I'm afraid I'm simply too fat for the sports seatsI've tried them before ordering my E90, but they seemed too tight, even with the side supporters completely open.
I also test-drove a couple of W204s (C220CDI, C200CDI), but they were all with the normal seats (Elegance and Avantgarde). Those seats didn't actually convince me. I wonder how better the multi-contour seats are, compared to the standard Elegance or Avantgarde seats. Anyone tried them both?Well then, the C280 W204 is a good choice if you want comfort.
Drove a number of W204s and the seats are generally very supportive and comfortable.
Other than that, I personally felt the standard W204 seats were adequate enough. The longest W204 I drove was the C180 Kompressor Classic which I tested for over two hours. My back didn't hurt and my butt wasn't sore.
Im sure you like it but remember there are people that like the standard seats in 1/3-series as well
Don't get me wrong, I like the 118i and the seats are decent for driving around in the city or for short distances. But when you take the car on longer journeys, say from Munich to Stuttgart on the Autobahn. After awhile you need to stop and walk around a bit to get the blood flowing back in your behind and your back. That's actually one of the few complaints I have about the 1-Series. The fuel economy has improved so that topic is dying out. So yeah, basically the seats could be a little thicker and more comfortable. That's about it.
Funny, I've been considering using a pillow in my E90 LCI too. It may make my left leg feel more comfortable. I'm just not sure how big and thick the pillow should beTrue. And one hour is probably the max you can sit in the 118i before the backpains start bothering you!
Anyway, I've solved the problem by bringing along two small pillows. They help extend the comfort range without having to stop etc.
I'm not easy you know 
But isn't your head touching the roof if you sit on a pillow?
Funny, I've been considering using a pillow in my E90 LCI too. It may make my left leg feel more comfortable. I'm just not sure how big and thick the pillow should be
I also have an A/T, but in the E90 the footrest is simply in a very bad position for me. It's too close to me (unlike e.g. W204 -- or my previous Mazda3 for that matter), and it is too far from the other pedals (so it's too much put to the left). My preference would be a footrest right next to the current footrest position, somewhat in the place of the (non-existing) clutch pedal. And of course it should be deeper, and its angle should be less than in the E90. The position of the footrest is the major cause of my leg issues: my left leg has to rest on the seat's side support thinggie, and since that side support is not quite soft (to keep me in the seat at hard cornering I guess), it pokes into my thigh. Both my right leg and my back feels very comfortable, so the seat itself is not that bad. Of course I've tried to adjust the seat into very different positions, but my left leg only gets sort of comfortable when I sit far from the pedals -- but then I can not properly reach the wheel even when it is pulled out to the maximum.I've got an automatic transmission in the 118i (sisters car which I am using at the moment) so I tend to have no leg pains.
So let's just say I'll arrange a one or two day rent, and then we'll see if it turns out to be comfortable -- or I'm just a gnome with unusual body proportions 
I'm 1.67m / 95kg BTW, so not the usual thin young boys/girls or thin old dads driving an E90 around here 
Maybe that's the problem...I don't like the E-Class' "face", neither W211 or W212. The W212 looks like a Kia Magentis from the back IMHO, so it's definiately not something I'd want
And here in Hungary a lot of taxis are E-Class sedans, a lot of market place guys (I don't know the word, they are the guys who sell vegetables and fruits on market places) do their vegetable transfer using E-Class wagons, and a lot of gangsters drive black E-Class sedans with tinted windows So the generic reputation of the E-Class here is not so good. I also hate the interior, it looks boring and cheap IMHO (the E90 is better, but not by miles), and I hate the "sci-fi" gearstick. After my E90 LCI seat experience, I would be a bit afraid of even the comfort seats of the 5. And it is too expensive: for the price of a 2006/2007 5-series I can get an almost brand new C-Class here; and the new car price gap is even worse. BTW, the design (both interior and exterior) of the W204 beats the 5-series by light years, and I don't think I should add "IMHO" this time
But like you said, they cost moneyI knowFiery, you are difficult man to satisfy
But not really, for example a C-Class with a multi-contour seats would most likely work. I love its exterior, its interior and class. I guess I'd also love its V6 petrol engines, but since I've lost a huge pile of money on the E90 LCI depreciation (and the fall of 2nd hand car prices due to the depression), I may not be able to buy a new C-Class with a proper engine. 2nd hand prices are very good, but it's not easy to find one here that combines all the necessary extras. When I say "necessary", I mean the ones that are important to me: A/T, Avantgarde, Parktronic, xenon, heated seats, rain sensor and Logic7. The major issue is the Logic7, apparently not many C-Class is ordered with them, so even though the 2nd hand car market here is flooded with C-Classes, I can only find 3 or 4 cars with Logic7 -- and they are all C220CDI After a refined straight-six BMW direct injected petrol engine it would most definiately be hard to fall in love with
One thing I've noticed on my previous test drives on W204 is that at low speeds (and stand still) the C200CDI seemed a lot more quiet than the C220CDI. I guess it's normal, and it's due to the lower common-rail pressure of the 200CDI engine.The C220 CDI is a decent choice as a used car. I suppose the engine is considered a little "outdated" now in terms of fuel consumption but in terms of refinement she's still decent and power is not bad too. I've driven it often and I've always enjoyed it.
I've also driven the W204 C200 CDI. It's a bit sluggish down low but once you're up to speed there's nothing "slow" about it. Fuel economy is a bit better than the C220 CDI but of course you're trading some performance for that.
If I were you and if I could afford it I would probably go for a new C200 CDI / C220 CDI or C250 CDI.
I'll also check out the Radio Audio 20 CD and the standard speakers, I wonder how it stacks up against my previous car stereos, and also how it compares to my current Logic7 setup in the BMW E90 LCI. If it works out, I may also get a C220CDI for a day, just to compare the 220CDI engine against the 200K... Too bad they don't have a C250CDI or a V6 engine model.
One thing I've noticed on my previous test drives on W204 is that at low speeds (and stand still) the C200CDI seemed a lot more quiet than the C220CDI. I guess it's normal, and it's due to the lower common-rail pressure of the 200CDI engine.
BTW, I'm renting a C200 Kompressor (5GTronic, Avantgarde) on Tuesday, so finally I'll have enough time (5-6 hours) to thoroughly test the W204 everywhere (highways, back-roads, city traffic), without a stupid salesman sitting on the passenger seat
A lot of reviews in Germany have said that Efficient Dynamics seems to be just hype. BMW claims these figures but nobody can seem to get them.
I know that my sisters BMW 118i, which doesn't have ED, has until now not returned the fuel economy that was written in the 1-Series brochure under "118i Automatik".
