Paralysis by Analysis and the car Climate Control?

[VaSteve]

I have several cars. My main DD was a BMW for 10 years. It has an automatic/numerical climate control. Thus, I have it set around 70 or 72 all the time. Freezing ass cold and I just get in? 70/72 and the seat heaters. Blazing summer day? 70/72 and the A/C on.

Two months ago, I bought a Tacoma with a blue to red dial....like every car I have had before. Cold out? Full red, until I get warm, then back off. Adjust it up or down as the ride goes on. Easy. Same as with the 911 and the 944.

What is it about the auto climate control that compels me to leave it alone? How about you?

Oh yeah, and the Tacoma doesn't have an outside temp gauge which is driving me nuts, I need that information. :lol:

[widgeon13]

I leave mine alone on my Silverado 2010 but my wife drives me crazy, she does not use the auto function, she is constantly changing fan setting or temp especially on cold mornings when she gets in the car to start. She thinks turning the temp up will get it warmer faster, can't convince her otherwise. I've given up on that exercise.

At least when I'm driving she lets me handle the controls. I don't mess with her kitchen and she doesn't mess with my driving.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

I have several cars. My main DD was a BMW for 10 years. It has an automatic/numerical climate control. Thus, I have it set around 70 or 72 all the time. Freezing ass cold and I just get in? 70/72 and the seat heaters. Blazing summer day? 70/72 and the A/C on.

Two months ago, I bought a Tacoma with a blue to red dial....like every car I have had before. Cold out? Full red, until I get warm, then back off. Adjust it up or down as the ride goes on. Easy. Same as with the 911 and the 944.

What is it about the auto climate control that compels me to leave it alone? How about you?

Oh yeah, and the Tacoma doesn't have an outside temp gauge which is driving me nuts, I need that information. :lol:

A dial requires less concentration and little effort.

It can be adjusted by feel alone.

[jyl]

My DD has a forest of four sliders flanked by obscure markings. You have to memorize which permutation of slider position gives the desired HVAC result. I've given up trying, so I leave it on max heat/defrost all the time and use it as binary - "on" or "off".

(You know, kind of like an aircooled 911).

The DD also has a secondary heater/blower under the rear seat. I like turning it on and having passengers back there wonder why there is hot air blowing up their skirts.

Let's not forget the A/C unit at the rear upper end of the roof, blowing forward. Fortunately it has been disconnected, so no puzzling over that one.

I guess in Oregon, you hardly ever need climate control.

My wife and kids get upset when I drive with the windows down. You'd think I am opening the airlock door or something.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by jyl

My DD has a forest of four sliders flanked by obscure markings. You have to memorize which permutation of slider position gives the desired HVAC result. I've given up trying, so I leave it on max heat/defrost all the time and use it as binary - "on" or "off".

(You know, kind of like an aircooled 911).

The DD also has a secondary heater/blower under the rear seat. I like turning it on and having passengers back there wonder why there is hot air blowing up their skirts.

Let's not forget the A/C unit at the rear upper end of the roof, blowing forward. Fortunately it has been disconnected, so no puzzling over that one.

I guess in Oregon, you hardly ever need climate control.

My wife and kids get upset when I drive with the windows down. You'd think I am opening the airlock door or something.

As your post went on I was more and more sure it was a Westy, (especially the rear blower) then I saw your signature.

[oldE]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

What is it about the auto climate control that compels me to leave it alone? How about you?

Two theories here.

One:
The system in the BMW just flat out works and you trust it to do the job.
Two:
The system in the BMW is just a PITA and too much trouble to mess with.

Take your pick.

Les

[VaSteve]

No Les.....I think it's the numbers. If I go over 72, I'm making a judgement about the temperature (or my ability to handle it). 74? "No way, you baby....toughen up". The red/blue dial has no judgment associated with it. My 944 has numbers as well, but they are metric numbers and I don't understand them. And the heated doesn't work that well anyway.

Of course in the wife's sienna, I don't worry about the numbers. But 70 sometimes will melt your face.

[VincentVega]

I miss my old Civic with manual fan and temp controls. It was pretty simple to find the perfect combination for any situation. I dont like the auto system in my Mini, fan is either too high or I end up moving the temp up/down anyway.

but they are metric numbers

Thats gold, metric temperature

[oldE]

I can relate to that. I'm a wuss. I like my personal comfort. Too hot? adjust it! But in reality, I'm lazy too. I can really appreciate 'set it and forget it'.

Our Jetta does a pretty good job at keeping things the way I like it, but like some others, my wife will crank the dials, then the yo-yo game begins.

"Of course in the wife's sienna, I don't worry about the numbers. But 70 sometimes will melt your face."
For artists, that would be "burnt sienna"

Hang in there
Les

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

What is it about the auto climate control that compels me to leave it alone? How about you?

I don't know. I hated mine and couldn't stop messing with it. It did not take into account radiant heat from the sun. Set at an air temp of 72, the temperature of ME was quite different at night and during the light of day.

Originally Posted by VaSteve

Oh yeah, and the Tacoma doesn't have an outside temp gauge which is driving me nuts, I need that information. :lol:

Roll down the window* if it's cold, it's cold out. Works with my Tundra every time.

*What is a better term for lowering the window now that everything is electric? We don't "roll" it down anymore, we just push a button.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

+1 on the "adjust by feel" comment. Any system that requires you to take your eyes off the road for an adjustment is a liability.

I'm pretty happy with my VW's red/blue hi/low knobs. I'm still on the fence about the feature that turns A/C and recirc on if you go full blue.

[Scuba Steve]

My guess is that it's because you're male.

In the Mercedes I leave the temperature set around 22 all year. My wife on the other hand will hop in on a hot day and instantly turn it all the way down as if it would cool the car down faster somehow. The car ends up very cold and then she bumps it up so the heat kicks in. She doesn't trust that the car will correctly adjust the temperature for whatever reason.

[beepbeep]

I think there is a difference between AC (Air Conditioning) and ACC (Automatic Climate Control).


My VW has AC, and it's basically just a compressor/evaporator chilling ingoing air. Then it's up to me to "heat it up" back again by temp knob. Of course, it's dumb and needs lot's of fiddling as temps rise/fall depending on season.

My Audi on the other hand, has smart numerical display which is always on 22 deg. C. I leave it there at Auto and never touch it. It's very clever. Above 4 deg. C it turns on AC to dry the air, then heats it again (preventing fog). If it's freezing cold, it will wait before engine heats up a little before turning up the fan in order to avoid blowing frigid air. It will deflect warm air to the windscreen when it feels fogging is imminent (how it decides on that, I don't know). I do know that it has plenty of "channels" and sensors I can read out...it senses air temperature in the intake, after the evaporator, coolant temp, position of flapper servos, gas temperature, inside air temperature, sun sensor (blows colder if sun is shining on me) and whatnot.

I guess cheap ones need "fiddling" and expensive ones can be just left on it's own...albeit both might cool the same when asked.

[vash]

nah..

i would hate climate control. i like frost dripping off my nose in the summer time..in the winter..i like to be on the cool side of comfort. my comfort is a moving target..which is not on any related trajectory of my wife's comfort.

full red on a tacoma? wow, i could bake bread. my truck gets warm..really warm.

[Jrboulder]

I love the manual 911 controls.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by oldE

Two theories here.

One:
The system in the BMW just flat out works and you trust it to do the job.
Two:
The system in the BMW is just a PITA and too much trouble to mess with.

Take your pick.

Les

My wife's 03 BMW 325ci has that same climate control, and I actually don't like it because I am so used to adjusting for what I want in my older cars. I do, however, love the seat heaters and will probably have them mounted in my DD for toasting buns.

[masraum]

I loved the system in my old '88 911. I thought the controls were awesome and worked really well.

My Boxster has the climate control. I do occasionally make a change. If the weather changes (much cooler or much warmer), then I may want to change the temp. Sometimes, I like a bit more air circulation despite the temp being good, so I may bump the fan a touch. If I start driving into the sun and it's low in the sky so it is heating me up, I may drop the temp a bit. I like to stick with minimal changes, but do tweak at least once a day.

[RANDY P]

In my E39 I run it at 76, with the upper vents at full cold- unless it's actually cold outside and just starting out, then run the upper vents at full hot.

Even in temp extremes between 40 and 116 I haven't touched it- full auto. AC only off under 70 deg. ambient.

My old ancient Chevy PU- full hot or full cold, and the AC only on when it gets warm.

[jcommin]

I love auto climate control. I have had it on all my cars, except my 83 944 and I set it and forget it!

I especially like the individual driver and passenger controls. When I was married, my wife and I never agreed on the temperature (one of many things we couldn't agree on) - the individual controls solved the problem. (Getting divorced solved all the other objections)

I wouldn't buy a car w/o auto climate control or heated seats (except a hot rod or classic).

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by jcommin

I wouldn't buy a car w/o auto climate control or heated seats (except a hot rod or classic).

+1 on heated seats! Climate control - no. Hate it.