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Is air conditioning not a standard feature in cars? Should it be?

acequion

I don't know if this is a stupid question or not as I must confess to an almost total ignorance about cars.But like probably most of the adult population,I drive one.

So my question arises because I've just traded in my 2009 air conditioned Nissan Note for an unairconditioned 2014 model. Now I was aware of what I was buying and apart from that one issue, everything else is great and I'm delighted with the newer car.

However I was quite astonished that air conditioning was not a standard feature in a good car like a Nissan Note. I assumed it would be as standard as central locking. Now,I'm well aware that it's mostly unnecessary in our climate,especially where I live in the rainy south west. And anyway I live quite close to where I work so am not often stuck in traffic or making long journeys. Still, the handful of times I used the air con in the last car, I found it really great.And we Irish are using it more and more and enjoying its cool comfort even in our chilly climate.

What do those of you more in the know on such matters think about my question? Is my car in the minority? Is air con a standard of most Irish registered cars nowadays and if not, should it be?

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Voodoomelon

I have to say, i've had automatic climate control for 9 years and never set it to Auto until 6 months ago. I always hated the high speed that the fans run at to get the car up to temperature. But after using it for a while, I see it's quite intelligent and doesn't blast you with cool air to start with, it waits until the heater core has a reasonable temperature before upping the fan speeds. Now I have it set to 21.0C year round, after years of twiddling. Or just hit Off if the windows are down.

Henry Ford III

pajo1981 wrote: »

One is thermostatic and the other is not. You dont seem to get that.

I did mention the interface more than once.

JohnBoy26

JoeA3 wrote: »

Fortunately no, I haven't... but I'll bookmark the link in the highly unlikely event I should need to buy one lol.

Well that was the whole argument that A/C is vital in this country because it de-mists the windows quickly and is essential for this purpose.

Not that I think a/c is vital in any event but these dehumidifiers show that the whole argument that a/c is a must have for de-misting windows as just not being true.

You seem to be looking down on my posts about these dehumidifiers which is a bit rich when you haven't even tried them. I have used them for a variety of purposes and they do a good job at keeping moisture at bay.

Alun

pajo1981 wrote: »

Its all in your head.

Exactly, that was kind of my point ... feeling comfortable isn't all about just temperature, it has a psychological aspect too.

pajo1981

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I did mention the interface more than once.

They're not the same thing.

I can't read your nut ball mind.

JoeA3

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Well that was the whole argument that A/C is vital in this country because it de-mists the windows quickly and is essential for this purpose.

Not that I think a/c is vital in any event but these dehumidifiers show that the whole argument that a/c is a must have for de-misting windows as just not being true.

You seem to be looking down on my posts about these dehumidifiers which is a bit rich when you haven't even tried them. I have used them for a variety of purposes and they do a good job at keeping moisture at bay.

No seem about it. I am. Because I think they are trolling nonsense.

JoeA3

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I did mention the interface more than once.

Maybe it's my software background but to me, "Interface" and the fact that the system is thermostatically computer controlled (without any user interaction) are fundamentally 2 different things.

Henry Ford III

JoeA3 wrote: »

Maybe it's my software background but to me, "Interface" and the fact that the system is thermostatically computer controlled (without any user interaction) are fundamentally 2 different things.

A thermostat and a chip - big deal. If 3/4 to hot makes me comfortable and I leave it that way what's the difference? Ok I don't know the exact temperature but why is that important?

p.s. I note that you didn't answer my question on the hardware side of things

frozenfrozen

3/4 to hot is different on a cold day compared to 3/4 to hot on a hot day

what's the point being obtuse about the benefits of there being a thermostat that lets you keep it at a given temperature

Henry Ford III

pajo1981 wrote: »

They're not the same thing.....

What differences (other than the ability to select a temperature) are there?

How do the systems differ mechanically?

JoeA3

Henry Ford III wrote: »

A thermostat and a chip - big deal. If 3/4 to hot makes me comfortable and I leave it that way what's the difference? Ok I don't know the exact temperature but why is that important?

p.s. I note that you didn't answer my question on the hardware side of things

Ok, deep breath...

You are not wrong (afaik) in terms of the similarities in how the 2 systems are plumbed and all that stuff.

But one system is largely completely manual, requiring manual user input and the other is computer controlled, extra temp sensors, thermostats, resistors, etc.

In VAG cars, which I'm more familiar with... the climate system has a completely different heater box than manual a/c, with 2 separate temp zones where manual climatic has just one zone. A big wiring difference is how the motor is controlled and powered. On manual system an ignition switched feed goes through the heater controls. This then switches it to different on the blower motor resistor which controls speed.

Climate control fans get a permanent live feed. It just gets a signal wire from the heater controls. The fan regulates the speed itself. This is why there are way more speed options on the climate system.

I know of guys who have retro fitted climate control systems to their cars / vans and its an enormous job! The extra gear and gubbins required to get it to work is incredible.

Is that enough detail for you?

Henry Ford III

Dual zone cc cannot work properly in a small shared cabin. In reality the air mixes in the centre. Surely you can appreciate that?

p.s. I had a Focus Titanium which had it. It's no handier to use. Digital display looks a little more upmarket granted.

Brian Scan

JoeA3 and Henry Ford III, get a room. You know you want to.

JoeA3

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Dual zone cc cannot work properly in a small shared cabin. In reality the air mixes in the centre. Surely you can appreciate that?

In a super mini perhaps? I don't know.

But in my own car, my wife (like many women) is always "cold". So when she's an occasional passenger in my car she bumps up her side to 25-26 degrees. No amount of persuasion on my part will convince her that this won't make the car warm up any faster... but anyway, some arguments, just like the one we're having now will never be won!

But yes, in my car, when she does this, it is very noticeable that the air coming from the furthest vent on her side and in her footwell is much warmer than on my side. Obviously as you say, the difference isn't too apparent down the middle. But it's pretty effective for your feet for sure.

pajo1981

Henry Ford III wrote: »

What differences (other than the ability to select a temperature) are there?

How do the systems differ mechanically?

Ome has to be fidgeted with constantly the other doesnt. Mechanically, who cares?

Henry Ford III

pajo1981 wrote: »

Ome has to be fidgeted with constantly the other doesnt. Mechanically, who cares?

Matter of opinion. Mine requires very little constant adjustment. It's no big deal.

Mechanically, as I've said and JoeA3 eventually acknowledged, the systems are the same. Pity you don't have that ability.

JoeA3

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Matter of opinion. Mine requires very little constant adjustment. It's no big deal.

Mechanically, as I've said and JoeA3 eventually acknowledged, the systems are the same. Pity you don't have that ability.

I didn't :pac:

I said parts of the system are similar but didn't you read the several paragraphs following that bit, no?

I give up...

pajo1981

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Matter of opinion. Mine requires very little constant adjustment. It's no big deal.

Mechanically, as I've said and JoeA3 eventually acknowledged, the systems are the same. Pity you don't have that ability.

Pity your ass is being owned! To get one to perform on par with the requires more than a little adjustment.

Henry Ford III

JoeA3 wrote: »

I didn't :pac:

I said parts of the system are similar but didn't you read the several paragraphs following that bit, no?

I give up...

I did.

I'm also done here. We're going around and around........

Henry Ford III

pajo1981 wrote: »

Pity your ass is being owned! To get one to perform on par with the requires more than a little adjustment.

For you to tell me how I use equipment on my own car is actually a bit odd.

I'll ignore the abusive stuff.

JoeA3

So, to summarise, the 2 systems are identical in the same way as a horse+cart and a car are the same, right. I mean, both systems have wheels. Both systems will get you from A->B. Just one of them requires a bit more manual input and effort.

pajo1981

Henry Ford III wrote: »

For you to tell me how I use equipment on my own car is actually a bit odd.

I didn't.

JohnBoy26

JoeA3 wrote: »

No seem about it. I am. Because I think they are trolling nonsense.

You need to look up the definition of a troll.

Leonard Hofstadter

No comparison between basic air conditioning and climate control.

Anyone who doesn't think climate control is good doesn't know how to use it.

As Joe has so simply put it, climate control means you set one temperature (20 degrees in my case), press the Auto button, and leave it alone. It heats or cools the car as necessary, I don't have to do anything. Only times I ever need to do something about it are alternate between having the a/c on and off (I tend to keep it off because it saves fuel) and pressing the windscreen demister button on a cold morning to get rid of condensation. Rest of the time I leave it alone.

r3nu4l

Henry Ford III wrote: »

What differences (other than the ability to select a temperature) are there?

How do the systems differ mechanically?

That's the same as saying there is no difference between an unmapped engine and a mapped engine because the mechanical parts are the same, despite the change in power outputs. You are either incredibly naive or just being facetious.

Odyssey 2005

acequion wrote: »

I don't know if this is a stupid question or not as I must confess to an almost total ignorance about cars.But like probably most of the adult population,I drive one.

So my question arises because I've just traded in my 2009 air conditioned Nissan Note for an unairconditioned 2014 model. Now I was aware of what I was buying and apart from that one issue, everything else is great and I'm delighted with the newer car.

However I was quite astonished that air conditioning was not a standard feature in a good car like a Nissan Note. I assumed it would be as standard as central locking. Now,I'm well aware that it's mostly unnecessary in our climate,especially where I live in the rainy south west. And anyway I live quite close to where I work so am not often stuck in traffic or making long journeys. Still, the handful of times I used the air con in the last car, I found it really great.And we Irish are using it more and more and enjoying its cool comfort even in our chilly climate.

What do those of you more in the know on such matters think about my question? Is my car in the minority? Is air con a standard of most Irish registered cars nowadays and if not, should it be?

I hope your happy.!!:):):)

TheRiverman

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Can you not just wind down the window and stick the foot down a bit on the 6 or so days a year this will be an issue?

Air conditioning is not only for hot weather.It is extremely useful for clearing fogged up/frosted windows during this crap weather we have at present or at any time windows are fogged up.

JoeA3

TheRiverman wrote: »

Air conditioning is not only for hot weather.It is extremely useful for clearing fogged up/frosted windows during this crap weather we have at present or at any time windows are fogged up.

Pffft... head down to Halfords with a crisp €10. That's all you need to sort that problem.

Jack the Stripper

Had to service a 161 caddy van earlier for a neighbour, manual windows and no remote locking.

TheRiverman

JoeA3 wrote: »

Pffft... head down to Halfords with a crisp €10. That's all you need to sort that problem.

For what? De-Icer.No good for clearing inside of windows.