kompressorsf

I have had my 06 530i for almost 9 months now, and I have yet to find a seating position that I find comfortable driving in for long distances. At 5'8", I find that if I put the seat in its lowest position, I have the best comfort, fit and control of the peddles. However the angle of the steering wheel is great for optimum comfort . If I raise the seat up higher for better arm comfort, I lind my legs are angled too much for leg comfort...

what do others think

ImolaRedM

Sit upright, shoulder blades against the seat back and wrist able to touch the top of the wheel. Legs angled and close enough so that you use your whole leg (not ankle) to press the brake.

I'm about the same height as you. I've never sat in a BMW driver seat that I couldn't find a good position in, even in my old M Roadster.

550isport

I'm big into seating position. It affects your perceptions about your car.

I start by moving the seat bottom forward until my knees touch the dash and then back just a touch. From there I adjust the seat back so that my lower back is comfortable. Then move the upper seat back (if you have that ability) to that the seat touches, or almost touches your shoudlers. Then move the headrest high enough to be right behnd your head and slant it forward if possible. As for the steering wheel, its always fully extended toward me. I am 6'6". Long legs so even my long reach doesn't put the wheel in my lap. As previous poster said wrist on the top of the wheel - so your arms are not extended when hands are at 10 and 2.

BTW, my first BMW had sport seats with articulated upper back rest and coming from a Mercedes it took weeks before I adapted to the different seating style. Many non-BMW people think I sit too close but it really is more comfortable. You can drive fast, with less stress behind the wheel because you are in your place as you whip around corners. Just another reason to love BMW.

DRP

gwf545

As far as seat height goes, when I picked up my car from the ED center in Munich, I was told that I should be able to put my closed fist between the top of my head and roof liner. The rest of the settings depend on your body configuration and ensuring you are able to comfortably control the car.

subterFUSE

When I got the driver training session at the BMW performance center, they told me to adjust the seat so that your legs are as straight as possible. The reason for this is because a bent knee often leads to an angled right foot on the accelerator pedal. (ie you leave your heel planted on the floor and only use your ankle to switch between gas and brake) He said that a straight leg promotes a straight foot on the pedals which is the preferred position. He showed me one reason to have a straight foot is so that you can actually press the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time (important for matching revs on a manual). In a demonstration, he had the left half of his foot on the brake, and then rolled his foot to the right, and it depressed the accelerator at the same time.


I find that straight legs feel better to me on long trips. If I have a bent knee for a long time, I get stiff.

jet190rs

seat height: your head should be 1 fist away from the roof. your eyes should be able to see an uninterrupted plane between rear view mirror and driver's side mirror.

seat length: if you press the clutch all the way down, your left leg should be almost straight - slighlty bent.

steering wheel: your wrist should be able to touch the top of the steering wheel if you straighten your arm.

subterFUSE

Just to add.... I adjust the steering wheel height so that I get the best view of the instrument cluster. If my wheel is not at the correct height, I can't see the turn signals blinking because they get lost behind the wheel.

BetterMakeWay

Ok here's what i've learned:

Sit firmly in the seat and move your a$$ like you'd be in a super comfy soft sofa, so that u ensure the body is 100% glued to the seat. Then adjust the seat so that you can hold both hands on 3(2) and 9(10) o'clock positions. During this the back must still be glued to the seat. Then move the right hand over to the 9 o'clock position. If the back is still glued than everything is fine, if not make sure and adjust the seat so that your "back doesn't follow your arm". Moving on, arms should be bent at around 160 degrees (as if 180 would mean fully straight). The legs should follow the same pattern (meaning more straight than angled) others before me detailed the position (angle of left foot while clutching etc). I prefere the lowest position of the seat and i'm 1.74 (i dunno how much is it in feet). Also i have the steering wheel in the lowest postion and pretty much in the "closest to me axis" (see arm positions). That's about it...i think.

aybeesea

Lots of different stuff it seems.

ABC

jrsamps

It's safe to say that your body type will determine how you sit in car. Got a good old fashioned beer belly? Doubt the steering wheel will be in the lowest position. At 6'3''+ and with the seat at the lowest position, I can't fit a fist between my head and the liner,