Proper Seating Techniques

simpleM3 · 06-02-2016, 08:21 AM

I have a 6MT E92 and I don't feel like I have the seat properly positioned for optimal driving. I don't track my car, but from time to time I like to enjoy the occasional challenge from a stop light and some spirited driving. With that said, does anyone have any recommendations for seat positioning and/proper seating techniques?

Kong Sheng Han · 06-02-2016, 08:31 AM

Seat as low as it can go. Steering wheel as close to you as possible.

dparm · 06-02-2016, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simpleM3

I have a 6MT E92 and I don't feel like I have the seat properly positioned for optimal driving. I don't track my car, but from time to time I like to enjoy the occasional challenge from a stop light and some spirited driving. With that said, does anyone have any recommendations for seat positioning and/proper seating techniques?

Here's what BMW recommends at their driving school. We learned some very similar things at Bondurant.

jphughan · 06-02-2016, 09:51 AM

Sitting all the way back in your seat, you should be able to fully extend your arms and have your wrists rest on top of the steering wheel without leaning your body forward -- if you come up short, you're too far away, and if your wrists overshoot, you're too close, which can be problematic with cornering and also airbag deployments. You should also be able to fully depress the clutch pedal while still having a bit of bend on your knee. And holding the steering wheel at the 9-3 positions, your elbows should form a nice ~90-degree angle, and you should be able to turn the steering wheel at least 90 degrees in each direction without moving your hands from 9-3 or having your elbows get blocked by your torso in that motion. You might have to play with the steering column height and depth to achieve all of this. The backrest should also be pretty upright. It baffles me when I sit in someone else's car and find their seats set up for the "gangsta lean" position. How do people drive that way???

M3 Number 86 · 06-02-2016, 11:46 AM

I like my steering wheel a little higher aimed at my chest. That way when I'm holding the wheel, I have a golfer's grip type wrist position (or anything really, such as when you chopping shit up in the kitchen with a knife, or hammering the shit out of a nail into something) vs. death grip with a flat wrist.

admranger · 06-02-2016, 02:16 PM

Nothing about having easy access to weapons in your car. Fail.

simpleM3 · 06-03-2016, 08:25 AM

Good info, thanks

06-02-2016, 08:21 AM	#1
simpleM3 Major 167 Rep 1,407 Posts Drives: 06' E46 M3 ZCP Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Fairfax, VA iTrader: (13) Garage List 19’ BMW M5C [0.00] 2007 E61 530XI [0.00] 2006 E46 M3 [0.00]	Proper Seating Techniques I have a 6MT E92 and I don't feel like I have the seat properly positioned for optimal driving. I don't track my car, but from time to time I like to enjoy the occasional challenge from a stop light and some spirited driving. With that said, does anyone have any recommendations for seat positioning and/proper seating techniques? __________________ 19’ F90 M5C \| Signature VS-104 \| M-Performance \| IND \| H&R 06’ E46 M3 ZCP \| Karbonius \| Ohlins \| Vorshlag \| Turner \| Kassel \| IND \| Status Gruppe \| Macht Schnell 03' E39 M5 \| 100% Stock
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06-02-2016, 08:31 AM	#2
Kong Sheng Han Banned 303 Rep 1,140 Posts Drives: Something something racecar Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (2) Garage List 2011 BMW 328i [0.00] 2001 BMW M3 [0.00]	Seat as low as it can go. Steering wheel as close to you as possible.
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06-02-2016, 09:51 AM	#4
jphughan Brigadier General 594 Rep 4,488 Posts Drives: '16 Cayman GT4 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	Sitting all the way back in your seat, you should be able to fully extend your arms and have your wrists rest on top of the steering wheel without leaning your body forward -- if you come up short, you're too far away, and if your wrists overshoot, you're too close, which can be problematic with cornering and also airbag deployments. You should also be able to fully depress the clutch pedal while still having a bit of bend on your knee. And holding the steering wheel at the 9-3 positions, your elbows should form a nice ~90-degree angle, and you should be able to turn the steering wheel at least 90 degrees in each direction without moving your hands from 9-3 or having your elbows get blocked by your torso in that motion. You might have to play with the steering column height and depth to achieve all of this. The backrest should also be pretty upright. It baffles me when I sit in someone else's car and find their seats set up for the "gangsta lean" position. How do people drive that way??? __________________ '16 Cayman GT4 (delivery pics, comparison to E92 M3 write-up) Gone but not forgotten: '11.75 M3 E92 Le Mans \| Black Nov w/ Alum \| 6MT (owned 5/2011 - 11/2015) Last edited by jphughan; 06-02-2016 at 09:57 AM..
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06-02-2016, 11:46 AM	#5
M3 Number 86 Major General 3221 Rep 6,218 Posts Drives: black m3 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: pasadena iTrader: (1)	I like my steering wheel a little higher aimed at my chest. That way when I'm holding the wheel, I have a golfer's grip type wrist position (or anything really, such as when you chopping shit up in the kitchen with a knife, or hammering the shit out of a nail into something) vs. death grip with a flat wrist. __________________ dadmobile IG: @M3number86 youtube: track vids
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06-02-2016, 02:16 PM	#6
admranger Retired Curmudgeon 2985 Rep 4,047 Posts Drives: ‘19 X3M40i, ‘18 m550i Join Date: May 2011 Location: Las Vegas, NV iTrader: (1)	Nothing about having easy access to weapons in your car. Fail. __________________ '19 X3 M40 Carbon Black/Oyster, '23 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit, Past BMWs: '18 M550i, '18 330 GT, '16 X5 40e, '11 E90M3, '06 X5 4.4, '03 330i ZHP, '02 M3, '97 Z3 2.8, '95 M3 (2x), '94 530i (manual), '92 525i (manual), '88 M3, '87 325iS
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06-03-2016, 08:25 AM	#7
simpleM3 Major 167 Rep 1,407 Posts Drives: 06' E46 M3 ZCP Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Fairfax, VA iTrader: (13) Garage List 19’ BMW M5C [0.00] 2007 E61 530XI [0.00] 2006 E46 M3 [0.00]	Good info, thanks __________________ 19’ F90 M5C \| Signature VS-104 \| M-Performance \| IND \| H&R 06’ E46 M3 ZCP \| Karbonius \| Ohlins \| Vorshlag \| Turner \| Kassel \| IND \| Status Gruppe \| Macht Schnell 03' E39 M5 \| 100% Stock
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