Do all Ferraris have such good A/C? | FerrariChat
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Do all Ferraris have such good A/C?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Brian C. Stradale, May 5, 2004.

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  1. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    Mar 17, 2002
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    #1 Brian C. Stradale, May 5, 2004
    One of the common comments that I get on my Ferraris is, "Wow, I'm surprised the AC works so good!" I assume they expected a track-oriented car to skimp on such niceties as cold air. But then I go on to explain to them that they have no idea just how good it is! I explain how the auto-control mechanism is the best of any I've ever had or even heard of in any car. How I simply put both controls on "Auto" and set the temperature once and never need to adjust it (well, 70' in summer and 72' in winter) and it always does exactly the right thing. How it uses two sensors... one a temperature sensor well-shaded from the sun to accurately measure air temperature... another a sunlight sensor in the middle of the dashboard to measure how intensely the sun is beating in on you. The latter allows it to increase cooling to compensate for that radiant heat, even when the air temperature would otherwise indicate that all is well. In my other cars, I have to adjust the temp setting up or down to compensate for the intensity of the sunlight coming in.

    Note that the above is not specific to my Stradale... my 360 Modena's AC was just as good. Only difference might be that its a bit more surprising when you're sitting in a carpetless, exposed-weld, racing interior.

    I figure the AC is so good because of how hot Italy is... being way down south as it is. Heck, its so hot in August there that the whole country goes on vacation... its just too hot to work! ;) So, I figure they appreciate good AC.

    When I heard the radio was an option in the Stradale, I figured AC would be also. I knew the Ferrari guys think just like me when I heard that AC was, in fact, standard equipment! :D

    Soooo, do all Ferrari's, going back to vintage days, have great AC? (Or at least great AC for the time period?)
     
  2. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,631
    #2 Mitch Alsup, May 5, 2004
    There was a progression from the 308 era with anemic A/C to the 355 era with Phoenix-ready A/C.
     
  3. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie
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    #3 jeffdavison, May 5, 2004

    Is that 12 noon Phoenix or 12 midnight Poenix ;^P

    The A/C in my 355 -just- keeps the sweat from forming on my brow in Summer "Hotlanta". Technically everything checks out....but....still can't make ice cubes in the vents.

    JD
     
  4. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    May 4, 2001
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    #4 Dr Tommy Cosgrove, May 5, 2004
    My 84 308 blows COLD. It just doesn't feel like much since there is so little blowing out in one place and it's fighting the hot floorboard air and solar panal windshield. Plus my car is black. The air coming out of the vents will get down in the lower 40's.
     
  5. Chiaro_Slag

    Chiaro_Slag F1 Veteran

    Oct 31, 2003
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    #5 Chiaro_Slag, May 5, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I read somewhere that with the TR that actually started to think more about things such as A/C. The front scoop on the front spoiler is actually for the A/C air intake. It blows really nice. :)

    Another interesting thing I read (non A/C related) - On the early cars, they had the side mirrors up high because there was a law that stated 100% of the rear needed to be viewable. A few years later, the law was changed to 80% and thus the mirrors were lowered to the originally intended spot. I actually like the earlier high mirrors - Just something more exotic about that look.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  6. LAfun2

    LAfun2 Three Time F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
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    #6 LAfun2, May 5, 2004
    Jerry

    I think you are just looking for an excuse to show off your baby!


    :D :D

    Nothing wrong with that, as maranelloman says "I'd hit it" :D :eek:
     
  7. damcgee

    damcgee Formula 3

    Feb 23, 2003
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    #7 damcgee, May 5, 2004
    The new Accords have a sensor like your talking about in the middle of the dash that checks the intensity of the sunglight and compensates for the radiant heat (as your Stradale does).

    On the Accords equipped with GPS (not mine), the GPS system is linked up to the A/C, and the car calculates which direction the sun is coming from and increases the cooling to *that part* of the car! I thought that was pretty Cool engineering!
     
  8. Chiaro_Slag

    Chiaro_Slag F1 Veteran

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    #8 Chiaro_Slag, May 5, 2004
    Guilty as charged. :)
     
  9. solly

    solly Formula 3

    Jun 2, 2001
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    Westchester NY
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    #9 solly, May 5, 2004
    Not only does my 360 have "perfect" a/c, but amazingly enough, my '74 Dino has a/c that actually works pretty well once I recharged the system. Getting freon is a problem these days, but since I usually drive with the top off in the summer it's not worth the expense to convert to a new non-freon a/c system. Since the dino is old, it needs a recharge every season.

    I wonder if there is any non-freon chemical you can use to recharge a freon-based system that won't damage the a/c.
     
  10. ferrari_kid

    ferrari_kid Formula Junior

    Jul 5, 2003
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    #10 ferrari_kid, May 5, 2004
    wow, that's a nice touch. i'd probably expect something like that in a lot more expensive car. but i guess now that Hondas have it, BMW, MB, Lexus, etc, better have something similar.
     
  11. 911Fan

    911Fan Formula 3

    Apr 15, 2004
    1,294
    Southern California
    #11 911Fan, May 5, 2004
    I wish they had designed the STOP switch behavior differently, though. If the lights are on and you press the STOP button to disable the climate control system, there is no visible indication that the system is STOPped other than the switch is depressed.

    One night I thought I had another niggle for the dealer to fix because nothing was happening heating- or cooling-wise when I turned the temperature knob.

    I finally realized that I had STOPped the system during the previous outing and had forgotten to enable it.
     
  12. Ron328

    Ron328 F1 Rookie
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    #12 Ron328, May 5, 2004
    The 328's a/c system just provides enough but NOT great cooling.
     
  13. Chiaro_Slag

    Chiaro_Slag F1 Veteran

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    #13 Chiaro_Slag, May 5, 2004
    Agreed, it is Ok, but not great.
     
  14. JOEL D.

    JOEL D. Karting

    Nov 2, 2003
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    #14 JOEL D., May 5, 2004
    Yeah, you are right, my 328 is just OK, but pretty good on the highway. On the other hand, the A/C in my Boxer is almost comical. It tries very hard, and everything checks out but I would not call the air coming out as "cold", more like an invisible man is fanning you.....but he's getting tired!
     
  15. Chiaro_Slag

    Chiaro_Slag F1 Veteran

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    #15 Chiaro_Slag, May 5, 2004
    Interesting about the Boxer - I have heard that since the TR is built off that, there were several things they were trying to improve upon. Hard to improve the Boxer though - What a great car that is! :)
     

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