How much extra for an e30 with air conditioning?

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dobbie82
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Post Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:12 pm

Well its that time of the year again, its 29 degrees (in the daytime) and the car was over 40 degrees when i got to it as I can only park in the sun.

Its cruel to take my baby in the car in this heat, so looks like i may be getting a car with air con but would love it to be an e30. (probably get rid of the touring to fund it)

Cant be a convertible as baby would burn in these traffic jams.

I guess I need to find a South African import?
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Simon13
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Post Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:34 pm

yes SA cars had air con as standard in all models, but SA imports are very rare.

My only thought would be a 325i touring, there are quite a few with it fitted. Whether it's working is another question
Simon
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Post Sat Jun 10, 2006 6:53 pm

Or, get A/C fitted. I'm fitting A/C to my touring, not impossible, but quite involved!

As Si says though, I've been seeing a lot of uk A/C equipped E30's for sale lately, and it does seem very common on 325i tourings.
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dobbie82
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Post Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:11 pm

if i could get it fitted to my 4dr i would be over the moon :D

I dont intend keeping the touring that long.

I am contemplating taking one day a week off by sending my son to nursery on my day off, i guess it would take weeks to fit at that rate!

KNOWING ME I WOULD HAVE SO MANY LEAKS I WOULD BE RECHARGING IT EVERY WEEK!
sorry for caps
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ad318i
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Post Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:55 pm

Simon wrote:Or, get A/C fitted. I'm fitting A/C to my touring, not impossible, but quite involved!

As Si says though, I've been seeing a lot of uk A/C equipped E30's for sale lately, and it does seem very common on 325i tourings.
whats needed and what needs doing to retro fit it....

i can sense a new article for the zone! winkeye
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mrLEE30
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Post Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:39 am

need
1. compressor and associated brackets and drive belt
2. Condensor radiator fitting in between your raditator and the front grill
3. additional electric fan to pull air through the condensor.
4. An evaporator inside your cabin (normally in parallel to the heater matrix)
5. and the piping and the receiver/drier
6. all the control bits and pieces such as temp switch and relays to enguage the compressor clutch.

thats all!!!

oh yeah and refrigerant gas!

mrlee
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Post Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:28 pm

diavia still manufacture the e30 retrofit kit as used by dealers back in the day, its not quite a full dash out job but is quite involved.

the actual A/C system is no harder to plumb than a domestic radiator, the electrical connections shoul already be in place on an SE.

Would not want to pay the £Â£ for a new setup though.

biggest downside, is you'll need to convert from R12 ( mustard gas !! ) to R134a or FX56/RS-24 to use any e30 A/C @ full capacity

Reminds me, must regas the touring asap !
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Brianmoooore
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Post Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:37 pm

Would love to aircon the M50 touring. Have all the under bonnet bits from the E34, but need CHEAP E30 aircon heater unit and electrics panel.
pacerpete
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Post Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:43 pm

My £50 'J' 325 touring has a/c, alas its that nasty davia scrap, but it blows cold so i can drive around windows up laughing at the flag waving council types sweltering in their chavaliers / belmarshes / onions / scorpions ! etc :)
ad318i
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Post Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:33 pm

anyone have a link for the davia website, or someone that sells them?
1989 Alpine White 318i 4 Door - Got Scrapped When I Was Abroad
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Ant
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:51 am

VEHVAC in Edenbridge are my local suppliers

excellent service and relaible as night follws day, not cheap though !
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Morat
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:48 pm

So... what is "not cheap"? :)
I'd love aircon right now..... sunroof is fine but getting stuck in traffic this morning wasn't fun at all :(
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M5pilot
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:23 pm

I have a complete AC setup and it doesnt actually look that hard to do. The engine bay is very easy.

The hard bit is taking off the dash and fitting everything.

Rather than buying another car I would say just fit it to the E30.
Morat
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:40 pm

I just phoned VEHVAC and they don't have any kits left for 325/320, only 316/318 :(
E30 Touring 0.35 cD - more slippery than prison soap :)

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ad318i
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:44 pm

did they give a price for the 316/318?
1989 Alpine White 318i 4 Door - Got Scrapped When I Was Abroad
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Morat
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 2:53 pm

I didn't ask for 316/318 but their number is

CALL NOW FOR A QUOTE!!
01732 868080

Don't forget to factor in the extra hamsters needed to power the compressor :cool: :D
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Gwynleym10
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:06 pm

My old SA 316i had Air con, sadly I owned it from october-march so I didn't get much use of the aircon!

It was a £380 ebay bargin.....


This time of year air/con car is going to be a lot more expensive!
Buy 'em in the winter sell them in the summer.....

TBH I didn't notice the aircon slowing the car that much, just think it drank a little more fuel. It being a 316i ment that it was hardly fast anyway!
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ad318i
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Post Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:23 pm

yeah i did notice how slow the 316 is!!! but ill have 2 get used 2 it
1989 Alpine White 318i 4 Door - Got Scrapped When I Was Abroad
1993 Metallic Green 316i Touring - Im Selling it before i move back to Greece, http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0239342139