How usefull are the heated/cooled seats?
02-14-07, 09:36 AM
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How usefull are the heated/cooled seats?
I've driven my father's car a few times, a Buick Park Ave with heated seats. It feels like it takes forever to warm up, I'd say about 10 minutes until I really feel it.
So how does our IS perform? I'm getting my special order in about a week, but I'm curious to know ahead of time what I can expect out of the seats. I live in NE PA, and it's been freezing lately, even below zero. How long does it take to warm up/cool down?
So how does our IS perform? I'm getting my special order in about a week, but I'm curious to know ahead of time what I can expect out of the seats. I live in NE PA, and it's been freezing lately, even below zero. How long does it take to warm up/cool down?
02-14-07, 09:47 AM
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For me, I find the heated seats get warm very quickly. With the temperature around 45 outside, if I get in the car, start it, turn on the seats, by the time I'm backing out of the garage, the seats are already warm.
As to the cooling effect, I find it useful but it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes before you get the full effect. When the car has dumped enough cool air on the floor for the fan in the seat to pick up.
Hope that helps
As to the cooling effect, I find it useful but it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes before you get the full effect. When the car has dumped enough cool air on the floor for the fan in the seat to pick up.
Hope that helps
02-14-07, 10:14 AM
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For me, I find the heated seats get warm very quickly. With the temperature around 45 outside, if I get in the car, start it, turn on the seats, by the time I'm backing out of the garage, the seats are already warm.
As to the cooling effect, I find it useful but it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes before you get the full effect. When the car has dumped enough cool air on the floor for the fan in the seat to pick up.
Hope that helps
As to the cooling effect, I find it useful but it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes before you get the full effect. When the car has dumped enough cool air on the floor for the fan in the seat to pick up.
Hope that helps
02-14-07, 10:17 AM
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For me, I find the heated seats get warm very quickly. With the temperature around 45 outside, if I get in the car, start it, turn on the seats, by the time I'm backing out of the garage, the seats are already warm.
As to the cooling effect, I find it useful but it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes before you get the full effect. When the car has dumped enough cool air on the floor for the fan in the seat to pick up.
Hope that helps
As to the cooling effect, I find it useful but it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes before you get the full effect. When the car has dumped enough cool air on the floor for the fan in the seat to pick up.
Hope that helps
And when I switch on the ventilated seats its pretty fast.... I can feel them quickly.
The only time you won't feel them quickly is if you have the heater on... since it only circulates the air in the vehicle.
02-14-07, 10:18 AM
#7
The heating is VERY nice in the winter. Takes a couple minutes to feel them, but once you do, it's great.
The cooling is much less noticeable, but it's still nice. Especially when you're coming back from the gym, and wearing polyester basketball shorts.
I just wish I could feel the cooling on my back a little better...
The cooling is much less noticeable, but it's still nice. Especially when you're coming back from the gym, and wearing polyester basketball shorts.
I just wish I could feel the cooling on my back a little better...
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02-14-07, 10:43 AM
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i was stoked when i found out the IS offered cooled seats.. to me there's nothing worse than the back sweat that comes with getting in a car that's been baking in the sun all day.. 
on the flip side, this is my first winter with heated seats and i have to say that i'm spoiled now.. the heated/cooled seats is on of my favorite interior features
on the flip side, this is my first winter with heated seats and i have to say that i'm spoiled now.. the heated/cooled seats is on of my favorite interior features
02-14-07, 11:12 AM
#11
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The seats are ventilated, not cooled. I agree with taylorjste that the back sweat one gets on hot humid days is very annoying, but unfortunately the ventilated seats do little to alleviate it. The airstream coming through the holes is very weak, and until the car cools down is as hot as a hairdryer.
The seat heaters, on the other hand, are great. While not nearly as powerful as the ones on my Audi S4 (which were like heating pads on the higher numbers), they are strong enough to get the job done.
The seat heaters, on the other hand, are great. While not nearly as powerful as the ones on my Audi S4 (which were like heating pads on the higher numbers), they are strong enough to get the job done.
02-14-07, 11:19 AM
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Heated seats, no matter how quickly it heats up, will NOT take away the initial shock of the cold leater seating surfaces when you first enter your car, unless you warm up the car and turn on the heated seats first beforehand.
Usually when you drive in the cold, you would dress accordingly. I usually wear a long coat which insulates my butt fromt he seating surfaces already, so heated seats or not, I don't feel the inital shock of the cold.
The same argument goes for the cooling aspect of the seat. You will still feel the burning hot leather when you first sit down, but after a while you'll feel the cooling effects of a ventilated seat.
The benefit of having a heated seat, depsite not helping much on the initial temperature shock, is that it will keep you warm. Since heat transfers from hotter to colder surfaces, you will lose body heat to the unheated seat. By having a heated seat, you wll better maintain body heat to stay warm.
Again, I wear a long coat in winter driving anyways, so I maintain (or sometimes gain too much!) bodyheat anyways. The down side is that it make driving a little bit more clumbersome, especially I have the 6-spd
If the car came with heated seats, i'd take it. But for me to get the heated seats up here in Canada we have to pay for the $9600 sports package, so hell no i can live with out it.
Usually when you drive in the cold, you would dress accordingly. I usually wear a long coat which insulates my butt fromt he seating surfaces already, so heated seats or not, I don't feel the inital shock of the cold.
The same argument goes for the cooling aspect of the seat. You will still feel the burning hot leather when you first sit down, but after a while you'll feel the cooling effects of a ventilated seat.
The benefit of having a heated seat, depsite not helping much on the initial temperature shock, is that it will keep you warm. Since heat transfers from hotter to colder surfaces, you will lose body heat to the unheated seat. By having a heated seat, you wll better maintain body heat to stay warm.
Again, I wear a long coat in winter driving anyways, so I maintain (or sometimes gain too much!) bodyheat anyways. The down side is that it make driving a little bit more clumbersome, especially I have the 6-spd
If the car came with heated seats, i'd take it. But for me to get the heated seats up here in Canada we have to pay for the $9600 sports package, so hell no i can live with out it.
Last edited by neova; 02-14-07 at 11:24 AM.
