04 WRX Wagon Seat Position...

[Joe]

Hey. I'm strongly considering getting an 04 WRX wagon to replace my
02 Audi S4 (which was recently stolen and trashed - god hates me).
It's unbelievable the performance you get for 1/2 the price of the
Audi. My only big problem is the leg room in the WRX. At about 6'3"
i can't find a comfortable seating position. I sit in traffic almost
2 hours/day and i don't want to be uncomfortable, driving stick in
bumper to bumper traffic every day. I was wondering if anyone has any
experience moving the seat or somehow getting any additional leg room
out of the WRX. Someone in my family had a Toyota 4Runner seat moved
back a long time ago to get more leg room - it was a hack - i think
the rails were moved and reattached. I don't know if that's a welding
job, or something that requires drilling new holes for bolts, etc...
I was wondering if this might be a posibility in the WRX. I'd love to
hear some comments/suggestions.

thanks a lot.
joe.

 

[CW]

I'm kind of surprised. 6'3'' is tall but not that tall. Everyone is
different on how they like to have their seat. Are you saying you
have the seat all the way back and you still don't have enough
legroom? Are your knees hitting the bottom of the dash? Generally,
with the pedals depressed fully, you still want a very slight bend at
the knees. Also, people who tend to sit upright (proper) instead of
reclined tend to have more legroom.

I am really loving the 04 wrx wagon... the headroom is unbelievable
compared to my maxima. I definitely would not get a sunroof (sedan
only) if I were as tall as you. The only complaint about the seats is
that they could use a little more side bolstering, particularly at the
legs. I am 6' tall and my seat isn't even all the way back... have
plenty of leg room. Maybe you have long legs too. It did take me a
while to find a comfortable position too--initially had several bouts
of back pain after hour drives.

CW

 

[AM]

Have you tried adjusting the seat height? I have found that lowering the
seat also sends it back. I once ratcheted it all the way down and slid it
all the way back and asked my 6'7" friend to get in. It was almost too far
back for him.
AM

 

[Joe]

Have you tried adjusting the seat height? I have found that lowering the
seat also sends it back. I once ratcheted it all the way down and slid it
all the way back and asked my 6'7" friend to get in. It was almost too far
back for him.
AM

i think i tried every lever available, hehe With the seat all the
way back, and all the way down, my knees are still bent too much and
off the seat cushion by a pretty far way - it wasn't too bad on a few
test drives, but bumper-to-bumper for an hour or so will probably wear
out my legs and drive me crazy.

the 6'5" salesman *claimed* he was most comfortable in the impreza out
of all the subie models, but we all know that means nothing. there is
something to be said for different people having different proportions
though... i have like a foot of headroom, but my legs just wont fit.
dammit.

 

[outteekay]

i think i tried every lever available, hehe With the seat all the

way back, and all the way down, my knees are still bent too much and
off the seat cushion by a pretty far way - it wasn't too bad on a few
test drives, but bumper-to-bumper for an hour or so will probably wear
out my legs and drive me crazy..

I have the same problem on most cars even though I'm only 6'0". It's
not one's height that is the problem, it's the length of leg,
particularly thigh length, that matters.

When I got my 89 GL wagon, I modified the seat to move several inches
further back and that totally eleminated discomfort on long trips.
Yesterday I did 700 km in 8 1/4 hours partly on compact snow and in
flurries over three 5000' mountain passes and emerged comfortable
although a tad tired. I've has Subies since 78 and am totally happy
with them - never had any let me down on the road and never had any
major engine or tranny problems.

Here's how I modified the seat and I hope I can use the same on my new
TS or WRX when I upgrade very soon

Remove the seat from the rail. Remove the rail from the chassis. Get a
strip of strong steel and drill it to bolt to the chassis in place of
the rail but extending further back. Then mount the rail to the strip
using suitably strong bolts, then the seat to the rail.



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[David & Caroline]

i think i tried every lever available, hehe With the seat all the
way back, and all the way down, my knees are still bent too much and
off the seat cushion by a pretty far way - it wasn't too bad on a few
test drives, but bumper-to-bumper for an hour or so will probably wear
out my legs and drive me crazy.

the 6'5" salesman *claimed* he was most comfortable in the impreza out
of all the subie models, but we all know that means nothing. there is
something to be said for different people having different proportions
though... i have like a foot of headroom, but my legs just wont fit.
dammit.

I agree with the salesman - I am 6'3" and in every Subie I tried (Legacy,
Forester, Baja) except the impreza, my knees hit the steering wheel (the
weird one was the Forester, since it is based upon the Impreza, and actually
has 0.5" more legroom on paper...) - really annoying (esp. in a manual) -
however, in my car (WRX wagon) I can fit just fine - however, my legs are
bent a bit (don't think my legs are off of the seat, though) - I have the
seal all the way down, all the way back, and the steering wheel most of the
way up and seem to fit fine. I don't generally ever sit in bumper to bumper
traffic for an hour, though (that would get annoying even with all the
legroom in the world!) - the funny thing about cars today - I had more
legroom in my old 88 Corolla than I do in the Impreza or in a Camry/Accord
or even in a friends Suburban... it's bizarre...

 

[Joe]

Here's how I modified the seat and I hope I can use the same on my new
TS or WRX when I upgrade very soon

Remove the seat from the rail. Remove the rail from the chassis. Get a
strip of strong steel and drill it to bolt to the chassis in place of
the rail but extending further back. Then mount the rail to the strip
using suitably strong bolts, then the seat to the rail.

thanks for the description. sounds like a good mod to solve the
problem. could i ask where you got the steel and how you made the
holes? i don't have a drill-press or any metal working tools readily
available... i guess i'd have to find a metal shop? i was wondering
if any commmon store-bought tools could do the job.

thanks,
joe.

 

[outteekay]

thanks for the description. sounds like a good mod to solve the
problem. could i ask where you got the steel and how you made the
holes? i don't have a drill-press or any metal working tools readily
available... i guess i'd have to find a metal shop? i was wondering
if any commmon store-bought tools could do the job.

You can get a length of strip steel (I forget the trade name for it -
strapping?) at almost any welding or metalworking shop. I think I used
1/4" thick and about 1" wide. I just used a hacksaw, a regular
electric hand drill and tools such as a file to finish the job. Plus I
bought some bolts.

But I'm wondering about doing this on the 2004 WRX if I get one,
because it has side air bags. I don't know the layout of these and how
critical their positioning is in relation to the seat - it might be a
problem. Comments, anyone?



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[Alan Peterman]

But I'm wondering about doing this on the 2004 WRX if I get one,
because it has side air bags. I don't know the layout of these and how
critical their positioning is in relation to the seat - it might be a
problem. Comments, anyone?

The side airbag is built into the seat, so it will not matter if you move the
seat.

 

[kothog]

Hey. I'm strongly considering getting an 04 WRX wagon to replace my
02 Audi S4 (which was recently stolen and trashed - god hates me).
It's unbelievable the performance you get for 1/2 the price of the
Audi. My only big problem is the leg room in the WRX. At about 6'3"
i can't find a comfortable seating position.

The last person I knew to buy a WRX ('02 model) found that pushing the
seat all the way back and cranking the little up/down barber-chair handle
thingie to the extreme down position gave him enough room to be
comfortable for even 8-hour extended trips, provided he get out and
stretch every four hours or so.

Are you sure you didn't miss the barber-chair ratchetty thing?

 

[kothog]

the 6'5" salesman *claimed* he was most comfortable in the impreza out
of all the subie models, but we all know that means nothing. there is
something to be said for different people having different proportions
though... i have like a foot of headroom, but my legs just wont fit.
dammit.

It's true. My WRX-driving friend has driven in a Forester, an Outback, and
his WRX. His WRX was the most adjustable, and gave him the most
comfortable ride with the most legroom. And he's taller than you.