A mate of mine is considering buying a Cooper S which does not have aircon as standard equipment. I have pointed out that aircon is virtually essential these days. He is reluctant to spend extra as his current car has aircon and he rarely, if ever, uses it.
As aircon is a not inconsiderable £600 extra on the Cooper S he is considering ordering one without, figuring that any mark down come trade in/disposal time will be less than £600 given the model's desirability and the likely high demand.
Any comments/advice from a wider audience on the likely effects of no aircon when it come time to sell?
Cheers
|
The Chilli pack on the S (£1370) includes aircon, half-leather and xenon lights etc. Much the best value way to spec up the Mini.
When it comes to sell, a base spec one will be the last to go, no one likes poverty spec beemers do they?
|
|
|
|
Has your mate tried using aircon in the winter? Best possible demister/internal deicer. Aircon, as opposed to climate control, can, I believe, be used on the hot setting as well as the cold. £600 sounds cheap. Aircon cost £1200 in my former MGf.
|
|
|
So long as the price they're paying reflects the lack of A/C then I don't see you'll lose too much. I decided against it for all the extra servicing potential hassle and thought it wasn't too good an idea to strap a fridge to the engine of our car, sapping power. That said, ours ain't a 'S' so perhaps there spare power there.
If it's the only thing putting him off the car, then just jump in, no question. If the colour and everything else fits, and it's a 'S' they'll not go too far wrong.
Lee.
|
|
|
Davie
And let's hope that the next owner of your mate's present car - or your mate if he doesn't change cars! - doesn't suffer the dire consequences of not running the A/C regularly, vide frequently repeated exhortations from HJ on the subject.
On the specific point you raise, I wouldn't even consider buying a car without A/C nowadays with the range of temperatures we exerience in UK, not to mention on any travel in real Europe, and especially in view of the amount of time we seem to spend stationary. I leave mine on permanently - excellent for demisting all year round - *and* try to remember HJ's hints on keeping the system dry and sweet smelling.
I also seem to recall HJ pointing out that the extra fuel used by the A/C is less than that required to compensate for driving with a window open.
With luck, your mate will realise that he is likely to have so much fun with a Cooper S that the money spent on A/C will be more significant to his overall driving enjoyment than the next owner's.
Jack
|
|
|
