7 Series Climate Control is awesome

We are now on day 3, with triple digits and the 7 Series is just amazing in the hot weather. The HVAC is strong and ice cold, the rear seat ventilation keeps the rear passengers cool & quickly & uniformly chills the car. The ventilated seats keeps sticky backs and damp shirts away. The laminated, UV blocking glass keeps the cabin so much cooler & makes the HVAC work more efficiently....and the remote start air conditioning (via the diamond icon button on the key fob), let me get into a cooler car!!

I really think BMW should make UV/Climate glass standard on ALL cars, but especially on all 7 Series. In the USA, it is only available on the Active Hybrid. Mercedes puts it as standard on the S550/S600/S63/S65. It makes all the difference.

The HVAC in our past BMWs (2011 X5 35d, 2010 M6, 2008 X5 4.8i, 2007 X5 3.0si & 2006 330i, had horrible air conditioning (the '11 X5 was the best of the bunch, being fair))!! Weak, not cold enough and just pretty crappy!

In this heat (and we have 3+ more months of even hotter)...my new 7 Series is going to make summer so much more bearable!

It's a regular option here (the klimakomfort-glass), and yes it really makes a huge diff.

Originally Posted by deutsch100

the remote start air conditioning (via the diamond icon button on the key fob), lets me get into a cooler car!

How Do You Program This!?

Only applies to AH7, regular 750 doesn't have it!

One other thing, as much as I love the AC, how do we program it that it doesn't automatically come on?

Originally Posted by Individual750LI

Only applies to AH7, regular 750 doesn't have it!

One other thing, as much as I love the AC, how do we program it that it doesn't automatically come on?

It appears, beginning with the 2007 E70 X5...BMW made the climate control come on automatically. Something they say with ventilating the car, removing impurities from vents, blah, blah, blah. If you turn the climate control off, and then restart the car within minutes...the climate will stay off. I believe if the cars sits for 15+ minutes between engine starts, the climate control will automatically engage itself!

Originally Posted by beamlord

It's a regular option here (the klimakomfort-glass), and yes it really makes a huge diff.

"regular option"! I really believe it should be standard, as BMW made it on the Active Hybrid 7 Series (and Lexus makes standard on all their Hybrid models). Yes, the difference is HUGE!!

Have you tried parking your car in 100+ degree heat for a few hours? Even with the climate glass and shade, the interior is still very hot after 10 min with A/C on Max. So much so that the metal pieces and those like the ceramics are near unholdable. So I'm really wondering how much of a difference the climate glass makes.

Originally Posted by Individual750LI

Only applies to AH7, regular 750 doesn't have it!

Are you saying that only the AH7 can remote start the A/C!?!?

Originally Posted by dbs600

Are you saying that only the AH7 can remote start the A/C!?!?

Yes! Besides from being able to start the A/C by using the diamond button on the key fob, on the AH7...you can also turn the car off, and then press the fan button, and the A/C will stay on for a few mins (depending on how much the Hybrid battery has stored).

I find it more practical just to use the remote and start the A/C before I get to the car. It really helps

Originally Posted by Deutsch100

Yes! Besides from being able to start the A/C by using the diamond button on the key fob, on the AH7...you can also turn the car off, and then press the fan button, and the A/C will stay on for a few mins (depending on how much the Hybrid battery has stored).

That is ridiculous!

Why does the AH7 get all of these great hot climate features!?

And why does BMW feel hybrids are desired only in "California"?

Well, because the battery in standard 7 doesn't have the capacity to run the AC for long. BtW, Is remote start available on the 7?

Originally Posted by chrischeung

Have you tried parking your car in 100+ degree heat for a few hours? Even with the climate glass and shade, the interior is still very hot after 10 min with A/C on Max. So much so that the metal pieces and those like the ceramics are near unholdable. So I'm really wondering how much of a difference the climate glass makes.

Stop wondering, start talking facts. The special glass reflects almost all infrared rays which reduces the amount of heat generated by the sun. No matter how many hours your cars sits in the heat. There's always about 5-10 grad Celsius difference. And that's a lot.
They even had a comparison in the german variation of "mythbusters", they put two cars with and w/o the klimakomfort-glas and measured temperatures inside after certain period of time. The one with klimakomfort always has lower temp. Plus, they also tested that it keeps the AC cool air better.
And well, just drive one with and without on a hot day. You will practically feel the difference.

Originally Posted by Individual750LI

Well, because the battery in standard 7 doesn't have the capacity to run the AC for long. BtW, Is remote start available on the 7?

This.

i can program my a/c blower to come on at a pre determined time when the car is off.

it does not blow "cold air", all it does is blow "air" in the cabin. im not sure if the AH7 has the capability to switch on the a/c system to blow "cold air"

Originally Posted by bruno787

i can program my a/c blower to come on at a pre determined time when the car is off.

it does not blow "cold air", all it does is blow "air" in the cabin. im not sure if the AH7 has the capability to switch on the a/c system to blow "cold air"

Yes it does. It has a huge battery that is able to power a 50hp motor, sure as hell it can run an AC compressor.

Originally Posted by beamlord

It has a huge battery that is able to power a 50hp motor

It is only a 20hp motor. The newer hybrids have the larger 50 hp motor.

Originally Posted by beamlord

You will practically feel the difference.

Can you tell the difference between 50 degrees and say 40 degrees? In Texas it is also a dry heat - little sweating. Because that is what it will be - my thought being that once you're over 40 degrees, it doesn't feel much different. I'll have to try it with a co-worker's regular car. The internal temperature of a car will be always higher. So yes, scientifically, the climate glass car is cooler, but once you breach a threshold, it just feels uncomfortably just as hot - negating the benefit of the glass. It may be down to heat rather than temperature - the parts in the car retain so much more heat. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_th...nd_temperature

What if I say this. In the height of sumer in Texas, it gets so hot that even with the benefit of climate glass, the interior is still unbearably hot after parking in direct sun, so as to not have any discernible bodily effect.

Originally Posted by beamlord

Stop wondering, start talking facts. The special glass reflects almost all infrared rays which reduces the amount of heat generated by the sun. No matter how many hours your cars sits in the heat. There's always about 5-10 grad Celsius difference. And that's a lot.
They even had a comparison in the german variation of "mythbusters", they put two cars with and w/o the klimakomfort-glas and measured temperatures inside after certain period of time. The one with klimakomfort always has lower temp. Plus, they also tested that it keeps the AC cool air better.
And well, just drive one with and without on a hot day. You will practically feel the difference.

Originally Posted by bruno787

i can program my a/c blower to come on at a pre determined time when the car is off.

it does not blow "cold air", all it does is blow "air" in the cabin. im not sure if the AH7 has the capability to switch on the a/c system to blow "cold air"

Oh yes!!! It turns on the compressor, and blows strong & ice cold air conditioning!!! Awesome feature!!

Originally Posted by chrischeung

Can you tell the difference between 50 degrees and say 40 degrees? In Texas it is also a dry heat - little sweating. Because that is what it will be - my thought being that once you're over 40 degrees, it doesn't feel much different. I'll have to try it with a co-worker's regular car. The internal temperature of a car will be always higher. So yes, scientifically, the climate glass car is cooler, but once you breach a threshold, it just feels uncomfortably just as hot - negating the benefit of the glass. It may be down to heat rather than temperature - the parts in the car retain so much more heat. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_th...nd_temperature

What if I say this. In the height of sumer in Texas, it gets so hot that even with the benefit of climate glass, the interior is still unbearably hot after parking in direct sun, so as to not have any discernible bodily effect.

And if you're in hell, it all doesn't matter - you will burn with or without the glass.

Sir, your exercises in hyperbolism will not negate the simple fact that the climate glass makes a big difference - and not only scientifically, but quite practically and objectively.

As PhD in high energy particle physics I get a twinge every time someone uses the word 'scientifically' to make a point that has little to do with fundamental science - in this case a matter of being able to feel the difference between 40 and 50 degrees, for example. I can - or better yet, my sweat glands, pardon the level of - unavoidable - detail, just as millions other healthy people. In fact, purely scientifically (touche!) a healthy human body feels and reacts to every minimal temperature change.

It's 110+ degree here in Las Vegas everyday now. And I find my 7 is doing a great job cooling down the cabin, better than any of my previous cars did.

Originally Posted by beamlord

In fact, purely scientifically (touche!) a healthy human body feels and reacts to every minimal temperature change.

I apologize for your cringe, and do not mean any professional disrespect. Does size have anything to do with it? My comparison is my previous M3 E93, which was smaller, and the 750i larger? I had the M3 last year, and changed to the 750i this year. That car also did not have a moonroof. Does the difference in area of the space, and the glass have an effect on my perceptions or interior temperature?

I would think that car color and window tinting would also have some effect on interior temperatures.

The Climate Comfort Glass is nice but with the blocking of radar signals reaching my internally mounted radar detector, I kind of wish it wasn't standard. Disclaimer, since I always tint my car with 60%+ solar heat rejection ceramic window tinting, the climate comfort isn't as big a deal for me (having grown up in Arizona).

For normal car owners, you can replicate the climate glass option by having a 85% visibility Huber Optic (or other good brand) ceramic tint placed over the front windshield, and legal (30% or 85% for states like CA with no tinting for front side windows) on the sides/rear. I did this with my previous 335, M3, and Mustang and it makes a huge difference.

The remote AC operation on the AH7 is awesome though, if my car has been sitting outside baking in the sun for a long time, remotely lowering the windows and having the AC going for 30-60 seconds help tremendously.

P.S., the climate comfort reducing heat argument is much like tinting windows, if a car has been parked in direct sunlight 100+ degree weather, the car interior will eventually given enough time reach and exceed the ambient air temperature no matter how effective the window tint. However, using a front sun shade and effective heat rejecting window tint will shade the steering wheel/shifter from direct sunlight so they're at least able to be touched without 3rd degree burns.

Plus good glass tinting will slow down the heating of the car interior, making the AC work more effectively and keeping the car cooler when it's been parked for short periods of time or while driving.