Dash layout

[foxy1305]

I know I shouldnt get too hung up on an individual cars spec as if I do I may never get hold of one. But it would be good to know what 'extras' were loaded onto a particular model before I start haggling!. Its easy to spot leather seats rear 'diffuser' etc., what is more difficult is aircon, heated seatsetc. There is confusion from some owners sating the car has electric passengers seats when they mean both. I have noticed that the knobs on the dash (oval model) are quite well spread out and it would be good if someone could point me in the direction of which does what (if you know what I mean) Also the switches below the radio seem to vary, are these seat heaters, air con?
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[Alpine]

I think you are right, condition and recent maintenance are much more important than spec !

I think the buttons below the radio are (from memory, oval dash)

a blank
to change electric mirror control to passenger or driver door mirror
rear wiper
elctric sunroof open and close
a wheel to control headlamp level

 

[zcacogp]

Foxy,

The usual (and by far the best) advice is to buy the best car you can find. Don't get hung up on extras, colour or interior spec. A car with electric-everything, air con and is in baltic blue (best colour) is a bad choice if it has rotten sills and a duff clutch.

BUT

All (I think) oval-dash cars have two electric seats. Sometimes they have 'four-way' seats, which means they move back and forwards and the back tilts with electric assistance as well (on 'normal' seats this is done manually.) The switches below the radio vary with time, with what was fitted at the factory and with what has been added later. Generally these include rear wiper (if not removed), sunroof (if fitted - most had them), headlight levelling (if fitted), alarm ultrasonic cut-out (if fitted) and a switch to adjust the passenger or drivers' wing mirror.

Sports seats are better than the standard ones, but they wear more along the bolsters.

Beware of owners who don't know what options their car has (although you can look up the options list - printed on the ID sticker in the back of the car, and there are websites around which will 'decode' these as they appear in code form). Having said that, some cars have bits added later in life, which won't show on the factory options codes (mine has sports seats which I fitted, for instance.)


Oli.

 

[hotblack944]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp
All (I think) oval-dash cars have two electric seats.

My oval dash Lux had an electric driver seat but manual passenger seat (admittedly much to my surprise when I removed it!) which to the best of my knowledge were the originals.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: hotblack944
My oval dash Lux had an electric driver seat but manual passenger seat (admittedly much to my surprise when I removed it!) which to the best of my knowledge were the originals.

Interesting ... I stand corrected.

(I'm sure that Simon will be along with the definitive answer any moment now. This is the sort of detailed geekery he is good at!)


Oli.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I think the buttons below the radio are (from memory, oval dash)

a blank
to change electric mirror control to passenger or driver door mirror
rear wiper
elctric sunroof open and close
a wheel to control headlamp level

In my old Lux they were, IIRC:

immobiliser key
door locking
mirror l/r adjust
sunroof
speaker fader

In my S2 they are:

different immobiliser key
door locking
mirrors
sunroof
headlamp level.

Air con is rare on non-turbos and very rarely works properly. Don't be fooled by people offering "climate control" with the temperature settings on S2s. It is purely an automatic temperature control, and can't cool the car even if it's set to a lower temp. Also, don't be fooled by the re-circulating button, I've known people be conned into thinking this was air con. [&o]

Has anyone got a pick of the dash layout? Time for me to scan the handbook maybe.

 

[cococola]

My Lux also had electric drivers seat and a manual passenger seat

 

[MRGT]

In my 'S' they are:

Immobilisor key light
door locking
electric mirror adjust
rear wiper
sunroof

Originally only the drivers seat was electric.

Howard

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: cococola

My Lux also had electric drivers seat and a manual passenger seat

My 1986 oval dash had both seats electric but the seats were the sports models which I believe were an optional extra ? maybe that is the reason why the non -sport passenger seat was manual ?

My S2 had aircon as an optional extra. You could also spec split rear seats and various other things like leather seats and sport seats etc

I have to say I wouldn't consider a pre 1986 non oval dash model . I dislike the centre console/ dash layout and I believe that most did not have power steering either ?

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Early cars had power steering as an option from the start, from MY94 (Aug 83 on) it was standard. Most cars had it, except mine!
The switches in the early cars are easy to use right under the fingers, -IF you have a good memory, as they face forward and you cant see them!
Mike

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Going back to the OP the later cars have the better interior by far and more space under the steering wheel but I wouldn't be put off by the dash and buy on condition.
Mike

 

[Bob]

You can lift up the centre console and move the buttons around to your taste.

I made the rear wiper button the first on the right as I was fed up opening the sunroof by mistake in the dark

 

[pauljmcnulty]

You can lift up the centre console and move the buttons around to your taste.

I made the rear wiper button the first on the right as I was fed up opening the sunroof by mistake in the dark

That has to go down as the most simple, yet useful, idea I'd never thought of! [8|]

 

[trev260764]

http://www.944-world.com/dash.html

This may be useful. Although it doesn't show the switches behind the gear-lever...

 

[pauljmcnulty]

ORIGINAL: trev260764

http://www.944-world.com/dash.html

This may be useful. Although it doesn't show the switches behind the gear-lever...

That's lifted from the owner's manual, possibly the hardest thing to read in history....and my eyes aren't bad! [&o]

There was a really good close-up of the air-con switch here once, I think it was from Paul Smith. No doubt it will resurface, couldn't find it on the search.

 

[Hilux]

Even the electric seats had options: 8 way and 12 way but I believe that was promoted from 19881/2

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: Hilux

Even the electric seats had options: 8 way and 12 way but I believe that was promoted from 19881/2

928 seats were 12 way as standard . Maybe the 928 seat was an option as they are all pretty much interchangable

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

ORIGINAL: hotblack944
My oval dash Lux had an electric driver seat but manual passenger seat (admittedly much to my surprise when I removed it!) which to the best of my knowledge were the originals.

Interesting ... I stand corrected.

(I'm sure that Simon will be along with the definitive answer any moment now. This is the sort of detailed geekery he is good at!)


Oli.

Later cars had electric passenger seats, 1986 and 1987 cars had manual seats unless you paid for the option. prefer to regard it as the benefit of my extensive experience (and having been there at the time), as opposed to 'geekery'...

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: A9XXC

Early cars had power steering as an option from the start, from MY94 (Aug 83 on) it was standard. Most cars had it, except mine!
The switches in the early cars are easy to use right under the fingers, -IF you have a good memory, as they face forward and you cant see them!
Mike

Power steering was only standard on the 1985 model, before that it was an option.[]

 

[zcacogp]

How can you have 12-way electric seats?

Backrest forward and backwards (2-way)
Front height adjust (2-way)
Rear height adjust (2-way)
Slide forwards and backwards (2-way)

This is all the adjustment on a 928 seat, and it only comes to 8-ways. Where's the other 4?

ORIGINAL: 944 man
prefer to regard it as the benefit of my extensive experience (and having been there at the time), as opposed to 'geekery'...

'Tis a compliment, Simon - 'tis high praise ...


Oli.