A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Driving with a friend today from Tucson to Phoenix on Highway 10. Outside Temp is about 100F. We both were absolutely sweating our arses off in the Elise. We tried open top and 100mph - it just baked us. Then we pulled over and put the top on and cranked the AC. Only slightly better. I remember reading on this forum about adjustments and making sure you use the recirc. We tried everything. Not sure how the Elise owners in AZ drive this car around for most of the summer months because it was really unbearable. The track would be even worse. Lotus really needs to fix this. Blowing "warm air" and calling it AC just does not cut it. We ended up ditching the Elise for his Hyundai junker which had ice cold AC.
A:
If you drive top off, the a/c won't be able to cope right away.
Sounds like your friend should have the a/c adjusted. Scottsdale Lotus adjust the location of my a/c sensor and it worked great (for a small a/c unit). BUT just tell them not to overfill the freon tank. It cause some hesistation problems on my car.
A:
Originally Posted by LotusChris
Driving with a friend today from Tucson to Phoenix on Highway 10. Outside Temp is about 100F. We both were absolutely sweating our arses off in the Elise. We tried open top and 100mph - it just baked us. Then we pulled over and put the top on and cranked the AC. was really unbearable.
The track would be even worse.
Lotus really needs to fix this. Blowing "warm air" and calling it AC just does not cut it.
Bunch of whoosies!
For my entire college career including graduate school......I rolled in Lotus sports cars with NO A/C.
In Texas.
Where it's hotter than Hell.
Not that dry heat you Arizona boys are used to.
But now, years later.....Lotus should have designed a decent cooling system for the Ol' Buzzbomb.
A:
Atleast your A/C blows air. Mine just drones.
John
A:
My AC worked well in Southern California and then crapped out when I got the car up to Michigan and I baked in 80-90 degree heat on the drive from MI to Atlanta.
Turns out the compressor hose had come lose. Once that was fixed the AC has been working like a dream. A little too chilly if I don't say so myself!
A:
I've completely given up on even trying the AC. Does it stop me from taking the car out on 113 degree days. No.
A:
While we were having 98 and 99 degree days with 85% humidity, the AC in my car worked just fine. A bit cold at times. I think the trick is to get the dealer to adjust the unit so it works correctly. I've heard people say theirs froze up with the humidity, mine ran just fine. The fans up front made more noise than the engine at times, but I was nice and cool inside. At about 90 I ran the AC with the top off (kinda silly but...) and it kept me from becoming a sweaty mess.
I can't imagine it not being able to be adjusted and working well in the low humidity south-west. Maybe not on the 110 degree days, but certainly at 100!
A:
i had never even tried turning on my A/C. until i sold the car to verify that it ran. You just get used to the heat here, and for the record, if you baked here in october.....................you aint seen nothing yet!!! it was really hot a few months ago. just drink lots of water, wear a long sleeve white tee shirt. and think cold thoughts.
welcome to hell(7 months out of the year), but the winters are great!!!!!
Fish
A:
Arizona is too hot for ANYTHING ( alive OR dead ! )
A:
Yeah, I have had a lot of bad days getting baked this year. Despite several trips to the dealer the AC still can't cope with a hot day in the south west. The worst was an afternoon driving back from Vegas to LA, with the windshield greenhouse pointing directly into the sun for 5 hours. It was 118º outside and inside, the AC just packed up altogether!
A:
I have no idea how to solve this problem but I have another point of view: There was rain every day here in Central Europe since my Elise had been delivered last thursday. Temperatures are around 57 F now and I have asked for a seasonal permit for the Elise (April through October) because there is absolutely no sense in driving this car in rain, snow and on slippery or salty roads. My Elise even came without A/C.
So I wish I could trade off weather with you.
Does that help?
A:
Originally Posted by kestrel74
Arizona is too hot for ANYTHING ( alive OR dead ! )
That's a misconception.
Ok, Yuma and Phoenix are living hell holes but Tucson has perfect weather for 8 months of the year (Mid Oct - Mid May), and HOT (but dry ) for the rest of the year.
Dry heat (there's always a sparkling pool nearby) beats freezing a$$ snow any time of the year.
Unless you like the George "Gore-tex" Costanza fashion...
A:
Just do what the wife and I do...drive to Flagstaff on the weekend...
You could buy an Exige S...I heard they are cooler...
A:
We have had good luck with setting the temperature knob on the ac one notch from full cold rather than full cold. It seems to keep the system from freezing up so you get more consistent stronger working ac.
A:
People in the Southwest don't have blood-they have ethylene glycol in their veins. My parents live in Vegas. i won't even consider a visit until after October. They say, "But it's dry heat." So is a pizza oven, but I wouldn't want to live in one...My AC works great. I froze going across Kansas in 100 degree weather (with high humidity) on my way to KC this summer. In Colorado, however, this year I never turned it on.
Tom
A:
Originally Posted by Andrikos
Dry heat (there's always a sparkling pool nearby) beats freezing a$$ snow any time of the year.
Unless you like the George "Gore-tex" Costanza fashion...
I am with you all the way on that andrikos. when it hits the mid 60's i freeze my butt off............ i see football games televised from the east with snow coming down, and people ACTUALLY go outside to watch the game.
A:
Try having a starlight black car with leather here. I drove my car to Phoenix from my house south of Tucson at 3:00 pm in the middle of the summer.
When the A/C is working as best it can the Elise is never comfortable, but it's not unbearable either. Mine loves to freeze over but everything is working as it should... I just have to keep an eye on it.
Also I'd rather have the option of taking the Elise out in the middle of the summer when it's hot instead of having it locked in the garage and 100% out of commission in a snowy place
I had my A/C adjusted (lowered freon levels) and I swear it works better. It certainly ices over less.
A:
Arizona is just too hot, period
I was there a few years back for the Dakota RT national meet in Tucson. It was around 113 degrees with a hot wind. That combined with the elevation made for some pretty crappy runs on the track. We were in town for 3 days, and it was just miserable. I don't see how people can live like that. Talking to one of the local RT owners he said he stays inside all day and goes out at night. And then in the winter it is freezing ass cold , you could not pay me to live in Tucson !
A:
Dry heat? Stick your head in an oven, it's a dry heat! Does it feel good?
A:
Originally Posted by MikeW
Dry heat? Stick your head in an oven, it's a dry heat! Does it feel good?
Feels better then sticking your head in a wet plastic bag and then in the oven (Florida/Texas/etc).