2006 LR3 Lumbar Supports?

[bwanajim]

Askewed: If I had chronic back or neck pain, I might agree with your solution. But I don't have back or neck problems. You can't tell me that having your lower back slumped into a seat with a headrest forcing your head into the forward "Neanderthal" position is proper posture. So unless the books you recommend advise how to be comfortable in poorly designed seats, they won't do me any good.

Look at my fleet list above. I have always enjoyed Land Rover seats, especially the Defenders, which are particularly good. The Discoverys are also excellent. I have never had a complaint or pain in any of these Land Rovers or my various Mercedes, Audis, Fiats, Volvos, VWs, etc. But I get into the LR3 and I am in PAIN after the first hour. This is not my problem (though it actually is, because I'm going to lose alot of money dumping this truck for something with decent seats).

The 2005s seem to have much better seats, but mark my words, the complaints are going to flood in on the 2006s. Land Rover is way off the mark here.

--Jim

 

[askewed]

The book will explain to you how your stress manifests itself as back pain... and you seem stressed.

 

[bwanajim]

Nah, no stress here. And no pain either, except when sitting in an LR3 seat! ;-)

 

[askewed]

No trouble...

Though Dr. Sarno would also tell you that it's those among us who believe we have no stress or think we deal with it the best who are actually the worst at it... It's worth a read one way or the other... It made my allergies go away (and that's as odd as I'm willing to sound here).

I well spent $11 it would be.

 

[bwanajim]

Well, the dealer swapped some proper seats into my '06 HSE from a new '05 off the lot. They really stepped up on this and we are pleased. The lumber supports make a huge difference in the seat comfort!

The headrests still get in the way, but there is a local high-end upholstery shop that seems to specialize in neutering the regulation 2008 NHSTA headrests. $450 per seat...

 

[grommet]

I'm stunned the dealer did this. How are they going to explain to the '05 buyer that the seats are not normal? Anyway, cool.

 

[bwanajim]

Why so surprised? I am a long-time customer and this is my 5th Land Rover. I have a good relationship with them and they have always been a good outfit. They get a good amount of business from me maintaining my 3 (now 4) US-based trucks. Also, alot of their business comes from the tech community (Redmond, WA), of which I am a part, and news travels fast.

Bottom line is this: Our decision to buy was based on a test drive in an '05 HSE. But the '06 HSE that I got was not what I had ordered, nor was it what was represented in the brochures or website information we reviewed. Those sources show the lumbar supports. The '06 SEs and V6s on the lot have the supports, but not the HSEs. It's doesn't make sense to the point that the dealer felt it must be a mistake.

Without the lumbar support, the vehicle was basically useless to us. It's hard to describe just how uncomfortable it was without the supports. On the LR3's first outing - a 4 hour trip - I was reduced to stuffing folded grocery bags behind my back. This is ridiculous in a vehicle at this level. I know askewed thinks it's all in my mind, but until you've experienced it for yourself...

My options would have been to:
--Try and get the dealer to take it back, which they probably would have done, perhaps for an upgrade to a Range Rover, which has GREAT seats.
--Dump it used with 900mi on the clock, taking a hit of perhaps a few thousand dollars, lick my wounds, find a replacement, spread the word among the other tech folks here, and probably never buy a LR product again (except for additions to my Defender collection, of course!).
--Keep a supply of folded grocery bags on hand to stuff behind my back.

YMMV, but I would advise anyone considering a LR3 to do an extended test drive before buying an '06 without the lumbars. As to whomever buys the '05 that got my seats, I hope they complain. I hope there are enough complaints that this issue finally bubbles up to the factory and Land Rover sees this as a foolish mistake and make it right for the '06 owners. Land Rover's attitude throughout this entire thing has been appalling. No help, no nothing, just "too bad, deal with it". It was my dealer (Land Rover Eastside, Bellevue, WA) that stepped up to make things right in this case. And believe me, they will continue to get my business. They deserve it!

--Jim
http://www.spectare.com

 

[CoreyS]

I don't have my LR3 yet (expecting an HSE in Dec), but am I missing something? Seems like the lumber adjustment is still on the 2006, but it's electric (I took this screenshot out of the 2006 manual). Is this missing on your 2006's?

Corey

 

[bwanajim]

nope. mine had neither the knob nor switch. my manual also indicates that it should be a switch, just like yours. my guess is that land rover stopped doing the knobs, but didn't have the switch-type adjustment ready in time, so they just kept building them without it. typical land rover... i own 5 now and it's par for the course.

seems ford hasn't turned everything around at solihull yet.

--jim

 

[grommet]

Last week a local dealer got a few new HSE LR3s... no lumbar adjustment still. Good job, Land Rover. I guess it'll be like this for the whole model year in North America.