Rapid AC to Climatronic upgrade question

[wolf89]

Hello, long time reader, first time poster (well,sorta.. I stumbled upon this site last year when my dad announced that he was getting himself a Skoda last year)

I finally got around to having a spin in it and frankly,I'm impressed at how decent a car they've managed to make for 12500-ish Euros (25000 Bulgarian Leva thanks to Skoda's X-mas promo in the old country for a 90hp Rapid MY16 ), but it has room for improvement - especially with the air conditioning, which has the old school "3 knob" setup. So I was wondering - I've seen people retrofit a climatronic in place of a normal AC panel in Fabias, but has anyone seen it done in a Rapid and if it's possible or not? 

Edited 12 March, 2017 by wolf89

[chrisgreen]

Not viable. It's more than just a case of swapping the facia control unit. Various flap motors, sensors and cabling would be required. You would pretty much have to rip the dash apart and replace large amounts of the heater matrix (if not the whole thing) in order to do it. The same applies on the Fabia and any other VAG with manual A/C.

[camelspyyder]

A lot of these threads lately. Can I retrofit heated seats etc?.

 

Why not buy the factory spec you want to start with?

 

Or buy the SEAT version with all the good stuff included.

[chrisgreen]

I've noticed that as well. I suspect Skoda has recently dumped a shedload of ex-hire cars or pre-reg stock into the approved used channel.

Hence the glut of people proclaiming the bargain they've just bought, then in the same breath lamenting the kit their car doesn't have.

i know that either Enterprise or Thrifty (it's one or the other, I can't remember which) was/is running quite a few Spacebacks in its UK hire fleet. 

[wolf89]

3 minutes ago, camelspyyder said:

A lot of these threads lately. Can I retrofit heated seats etc?.

 

Why not buy the factory spec you want to start with?

 

Or buy the SEAT version with all the good stuff included.

Or why didn't he accept my old A4 in favour of keeping his ancient A80/B3... But seriously, it's probably because like the bloke with the heated seats, a lot of people are buying pre-built (or should that be pre-specced?) cars and are paying for it down the line ... That said, if all it takes are some new servos and sensor runs... It's viable, after all this isn't nearly as horrifying as a full engine rebuild on a german v6

[RickTT]

Its perfectly fine to ask the question as this is what forums are for, however such retro fits are not cheap to carry out, everything is possible to a certain degree but 99% of the time not cost effective.

[camelspyyder]

I went without the winter pack in favour of  2 week delivery (vice 14 weeks) and a £3000 discount for buying a car already built. I can wear warmer pants. Also the SEAT spec included climate in 2014 wheras the Skoda's were mostly poverty spec that year.

[chrisgreen]

6 minutes ago, wolf89 said:

That said, if all it takes are some new servos and sensor runs... It's viable

 

Each to their own, but if you have the time, tools, workspace and, most importantly, the money to source all the parts you'll need to reinstate (and you are looking at the thick end of at least £500 - and that would be for salvage parts), good luck to you. Oh, and don't forget that post-refit your dash will likely rattle like a bucket of marbles.

 

I would not call that viable.

 

The most viable retrofits on our cars include factory sat nav (pre MY16 only), centre armrest and curry hooks.

[camelspyyder]

Ex rental Skoda's can certainly be short on kit. I've had both a Space back and a Superb in the last 18 months from Hertz - neither had cruise control, and that's just plain annoying on a long trip.

[wolf89]

22 hours ago, chrisgreen said:

 

Each to their own, but if you have the time, tools, workspace and, most importantly, the money to source all the parts you'll need to reinstate (and you are looking at the thick end of at least £500 - and that would be for salvage parts), good luck to you. Oh, and don't forget that post-refit your dash will likely rattle like a bucket of marbles.

 

I would not call that viable.

 

The most viable retrofits on our cars include factory sat nav (pre MY16 only), centre armrest and curry hooks.

Except that the car is a MY16/05, so the satnav is also problematic  Honestly, although I like the car, I am somewhat annoyed that he didn't call me BEFORE he got his car, so I could've helped him get something a bit more speccy.. At least tearing out the dash during the summer will be helped along by the only non-bog standard "extra" (I'm amazed that in 2017 rear electric windows are extra,lol) my dad got with the car - a Skoda cooler  

Edited 14 March, 2017 by wolf89
Didn't realize that the term for "annoyed" starting with P is a bad word :D

[chrisgreen]

Yeah - it's rediculous that Skoda still have keep fit windows in the back on certain spec cars. Both our Fabia Combi (low spec) and Fabia Monte Carlo Tech (high spec) both still have wind up rear windows. Most peculiar. 

[RickTT]

2 hours ago, chrisgreen said:

Yeah - it's rediculous that Skoda still have keep fit windows in the back on certain spec cars. Both our Fabia Combi (low spec) and Fabia Monte Carlo Tech (high spec) both still have wind up rear windows. Most peculiar. 

 

Wow.. thats really odd as you would think it would cost more money these days for manual windows than a motor!

 

Even my 1993 K reg Vauxhall Cavalier had electric rear windows back then !

[Guyhey]

My Rapid is ex Eurocar from memory ( am on holiday so don't have v5 to check ) the only thing it doesn't have is Amundsen, it has everything else.  

 

Have had it 18 months now and am still very happy with it. Will probably keep it another 18 months if all goes well.

[softscoop]

This video is upgrading from manual AC to climatronic on a mk5 Golf, and the Rapid would be a similar amount of work.

 

Very much not worth it. It would be easier and cheaper to sell your car and buy one with climatronic already fitted if you really wanted it.

 

 

 

[RickTT]

Agree.. Never build something you can buy off the shelf... (within reason of course..)

[wolf89]

On 3/13/2017 at 19:47, chrisgreen said:

The most viable retrofits on our cars include factory sat nav (pre MY16 only), centre armrest and curry hooks.

I hate to resurrect this thread, but I wanted to ask why swapping the radio on a MY16(05/16 with the Swing radio) for a satnav isn't viable?Also, found a cheap and easy way to convince Dad that the climatronic retrofit will be pointless - I just told him to keep the AC on for two weeks and compare the change in mileage he gets - 53MPG with the bugger on vs 56 off on his commute   (15 or so km, combined city and fast roads)

[camelspyyder]

3 mpg difference is what I get as well.

 

I don't know why you cant just chuck an Amundsen or Columbus in the MY16 either?