Pain in the Ass - has anyone replaced their seats ?

[MajorUpset]

I love my California ! But I do not love driving it.... after about an hour and a half I start to get a pain in the ass (wife says it is Sciatica) (makes me feel old :-()..... which I probably am.

Anyway - I dont want to get rid - so am thinking I could maybe swap the seats out. I only really need to swap the driver seat (but it would look rubbish) - so probably want to swap both front seats. Has anyone done this ?

Any recommendations ? Concerns ? Advice ?

My butt cheek will thank you.

Hell.... I will thank you.

PS - it is a 2008 California SE (as in the picture)

 

[Legin]

I would get a trim shop to refoam and trim the drivers seat. They can shape it to suit you.

 

[kurienp]

I love my California ! But I do not love driving it.... after about an hour and a half I start to get a pain in the ass (wife says it is Sciatica) (makes me feel old :-()..... which I probably am.

Anyway - I dont want to get rid - so am thinking I could maybe swap the seats out. I only really need to swap the driver seat (but it would look rubbish) - so probably want to swap both front seats. Has anyone done this ?

Any recommendations ? Concerns ? Advice ?

My butt cheek will thank you.

Hell.... I will thank you.

Do you know if you have lumbar support on your drivers seat?

 

[TripleBee]

I have comfort seats in my 5.1, and apart from pain in the ass after a couple of hours straight driving, I don't feel tired when getting out.
Lumbar support is not that great for me as it's too low and not firm enough, but the seats are very well for me.

Do you have seats like this:


Or are they a little bit more shaped like this?

The back is a bit bucketed, the seat is firm.
For me they suit very well.
Almost as good as my sport seats from my golf 4:

 

[MajorUpset]

These are the seats I have.

 

[kurienp]

These are the seats I have.View attachment 67052

A pic of the side of the seat on both sides will help to see what controls are there.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

VW do a more adjustable seat for a Crafter, but unsure if this would fit a Cali; Seat adjustment guide is worth reading:

Van Seat Adjustment Guide | Volkswagen Van Life

VW Vans partnered with the British Chiropractic Association to reduce drivers' back pain and business downtime. Check out the easy seat adjustment guide.

www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

 

[WelshGas]

These are the seats I have.View attachment 67052

What exactly do you think is wrong with the seat for You? Too low? Base too flat? More Lumbar support?

Various aids etc that could be cheaper.

driver seat lumbar support - Google Suche

 

[jts46]

A pic of the side of the seat on both sides will help to see what controls are there.

I have lumber support on my cali, seats very comfortable, and original. 145k miles

 

[Wogga]

I love my California ! But I do not love driving it.... after about an hour and a half I start to get a pain in the ass (wife says it is Sciatica) (makes me feel old :-()..... which I probably am.

Anyway - I dont want to get rid - so am thinking I could maybe swap the seats out. I only really need to swap the driver seat (but it would look rubbish) - so probably want to swap both front seats. Has anyone done this ?

Any recommendations ? Concerns ? Advice ?

My butt cheek will thank you.

Hell.... I will thank you.

PS - it is a 2008 California SE (as in the picture)

Know that problem too well, got it resolved by seeing a physiotherapist privately for £45, treated my lower back with ultrasound or sonic whatever it was, bloody relieved. Years I was suffering, something to do with nerves that go from your back, via your arse into your legs. Cheaper than a seat might be worth a go.

 

[EddieEagle]

VW do a more adjustable seat for a Crafter, but unsure if this would fit a Cali; Seat adjustment guide is worth reading:

Van Seat Adjustment Guide | Volkswagen Van Life

VW Vans partnered with the British Chiropractic Association to reduce drivers' back pain and business downtime. Check out the easy seat adjustment guide.

www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

Perhaps the seat which should be in the Cali?

Personally I can live with the seats but they are compromised by having no height, seat cushion fore/aft or whole seat angle adjustments.
I have to stop every hour or so driving to stretch my legs which isn’t a bad thing although the driving position, for me, is.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Driving position is the key.
Try a more upright position, perhaps closer to the wheel and pedals. Often the issue is not the seat but sitting wrongly. Using the pedals can subtlety twist the lower back unnaturally as you are stretching to get the required movement, sitting more upright and closer can help.
As a sufferer of chronic lower back pain and sciatica, I find the standard seat fine. DSG helps too

 

[MrP]

Know that problem too well, got it resolved by seeing a physiotherapist privately for £45, treated my lower back with ultrasound or sonic whatever it was, bloody relieved. Years I was suffering, something to do with nerves that go from your back, via your arse into your legs. Cheaper than a seat might be worth a go.

Agree... Same issues. Have a long commute and office job. Found the van better than the new Audi A4 we had. However, trip to the chiropractor and regular back exercises and no issues anymore. Nothing to do with the seat. It was all down to poor posture and seat adjustment.

 

[pjm-84]

I dont think the VW seats are the best. It may be the position but my left leg goes numb on long journeys however I'm slightly larger than normal. In comparsion seats in my Discovery are bliss, followed closely by the ones in the Toyota..... . 1000miles a day seats those whilst the VW is a struggle after a few hours.

 

[kurienp]

I have lumber support on my cali, seats very comfortable, and original. 145k miles

It seems that not all Cali's came with the lumbar support option. Just wanted to verify with the OP. That may be the solution for the OP + a visit to a doc for some treatment.

 

[NickD]

Ours has lumbar adjustment. It's not very useful though: there's a knob to twiddle but it feels loose and never really feels like it's adjusting anything.

It kills my back on long journeys. Used to think it was the bed but it's definitely the drivers seat. I think I'm just different proportions to average.

We asked once whether it was broken and Poole VW spent ages taking the drivers seat apart and replacing the assembly which was exciting but ultimately it came back just as it had been before!

 

[pete&gill]

Ours has lumbar adjustment. It's not very useful though: there's a knob to twiddle but it feels loose and never really feels like it's adjusting anything.

It kills my back on long journeys. Used to think it was the bed but it's definitely the drivers seat. I think I'm just different proportions to average.

We asked once whether it was broken and Poole VW spent ages taking the drivers seat apart and replacing the assembly which was exciting but ultimately it came back just as it had been before!

I too have a lumbar support knob, but it doesn't seem to do much. Anyone know a fix?

 

[tim downes]

I love my California ! But I do not love driving it.... after about an hour and a half I start to get a pain in the ass (wife says it is Sciatica) (makes me feel old :-()..... which I probably am.

Anyway - I dont want to get rid - so am thinking I could maybe swap the seats out. I only really need to swap the driver seat (but it would look rubbish) - so probably want to swap both front seats. Has anyone done this ?

Any recommendations ? Concerns ? Advice ?

My butt cheek will thank you.

Hell.... I will thank you.

PS - it is a 2008 California SE (as in the picture)

Hi

It might be worth considering seats from a later model ? I'm quite difficult to please with car seats (loathe my Range Rover and Disco5) but I find nothing more comfortable than the seats in my T6 Ocean - I only suggest as you may find seats from a later model might go straight in ?

 

[Bill R]

I too have a lumbar support knob, but it doesn't seem to do much. Anyone know a fix?

Same here, the difference after adjusting fully is hardly noticeable