Do 944's suit bad back sufferers ??

[Gstockman]

Hi

I'm hoping one of you 944 chaps might be able to help me.

I'm currently considering buying a 924 or 944 but I have a slightly dodgy neck / back and can't get on with all vehicles.

I sampled a 924 a few weeks back but couldn't get comfortable with the relative position of the low steering wheel and the seat.

Having never had the pleasure of sitting in a 944, I was wondering if the seat position realtive to the wheel is the same as in a 924 and/or whether it has more seat adjustment options ?

Ideally I need to sit quite low with the wheel as straight ahead as possible but couldn't adjust the 924 seat to address this.

If any of you can grapple with this anatomical query, I'd welcome any thoughts.

Thanks

 

[mikead]

First post for me!

Having broken my neck in a car accident in 2001, I have found my '88 944 to one of the most comfortable cars I've driven since. I cannot however comment on the driving position of a 924.
You may find getting in and out with a bad back to be more of a problem.

 

[Fred Hindle]

Whilst the seats in my 924S are comfortable I must say that having fitted electrically operated seats in my 1984 944 allows for much more adjustment. So if you are looking to buy a 944 then make sure the seats have electric adjustment. They adjust for height at both front ad rear of the seat.
Basically a very comfortable car to ride in especially if you keep to standard sized wheels with plenty of air in them rather than just rubber bands.
Cheers,

 

[Gstockman]

Thanks Mike

 

[Gstockman]

Thanks Fred

So does it follow that the the gap between the seat and the wheel is greater in your 944 ?

 

[peanut]

yes the gap is much larger .

I suffered a prolapsed disk in my lumbar region L5/S1 3 years ago.
I sold my 944S2 at the time because didn't think I would be able to walk again let alone drive.
I recovered some mobility since last year so bought another identical S2 .

There are several factors that influenced my decision .

One was the electric sports seats. They have extra large wings which really grip and stabilise my upper torso. The motors allow a great deal of adjustment which is almost perfect for me although ideally I could do with a little more lumbar support .(I could get this by swapping the seats for 928 ones which have adjustable lumbar support or simply adding a small cushion to support my lumbar region )

I am 6`0" and 17 stone and the seat has adequate adjusment for me although it is as far back as it will go you could easily remove and refix the seats further back to allow more adjustment if needed. It is a little tight but then it is a sports car afterall . There is plenty of room around the steering wheel for me but I do prefer a driving position well back from the wheel which doesn't suit everybody.There is room for me to use a large clipboard for my surveys between me and the steering wheel comfortably.

I would recommend the 944 over the 924 for comfort and adjustability . Why not try out a members car and spend some time adjusting everything to see if you can get a good confortable supportive driving position.

I love my 44 so much I will never part with this one. I will fit disabled aids to it before I parted with it.

Secondly the 94 has a very wide door which makes it so much easier getting in and out than most other cars I tried.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Hi Graham,

I have something called Ankylosing Spondylitis, an inflammation of the joints in the back, neck and pelvis. The 944 is certainly more comfortable on long journeys than our Legacy, and tha't pretty good. THB my van is even better, with it's high, straight-backed postition, but that's not ideal for long trips. [8|]

I'd certainly sit in a 944 and fiddle with the position before committing! For ultimate comfort nothing ever beat my old Volvo 740 Turbo.....[]

 

[turbo jonny]

I think people can be very different and while 944s clearly suit some i always struggled with my S2 ( with sports seats). Ive had 2 911s since and found the higher seats better for my back, plus easier to get in and out.

 

[millisland]

I have also had back problems which can recur when sitting in an uncomfortable chair for any length of time. The sports seats in my 944 turbo are the most comfortable seats I could ever wish for...[][][]

I second Fred's suggestion to have electric adjustments as well.

Harriet

 

[Fred Hindle]

The seats can go lower so yes there is a greater gap. They also have the advantage of being very easy to adjust when you are sat in them.
When I fitted the electric seats myself I made sure than the feed was from a permanent live so that they can be adjusted without having to have ignition on.

Cheers,

 

[poprock]

I believe the driving position in early-dash 944 is similar (or identical) to that of a 924, but the wheel and seat sit differently in the later oval-dash 944, giving much more legroom and seat adjustment options. If you're looking at 944s from a comfort angle, make sure it's the later models you aim for.

 

[Alpine]

I find the seats in my 944 very comfortable over long journeys, mainly I think because the base of the seat is long and gives good under thigh support. My Jag in comparison has a very short seat base, and is very uncomfortable over long journeys.

 

[Guest]

I drove my 944 last year from Mizen to Malin in one day 430 odd miles.... Found it very comfortable and got out without a pain or an ache....! My co driver had a bit of pain in his neck but we put that down to the Left hand drive where he was not looking straight ahead but slightly right...[]

The 944 was designed for big distances - Try an oval dash model with electric adjusment on the driver seat as previously mentioned and you wont go far wrong []

 

[TTM]

Condition of the seat can vary thus affect comfort.
My S2 felt very comfortable when I got it, but after 60k miles of use the driver's seat seems to have soften quite much (even though I'm no fat ar*e) and I now always feel lumbar back pain after a good drive.

 

[Gstockman]

Thanks to all for the helpful responses.

Sounds like I need to be looking at an oval dash model. To finish the exercise, could you let me know from which year that would be ?

 

[Fred Hindle]

I think 1986 onwards. I would imagine that most people advise the later the better.

Cheers,

Fred

 

[Gstockman]

Fred

Thanks again for that

 

[Peter_Bull]

Hi Graham
I too suffer from back problems (broken bones/prolapsed discs/etc etc) and when I had my 944 I can honestly say that the seats were excellent.
The car was an oval dash 1986 and I had it from 1989 to 1995 ( from 17k miles to 70k miles) and was one of the best cars I have ever owned.
On one particular day I drove nearly 900 miles Weymouth > Preston > Weymouth > Preston without any back problems whatsoever. I wasn't even too tired to get a pint that night either!!
I suspect it also depends on how the seat has been used or abused.
Certainly the seats were of far better quality and support than my current 996. On this car I have had to get the seats re padded so that I could get some comfort for my recent trip to Austria and Germany.
All the best.

 

[Gstockman]

Thanks Peter

It sounds like I need to take one out for for a good long spin - although perhaps not as far as Preston !