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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - ZS seat comments

The seats of the Z range of cars has come in for quite some attention from MG Rover to provide additional support and therefore improved driver control to go hand in hand with the improved handling and perfromance of the cars. However I have noted some constructive comments indicating some people find some shortcomings.

I will mention that the issue of ZT passenger seat lack if height adjustment is being addressed with inclusion of height adjustment for both seats soon.

However the point of this post is to query the comments on ZS seats and how the problems if present ralate to the individual. I specifically refer to issues surrounding the seat support and comfort. I specifically exclude issues of cosmetics.

I fancy that a pattern will show of specific sized people having common problems and I suspect that taller and heavier people will report issues concerning support. Falling into this catagory I have found that my one drawback has been to find myself almsot sliding forward over a period of time and having to shuffle my backside rearwards into the seat.

I have looked into this specific problem for me and decided the problem is related to seat angles rather than seat construction. In all other aspects I find the seats superb. Of note is the fact that height adjustment is a simple up and down, rather than the more complicated but better option of individual front and rear height adjustment.

For me the front of the seat is just a bit too low and this induces a small degree of 'slide'. I have been experimenting over the last couple of weeks with 12mm steel spacers under the front of the seat runners and using longer bolts to retain seat security. The small but noticeable problem I felt has been removed.

I would be interested in other owners views on this subject.

Rog
Roger Parker

I ind the seats in my ZS to be fine (must admit that I'm probably in your 'heavier' catagory.

No really noticable sliding forwards although it was something that I had noticed in my R416.

My wife finds the seats in her ZR excellent although I would prefer them to be a little wider on the back.

I guess that its down to personal preference and we will all want something slightly different, the best that we can hope for in ANY vehicle will be a compromise.

John
JLD

I find the seats for me to be most comfortable. Going back in time the most comfortable seats for me were in my very first MG Monty Turbo (86) and then later my Maestro EFi (89) The erlier monty seats having the edge. My later monty's had well used seats and were ok. More recently I have a circukation problem in my right leg, and the seating position and the seats in my Rover 600 never helped. The problem seemed to be in the area that supported the area around the knee joint.

I have short legs and I'm built heavy!!
I have the seat well forward and quite high. Backrest fairly upright.

I have bee able to adjust the seats in the ZS perfectly to my particular tastes, they are the most comforable seats I have had in a car for ages! My Wife too finds them comfortable and she is pretty fussy about seats!!

Ive not found any sliding problem, and the seats dont seem to be causing me any circulation problems in my right leg as mention earlier with the 600 seats!

Kelvin
Kelvin

Ok, I know I'm not a ZS owner (yet!!), but I feel I can give my opinion as the seat is one thing I find "slightly" off putting.

Theres nothing wrong with the overall comfort, but as with my Leon, and as Roger says, the front of the seat base is too low.

For me (6'tall, slim build) I don't get enough under leg support, the seat base also seems quite short on the ZS.

I compare this to the Primera GT, and Primera Sport I had, both of which had seperate front & rear base height adjustment, and longer bases that extended to nearly under my knee.
Obviously this wouldn't suit everyone, but I find a 100mile trip in my Leon, with its flater base makes my legs ache more than a 800mile European trip in my old Primera, and I fear the ZS would be the same.

I also have the same sliding down problem...

I also agree with Kelvin about the Montego Seats, my 1991 GTi has the newer R400 style seats and they where excelent on the 10,000 miles we travelled in 10 days on the Cape to cape challenge.

Neil

Neil Turner

HMMM..........I think you already know my thoughts on this subject Rog.
Mega

Roger,

You been standing your ZS on its nose using those fine brakes? Anyone would slide forward if you did ... :)

More seriously folks, in the past with other cars I've sometimes found that the material of my clothing somehow "meshes" with that of the car seat material so with vibration and braking etc, you tend to creep forward in the seat as your journey progresses. Much the same way as a small carpet will creep across a room in time although you never actually moved it. Similarly, I've several times received a hefty static electricity "belt" because of certain clothing-car seat material mixes.

Not done many miles in a ZS but I found the seats fine and would probably confirm that on a much longer run. Other contributors have commented on the very fine seats of those early MG Montegos and Maestros. Strongly agree about them so much so that I've replaced those on my later cars with those from earlier ones. They have to be one of the finest seats ever "fitted" to an ordinary production car. They fully retain their shape, support and the material seems not to wear like those fitted to many later cars despite their age and mileage. I've slightly modified those in my Montegos simply by using the bolts and 20mm support spacers as fitted to the seat mounts on Metros. This raises the rear of the seat about 20mm to give my 5-11, 14 stone frame the ideal seating postion (Nb. nice mix of metric and imperial there :). Using this set up, 500 miles in one day is not uncomfortable or tiresome.

If, as many suspect, MG-R management DO check all the postings on this BBS; then here's a message for them. Have another look at those early herringbone pattern (marle?) seats fitted to those first MG saloons and try to reproduce that same quality for future cars. There must be a reason why so many drivers agree that they are very good.

Safety Fast MotorinG.
John McFeely

John
can you please send me your current email adddress. Cheers.

Kelvin
Kelvin

Kelvin,

as requested - pse check your in-box.

John.
John McFeely

sorry Jonh there was typo in previous addy,
please try again

Kelv
Kelvin

I might be mad or just missing the point, but what the hell are you lot talking about ?
Test drive the car before you buy it..... Logic tells me that if you don't fit you won't buy.... simple ? ..... or maybe not, I don't know.

Best thing to do though, still buy and change the seats, it's such a great car (the ZS).
Even the ZS120, it holds the road excellently.

(Previous cars.... Golf GTi, 306SXi, Rover 200Vi)
maybemad..but

>Test drive the car before you buy it

We did! I was happy, and bought it.
Its not the current owner so much that raising the questions about the seats, but others who have made what I believe are mostly unfounded comments and have put doubt into the minds of potential buyers!

Kelvin
Kelvin

Sensible comments from the second last contributor-except for the email address
Who wants to spend the evening with someone who may be mad even if he is at home every night ?
tony

>Test drive the car before you buy it

Perhaps I should have said, over the last 2500 miles I have found this slight tendency to...

Test drives are unfortunately too short to highlight the very minor issues such as these and only living with a car shows them up. However I reiterate the simple solution for my seat, which of course may be of use to other like large persons who seek to improve the status quo further.

Rog
Roger Parker

Rog,

I shall certainly be trying your way of making the front higher (all be it, not on an MG), I just wondered what the saftey implementations are, including MOT etc...??

Neil
Neil Turner

Does the lumbar adjustment do anything?
I have tried turning the wheel that sticks out at the front of the seat all the one way and then the other and can feel or detect no difference at all!
Brett

Neil,

MOT requires a secure seat. I have used some old seat spacer blocks and bolts that are previously used on a seat mounting that also incorporated seat belt and pre-tensioner fittings, so there shopuld be no issues in respect of safety. The degree of front left is very small, I haven't worked out the actual angle but it is probably under 10 degrees.

Brett,

Mine works and stiffens up the support in the lumber region. The fact that I don't want it is another issue.

Rog
Roger Parker

Rog,

I had alook yesterday at my seat arrangments on my Non-MG car, unfortunalty the runners are mounted in such a way that spacers would be impossible. One runner is in the middle on the seat, the other 2 are on each side, i.e. side sill and transmission tunnel. :-(
Funny thing is, if you opt for electric seats you get full back and front height adjustment.

Neil
Neil Turner

Brett,

"Mine works and stiffens up the support in the lumber region. The fact that I don't want it is another issue."

Roger
Do you mean it makes the bit above my backside "harder" or it is the two "wings" either side?
Which direction does the wheel need to be turned to have maximum stiffness?

Confused or too porky to be able to tell any difference...
Brett

The ZS seat for me is a tale of two halves. The seat _back_ is great, it fits me perfectly and the bolsters grip well without being restrictive. The lumbar support adjustment seems to be all talk and no trousers but the seat back is fine as it is.

The seat base however is a little narrow for my liking before the edges angle upward. I can see why they used hard-ish foam for the construction here though. The rake seems to go too far upward and not far enough down for my liking, and like Roger I must be braking too sharply ;) as I occasionally shuffle back in the seat. I imagine it's not the easiest of tasks making a one-size-fits-most car seat.

These are minor issues, however, I bought the car because of the way it drives and the seats do an adequate job of allowing me to do that!
Richard

Brett,

If you look at the seat back, about a third of the way up from the base and near the lower seam, then this whole panel is pivotted forward with normal clockwise screw action. (when viewing the adjuster wheel face on)

Rog
Roger Parker

This thread was discussed between 05/12/2001 and 23/12/2001

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