Aircon option?

[samg]

I'm in the process of putting a spec together for a Cayman S and wondering if anyone can tell me what you get for the "Fully automatic climate control" option. The Porsche Car Configurator states: "With exterior and interior temperature sensors, solar sensor, and active carbon filter." Having this on my 2007 Cayman S, I'm not convinced it actually does anything.

I seem to remember being told by the dealer in 2007 that it would maintain a constant temperature inside the car but I haven't found this and am forever adjusting the set temperature to get a comfortable environment.

Is there any difference between this and the "˜standard' aircon?

Any help would be appreciated, Sam

 

[Kumaran.Govender]

Hi Samg, I have a Cayman with the fully automatic climate control, it works well for me but I do have to change the temp as it seems to always run cooler than I would like, but I do note that carbon filter works brilliantly! My personal recommendation is to get it. the biggest benefit I find is not the auto increase and decrease of the temp (which we know it does not do) but the blower intensity increasing or decreasing depending on the interior car temp, I am guess that the temp you set on the display is what the system will maintain as the ambient temp inside the car at all times.

 

[John H]

When I bought my Cayman I decided that the fully auto air con was a waste of money and just bought the manual version ... mistake! [] If I was re-ordering it is the one thing I would add back. The auto adjusts the temperature to a set level, whereas the manual doesn't, and you are forever fiddling with the settings to keep it right. In reality there is little difference between them bar a thermostat, a mighty expensive thermostat at £300+, but it is worth it for the convenience factor. Porsche should be ashamed of themselves for charging extra for this, it should be standard, given that it comes as standard now on even the most basic family cars.

 

[Buddy]

Likewise, I bought my cayman when it was 1 year old and didn't notice on the test drive that it had only standard Air Con! I have looked into retro fit possibilities but Porsche always say no apparently looms are built individually against spec, odd as other german cars I've owned all seemed to be sectional but the dash wiring is the first thing into the bare painted shell, odd that cruise control and sport mode can both be retro fitted. Especially when you consider that when the chrono pack/sport mode blew on mine all of the column switches went, so they must have some level of integration! The Boxster S I owned previously had the climate control ( strange in my view on a convertible ) and with the top up I had found it to be brilliant. If I'd noticed non-climate control on the Cayman I may have thought twice, it should definitely be standard. But having said that I do find my Cayman to be a brilliant car which has all but one option I wanted, but why on earth did they spec the crests in headrests and not climate control?[&o]

 

[Alan_Armstrong]

The Crests are an added extra on the options list also..I guess it was down to the individual who ordered the car from new!

 

[samg]

Thanks for your comments - they make the functions of the fully automatic aircon clearer and I will now get that option in the new car. I agree it should be a standard option though. Looking for an almost identical spec for the 2012 car except I'll be going for the PDK with the flappy paddles instead of the manual box. Sam

 

[jhrfc]

I've had my cayman with standard aircon for a month, and find I do need to adjust the temp quite often. I probably would have the climate control, but once i'd specced pdk, sports, chrono, 18", PCM with sat nab, leather seats etc, my budget was really squeaking, and i don't think I'd have it over any of those.

 

[Buddy]

As time goes on and I've had my Cayman for over 4 years now I find it less of an annoyance, on the configurator I'd spec the comfort package because it has some of the best options that I have fitted plus the climate, I drove a PDK on the skidpan so didn't feel it was a fair test so I wouldn't criticize it but it should be much better than tiptronic which I drove for a couple of years in a 968. I wouldn't have specked several other options I have at the time due to budget but any replacement would need to have them, auto dimming mirrors for instance and auto wipers are so good in general driving. In short, I'd have the PDK ( subject to a test on the road of say 24 hrs ) with leather, comfort pack, chrono and sports seats, if I was to drop one thing I have it would be the headrest crests or the reverse parking aid but the latter I think I'd find the cash for in the end. Actually I'd probably go for a flat colour of white or yellow in part to drop the paint cost and a red or special to sample tan interior but that would cost more... decisions, decisions in my dreams that it... Enjoy devising your spec and even more enjoy the car.

 

[spiker]

Forgive my ignorance but I have a 2007 Cayman s and it has the 'auto' button on the air con So is this 'fully automatic' then?

 

[samg]

ORIGINAL: Buddy In short, I'd have the PDK ( subject to a test on the road of say 24 hrs ) with leather, comfort pack, chrono and sports seats, if I was to drop one thing I have it would be the headrest crests or the reverse parking aid but the latter I think I'd find the cash for in the end. Actually I'd probably go for a flat colour of white or yellow in part to drop the paint cost and a red or special to sample tan interior but that would cost more... decisions, decisions in my dreams that it...

Had three years with a DSG Audi TT and have test driven PDK (admittedly in a Carrara S, not a Cayman) so this is a definite option for me. Going slightly off-topic, the "Country Packages", not available when I was specifying the car in 2006, do seem good value - if that's possible when buying a Porsche! While personally I wouldn't pay for the seat crests or auto-dimming mirrors, the 'Comfort Package' still works out cheaper than the individual pricing of the items I actually want. I'll also go for the Infotainment with BOSE package - another saving on individual prices. Sam

 

[Buddy]

To me the auto dimming mirrors are a must as they also dim the door mirrors and that doesn't happen with the ordinary mirrors. Great when on motorways and the like.

 

[spiker]

Hi there Could anyone confirm that having an 'auto' button meaning my Cayman s 2007 is fully automatic ?

 

[Buddy]

I haven't got Climate Control nor do I have the button but I would expect that if you press auto then a temperature setting ought to appear and you should be able to raise or lower the temp setting. then it should control closely. This means that on a hot afternoon when you start the engine the heater fan will start high once the system is charged by the compressor, if I remember correctly you can still rise/lower the fan speed once the temp has stabilised, from then it will vary itself according to the temp. On my Boxster I used 23 C most of the year, it controlled well.

 

[spiker]

Thanks buddy, that's exactly how I Understood it to work I was interested in the 'fully automatic' discussion in this thread , does the cayman have 2 possible variations then ? Manual or fully automatic or am I confused thinking its manual, automatic OR fully automatic ?

 

[Buddy]

Cayman had the option of climate control which is an air con/heater control system with thermostat which is set through the unit such as you have, if the original buyer didn't order this option they got the air con system and the heater but it is a fully manual operation. If you like to play with yours you can change the temp setting and see the air flow and heat level settings change as they try to match the required setting, if you have it not operating in auto then it will operate the same as the standard system.

 

[spiker]

Thanks []