which ute

Hi
I sold my fully decked out patrol for the same reason except wifes back not mine. Brought the ford ranger after driving the others . Wifes very happy and i guess that makes me too
Peter

I have a bad back also and I did what you are planning to do. I have a D-Max now and are very happy with it. I can drive for quite long stretches without pain. A friend who had a Navara his wife refused to travel in it anymore because it was just to painful. He took her around the yards and when she said the Amorok was OK, thats what he brought, nothing else was considered.

I like my D-max but wife doesn't like the the hard seating and we both like the Kluger seats better, so much as we are trying to buy kluger seats for the Max.

Is the Patrol too high for you ?
Just thinking many utes now aren't terribly comfy in the seats, and people that drive a lot upgrade them anyway.

A young bloke I know with a new 79 series single cab bought good 2nd hand Falcon XR6 seats which as very comfy apparently.

Maybe consider finding some good seats and retro fit yourself (or get them fitted).
My old '88 NF Pajero has drivers and pax suspension seats, and they are unbelievably comfortable.
Maybe a second hand pair of those and even have upholstered to suit the Patrol ?
They were in the NF upgrade pack, maybe the NG as well, last of the Generation 1.

Thanks for the ideas every one, As some one said, every ones idea on what is comfortable is different, So I'll just have to get out there & put bum on seats to try them.
Cheers Dave.

Suggest you talk with a physio about optimal seating.

Often what feels OK for a 15 minute test will feel bad after 5 hours.

And you may find the solution in the gym, not in a wagon.

Good luck with it.

I'm going against the grain here.
Ive had 3 lower back operations. My 1st op was in 2000, the most recent in January 2016 which was a stabilization.
The 80 Series Landcruiser seats I find are the kindest to my back with the added bonus of reliability and capability of the vehicle.
My 1990 XF panelvan seats are also very comfortable and both have lambswool seat covers.
I have traveled in many late model vehicles with the moulded seats, they all have been shortcomings for my back.
I'd keep the Patrol and add suspension seating.

Dave, I feel for you and know first hand what you talking about.

My wife has done everything to keep herself going on long trips and 4wd tracks. She does exercises twice a day and walks 5k in the morning with me.

I don't think there is an answer to your question. Sometimes she is fine from day to day travelling and otter times not so good. I try to keep the K's down and know when she is hurting. She has tried everything and the vehicle seating changes all the time from foam wedges, back support, towels and altering the seat.

I don't believe you need a new vehicle for your back, you need to experiment with how your back works. Also physios are different and other ones may give you relief with different exercises.

I think what I am saying is, don't give up on your present vehicle but if you change there will maybe no other vehicles that suit your needs day to day.

All the best and keep on truckin.

If you want a comfortable ride and good supportive seats you can't go past a V6 V.W. Amarok, also has the grunt to tow most vans. Not the cheapest utes around but one of the best and will eat Rangers for fuel efficiency comfort and reliability. I don't own one but wished I did.

Change the seats to after-market seats rather than the vehicle, is that an option for you?

Would be cheaper if that works...

Cheers, Baz - The Landy

What is going to work for you is going to take a lot of lengthy sitting in different cars and utes as each person will have different back issues . Our different anatomy shapes and sizes and surgeries all all different .No one has exactly the same type of operation even if it is named identical . What will work for me wont work for you. I can recommend my Ford Wildtrak driversseat is the best I have sat in in any car or 4wd and I love driving looonngg drives . Even my tall son and short wife find the seats and esp the drivers seat very comfy on long trips with 10 hour drive days.
I can say the all the Tritons has the worst seats and position for me personally. They dont have have enough leg support and you sit a bit low so lots of stress is on the lower back and buttocks and hamstrings. Even the MQ Triton is barely better.
Before you buy go and sit in a few cars or utes on your shortlist and then take them for a test drive. If a car has 6 or 8 way adjusting drivers seats its already a good sign that you may find the seat you like and under the leg support is important for any back issues. You need to be able to adjust the seat under your hamstrings to adjust the angle of your legs and hips in relation to your spine. Cross off the ones you dont like and then rent the ones you like for a day or two and take them for a nice long drive to get the feel . Keep us posted what worked for you and what you did. Happy shopping !

Maybe the new navara is worth a test, i think they now have coil rear springs as well as front of course.
Cheers Wayne