Hi, I'm Littlefatfriend! Does anyone know when electric seats became commonplace in sports cars?

Littlefatfriend

Thanks Overlyanxious

Is that so?

It may just be coincidence that all the people I know with newer cars have electric seats (a VW golf, a mini, a Citroen and a couple of others). Before about 2000 such cars that I've seen didn't have electric seats.

Yes I do want to 'fold' the seat. I'm 6' tall and using hand controls so I have the seat slid back all the way on the runners anyhow. That helps keep my foot away from the pedals.

All my other cars had a lever under the front of the drivers seat one could lift and fold the seat all the way back. Fold it so its back rotates backwards (away from the windscreen) and down to rest atop the rear seat cushion. That's how I've always loaded my 'chairs.

XK8s are the lower spec models and they have electric seats too.

How many of your cars were made this century and what type were they please?

The purpose of my question is to establish what sort of cars made this century have manual seats (and then I'll find out how far back those seats fold).

For a couple of years my XKR has been (and remains) great fun. She's a wonderful thing to spank around the B roads of Scotland!

For the purposes of practicality however, I'm now considering getting an alternative car which I can get a wheelchair into.

Hence my question.

Thanks again

egister

Why don't you ask Jaguar Land Rover (Tata motors) your question?

OverlyAnxious

I've owned 4 Golfs and an equivalent Audi A3, all built post 2000 with fully manual seats. The newest one is less than 5 years old now. Only the top spec Golf's got electric seats, or those with an optional extra seat choice.

I've had many Ford Focus's as well, most of which had manual seats. Though one was top spec with electric seats, and another had optional electric seats.

I've also owned a few small hot hatches, both pre & post 2000, all with manual seats, though don't think they'd be large enough to accommodate a wheelchair anyway.

I've never owned a proper sports car due to my conditions so perhaps that is the difference. I'm still not quite understanding the function that your current car has, though you've explained it well there. All the cars I've had with a lever at the front have only ever slid the seat back & forward. Usually there is a small catch on the door side of a 3-door seat to fold the seat forward for rear access or to recline it.

Littlefatfriend

Hi egister

Ask JLR when they and other companies started fitting electric seats to cars?

I've discussed the seat issue with them, it was them who advised me not to try changing the seat because of the G forces inside the car.

Thanks again

Littlefatfriend

Hi Overlyanxious

That's curious but interesting, thanks.

It's looking as though I'll have to establish the type of seat in whatever car I get. I think I'm leaning towards getting another XJS.

The smallest car I've had would be the Fiat Panda 4x4. That was perfectly manageable.

The function of my current car was intended to be an every day runaround.

My lifestyle has had to change a great deal since my leg was removed. I'm still working out some of those adaptations (and crucially a wheelchair I can get up and down kerbs).

Whilst I'm doing that the XKR is being great fun, She's essentially a (somewhat impractical) toy. Her handling is exceptional and the supercharger just keeps accelerating! She's more like motorbike than a car and I'm a biker at heart.

I'm hoping to get the wheelchair issue and an alternative car sorted for next summer.

All the cars you've had were apparently different to all those I've had. That seems curious to me but it's a big old world. The small catch on the door side of all my cars (including the XKR) folded the seat forwards to enable access to the rear seats, but none of them have folded it backward.

It's looking as though I'll just have to check these specific details if I'm going to consider a type of car I haven't had before. The low roof of the XKR may be the root of this.

Who knows? I'll work something out I'm sure.

Thanks for your help

Luke

egister

Ask if it is possible to reprogram the seat or make other changes to it to achieve the result you need. Have you personally checked whether you can fit your wheelchair in the car before purchasing?

Littlefatfriend

Hi egister

The seat can't be altered by any means.

I didn't see the XKR in person before buying it, ironically I couldn't get there without a car.

A couple of friends investigated the bodywork and engine etc before I purchased Her. Both ride a motorbikes and one drives a transit van I can't get into. It was only about 30 miles from me but wheelchair accessible taxis aren't available in county Durham.

I certainly wouldn't change my decision to buy Her, she's great fun and crazy mad fast. I work with computers and the internet so I can do that in bed if I like, my car's just for social use and entertainment.

My new 'chair will be a more practical shape and weight than my GPV for car loading. It's feasible I may be able to do that if I remove the rear view mirror. The GPV has thick leather upholstery because I used it for riding my trike.

Quai Sera Sera...

🤞

Wibbles

@Littlefatfriend

OK and are you happy with your XKR or do you want to change cars ?

If you want to keep the XKR - contact an aftermarket seat company and see what they can offer you … ANYTHING is available for a price !

If you want to change cars - see what Motability can offer and either use Motability for a car - or purchase your own and use / pay for Motability alterations yourself

How about a Volvo EX30 Electric @ £1999 down + full PIP mobility allowance ?

Sorry - Do you receive PIP ?

Littlefatfriend

Cheers Wibbles

I'm very happy with the XKR and I'm considering getting another car. I'll most likely do that once I get the wheelchair sorted.

As I wrote above Motability is an extremely expensive way of getting cars which wouldn't entertain me. The Volvo you mentioned would be costing about £14,000 for three years plus whatever they chose to charge me at the end of the contract. That's considerably more than my other cars have cost, or they've lasted much longer than three years.

Lots of companies fit hand controls, the people who did my XJS and XKR came here and it only took a couple of hours.

I'm a committed petrolhead and I've no interest in an electric car either.

Yes, I get full PIP.

Thanks for your help and good luck

egister

I don't use a wheelchair, but I use a two-wheeled e-scooter all the time due to mobility issues. Therefore, I had to give up the car, which was difficult to load it into. Perhaps in your case you will first have to choose a wheelchair that is convenient for you, and only then a car for it.

This is such tediousness at first for the sake of fun later)

egister

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/930521#Comment_930521

That is, you did not try to disassemble the seat yourself and see how it could be improved to suit your needs. Plus, for some reason, they didn’t write a letter to the car manufacturer with a request to improve the seat so that they could load a wheelchair. And you couldn't arrange for Jaguar to come to you so you could check how your wheelchair fits in it.

Littlefatfriend

Hi egister

We clearly have very different abilities.

The difference in the wheelchairs will be a matter of millimetres but it may work if I remove the rear view mirror.

Adapting to disability may take time but I don't find it "tedious". I've benefitted enormously from it in the past and I'm sure I'll work something out. Perhaps I just enjoy driving fast cars more than you? I think She's worth it.

Disassembling the seat would only risk MOT failure, there's no scope for safe adjustment of it. I spent a few months discussing with Jaguar Land Rover what might be possible. We concluded that it can't be safely changed.

Jaguar stopped making the XKR in 2014. I bought mine secondhand two years ago (She's 22). Jaguar weren't involved at all at that stage.

Thanks though and good luck

egister

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/930682#Comment_930682

What was the reason for not writing all this in the first message of the topic? We go back - either another car, or another wheelchair.

or

Do you have

Jaguar XK8 and XKR (X100) Parts Manual
Jaguar XK8 / XKR X100 Complete Workshop Manual

?

OverlyAnxious

MOT has been brought up a few times in this thread. The only checks for MOT are that the drivers seat is secured to the floor and that it can be moved back and forward and locked in 3 different positions. MOT testers are not checking the seat for anything else. I have swapped seats in many cars over the years. Even including racing buckets and harnesses which still pass MOT when done correctly.

Wibbles

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/930631#Comment_930631

£14000 is still a lot less than depreciation, servicing, tyres, insurance, tax etc - over the 3 years !

And "piece of mind" for a guaranteed working vehicle is priceless…

Littlefatfriend

Hi egister

I didn't include all that information because I couldn't know how the disabilities of people reading my posts here may affect them and (as I wrote) I only wanted to work out when electric seats became common in cars. My XKR is the only car made this century which I've owned.

I know I need another wheelchair thanks and I'm organising that. It's very subtle and my only sources of "advice" are companies who will profit from selling me a wheelchair. Two years ago the first company from whom I ordered a chair produced one which was less useful to me than my GPV already is. The angle of the footplate was very different to what I'd requested, so I didn't purchase that chair.

Yes I have parts and workshop manuals. Some time ago Jaguar Land Rover and I concluded that changing the seat would either be unsafe or risk MOT issues. I've had no intention of doing that and I'm not going to. If I decide to sell my XKR She'll be worth most if I haven't fiddled with Her. She's in great condition. For the moment I'm perfectly happy to enjoy Her as a toy and likely work out a more practical car next year.

I may be able to get a new wheelchair into the XKR if I remove the rear view mirror. I expect there are ways around that. I may find out. If not I'll get another car without electric seats, hence my question.

Thanks for your help

Littlefatfriend

Hi Overlyanxious

JLR strongly recommended against it (because of the G forces inside the car) and I'm not going to change the seat. That wasn't ever on the table in this discussion. I'm only trying to work out avoiding electric seats in my next car.

The interior (and exterior) of the XKR is in great condition and I'd prefer to sell Her and get something else than to start mutilating Her.

Thanks again

Littlefatfriend

Hi Wibbles

£14000 is perhaps less than depreciation etc would be on a new car but only because they depreciate so very quickly. That's just one of the reasons I wouldn't buy a new car. In the two years I've had my XKR She likely won't have depreciated at all because there are now fewer of them and lots of people collect them. That's why I bought one with low mileage.

As I wrote, none of my cars have cost me that much except perhaps (including inflation) my first two Astras. They were only that expensive because I got them on the Motability scheme (1991-97).

My friends and I know cars well enough that the peace of mind you describe isn't a problem for me. I know my cars are fine. Both of the Astras I had needed to go back to the dealers at least once during the time I had them. That's not uncommon with new cars, so I couldn't necessarily rely on them. I'd prefer to organise maintenance myself.

Thanks again

Wibbles

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/931187#Comment_931187

Try a specialist such as

https://wheelchaircars.co.uk/ or https://www.lewisreedgroup.co.uk/

if you do decide to change vehicles

egister

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/931177#Comment_931177

Hi!

Was the response from JLR signed by an engineer with his first and last name, or is it an unknown remote Tata Motors employee, or even an AI? I have personally seen seat mounts in different aircraft, and I have no reason to trust the words that the acceleration module during braking of your Jaguar is greater than what is found in sports or combat aircraft.