Is aircon essential in an exige??

[robinredbrest]

S1 or S2, i've been told the a/c in the S1's isn't that great anyway, so maybe its not worth worrying about when looking for a car... just wondered how easy could an S1 be to live with through the summer with no cold air. Any non aircon owners out there?

[Chadders]

my mate has an S1 Exige with no air/con and uses it daily.

It gets hot (no shit lol)

and you will have sweat pooring down your face. buts its not too bad.

its only sunny for a bit of the year anyway!! get wanna them little battery fans that looks like a pocket vibrator with wings.

[slatess1]

You can live with it, just undo the windwows and dont be a big girls blouse

[LD1Racing]

I have an Exige S with no air-con, haven't found it a problem but only use my car for fun. Don't think I'd want to sit in rush hour traffic at the height of summer without it. Also my car is white, and doesn't really get that hot inside anyway.

Open the window and drive faster.

[Jez O]

robinredbrest said:

S1 or S2, i've been told the a/c in the S1's isn't that great anyway, so maybe its not worth worrying about when looking for a car... just wondered how easy could an S1 be to live with through the summer with no cold air. Any non aircon owners out there?

I don't have aircon (n/a S2) and don't wish I had it- it's a second car so I don't commute in it. It does get hot inside when stationary on really hot days, but other than that it's fine- there's not much glass through which the sun can heat the cabin. Put both windows down and hear the exhaust and people shout nice comments at you!!

I realise I'll take the hit at resale, but then again I saved the £1200 odd when I bought the car.

In summary: Depends on how you plan to use it.

[Pied Piper]

Could affect the desirability of the car when it comes to re-sale.

Edited by Pied Piper on Wednesday 5th December 21:39

[kevin ritson]

I've driven my Elise in the summer with the hardtop on (when I bought it before anyone thinks I'm soft or summat!), it wasn't pleasant at all. Whilst an Elise is fine without a/c, an Exige needs it for me. And I reckon most buyers will think the same.

[tricky 100]

Air con is a must in a series 2 but judging by your post your after a series 1 so i dont think its as important .

[S9AJE]

i've not got a/c in my elise, and even during the summer i've never had an issue or regretted it.

just whipped the roof off, but like everyones saying open the windows you'll be fine

[CooperS]

kevin ritson said:

I've driven my Elise in the summer with the hardtop on (when I bought it before anyone thinks I'm soft or summat!), it wasn't pleasant at all. Whilst an Elise is fine without a/c, an Exige needs it for me. And I reckon most buyers will think the same.

Can you retro fit a/c, seems like non a/c cars go for a bit less but can you take advantage of these savings in car purchase price and add a/c later down the line?

[Phil-CH]

Pied Piper said:

Could affect the desirability of the car when it comes to re-sale.

Edited by Pied Piper on Wednesday 5th December 21:39

Excellent advice.


If I may add - if it is indeed for an Exige, if it has a S/C (or may be upgraded to have one in the future), A/C is nearly a must on hot days. I've got one in mine, and even though I don't always use it - at really good to have when it's really hot if only to cool it down again a bit. It's only aprox. 15kg in the S2 anyway.

Then again, it may be a bit cooler up in England than overhere in Switzerland...

[joaovc]

I live in Portugal and drive an Exige S with no air-con. No problem if you have your driver's side window open. Otherwise it's sauna.

[Zebede29]

CooperS said:

kevin ritson said:

I've driven my Elise in the summer with the hardtop on (when I bought it before anyone thinks I'm soft or summat!), it wasn't pleasant at all. Whilst an Elise is fine without a/c, an Exige needs it for me. And I reckon most buyers will think the same.

Can you retro fit a/c, seems like non a/c cars go for a bit less but can you take advantage of these savings in car purchase price and add a/c later down the line?

You CAN retro-fit a/c but its not financially viable - apparently you'd be looking at about £2k to fit, which somewhat negates the few hundred quid you'd save buying a non-a/c car!

Basically I think the concensus is: on an Elise, not needed. On an Exige, best advice is to get an a/c car unless you like an awful lot of noise (ie windows down ALL the time)

[kinetic]

Can't speak for an S2 but If your talking S1 then the aircon is irrelevant cause it doesn't work!

I had mine serviced, repaired and regassed and it was still less than useless frankly!

[Boggy]

Own an S2 Exige S with A/c wouldn't have brought one without to be honest effect's resale to much

Boggy

[Bada Bing!]

The car is impractical and rather pathetic without it. I'm not just talking from a comfort point of view either.

The windows steam up like nobodies business when it's been raining or if it's cold, and unless you leave for work 20 mins early to demist your windows it's an absolute bastard without A/C.

[jfrf]

never had a problem without aircon for 3 years in an s2.

even for demisting the standard heater is fine with my experience. Its actually quite hot and blows powerful enough to demist without aircon.

the k series was a different ballgame. heater was absolute pants.

[Snapper7]

Elise with a soft top => No

Exige => YES

The air con on a S2 Exige is miles better than on an S1.

I would yes yes in the UK but if you are heading into Europe in the Summer it MOST DEFIANTLY IS A MUST.

While touring in the south of France it hit 40' and the Aircon could only just manage to keep the car bearable. Try for a while with the windows open and just the normal cold air blowers on while moving. We started to sweat like mad is a very short space of time. I couldn't imaging doing the same trip without it.

The Elise would be ok without it from experience on previous trips.

[robinredbrest]

Thanks for all your thoughts, i guess the consesus is ... S1, not to worry, 'its crap anyway' , and in the S2 don't buy one with out it... I was kinda aiming my original post toward the S1 as i've had a couple of S2's and fancy something different, need to find a car now...

[Bada Bing!]

Snapper7 said:

The Elise would be ok without it from experience on previous trips.

The Elise needs its aircon during the winter, as the heater takes ages to heat up if you need to demist the screen. I never use it during the summer cos the roof's off at every opportunity.