Getting in the back seats
 

My last car was a Scirocco, and it obviously was a 2-door too. My girlfriend's Honda Civic has a foot lever and hand lever to tilt the front seats. Hers even slides the seat forward to allow easier access to the back seats. Now, my Scirocco didn't auto slide the seats forward, but the seat backs did tilt much more than the 318ti does. My question is, why is it so hard to get in the back seats on this car. After all, it is a BMW and should have some common sense refinements? When I lift the lever, the back is very stiff and barely wants to tilt forward. I would have to manually slide the seat forward, just to give a decent access to an adult rear passenger. My son can squeeze through, but he is only 12. Any comments?

I've never had any problems with it and I'm 6'.

It depends on where your seat is set to in its regular position. Try fiddling around with your driving position (or better yet, the passenger's seat). Depending on the seat position, the seat will only fold forward just a little, or will fold all the way forward almost to the steering wheel.

whoa, that's weird. I just went out to my car and you're right. hmmmmm.

I'm 6 fett tall and never had a problem getting in and out of the back seat. I never had to put the seat foward to get in,just tilt the back.

this happens all the time for me because my passengers are idiots, and despite saying "look where your shoulder would be," they go through each lever back to front before i do it for them and curse.

if the middle (up/down) adjustment is all the way up, the seat will only go forward a few inches. i think it's the same if the seat is at any of its extreme positions.

Why are people so dumb when it comes to moving the seat forward to get into the back....My passnegers do the same thing they always f up my settings trying to get into the back seat! It is like like thy have never seen a lever before.

Could be better
 

I just think the design isn't what it should be for a BMW. Less expensive cars have designs that are alot easier to use.

L8: Yes, the design could be better I agree, but it is still fun to say that your passengers are complete morons!

I think it's much harder than it needs to be. Where my passenger seat is set right now, the back barely goes forward when I lift the lever. I almost thought it was broke or something. Poor design imo.

i disagree. having the lever on the back-rest makes much more sense than having it at the rear of the seat:

1. you don't have to bend down to reach it
2. the driver can flip the seat forward
3. easier accessibility for the back seat passenger

it's just against convention, that's all. IMO, it's an improvement.

I don't think the issue was the placement of the lever ...the lever is really great were it is at...the problem that everyone else is talking about is when the lever is pulled...it just doesn't give enough room to get in...it would be cool if it would just slide up a little more...thats all...

Yea, same crap happens to me all the time, one jerk even broke the handle off on the passenger side seat, now people have to reach around and pull the lever on the otherside of the seat.

DC: Mine broke off too! I don't know if it was because people kept bumping into it or what... So, now I either have to pull the lever on my side or like you said they have to reach around. The worst is when they start pulling all the levers at the bottom of the seat! It F's everything up. I have my drivers side just the way I want it...then same yayhoo who comes along and starts pulling all the levers like a complete moron!

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!