Seat (dis)comfort after 5,000 miles

[voip-ninja]

Wasn't it only the rear seat that was changed? My car was delivered May 8 so I definitely have the first gen seats. An adjustable headrest would be good, I don't know why it doesn't already have that.

No. The revision to the front seats more substantial than the rear seat changes

 

[Hkbruin]

I’m 5’9” 168lbs and drive 140 miles a day, about 1:45-2 hours straight in OC to LA traffic. The seats feel great and I feel the cushioning hasn’t changed much at 4K miles.

 

[Big Dog]

have two M3's, one with v.1 seats and the other with v.2. I much prefer the v.2, but they are only 8 weeks old, so haven't experienced any deterioration (yet?).

 

[lux_cars]

I have a recent build with gen 2 seats. I wouldn’t say they’re terrible but they’re also not good enough for a premium vehicle, esp the short and low bottom cushion that lacks adjustability. It doesn’t help that the car suffers from high wind and road noise. IMO comfort is the biggest knock against an otherwise excellent, technologically advanced vehicle. I don’t know if these things aren’t a priority for Tesla or if they just haven’t yet reached the level of sophistication of luxury automakers.

 

[Atari2600]

in trips over 100 miles I was having some discomfort but I realized my wallet was around 3 inches thick and throwing me off. It's literally as bad as George Costanza's wallet. It didn't bother me in my last car, regardless I'm cleaning my wallet out this weekend.

 

[Big Dog]

^^My conclusion is that the wind/road noise is fine for a $35k car, but the PUP should've come with greater insulation/sound deadening. (Of course, the problem is the glass room and windows with no frame. The rubber seals will wear down over time, increasing air noise.)

 

[lux_cars]

^^My conclusion is that the wind/road noise is fine for a $35k car, but the PUP should've come with greater insulation/sound deadening. (Of course, the problem is the glass room and windows with no frame. The rubber seals will wear down over time, increasing air noise.)

Even some mainstream cars costing way less than $35,000 have much lower wind and road noise, eg Chevy Malibu, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Buick LaCrosse etc

 

[_ACX]

I love the seats. Though at 5' 9" and about 130 lbs, they're not going to sag anytime soon. My only objection is I wish there was a way to raise them up higher as I have long legs but a shorter upper body.

 

[super20g]

I liked the seats in the showroom but not after a few days. They are too soft and not wide enough for me. I am your average 6ft 180lb... I like the S's seats better. I don't think the 3's seats will probably hold up too well as they age...

 

[astrowunder]

Even some mainstream cars costing way less than $35,000 have much lower wind and road noise, eg Chevy Malibu, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Buick LaCrosse etc

It's interesting the different opinions on this. I came from a G35x, and I'd say the wind noise is less than that car which I thought was very quiet. I suspect there are some car-by-car variances.

 

[KenF]

I liked the seats in the showroom but not after a few days. They are too soft and not wide enough for me. I am your average 6ft 180lb... I like the S's seats better. I don't think the 3's seats will probably hold up too well as they age...

Did you opt for white or black seats? Some people have reported that the black seats are firmer than the white seats, even though the cushioning is supposed to be the same.

 

[super20g]

Did you opt for white or black seats? Some people have reported that the black seats are firmer than the white seats, even though the cushioning is supposed to be the same.

Black seats. I cant imagine them softer. I am hoping I will eventually get used to them but right now I just don't like the seat width particularly the left side I am up on the bolster or whatever it is called with my thigh and feels awkward.

 

[cmyke]

Agreed and same The back/side padding breaking down too as it now touches center console. Passenger side doesn’t.

You sure it wasn't always like that? My drivers side touched the center console when it was new.

 

[_TTT_]

Definitely the V2 seats are super uncomfortable to me. This is actually the first seat in any car (besides a race car) that has given me pain, regardless of how I adjust them. The pain I experience is in my right leg from the midpoint of my hamstring up through my lower glute.

I'm 6'4", 200lbs, but I don't think height has much to do with it. I have wide hips - 36-38" waist size in jeans - and I think my right leg must have pressure exerted against it by the side bolster which causes the pain. It becomes noticeable after 20 minutes of driving.

Anyone else experience pain in this area? I'm going to try the V1 seats to see if the pain goes away. I drove an early Model 3 with V1 seats for a couple of weeks earlier this year and don't remember any pain so I'll give it another go.

 

[N5329K]

I suspect there are some car-by-car variances.

This.
Robin

 

[lux_cars]

I suspect there are some car-by-car variances.

If that’s the case and there are substantial car by car variances, then Tesla really needs to improve their ability to produce quality vehicles consistently.

Either that or people are not comparing to other high quality, comfortable and well insulated vehicles.

 

[gambit48]

I've sat in the white Model 3 seats directly after getting out of my plain black ones. They're noticeably softer. That said, I like the plushness. The ride would be way too harsh if the seats weren't soft to absorb impact. A lot of American cars tend to be on the plush side. I'd much prefer plush to rock hard like on my BMW. My BMW has an incredibly smooth (not soft, smooth as in you don't feel bumps at all) ride and is super quiet, but I've sat in solid wood church pews that have more forgiving seats than the leather BMW seats I have. Their fake leather is way more soft and plush, but it doesn't come with ambient lighting.

It is kind of loud, but that varies quite dramatically based on manufacturers. We'll just have to lump the Model 3 in the "noisy" category. I've been in noisier cars so it's all pretty relative. I wished they used acoustic glass for the windshield. Just that alone would have made a huge difference.

 

[chracatoa]

For wind noise, there's definitely car variance. Same car variance, sometimes. I don't hear wind noise on my right pillar, but I hear it on my left. Still trying to fix it.

 

[spyderdawg]

The drivers side foam appears to be deteriorating in mine as I keep having to clean up the remnants. I will look to replace the cushion at some point.

 

[Hkbruin]

The drivers side foam appears to be deteriorating in mine as I keep having to clean up the remnants. I will look to replace the cushion at some point.

Are you referring to the white stuff along the side of the seat? Are you sure you don't have a rodent living in your car?
It must be chaffing or rubbing against something if its shredding like that...