MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => General => Topic started by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 14:16

Title: AirCon ... why didnt I get it!
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 14:16
Okay I have posted on here before saying how I would never have AC whilst owning a soft top ... oh my god I would have given my left arm to have a bit of that cold air blowing around by my feet today!  Roof down .. AC blowing up from the feet that would have been lush, but "oh no I had to be a cheap skate!!!   s:P :P s:P  "

I am now jealous of you kids with AC   s:x :x s:x
Title:
Post by: scottee on May 19, 2004, 14:19
I thought that I would never use my AC on it, but now i've seen a few HOT days, I can see the advantage of it, its great  s;) ;) s;)
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 14:21
scottee  ... thanks for rubbing it in!  what kind of set up do you have?  'hood down' .. aircon on feet or what?
Title:
Post by: zud on May 19, 2004, 14:51
I find it's most effective blowing straight at the body... for hot in the winter or A/C in the summer.
Title:
Post by: Hope4Sun on May 19, 2004, 15:06
During my visit to Atlanta the year before last to see Spyderwoman and Exboyracer and other US owners, and to go to Fast Eddies big birthday bash in Tampa. All the 2's had the roofs up when we were in Florida as it was just too damn hot, but the good old AC was nice   s8) 8) s8)  

I'm never getting a car with out it again... sorry to rub it in further   s:? :? s:?  

Andy
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 15:21
Quote from: "zud"I find it's most effective blowing straight at the body... .

oo err!

I have to admit it is very, very nice whislting round your feet!  I just like laying back whilst sitting at the traffic lights and topping up my tan   s8) 8) s8)
Title:
Post by: zud on May 19, 2004, 15:38
Quote from: "lilylaville nearly"I have to admit it is very, very nice just laying back whilst sitting at the traffic lights

oo er!    s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

sorry, it's a quiet afternoon at work!    s:oops: :oops: s:oops:
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 15:53
It sounds odd in a convertible but A/C was one of my main requirements when looking for a replacement for the Volvo. That was the first car I have owened with it and it is brilliant. One of the reasons I didn't go the the elise.
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 16:30
Quote from: "TheRaven"It sounds odd in a convertible but A/C was one of my main requirements .

I thought "I dont need aircon I am getting a convertible" ... the truth opf the matter being you are 10x hotter in a convertible because the sunlight is beaming directly onto you rather than being shielded by a roof!
Title:
Post by: markiii on May 19, 2004, 16:42
It can be retrofitted. Ask Mr T for a price.

doubt it will be cheap though.
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 16:48
Quote from: "markiii"It can be retrofitted. Ask Mr T for a price.

doubt it will be cheap though.

Just over a grand IIRC. worked out around £960ish with a 10% discount when i asked.
Title:
Post by: Darth Paul on May 19, 2004, 16:52
Quote from: "krisclarkuk"
Quote from: "markiii"It can be retrofitted. Ask Mr T for a price.

doubt it will be cheap though.

Just over a grand IIRC. worked out around £960ish with a 10% discount when i asked.

And it's what, £900 as a factory fit option? Sounds like a good price for a retrofit to me.  s:D :D s:D  

DP
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 20:33
Aircon is the best thing in the world ever!  I was exactly the same when I bought my 2 "wtf do I need aircon for?!?!?!"  It's well worth the money.

One problem with owning the 2 I hadn't thought about at all.

Sunburnt head !

After these last few days of awesome weather me old noggin is starting to turna bit pink.    s:D :D s:D
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on May 19, 2004, 22:57
I too thought AC was apointless exercise on a soft top until last year...............BOY was I glad that it was a happy coincidence that the car had ti when I bought it....................nice............  s8) 8) s8)
Title:
Post by: MRMike on May 19, 2004, 23:08
Why ??

Because I prefer this..
(http://www.o2-cool.com/images/pic1203.jpg)

You can keep your Air con and parasitic loss   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2004, 16:57
hey there, newbie here.....   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:   how much does the air con effect ur milage.
Title:
Post by: Darth Paul on June 11, 2004, 17:02
Um, dunno. Having paid nearly a grand for it I try to use it as little as possible so as not to dent my performance and fuel economy too much!  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  I just use it to cool the cabin and then when at speed the air around keeps me cool, unless it's a really hot day and the A/C's on full time.
Title:
Post by: darrenjuggins on June 11, 2004, 17:12
MR2 = Less fuel economy than a diesel.

Don't worry about the rest just use it, with / Without Aircon on / off or with Roof on or off, if you start worry about fuel its time to get rid !

Fuel consuption for mine rages from mid 20's (in traffic) to top end 30's on good long runs....

The roof down experince kills MPG, so don't worry about the air con max 1 to 2 MPG which is far less than the window down drag factor IMHO.

Cheers
Darren   s:D :D s:D
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on June 11, 2004, 18:13
Quote from: "MRMike"Why ??

Because I prefer this..
(http://www.o2-cool.com/images/pic1203.jpg)

You can keep your Air con and parasitic loss   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

I agree. That would be nice blowing me    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Have had air con in quite a few cars but have only used it twice    s:? :? s:?  
Once stuck on the M25 & once cos I had a sick puppy in the back.

Never bothered with it on the 2 & i dont miss it at all.
Title:
Post by: filcee on June 11, 2004, 22:37
Just remember to run every now and again to stop that "smelly pond" smell infesting the system.
Title: DO IT MONTHLY
Post by: Anonymous on June 21, 2004, 22:42
A wee run that is! It stops the AC compressor seals from going u/s. 5-10 mins a month is fine.
Gordy
Title:
Post by: Haslamr2 on March 22, 2005, 14:34
HI!

Now can I just get clarification on this aircon thing please?
I'm thinking seriously about getting a new 2.  I originally thought that having a/c on it would be a waste of money...afterall if it's hot you just put the roof down and use the blower set to cold don't you??

I'm not really happy about shelling out an extra £900 for a/c on a soft top.  Seems a bit tight fisted of Toyota not to fit it as standard!  Also do they get really steamed up in the winter or something?

Also, do you think I should wait for the new facelifted version to come out in order to get a better deal on the current model. Does anyone know when the "tweaked" model will be out? Saw some spy shots in a mag the other month.

So in summary a/c or not a/c that's the question my friends!

  s8) 8) s8)
Title:
Post by: SimonC_Here on March 22, 2005, 14:47
I love the aircon on mine. If and when we do get hot weather here this summer it will be great.

Quote from: "Haslamr2"..afterall if it's hot you just put the roof down and use the blower set to cold don't you??

The problem with this is that the blower only moves the warm air from the outside to the inside. It doesn't actually cool it.

Simon
Title:
Post by: darrenjuggins on March 22, 2005, 14:57
Buy Aircon - I have mine on all the time, the only time you get any steaming is if the air temperature is below zero when you are demisting, it's actualyl better to have outside air coming into the car.

As for top down - I turn mine off if the weather is "normal", but if the heat gets up (it did, honestly at some point last year) then the aircon is great for giving you a nice chilly blast whilst your enjoying the sun..... very much like being in one of thou tanning booths !!!

As for the cost - you will regret not buying it afterward - then it will cost you to have it retrofitted and it won't be covered by your warranty.

Whats this about waiting for a new model - my latest information is that the MR2 and Celica are being replaced next year by one car, which I understand will be more celica than MR2 - so it's questionable weather a new MR2 variant will appear at all - if you want an MR2 buy one now and enjoy it this summer.

Cheers

Darren
Title:
Post by: roger on March 22, 2005, 15:11
I don't have air con! i had the same dilemma as you, because I swear by it in a tin-top, but TBH I haven't missed it.

I have fabric seats though. Might get sticky with leather in the hot weather without it.  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  

The car has excellent blowers, so misty windscreens are no problem, just keep a bottle of water by your side when its hot - for you, not the car   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Title:
Post by: GSB on March 22, 2005, 15:30
I've got AC in my new car, but have yet to use it... I didnt ever really need it in the old '2 to be honest, only once did I really wish I'd bought it, when I was stuck in a traffic jam in the blazing sunshine... That was a very sweaty couple of hours.  s:cry: :cry: s:cry:  

When I ordered the new one I got a bit happy with the options list and picked it out to provide more ammo to kick the dealer around the sales floor with... I thought it might be nice to have. I c imagine it'll get plenty of use in the summer though, and I now have the choice of being able to roast my bottom with the heated seats, whilst cooling my feet with refrigerated air and topping up my tan.  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 22, 2005, 15:35
I hardly ever use it myself, though it was useful a couple of times over the winter for faster desteaming.  If I'd bought the car new I probably wouldn't have bothered, whereas the leather seats and the hard top are 'must haves' IMO.

Anyway, doesn't it say in the owner's manual that a/c shouldn't be used when the roff is down?   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Title:
Post by: SimonC_Here on March 22, 2005, 15:45
Aren't you supposed to give aircon a blast every few months just to keep it happy?

Keep the fluids moving and stuff?

Simon
Title:
Post by: Bongo on March 22, 2005, 15:46
Quote from: "SimonC_Here"Aren't you supposed to give aircon a blast every few months just to keep it happy?

Keep the fluids moving and stuff?

Simon

That's the only reason i've ever turned mine on   s:? :? s:?
Title:
Post by: darrenjuggins on March 22, 2005, 15:57
You all seem to be missing the beauty of Air Con - the fact it conditions the air and stops all the lovely diesel fumes coming into the car and all them lovely smells from the country side (muck spreading come to mind!)

Purely for the conditioning qualities I would purchase it, I use it at all heats, I just like the peice of mind I won't get stunk out.....

The fact that you can get it to make you freezing on a sunny day is secondary to me.....

Have I been spoilt in the past or what ?

Cheers

Darren
Title:
Post by: heathstimpson on March 23, 2005, 09:41
I have always have air con but decided it was not worth it on the 2 @ a cost of about 1K. Over the last two years I have not really missed it at all. Not worth the extra cost in my eyes; just a nice to have.
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 23, 2005, 14:00
A must-have for me, all about quality of life, and having the choice, not sure how I'd feel paying that amount of extra when purchasing a brand newie, but then having bought brand new before, I wouldn't make that mistake again, unless I was minted beyond belief.
In essence, awesome in the winter, specially if you're as impatient as I am, very quick demisting (comparing demisting functionality to the standard blowers is hilarious!).
And summer, no need for words, a whole different ball game to "normal-blowers-set-on-cold"
I'd say the point is, if you have the money to spare, and like your luxuries, just do it, a no-brainer.
If you dont mind the uncomfortableness in the hot weather, and the waiting-to-be-able-to-see in the winter, save your money.
Title:
Post by: roger on March 23, 2005, 14:14
Quote from: "Stevo"If you dont mind the uncomfortableness in the hot weather, and the waiting-to-be-able-to-see in the winter, save your money.

Not my experience, but I would agree expensive if you buy new (which I did), but useful if you can get it for "nought" when buying used.

By the way I don't think anybody has mentioned the loss of performance or extra fuel costs when running air-con. I presume we all know it happens, but to what degree? Anybody done a Gtech on one?
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 23, 2005, 14:21
I like the option of extra cooling on really hot days, and if I'm hot 'cause I've been doing something physical and then jumped in the car.

That said, I've always thoughth the AC on the '2 is a bit crap for demisting in the winter.  Mine seems to make next to no difference, yet on other cars I've driven the demist with AC takes seconds.
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 23, 2005, 15:41
Quote from: "roger"By the way I don't think anybody has mentioned the loss of performance or extra fuel costs when running air-con. I presume we all know it happens, but to what degree? Anybody done a Gtech on one?
I think it's fairly negligible mate, I've never Gtech'd it but my A/C is pretty much constantly on, I've never been concerned with fuel costs TBH, it gets empty, I fill it up, however, for the first time in my driving career (spanning 15 wholesome years!) very recently I did do a check and was pleasantly surprised to find I got 32 miles per gallon, that includes varied driving conditions, but as far as A/C concerned, it was mainly on.
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 23, 2005, 16:27
On the de-mist front, what settings do you switch the heating controls to in order to get maximum demisting, and how long do you typically have to wait for it to demist?  ie. am I doing something wrong, or being too demanding?
Title:
Post by: Anonymous on March 23, 2005, 16:46
Quote from: "darrenjuggins"You all seem to be missing the beauty of Air Con - the fact it conditions the air and stops all the lovely diesel fumes coming into the car and all them lovely smells from the country side (muck spreading come to mind!)Darren

Yes but when you are topless you're exposed to diesel and muck spreading and you don't put the top up  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Title:
Post by: darrenjuggins on March 24, 2005, 09:41
David you have a point....   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  

But I still love having mind for the warming, cooling and filtering   s8) 8) s8)  

Cheers

Darren
Title:
Post by: mrsmr2 on March 24, 2005, 15:49
It gets very hot in mine in the sun with the black leather seats and roof down.  Then it's essential - you know the days when you have to lower the wind deflector and the windows just to generate a draught.

The only time I've used it over the winter was for maintenance reasons.
Title:
Post by: filcee on March 24, 2005, 20:38
I tend to use mine more in the winter than summer, as it's just the bees knees for de-misting and keeping the car comfy on my long drives around the UK.

In summer, I use it for 1/2 hr per week to keep the fluids in good nick, whenever the soft-top is up (rarely) and on stinking hot days (again, rarely  :-) :-) :-)  )

The best bit is that it really helps the car to move on when it's time for the next one ... all the dealers say 'that's a really good spec', cue for a bad price from them & more haggling from me  s:lol: :lol: s:lol: