here's a bombshell... auto climate retrofit - 2 grand!

kartman

Member
Called my stealer today and inquired about a Auto Climate control retrofit.

You know how much they qouted WITHOUT labour? 2000 euros. I sh.t you not. And btw that excludes the actual block control. Which is extra few hundred euros. That's just bizzare. :) wow, I am truly shocked.

Do I really need the thing? I mean car I'm looking at doesn't have it and I'm gonna ask for nice discount because of lack of auto climate, but any one here at all with regular AC and do you think it's a big problem not to have auto climate?
 
I've had 3 Z4's and the first one did not have climate control. If I had to give up anyone option on my current Z4 it would be climate control without a second thought.
 
is it because the cabin so small that it's quite easy to manually adjust for lack of it? Or there some other reason?

For example on my sedan I find it extremely useful as things like foggy windows are never an issue if it's on.
 
Nothing fogs up with the roof open :D

I could not care less about that option either, when I use the airco it has to be really, really hot outside and I have the roof open as well so it just blows cold air on my feet to keep me cool.
 
I've gone from a car with auto CC, to a car with manual AC, to a car with auto CC, and now have auto CC in the Z4. Auto CC is just one of those things that works - set the temp and don't think about it. Manual AC isn't the same as I found I always had to adjust the temp/air flow.

My other vehicle is a newish VW camper van without any AC - and I wish it had it. Massive windscreen means the cabin got stupidly hot when touring abroad.
 
2k for an option that means you don't have to move your hand to the left once in a while?

forget about it and save the money for refurbing the 108s that you'll eventually get, then eventually need refurbing :)
 
I could think of many things for a roadster I'd rather spend two grand on! A/C is all you really need.
 
well, i mean would i really miss having regular AC? that's kind of a worry. I have it on e90 and it's great that i never have to worry about setting temperature changed BUT i do adjust it tiem to time still as i myself require hotter or colder temp. So what gives...

i guess was hoping to hear from you Z4 non AC owners and chime in whether car is good at defrosting, defogging windows, etc, etc.
 
I have auto CC and I've tried to use it loads of times but it's always too hot, too cold or needlessly blowing a gale in my face. Get much better results controlling it manually.

well, i mean would i really miss having regular AC?

CC is just a button with 'Auto' written on it. You can turn it off and go back to 'normal' A/C.
 
biffa said:
I have auto CC and I've tried to use it loads of times but it's always too hot, too cold or needlessly blowing a gale in my face. Get much better results controlling it manually.

well, i mean would i really miss having regular AC?

i had noticed this too in my car - even with AUTO on, temperature is never correct and i keep adjusting it in city traffic. always. but one thing for sure is it really deals with foggy windows in winter time, something my old E36 without ac had big issues with.
 
Hmm, I'm usually a hater of automatic things on cars such as the auto lights and auto wipers (hateful things!) but Iove the auto climate - mine works very well, barely have to touch it.
 
a11y said:
Hmm, I'm usually a hater of automatic things on cars such as the auto lights and auto wipers (hateful things!) but Iove the auto climate - mine works very well, barely have to touch it.

helpful. :(
 
Kartman personally I've never understood the desperate need for climate control over aircon - I rarely use the auto button myself, mainly because I'm constantly changing the temp anyway. I think if you're happy to want to set it at an exact temp and feel thats going to be it for the journey then its a consideration, otherwise I honestly wouldn't bother about the upgrade. Having said that, I think the auto button directs the air to where it thinks its most needed at the time, varying fan speed and so on for a quicker effect, but I can live without that - but then I suspect Estonia can be a bit more extreme?! :thumbsup:

I'm assuming the cars got basic aircon, which already cools and dehumidifies the air, so I'm not sure of the value of full CC in a ragtop?

Interested to know what the work involves; I know retrofit aircon is horribly expensive (although you will probably find it cheaper from a specialist) but not sure what the upgrade path is exactly from aircon to CC...?
 
the guy told me the console fully comes out and they replace some thermo things in the engine as well, i dont know the names but its like replacing the heater system on the car basically a day's work easily which at 50 euro per hour or so is gonna run into one of those flat fees. :)

It's got Air conditioning shown as option.
 
kartman said:
the guy told me the console fully comes out and they replace some thermo things in the engine as well, i dont know the names but its like replacing the heater system on the car basically a day's work easily which at 50 euro per hour or so is gonna run into one of those flat fees. :)

It's got Air conditioning shown as option.

that sounds totally weird to me to be honest - climate control is just aircon (a heat exchanger like a fridge unit) with some electronic trickery added....if its definitely got aircon it should have the Auto option which does all that.......the standard setup is fine, honestly!

This here is the idiot explanation of the difference...

Whereas air conditioning continues to cool (or warm) the inside of a car until the driver alters the settings, climate control acts more like a thermostat, making automatic adjustments to fan speed and temperature to ensure the car’s ‘climate’ remains constant.
 
well, im getting this from dealer, i guess if i go to some mechanic who would dare to tinker with it, i may get a different story but i guess at this point is more academic.. :)
 
Had manual climate control in my first Z4 and preferred it. I never bother using the auto control. I don't need the fan on at max speed every time I get into the car which is annoying more than anything. The temperature setting doesn't seem accurate anyway. Granted, the auto climate control' knobs look better than the manual ones. But if it wasn't already standard on the M's, I'd never bother retrofitting it. Waste of money IMO.
 
Don't waste your money. Spend that two grand on something else. Maybe a vacation!!

I rarely use the auto feature on my climate stuff. Even then, my lady hates it because it takes the auto feauture horribly long to reach the temp that she wants.

I'd much rather put something else there. Radar detector maybe? Something.
 
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