asneiman

HLCinCOU

I haven't owned both cars, but I do have persistent lower back pain and a 997. With the fancy power seats with lumbar adjustment etc., it's about as good as anything. I put more miles on rental cars than my own cars, and the 911 is better on my back than most of them.

JustinCase

I have a problem with my L5 vertebra that is slowly killing the nerve (think "permanent sciatica"). It causes my leg to ache and my foot has lost probably half its feeling. My lower back also aches if I am late on my medication. I have actually gone for drives in my 2008 C2S with the heated seat on to make myself feel better. It does, in more than one way. And I have the basic seats with minimal adjustment -- no lumbar adjustment. That said, too much of anything is going to hurt. I just drove 1400 miles and flew about 6,000 miles, all in several bursts, and no matter what I did, my butt went flat after about 4 hours. Also, I suspect the seats are pretty universal across product lines.

HLCinCOU

That is all kinds of truth. There really isn't any seat in any car that's going to make it not suck to go a long way in one position.

Balr14

I have the power comfort seats in my 997.2. I have arthritis through my entire spine with considerable deterioration. I have not found any adjustments that make things really comfortable for my back, for any length of time. Staying within Porsche, the Panamera seats are quite nice and are good for a few hours.

JoshGordon

I have some mild degenerative disc issues in my lower back, and in my Xterra or my Outback after an hour my back starts to really bug me.

But I've done 12 hours in my 05 911 S with the 18-way adaptive sport seats and my back didn't complain once. Most comfortable seats of any car I've ever owned.

Everybody's body type and back issues are so unique that it's tough to say if the same would apply to you, unfortunately. :-(

rwdds

Try rolling a towel up in a tight roll, about 4-5 inches in diameter. Place it at your lower back just above your belt line. You should feel it pressing your lower back forward. I've used this in a variety of vehicles for the years when I suffered. Mine = 3 blown discs, L4 -5 & S1. With constant therapy and lots of exercise, it can improve with time. Yoga helps.

doclouie

I have had two lower back surgeries, both diskectomies at L5/S1 and L4/L5 and my left leg is numb on the outside from the knee down. So I totally understand how you feel. That being said I have a manual 997.2 with the heated seats and I think they call them Sports Seats with the two lumbar supports and all I can say is these are the best seats I have ever had in a car. My 1700 mile trip to bring my car home I was very worried about. It was actually wonderful with those seats. Do not get the manual seats as they are horrible.

sandwedge

Great point. Some or rather a lot of people find the GT2 buckets I have anywhere from unbearable to painful while I find them very comfortable. So as you say, the only way to find out what works is to try various seats out in person.

Fined

I have owned a 997.2 and a 987.2 at the same time. The comfort in both cars is nearly identical. However the specific seats which are selected can make a difference.

Petza914

I have sporadic back issues. When they act up, I find that my GMC pickup is the most comfortable vehicle to drive. The problem with any of the Porsche sports cars is that the top of the seat is not very far off the floor so you have to sit in a fairly angled position instead of much more upright. For sure, a PDK transmission is a much better choice with back issues as pressing the clutch, no matter how light, with lower back muscle spasms is unbearable.

Maybe look into a Macan where you can sit more upright and have a PDK. A Macan Turbo or GTS is surprisingly sporty and capable. Also look into TPC's DSC suspension controller that would allow you to customize the softness of the suspension based on g-forces. This way it can be very supple when highway riding but automatically tighten up for sportier driving situations (on ramps, evasive maneuvers, etc).

All of the above being said, the full power Adaptive Sport Seat Plus seats are the best seats Porsche makes for support, comfort, and adjustability and what I have in my 997. The a manual versions are almost just as good, at least for me, but lack lumbar adjustability, which in your case you'd want.

Ben Z

Is your problem the manual transmission or the seats, or both? If you know how to float gears properly you can drive one of these 6-speeds all day only using the clutch when the car is at a complete stop. Before someone chimes in with "you'll destroy your synchros" I've been doing it with manuals for over 40 years and never wore out a synchro. So does pretty much every long-haul trucker. The trick is you have to know exactly what revs each gear gives you at the speed you're going, and never let off the gas completely as you would when using the clutch. If you're going it right it'll go into gear smooth as silk with 2 fingers on the lever.

As for seats, sure different styles can be more or less comfortable depending on the specific nature of your back problem. But all of these cars you sit low with your legs out, vs say an SUV (or an 80s Bimmer) where you sit upright like in a chair. And the ride is much stiffer than in luxury cars. So there's only so much a seat upgrade will get you. Again, much depends on the specific nature of your injury.

Tbh I am not comfortable driving or sitting in any car more than an hour without stopping to get out and walk around.

D1coach

I have owned both a 997.2S with Sport Seats and a 991. The 991 was more comfortable but the 997 is fine even for a 66 year old back with multiple fusions and several other herniated discs.

Petza914

I'm not buying this and also don't understand why someone would do this when there's a clutch pedal like 4" from your brake pedal. Doesn't make any sense. If you're driving like that aren't you better off with a PDK that is essentially a manual transmission without a clutch? If clutches weren't actually needed in MT cars, they wouldn't have them.

Make us a video as I'd like to see this technique.

asneiman

Thanks for all of the replies. I took the car for a drive the other night, and after messing with the seat alot, I was somewhat comfortable, but still had some pain. I then sat at a light for several minutes with my foot on the clutch, and really felt it. I truly do believe a PDK would be better, just not sure if that's 100% of the answer.

It's a tough one, because I know my car is in great shape, and it still has 2 years left of a bumper to bumper warranty. If I buy a 997, who knows what I'd be getting.

I also wanted to add that my Dr told me last year twisting, or shoveling would aggravate my back. I believe my hips do rotate a little as I press in the clutch.