Cool face, warm feet?

**Doug-SRidirect** · 14th September 2005, 10:35

I’ve had my SRi for five weeks now and last weekend I did the popular “interior light upgrade”. The front map light assembly and sunglasses holder took literally ten minutes to fit, after I’d released the three screws and figured out how it all clipped together and into place. The rear light was more involved, but once I’d seen the shape of the lamp moulded into the upperside of the headlining, I was a lot more confident and got to work with my Stanley knife. I made a cardboard template and the end result is perfect. The kids no longer complain – or at least complain about something else now!

On question, apparent only since the (early) mornings have become a little chillier:

With the A/C off, how do you get warm feet at the same time as fresh air on your face. All four of the dash vents seem to blow out air at the same temperature as the footwell vents. Please don’t say “wind down the window!!!”

I like cool fresh air on my face to help keep me alert (awake!!!?) on a long run and have had this facility in (I think) all my cars since my mark two Cortina’s superb and simple “airflow” system in 1969!

I thought I’d read everything in the handbook, but have I missed something?

Doug

**Andy** · 14th September 2005, 10:49

to be honest, i dont think you can. Im not even sure if my fancy climate control can do vary the temp between on one side of the car. It can split the temp side to side ie driver/passenger but i dont think i can set it so warm air at the feet and cold at the face.

**MLC** · 14th September 2005, 10:58

It's best to leave the aircon on all the time anyway. If it's not used it dries out and the seals crack. It's also the time all sorts of nasties grow inside it.

**Doug-SRidirect** · 14th September 2005, 12:51

Thanks for those chaps.

A/C on all the time.......hmm....

I'll try that from now on. I had noticed that the quality of the air coming through the vents is drier and more pleasant when a/c is running, but (being an oldster) I was under the impression that a/c was only really for use on hot days, and that using it would significantly increase my fuel consumption.

I suppose, thinking about it, on cool days, when the a/c's only drying the air (not cooling it) it cannot possibly use anything like as much fuel as on a hot day when it's working hard struggling to cool the car.

Am I right? ('O' level physics - failed!), that it is the energy used to cool the car that uses the fuel, therefore if it's on but not cooling, it shouldn't use very much extra fuel at all.

Or am I R..E..A..L..L..Y thick!

Doug

**Lloydy** · 14th September 2005, 12:52

Originally Posted by Doug-SRidirect

I’ve had my SRi for five weeks now and last weekend I did the popular “interior light upgrade”. The front map light assembly and sunglasses holder took literally ten minutes to fit, after I’d released the three screws and figured out how it all clipped together and into place.

I did that one too - very straight forward. I was a bit disappointed with the map-reading lights though, I thought they might have been a bit more directional than they are.

**Andy** · 14th September 2005, 12:53

nope, as mlc says its better for the air con if its running all the time, even in winter. the only downside is it can make the air very dry leading to dry eyes on long runs.

If you turn the aircon off on a wet day, your rear windows will mist up. Switch it on and everything is crystal clear. Mines on all the time and never had any problems.

**cdtisri** · 14th September 2005, 13:03

Just as a point, I was told by a professional valet guy at a recent car show I was at that A/C can seriously dry out leather interiors if the A/C is on all the time, best to get natural air-flow when ever possible - Just thought I mention it

**MLC** · 14th September 2005, 13:40

And I average 36mpg from my 2.2 Sri, with the aircon on all the time. It has only a minor effect on mpg. Haven't noticed any effect on my leather, but I'll keep an eye out now.