Need help (regarding AC) - ASAP! - United Bimmer Community

**daki77** · 01-13-2006, 09:34 PM

Hi all....here's short description of my situation:

I am in search of E36 325i, and today I had a chance to see one that's on sale...the problem is: the owner of the car said that the car HAD an Air Cintinionig...today I really have't had a time to look and to test stuff on car in detail, nor I've had time to argue with the owner, but TO MY KNOWLEGE, "commands" for AC in E36 should look like in the first pic I posted (two big "dials"), BUT the "commands" for (so called) AC in THIS particulare car looked like in the second picture I posted (with THREE big "dials")!

My questions is: IS it really possible that the car HAS an AC, or is the owner trying to do...uhmmm...I really don't know how to say and with what words to describe if the guy is trying to sell a car with NO AC like the one that HAS it! If the car has NOT AC, I really wouldn't bother to go and look it again (the car is about 150 miles from my city), but in next day or two, I would go and look it "in detail" if I can be SURE that it has AC, 'cause, besides that, I really really like the car!

Any info, help, description would be very very helpfull... Thanks in advance!

The car: EURO 325i Coupe (in US called 325iS), production year: 1992.

**zeaq328i** · 01-13-2006, 09:52 PM

I'm not sure.My car uses the digital aircon..

Storamin · 01-13-2006, 11:14 PM

All of our US spec cars have the first type (pre 96) or the digital (96+). If the car were closer, I would check it out. 150 miles away is a little too far to take a chance, if you ask me.

**Spieluhr** · 01-14-2006, 02:45 AM

ya, that doesnt look right. but there is an easy way to tell. in the sunglass holder on the top of it there is a little cut out, you can stick your finger in there and pull out the OBD (trip computer), and in the top of that din is a simial place to pull out the AC unit. Pull it out, and look at it closely. if it has BMW stamped all over it, it is probably genuine.

**c1apton** · 01-14-2006, 02:57 AM

It's got AC, controls are different between years that's the only difference.

**daki77** · 01-14-2006, 05:53 AM

Thanks to all for your answers!!! Problem "solved"

- The Car definetly DOES NOT have AC! "Fortunatly", I didn't have to travel 150+150 miles just to make sure of that!

So, if anyone else needs the same answer, the first picture shows how definetly it should "look" if a car has ac (if it's not "digital" control unit, or "klimatronik" as the Germans would say...), and the other if it hasn't. I've also searched autoscout24.de (sales of EURO models mainly) last night, looked over 100 cars and NOT ONE had AC with controls looking like in second picture I posted!

Again, thanks to all of you....

**c1apton** · 01-14-2006, 06:30 AM

I'll bet if you were look under the hood you'll find a AC compressor. That 2nd pic is the same unit they used on the E34s (89-95) also. Early models used it. Another hint is the color bars red to blue, the non AC cars didn't use the colors to indicate (red=heat, blue=cold) instead they used symbals of a vent open & closed.