the seat base ;) it can go almost horizontal :p

[Big Col]

Aaahhhhhhh! I'll give that a bash as well mate.

[Wul]

Aye - if you have the vertical adjustment all the way down it doesnae dampen any bumps - jack it up a bitty.

[Crombers]

quote:Originally posted by ScottieCoop

1 series are great wee car's :D:cool:.


Sorry , yeah , aye , absolutely stonkin wee motors :p;)

[Burple]

quote:Originally posted by Wul

Aye - if you have the vertical adjustment all the way down it doesnae dampen any bumps - jack it up a bitty.


I wondered if it was meant to do that... is it?? :D:D:D:p:p

[Smurf]

Maybe that's why I find it comfy.....

I have the back of the seat reclined one notch...
The lumbar support wound right out....
And the base of the seat jacked up about 8 or 10 clicks!!
But that's because I REALLY AM a shortar$e... :D:D

[euan]

I sold my mini for the same reason, hurt like anything and I was doing 500 miles a week.

Looked at suspension and tyres, but just flogged it in the end.

[The Dogfather]

Col, try everything and anything to get it right but only change one thing at a time, otherwise you might overlook something.

First try sitting on foam cushion, sounds daft but if it's the harsh ride then this might help on the long journeys.

One option is to try a Cooper for a day or so, perhaps our resident sales gimp could oblige, that way you know that swapping for Cooper suspension would help....... Seats are pricey I checked and they might not solve the problem, again does monkeyboy have any MINIs in with the seats fitted:question:.

I still get back pain in the MX5 and Omega just nowhere near as bad as the MINI.

[Big Gordy]

Can't remember you commenting on this when you had your Cooper Col:eek: Is it something thats just happened since you got the 'S':question: I find it 'strange' when I first jump in the mini but it only lasts for a minute or so and then its OK for me. Like the guys were saying try jacking the seat up a bit but VB is right;) don't change everything at once :approve: Baby steps Col, baby steps :p:D:approve:

[monkimagic]

quote:Originally posted by Vidal Buffoon

First try sitting on foam cushion, sounds daft

;)

[Big Col]

I never had this problem in the Cooper Big G but the thing is I never really done the same amount of miles in the Cooper. I don't really get sore and stiff until I've done about an hour and a half driving. The problem with that is I cannie really expect oor Iain to give me a motor for a day to drive up to Aberdeen and back and if I only had it for an hour I'm not going to know. :(

I'll give reclining the seat a lil a bash and see what happens. I'll probably get sore fingers with them being crossed for 2 1/2 hours.

[lightbody]

I used to do a huge mileage in my 2001 Cooper on standard seats and the 15" wheels/tyres and i thought it was the best long-distance car i'd ever had!!

[Smurf]

To be perfectly honest Col - you shouldn't sit at anything (car, sofa, computer, desk, whatever...) for any longer than 40-45 minutes, without getting up for a stretch and a walk about....

Both my Physio and my Chiropractor give me serious grief for not moving about enough!

But that's much easier said than done......
It might not be the MINI causing your problems, it could just be sitting in the same position for such a length of time...

[Big Col]

You might be right Smurf but I never had the problem in any of the hire cars I drove up in. :(