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  1. #1

    Lumbar support: Any good? Reasonable DIY?

    Anyone out there want to weigh in on the quality of the lumbar support in the E46 sport seats that had it as an option?

    I have started having back problems recently and was thinking about how much I wished my car had lumbar support. I spent a full day last week driving in a few other cars that all had fantastic lumbar support and I really noticed the difference.

    I've looked at the DIY's for retrofitting it. Seems like a real pain, but doable for a couple hundred bucks (I'd only do the driver's side).

    Thoughts?

    2004 E46 330ci ZHP Coupe | Mystic Blue/Black Leather

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
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    Liberty Township, OH
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    It's awesome. My weigh in.

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Seattle, WA
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    1,212
    You can also get one of those foam lumbar supports to attach to your seat... Maybe give that a go to see how it feels before heavily modifying a seat?
    Fuelly

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Socal
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    There is. I believe it's in my thread. Ill have to find the ones I found on e46. However if you google lumbar e46 a few things should show up anyways. Be careful to not cut yourself.






    Tony's ZHP "Wulf" '03 Silver Gray | Valentine 1 Radar Detector| Alcantara | BMW Performance Intake | F10 M5 Knob | Auto-dim Retrofit | BMW Alarm | Performance Grilles | OEM Roof Rack | Rain Light Sensor Retrofit | Eonon D5150 Head Unit | BMW OEM Clear Lens


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Southern California
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    18,064
    Quote Originally Posted by 2004_blue_zhp View Post
    Anyone out there want to weigh in on the quality of the lumbar support in the E46 sport seats that had it as an option?

    I have started having back problems recently and was thinking about how much I wished my car had lumbar support. I spent a full day last week driving in a few other cars that all had fantastic lumbar support and I really noticed the difference.

    I've looked at the DIY's for retrofitting it. Seems like a real pain, but doable for a couple hundred bucks (I'd only do the driver's side).

    Thoughts?
    No pun intended? It's adjustable, so s/b able to find a setting I'm guessing.
    Randeaux/Rando/John/jr - '06 Cic ZHP; Southern California
    "ZHP or not, I still like you"


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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Pearland, TX
    Posts
    769
    If you really need it, then it is a reasonable DIY...

    I have a problem with my lower back too, im very glad my e70 has the lumbar support especially when driving from NJ to Toronto which we do almost every other month to visit my wife's family... my e46 lacks it, but I dont use for long drives...

    I can also suggest to try the lumbar support pillows first...


    "Lapit mga kaibigan at makinig kayo, ako'y may dala-dalang balita galing sa bayan ko
    Nais kong ipamahagi ang mga kwento at mga pangyayaring nagaganap sa lupang ipinangako..."

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    Socal
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    Well the best option I would say that came with my 330xi was the lumbar. Not really noticeable since it was buried in the regular leather powered seats however when it is in sports seats it totally made a difference. Well most of you all know that the reason I got a zhp was because Chad introduced it to me and that I was looking for a replacement car due to the accident that totaled the XI. After I found the car and traveled 10 hours to get it. Driving it back I had a lot of back pain still due to the accident. Only up until now my back has been strong enough so that can I adjust the lumbar a bit to not completely push my back away from the chair. I took the seats out of the XI, stripped them down and coming back from Philly I took the seats out of the ZHP and swapped the lumbar over. Best decision I ever made. Majority of the alcantara seats if not all does not have lumbar to my knowledge. I followed this DIY - http://www.tmk.com/lumbar/index.shtml in terms of taking the seats apart. The sport seats are a tad different and a bit easier. The hardest part was to put the control panel back on and taking it off. Be careful with cutting your fingers too. GL






    Tony's ZHP "Wulf" '03 Silver Gray | Valentine 1 Radar Detector| Alcantara | BMW Performance Intake | F10 M5 Knob | Auto-dim Retrofit | BMW Alarm | Performance Grilles | OEM Roof Rack | Rain Light Sensor Retrofit | Eonon D5150 Head Unit | BMW OEM Clear Lens


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    San Francisco, CA
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    6,847
    I believe pip did this retrofit.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Vancouver, BC
    Posts
    813
    Had no idea this retrofit was possible. Definitely doing it when I get another ZHP. Lumbar support is something I always wanted.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    2,785
    The DIY retrofit is simple and just takes some patience when maneuvering the bag behind the metal frame holding the seat foam.

    I paid $160 for two convertible seats out of a ZHP, but it could be any seat with lumbar. Lucky for me one of our members was parting them out because they were damaged and not useable so they were cheaper than normal.

    The lumbar support is great and I love it. My only gripe is mine loses its pressure slowly over a long drive so I just fill it up every so often when traveling long distances (2 hours or more in a trip).

    Let me know if you want any additional info.

    See Tony's post above^ for the DIY I followed as well.
    Last edited by Pip; 04-12-2013 at 05:09 PM.

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