Different air con types

[MichaelMB]

How can I tell, from photos, whether a car has original Behr air con or dealer fitted after market Davia? eg are the internal control panels different?

 

[aybracers]

It can be hard to tell.
I assume you are talking about the W201/190 you have in your profile.
If you have a copy of the original build sheet (easy to see with the VIN number) it will show either code 580 or 586
if it has factory air. Without those codes it will be a dealer add-on.
PM me your VIN number and I'll send you the build sheet.

 

[MichaelMB]

It can be hard to tell.
I assume you are talking about the W201/190 you have in your profile.
If you have a copy of the original build sheet (easy to see with the VIN number) it will show either code 580 or 586
if it has factory air. Without those codes it will be a dealer add-on.
PM me your VIN number and I'll send you the build sheet.

Many thanks. As yet I am an aspiring owner doing research. To my huge surprise, it looks like my best bet (auto, Behr aircon, no sunroof, little rust) is going to be a Japanese import...but that is incredibly useful info for a buyer

 

[BTB 500]

Is aftermarket aircon common? I thought getting this fitted was normally prohibitively expensive

 

[slade1]

After market aircon use to be around 1000-1500£ may be more.

 

[aybracers]

I had a bill of over £2000 for fitting "Mecedes Approved air conditioning" more than 30 years ago from my
Mercedes dealer on a 190E-2.5-16V and it was never as good as my previous 190E 2.3-16V which had the
spec you are seeking of Factory air but no sunroof.
According to my old copy of Mercedes price list of August 1991 Air Conditioning on any 190E cost £2270.21.
The Electric sunroof was standard only on the 2.6 and 2-3/2.5-16V models but you could deduct sunroof and
pay less for the Air Conditioning.

When looking for a 190E, watch out for the tops of the door cards flaring out of shape. I found it very difficult to repair
them and there are no replacements available (Or there wasn't Pre Pandemic the last time I had a 190E)

 

[MichaelMB]

I had a bill of over £2000 for fitting "Mecedes Approved air conditioning" more than 30 years ago from my
Mercedes dealer on a 190E-2.5-16V and it was never as good as my previous 190E 2.3-16V which had the
spec you are seeking of Factory air but no sunroof.
According to my old copy of Mercedes price list of August 1991 Air Conditioning on any 190E cost £2270.21.
The Electric sunroof was standard only on the 2.6 and 2-3/2.5-16V models but you could deduct sunroof and
pay less for the Air Conditioning.

When looking for a 190E, watch out for the tops of the door cards flaring out of shape. I found it very difficult to repair
them and there are no replacements available (Or there wasn't Pre Pandemic the last time I had a 190E)

Many thanks. Yes from research and answers I have discovered that the factory fit aircon (Behr) is excellent and was probably what was always fitted for non European markets such as Japan and Qatar. In these cases sunroofs were not often fitted, but at times were. But in UK not many had it fitted at the factory, the dealers almost always fitted it to cars in stock using an after market kit made by Diavia (Italian?). Parts can be obtained for Behr apparently, but are hard to find for Diavia. Also the blower (and fan?) box is a fairly easy and quick job with the Behr aircon but is a bloody awful job (8 hours?) with the Diavia option.

 

[MichaelMB]

Is aftermarket aircon common? I thought getting this fitted was normally prohibitively expensive

No, its not common other than from hotter countries such as Japan and Middle East

 

[MichaelMB]

It can be hard to tell.
I assume you are talking about the W201/190 you have in your profile.
If you have a copy of the original build sheet (easy to see with the VIN number) it will show either code 580 or 586
if it has factory air. Without those codes it will be a dealer add-on.
PM me your VIN number and I'll send you the build sheet.

I look forward to owning one, not there yet!

 

[MichaelMB]

After market aircon use to be around 1000-1500£ may be more.

Yes, I think it was more than an 8 hour job for the dealer to fit Diavia air con, from what I have heard

 

[Petrol Pete]

I had a bill of over £2000 for fitting "Mecedes Approved air conditioning" more than 30 years ago from my
Mercedes dealer on a 190E-2.5-16V and it was never as good as my previous 190E 2.3-16V which had the
spec you are seeking of Factory air but no sunroof.
According to my old copy of Mercedes price list of August 1991 Air Conditioning on any 190E cost £2270.21.
The Electric sunroof was standard only on the 2.6 and 2-3/2.5-16V models but you could deduct sunroof and
pay less for the Air Conditioning.

When looking for a 190E, watch out for the tops of the door cards flaring out of shape. I found it very difficult to repair
them and there are no replacements available (Or there wasn't Pre Pandemic the last time I had a 190E)

Same as when I ordered a Vauxhaull Vectra as a company car years ago ( P reg if I recall) , can't quite remember the detail but a 1.8 estate had no sunroof , no pockets in the back of the front seats ( I think ) , manual rear passenger window winders and crappy hubcaps compared to the 1.6 that had them all ....except from the aircon.

Of course I ordered the 1.8 , 'no brainer' as some say.

First ever car with aircon