As some of you may be aware I've had my RCZ for a little over a month now. I absolutely adore the car. Like the Coupe, I look back at it after I've parked it. I clean and polish it every weekend. It ticks every box.

However........ My knees are absolutely killing me. I've never had knee pain before and that's despite being a keen long distance runner and cyclist. I think it's down to the driving position.

I purposely didn't drive it for 3 days last week (Friday - Sunday). Yesterday morning my knees felt ok, only a little discomfort climbing stairs. However having driven 60 miles yesterday I struggled to get up the stairs last night

I've tried many different positions of the seat but can't get one that stops the knee pain.

So what do I do?

You know, I had something similar in a Vectra many years ago. It was not until I changed the car (it was a company car) that I got relief, I used to really 'not' look forward to driving it!

Have you tried, putting on some knee supports (like sports supports). I know, not a solution but perhaps will help train your knees to get them used to the car??

My wife is getting me a lumbar roll and I'm also going to try a rolled up towel under my thighs. She's a Physio and apparently she treated a Rep a couple of years ago when he swapped his Mondeo for an Insignia.
It's very annoying and if the pain continues I will sell the RCZ

I was going to suggest a cushion or similar, as that would make your legs stretch a bit more, but the rolled up towel might do the trick too.

I can last about 2 hours in the Coupe until I start getting severe pain in my right knee and I think that's due to my foot relaxing too much on the accelerator and I end up with my foot leaning over to the right of it.

Are there any other Peugeot seats that fit the RCZ? Might be worth trying a different seat as you might get a better driving position.

Would seem a shame to have to get rid of it because of an unsuitable driving position

I was going to suggest knee exercise but if the better half is a Physio im sure she would know about that and as you do cycling and running you should be fine

My issue was knee alignment now resolved but cannot remember why i got it?

Is it height of the seat to floor pan or Angle of the bum/leg/knee that's the issue?

Maybe measure the height of the floor to seat base (sitting on where the legs meet) on a coupe and then measure the Pug to this ..... If there were no issues on the Coupe that is.

Maybe it's a height thing?

It might be easier to have a custom cushion made for the seat base that you can leave in place also once you know the main issue ........ same leather, colours, etc. Better than having a towel surely

Stupid thing: I used to keep my wallet in my back pocket, and found similar problems went away once I took it out of my pocket. Must be the thickness of the plastic; there's never any money in it!

Same thing. It gave me sciatica-type discomfort in our old 530d. And leaning my elbow on the door made my fingers numb. Great car, mind!

Hope you sort out your knee issue, bezzer!

Thanks for the advice guys and gals.

I've made another adjustment to the seat height and also pulled the steering wheel out further allowing me to push the seat back more. My knees aren't at such an angle now an don't flop sideways. I've coupled it with a lumbar roll so will see how that goes.

I'm not going to swap seats etc. If I can't get comfortable I'll sell it and move onto something more fitting with my age

Like a penny farthing?

Oh no!

To have spent so long looking and then finding a car you liked this is the last thing you need. I am sure that modifying your seating position should help.

It is rather odd that I too had a similar issue with the Audi. There is a leg extension element on the seat base. When I bought the car I kept this extended and when I went on the first long run I was getting a pain in my right calf muscle. I put the seat back to normal and never had any more problems.

Proccy, you cheeky

That's a proper arse and something difficult to detect on a test drive too I imagine.
I have a similar pain in the wife's bravo, the knee airbag sits low under the steering column forcing my knees out. I'm 6 4 and I can't ever get comfortable to drive any distance in it. I used to drive it on cruise as much as possible so I could move my feet about, shame it doesn't have adaptive cruise as I can do a good distance on that in the jag without doing much (not in traffic obviously)
I take it it's a manual and you don't have the choice to use paddles and give your feet a rest?

Hi BM, you're right I didn't feel it on the 3 separate test drives I did. It's only when I did 2 journeys a day did the problem start. And yes, it's a manual.

However with lots of small adjustments to the seat, steering wheel and a lumbar roll, I seem to have found a driving position which doesn't cause too much discomfort.

Fingers crossed....

Just a thought when i got my new Mitsubishi Outlander i got constant back ache for about a month then it just stopped and two and a half years on its still really comfortable!

My Neighbour also was suffering back pain when he went from a newish mondeo to a new merc (cant remember which one just a rep-mobile one) and i thing he was on the verge of demanding another mondeo!
So i think you may just need to give it a little time till your used to it!

Well........

I'm looking at another car tomorrow. I thought I'd found a solution to the seating position but the discomfort hasn't gone and it's really ticking me off.

That's very disappointing news, bezzer. Hopefully, you can find a car that loves you as much as you love it!

Such a shame, so what are you looking at now?

Fiesta ST-2 and 208GTi.

Driven them both and now and they're both very nice cars. Just need to make a decision.....

We have a 208 intuitive which is our first french car!
Im surprisingly impressed i wasn't sure i would be
its almost top of the range so has the panoramic roof sat nav and self parking etc and the ride is nice and firm even on a standard (non sports) car
all feels good quality and is comfy also amazingly spacious in the back (ours is a 4 door)
the steering took some getting used to as i found it quite sensitive on a dual carriageway but once used to it is no bother at all regardless of lots of complaints in the press about the size of the steering wheel it really works well and does not obstruct if you set it up correctly
We have a 1.4hdi which was a bit gutless on our way back from france with our 200 litres of wine in the back but im sure the gti would be fine! i have not noticed any poor performance other than this occasion bearing in mind its a 1.4 diesel

I personally would go for a GTI over a Fiesta but i would not of said that last year the peugeot just seems a bit more classy!

Just be aware some of the functions reported for the 208 only work with certain age cars

I thought our car had Dab radio but its a couple of months too late

Apple play wont work unless its a new 208 and then it has to be activated if not already done

You can tell which features will work by the version radio you have or Smeg as its called

Old sat nav versions dont accept postcode but will if you update your maps to the latest version also available on the net for nothing if you know where to look otherwise £129 or Ebay for £45

Only had the car since beginning of March and am very happy! well the Wife is as its her car! but i really like them too and like driving it, im sure the GTi suspension would be really nice, in hind site i would of loved a more powerful version but it was to be the wifes choice and she wanted commuting economy!

Don't really think there is anything wrong with a Fiesta really! always been a ford man and am missing the heated front screen the last few days but thats about all

Have fun

Oh forgot to mention the 2 drink holders in front of the gear lever are hardly usable ok for cans of coke etc. As only certain sized travel cups fit and only just also a bit fiddly to get in and out my wife uses a travel cup that seals with a button on the top and stores it in the drivers door pocket!

Thanks for your comments H_R, much appreciated.

I did like the GTi, it was a lot more refined than the ST. The ride was more comfortable and the equipment levels are excellent.

However, the ST is a lovely car to drive. The Recaros are great, especially when cornering. It has the Style pack (grey alloys, illuminated scuff plates and red calipers) but no other extras.

Both cars are similar age, price and mileage (12k). It's going to come down to who can give me more money for my RCZ......

I do like the look of those RCZ's with the right colour and wheels..... Very Zagato-double-bubble

They're gorgeous and fantastic to drive.

Unfortunately my leg doesn't like the seating position

Well I'm still undecided about the RCZ replacement but a couple of other cars have appeared on the radar.

One is this.....



A Juke Nismo! I know they're marmite cars but I quite like it. Off for a test drive later today.