4wxp336

Over the weekend my wife and I drove to Crater Lake, OR from San Jose, CA. We put 1200 miles on the 2002 C230 coupe with an average MPG of 30.5, which is pretty satisfactory.

However, we feel that our back is killing us after the 3-day trip. We never felt our '96 Camry so comfortable once we drove it to do some grocery shopping after the trip.

We are not tall - 5-8 for me and 5-6 for my wife. I was wondering how you guys feel towards the sports seat in your coupe. If you like it, could you share the magic tuning of the seat/back positions?

Thanks in advance.

2SYKbenz's

I have a bad back and find a lot of car seats to be uncomfortable after a couple hours. With that said I have recaro seats in my CLK and I have a set of recaro's for my coupe that are going in within the next couple weeks. I have driven for three straight days at least 5 hours each of the days in the CLK and I felt fine. I really like the new seats and they improve the driving experience!

2SYKbenz's

by the way I am the same height as you

nevide

I found the seats to be very supportive IMO. I hate soft seats that makes you feel sunk into the seats. Btw, try to make the seat lean back a little as it will provide more lumbar support. That works for me.

Tony Berry

My seats are fine EXCEPT for the lumbar support... it feels like a bare bar just underneath the leather. Does this sound right? Should that "bar" be a little softer? I can't even lean my seat back as far as I'd like because I have to let the upper seat support me because the lumbar bar is so uncomfortable. It's so bad that I've considered removing the seat and taking it apart to see if something is wrong with the mechanism. If there were some way to back off the bar (like in most cars), that might even do the trick.

jedcred

2SYKbenz, can you give us more details on the Recaros? I went to a site that sells them and they look sweet, but they also say they have some adjustable lumbar supports and the like, which sounds to me like they need some power. What are the details of the installation, like where did they find power, and did they just swap out the rails as well? Also, how did the seatbelt work out in the CLK, since it is part of the seat? And how about the folding up of the seat; does it have the two-stage style of the coupes, and, if not, does it give enough room to get back there? I ask because I wanted to change my seat to a more comfortable one (since it is a plain vanilla manual chair, and I'm really the only one who travels in it), and it seems like a mod I'd really benefit from (as opposed to Bix and the like).

Justinius7

When i first bought my coupe, i found the seats to be "unbearable" for any lengthy drive. I had the ML prior, and had no issues driving between SF and SD on a monthly basis. the coupe... well i'd take the 190e becuase my back could not handle the 8+ hour drive in the coupe.

I am 6'1... weighed 205 lbs. now i am 175 lbs... and the seat seems to feel more comfortable (either becuase its "broken into my body, or from dieting, or from me just getting used to the uncomfort). the way the sides curve do not seem to be as irritating. I had once contemplated having the foam in the seats replaced with memory foam (still contemplating it, as i want to do this when i have heated seats pads installed)

dontwakemeup

Interesting...I use to have a real problem with my back in my Camry...and now in c230 I can sit for 16 hours a day...I do recline the seat back as well. Oh...personal stats: 180 5'11 and 3/4''.

: )