Slumming it.

[Jan-hendrik]

As John says, cars are designed for an 'average' person, some manufacturers use a large 'average', some use a small 'average'. AFAIK only Volvo use real people instead of manequins for seat design, that why their seats are so comfortable.

Yeah, the Volvo seats. Well suited for big people. Probably not for the average Asian.

[Jan-hendrik]

Towards the end of XM production they made a drivers seat upgrade that is exactly what Shane needs.
Seat position memory for two drivers.
Set the seat up as you want it with the position switches and setup is recorded in memory.
Find seat in wrong position when you come to drive so press button and seat moves to your chosen setup.
Similar system to the dipping mirror on selecting reverse.

Hmm. I have a late model XM, but I don't think I have this position memory thing. Do you have some more info on this, John? ORGA ##, dates, pictures? Thanks

[Dieselman]

Yeah, the Volvo seats. Well suited for big people. Probably not for the average Asian.

Which explains why I didn't fit in my Honda Accord... Sold it at seven months old for....My first XM...

[Jan-hendrik]

Yeah, the Volvo seats. Well suited for big people. Probably not for the average Asian.

Which explains why I didn't fit in my Honda Accord... Sold it at seven months old for....My first XM...

Meaning your Honda did not have Volvo seats? Or not Citroen seats? Actually I had an Accord, 1985 model, from new, for more than 2 years. I found the seats were quite good, but traded it in for a BX because the rear suspension made my daughters 'sea-sick'.

[Dieselman]

The seats weren't bad at all, but the car was designed for people too small, and yes the suspension could shake your fillings out due to short bump travel. It was a '91 car, so the model after yours.

[steelcityuk]

I'm sure I could find a DS owner that thinks the CX is sell out, appeal to the masses kind of car. My point is that the Xantia was deliberately aimed at the mass market and drove as such. A great introduction to hydraulic suspension all the same.

Steve.

[xmexclusive]

Hi Jan

I have found the reference to XM auto seat adjusting.
The briefing note states that it was fitted to a batch of XM 2.5l Turbo D, chassis number sequence 00NZ6001 to 00NZ6300.
These were batches T3 and T3b multiplexed vehicles marketed in France only.
Production of these cars began July 1996 for the 1997 model year (T3) with continued production in the 1998 model year (T3b).
Two new ECU's were added to this third generation multiplexed car.
-Automatic windscreen wiper(s),
-Driver's seat and side mirrors with memory function.
They note that this system cannot be post-equipped on other XM's.
The auto wipers system covered both front and rear wipers.
The seat function allows two people with different statures, who both regularly drive the vehicle, to immediately reselect their own individual settings after having pressed a specific keypad located on the drivers seat. The system also set both wing mirrors to match that drivers chosen set-up positions.
There is no information that I can currently find on subsequent batches of multiplexed cars.

John

[DoubleChevron]

Out of interest, how my of you guys have owned/driven pre-psa Citroens ??? Have you ever sat in a factory standard CX turbo seat ?? What about a laughably basic looking 2cv or GS seat ?? There comfort is outstanding. Those of you that are lucky enough to own/drive a DS know that infact, every car made after it has "very ordinary" seats comfort wise Oh yeah .... Try a DS rear seat someday if you get the chance.

I must say the Series I XM has a visibley very nice looking seat, especially when covered with dead animal. I'm not sure what they are like to sit in for any length of time. I find the XM seats quite good, like the harder Xantia seats your @rse end eventually gets numb and you start wiggling in the seat trying to get some bloody flowing after a couple of hours travel. I'm sure anyone that doesn't own a CX/GS/2CV/DS as a daily car would praise the XM seats highly. They are better than the rock hard slabs in the Xantia.

seeya,
Shane L.

[jonathan_dyane]

It's a matter of personal taste, and depends on your shape and the condition of your back. Aside from a brief dalliance with a Peugeot 205, the bulk of the miles I have travelled in my driving career have been in 2cv's, Dyanes, GSA, BX, Xantia and CX. I have to say though, I find my current XM more comfortable than any of them, I guess it just happens to suit my frame...
In the Xantia I found the seats for me less comfortable than the 205, and even fitting a better seat it still was far from ideal.

[robert_e_smart]

I have a Series 1 CX, and the seats are very, very comfortable. The problem I have with them is that they are almost tooo soft, and give me a sore lower back on very long journeys. I am a heavey bugger so that has part to do with it.

The Xantia seats give me lower back ache as well.

The XM seats are very very good. I have spent whole days driving the XM, and only stopping the odd time to go for a walk, and I have never found any complaint with them. Perhaps a little more lumbar support would be nice for the small of the back.

I sat in a Visa once and I sank into the seat, it was too narrow and short!

C5 seats are crap. They're flat and hard, they don't hold you in or give any real support. They're there because the car needs seats to carry passengers, for no other reason, not to look nice or be comfortable.

BX seats are very very good as well. I liked them. They're on a par with standard series 2 CX seats for me.