Turning on ECON...

[CHR15B]

Do you leave the ECON feature turned on all the time?

I've found that with it on my windows sometimes steam up really easy if its raining, turn it off and they clear no problem.

Do you leave it turned off all the time, does it make much of a difference?

Cheers

 

[gazjones]

have mine off most of the time unless its hot no need for the air con compressor this time of the year and in the summer i like the window down lol

 

[chase06]

Ive noticed that too, I dont think the ECON air is dehumidified via the air-con drier filter. I generally turn it up full whack and turn ECON off when that happens and is disappears sharpish.

I think it does make a slight difference to your mpg though, depending on how cool you want your car... probably slightly better in winter Id imagine.

Cheers

 

[Nath.]

yup econ on all the time unless I want the air con to work on a warm day or to quickly demist the windows on a wet day

 

[joonspoon]

Have ECON switched on all the time.

If I need to clear the windows I push the auto demist thingy button.
Once the windows are clear push the button again and ECON kicks back in.

In hot weather I dial in the temp I want and push the "auto" button. Air con starts immediately.

Given that air con has a big influence on fuel consumption ECON should make a noticeable difference to MPG.

Guy.

 

[CHR15B]

Cool stuff.

I keep mines on Econ & Auto all the time, but the Econ turned itself off (Weird) and I noticed it help demist the interior windows.

They only seem to mist up real bad when its raining... I did consider looking for a set of wind deflectors so I can keep one window down a little bit when driving.

 

[IainW]

You've got a TDi though, you can afford to sacrifice some MPG for the air con.

I use air con all the time in the summer, especially that one there when it was so stuffy outside. Helps with the breathing problems I have with my nose. Tend to use it in Winter just for quick demisting.

 

[depresion]

I have done some testing and the differance in MPG over 2 tanks running the AC all the time vs 2 tanks having it on econ all the time was under 1mpg. So less than 2%.

 

[Ant FR]

never ever used it in my 2.5 yrs of ibiza ownership.

 

[TonyK]

I leave my air con on all the time, one I like my air cold when it hits me even in this weather (I'm pretty sure I'm ill) .. and having had an air con car in the past I know how much they hate being left switched off all winter.

I have noticed a minor difference in MPG when I've turned it to econ but to be honest I can afford the difference for the comfort

 

[dmjw01]

My experience agrees with depressions: Contrary to what some people have said, air con only makes a tiny difference to fuel economy in practice. The dehumidifying effect is well worth the extra couple of mpgs - not only does it keep all the windows permanently clear, but it also feels a lot less "sticky" on a cold damp day. So I don't use ECON at all these days.

Every week or two in the winter, I make sure the air con compressor gets a proper blast by waiting until the interior is nice and warm, then switching to RECIRC and LO for five minutes or so.

Last winter, when the car was still new to me and I was using ECON, I would get a musty smell whenever I did switch the air con on. But this winter that hasn't happened at all.

 

[loonymoon]

I've tried to keep ECON on for the most part of this last tank of fuel (but i'm currently on a "drive like a granny and see what mpg you get" test).

I had the ECON off pretty much all Summer as I can't stand a hot car and I'd gotten used to aircon in my old Fiesta. But now the winters come I do tend to keep ECON on most of the time - however I do notice that the windows steam up very easily and the aircon dries them quickly.

I never drive with the windows open in the Summer as I can't stand the noise and at speed I've heard that open windows produce drag enough to reduce your mpg anyway so I'd rather have the aircon on!!

 

[CHR15B]

Thanks for the replies... I'll leave the econ feature turned off for a couple of weeks and see what difference it makes.

 

[rashcupra]

always have my econ button on as it saves fuel and still does a ok job once engine is at operating temp. if i steam up i simply turn the aircon on and get rid then switch econ back on

 

[Sisson]

Sorry to go off topic here......

But CHR15B... those HID's that i bought off you STILL havn't arrived.....

and it seems abit strange that you've got xenons in your Ibiza...

You havnt PM'd me back about contacting your Post office to see if they got "lost" either...

 

[CHR15B]

Adam I'll message you when I get a min about the HID's.

For the record, images of the kit I fitted and a link to the eBay auction I won the lights on has been posted on this forum... I've bought and sold a lot of things between here and SCC/SF and this is the first problem I've had.

Thanks

 

[FR*Man1984]

Econ or Economy is good but the windows steam up, so I tend to have that switched on when I have the windows down. Normally have just the aircon on. Auto is hardly ever used, don't really have a need to use it. I'm not in a country with vast temperature increases or decreases so I'll just keep aircon switched on for now thanks! lol

 

[Sisson]

Why sell me HIDS to buy more???

Seems v. strange