Do you drive with car seat farther back or more forward?

[ClutchFork]

I generally keep my seat more forward in both automatics and manuals. I think it is easier to work the clutch with the seat more forward. For reference I am not short, but am 6'2". Yet I like my seat forward, not hunched over the steering wheel, but more forward than back.

The funny thing is every time I take a car to the shop, no matter what shop, when I get it back the seat is all the way back. What is it with mechanics?

[theholycow]

Years ago I read here about better clutch control with the seat more forward than most automatic drivers prefer and I found it to be true. Having gotten used to that I do it in automatics too. A welcome side-effect is extra room behind the seat, whether that's leg room or just space for stuff.

[ClutchFork]

Years ago I read here about better clutch control with the seat more forward than most automatic drivers prefer and I found it to be true.

That would explain the mechanics all moving my seat back. My shop does have a mechanic who drives a manual Ranger like mine. If I ever get my truck back with the seat not moved back I'll expect that he worked on it.

[tankinbeans]

I'm fairly short, 5'8", and prefer my seat forward. I like it close enough so that I can have a slight bend at the elbow. If there is vertical height adjustment things change slightly, but I end up varying my seating position every couple of months. I always have done that. In my automatic I tend to drive with the seat mostly back. The seat back also had to be slightly greater than 90° because sitting bolt upright bothers my back.

InlinePaul, how is there much space to vary your seat? Do you have an extended cab? My friend's 97 Ranger is almost uncomfortable to drive.

[ClutchFork]

InlinePaul, how is there much space to vary your seat? Do you have an extended cab? My friend's 97 Ranger is almost uncomfortable to drive.

From Wikipedia article "Ford Ranger (North America)":

In 1998 the Ranger got another redesign, giving it a longer wheelbase and a three-inch (76 mm) longer cab for the regular cab models (part of which provided more room in the interior.

Thing is that if you put the seat all the way back the integral head rest will be pressing the back window unless you put the seat in a more bolt upright position.

Compared to my old 1995 F150 the main difference in driving is that my knees are tighter, especially on the left where to crank the left window, my leg is nearly dragging on the steering wheel. It is not a problem though. Worst is that it is a whole lot easier to work up under the dashboard on the 1995 F150.

[AHTOXA]

I drive with my seat more backwards because of height (6'7"), however I agree with cow in that I have my seat a little closer in a manual car than I would have had in the same auto car. I find it to be more sporting and provide better control, which coincides with the purpose of a manual car. In an auto I'm generally more lazy and sit further back.

[Shadow]

Is the poll a joke? I mean, I doubt anyone is going to take a tape measure to the seat track to measure the center point and then position the seat there. And I seriously doubt anyone here drives a car that has no seat adjustment...

But seriously, I have no idea how vote in the poll. My seat is where it is comfortable for me. I don't know where it falls in the range of adjustment. The only way I'd know for sure is to move the seat all the way along its travel from one extreme to the other and then measure the point where I normally keep it to determine if it's more towards the front or more towards the back. If I had to guess, I'd say that the seat is more toward the back, since I have a 34" inseam....but I really don't know.

[rei]

Near the back by default, I'm 6'5.

[94Corolla5Speed]

I sort of agree with Shadow, this poll is hard to vote for. I sit where I'm comfortable for whatever driving I have to do.

I have a CG-lock on my seatbelt though, and there is something interesting about it. I noticed that during day-to-day driving, I have the CG-lock set to be tighter than a regular seatbelt, but not super tight. At that point, I am comfortable; I have all the controls where they should be both for maximum comfort and safety.

When I go to autox and cinch the CG-lock as hard as I can to be planted in the seat, I notice that if I don't move my seat forward one click, I'm juuuuuuuust a little to far away from the clutch pedal. I guess this is because I don't follow the curve of the seat perfectly when I drive, so my lower half slides a little forward and my foot finds the clutch pedal easily.

I wouldn't drive like that on the street though. When the CG-lock is cinched down super tight it's damn uncomfortable after a minute or so. Fine for autox where I just need to be planted for a short time, but on the road I dial it back a bit.

[ClutchFork]

I just easured my current seat position and the limits. I have 4 and 1/8 inches total travel. My regular position is about 1 and 1/8 inches from the front. That, with my 34" inseam.

[potownrob]

back in the day i rode with the seat way back and reclined (automatic of course), then the manuals got me in the habit of having the seat more forward and upright to reach the pedals and shifter better. since then, i haven't been able to get back to driving my automatics in the laid-back position


kinda reminds me of GTA san andreas (the video and the song)

[AHTOXA]

I just easured my current seat position and the limits. I have 4 and 1/8 inches total travel. My regular position is about 1 and 1/8 inches from the front. That, with my 34" inseam.

That is not much travel at all. I am thinking my car offers twice that but I could be exaggerating.

[ClutchDisc]

Towards the front for me.

[mtheis]

I adjust the seat so my left knee has a slight bend in it when pushing the clutch to the floor. For both of my cars, that translates to seat all the way back. When driving an automatic, I adjust the seat similarly.

[Shadow]

I just easured my current seat position and the limits. I have 4 and 1/8 inches total travel. My regular position is about 1 and 1/8 inches from the front. That, with my 34" inseam.

That is not much travel at all. I am thinking my car offers twice that but I could be exaggerating.

I thought the same thing...but like I said, I really have no idea unless I actually go out to my car and measure the seat travel. I'd be surprised if my car only has like 4 inches of seat travel.