[Murugan]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Or find one who is hard of hearing.

Very Funny ! Many Thanks!! I thought the RTO rules do not permit people who are hard of hearing to drive vehicles in India. Please enlighten me if I am wrong.

[Mpower]

Well Murugan, I have been in a similar situation (lack of privacy) and immediately switch to speaking English with family members so that the driver cannot understand me.

RTO only checks vision, not hearing..unless things have changed. Think about it..if you are blasting music at full volume you are not going to hear a thing from outside like the siren from an ambulance (something that needs to be heard)

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by khanak

DC had done an Innova with a partition. He ripped out the last two rows of seats and put in two giant recliners.

Some pictures are here. Also those of modified TATA Winger and Tempo Traveller.

DC DESIGN

Designer Cars by Dilip Chhabria | Car Makeover India | Modified Cars | Indian Remodel Car Interior - Infibeam.com

[getsurya]

hi,

I was thinking from some time now, to install a good roller blind behind the driver and co-passenger seat in my Scorpio. Most of the times, the car has only me as the occupant and I felt that if somehow I can restrict the A/C from cooling the entire cabin during these solo or 2 occupant rides, it would be great.

The purpose of this is to have A/C cool the front two seats quicker(now that the summer is here) and probably will have less load on the A/C compressor due to the early thermostat kick in/off (compared to cool the entire car's cabin).

Some concerns which I can think are listed below, Can I request your inputs/feedback if the above is a true state assumption before I proceed further.

1. Rear view mirror visibility( can use perforated blinds and also have camera and sensors in the ride for reversing)
2. Measure of increase of A/C efficiency(probably the mileage should increase?)
3. The rolling and bumps of the car moving on the road should not damage the blinds

Would greatly appreciate your thoughts!

[GTO]

Hi Getsurya,

I've moved your thread to an existing discussion on a similar topic.

Sorry, but I don't think a roller blind is a good idea. For one, it's length will have to run from the floor to the roof, as you have bucket seats in the front. Second, the end result will be very ugly and may hamper rearward visibility.

Why not get high quality sunfilm instead?

[getsurya]

hi GTO,

Thanks for merging the thread. Sorry did not realize that a similiar topic existed.

I already have good quality film in the car, however was only looking at an partition kind of stuff which can be removed with ease when full family is in the car.

I see your point and will bear that in mind, if I want to move forward with this thought

[ACM]

A full length roller blind would also hit the rear leg room and scorpio to start off itself does not have too much by way of leg room in the middle row. Plus it would be a delicate mechanism that could be prone to easy damage by people sitting in the middle row.

Only way out if you do not want to put darker sun film.

Put up a fixed partion going upto almost the 60% of the height of from the roof to the floor. This obviously would mean restricting the extent to which the font seats slide back as well as angle backward, as if you pull them totally to the rear then there would be very little space left for the middle row and a fixed partion does mean that this space is not going to be movable. (kida like the DC lounge bit in the Innova).

Next put up either a motorized or a manual blind from the roof till the top of the fixed partition. (Or put up a sliding glass window)

Frankly don't recommend these steps as the usability of the car would be hit and it would be better to get the AC serviced well and to use darker blinds.

Yes what can be done is that these same steps can be implemented behind the middle row if the last row seats are really not of much use. Thus you do save of some of the AC air but don't spoil your middle row totally.

[bblost]

My thoughts.
It does not need to be airtight.
It need not be right behind the front seats.


Using the clasps that come above the rear passenger windows put a cloth curtain. Thick cloth curtain. See if its usefull. If it is atleast a little better, then try and do a more permanent solution.

[ariesonu]

Originally Posted by getsurya

hi GTO,

Thanks for merging the thread. Sorry did not realize that a similiar topic existed.
I already have good quality film in the car, however was only looking at an partition kind of stuff which can be removed with ease when full family is in the car.
I see your point and will bear that in mind, if I want to move forward with this thought

@getsurya: Your luck have it or what but just this monday, while on my way back from Magdalla, I noticed a stranded GJ no. scorpio with family standing on the pavement. The car had a flat but they did not have jack to do the change. During help I noticed that the owner had installed a thick clear transparent sheet running right from roof to the floor just behind the rear seat thus minimising the area for cooling. The owner told me that such installs are quite in fashion this summer in Surat area. Most such vehicles like Tavera, Innova, Scorpio, Sumo etc which do not use the third row seats have installed such measures. I noticed tack buttons on the roof (they must have removed the roof to do that) & thick elastic bands (about 2" in width) to secure the thing on sides & on floor.
Being little dark & luggage loaded in the space I could have full setup view or could take a pic.
As other BHpian's have pointed out, fitting such thing just behind first row is NOT a good idea.

Raab Rakha.

[smsrini]

Originally Posted by getsurya

hi,

I was thinking from some time now, to install a good roller blind behind the driver and co-passenger seat in my Scorpio. Most of the times, the car has only me as the occupant and I felt that if somehow I can restrict the A/C from cooling the entire cabin during these solo or 2 occupant rides, it would be great.

The purpose of this is to have A/C cool the front two seats quicker(now that the summer is here) and probably will have less load on the A/C compressor due to the early thermostat kick in/off (compared to cool the entire car's cabin).

Some concerns which I can think are listed below, Can I request your inputs/feedback if the above is a true state assumption before I proceed further.

1. Rear view mirror visibility( can use perforated blinds and also have camera and sensors in the ride for reversing)
2. Measure of increase of A/C efficiency(probably the mileage should increase?)
3. The rolling and bumps of the car moving on the road should not damage the blinds

Would greatly appreciate your thoughts!

If budget is not a constraint, then think of a motorized glass partition..like what is there in limousine.. check with dc-design and the likes..

Else ask a seat cover / jeep hood guy to fabricate one with rexine / art leather and polycarbonate glass or a transparent plastic. can be fixed to the hood with clips, and can be rolled up when not needed..

[getsurya]

hi BBlost, Ariesonu & smsrini,

Thanks for your responses. Looks like I am getting good options!

[mobike008]

Srikanth, what a crazy thought

Roller blinds are a dangerous option and will certainly impair your visbility and also create claustrophic feeling in the cabin. If your main purpose is to cool the cabin faster then simplest solution is to stick those black pads that is available on street corners over and above your sunfilm. That can help in cooling the cabin faster. Therefore, less load on compressor.

Another option is get it fixed by DC as I know budget is not a constraint at all

P.S: 3 more weeks of summer to go. Start early and leave late from work. This option will make sure there is Rs.0 outflow from your pocket.

[maglev]

Originally Posted by ariesonu

@getsurya: Your luck have it or what but just this monday, while on my way back from Magdalla, I noticed a stranded GJ no. scorpio with family standing on the pavement. The car had a flat but they did not have jack to do the change. During help I noticed that the owner had installed a thick clear transparent sheet running right from roof to the floor just behind the rear seat thus minimising the area for cooling. The owner told me that such installs are quite in fashion this summer in Surat area. Most such vehicles like Tavera, Innova, Scorpio, Sumo etc which do not use the third row seats have installed such measures. I noticed tack buttons on the roof (they must have removed the roof to do that) & thick elastic bands (about 2" in width) to secure the thing on sides & on floor.
Being little dark & luggage loaded in the space I could have full setup view or could take a pic.
As other BHpian's have pointed out, fitting such thing just behind first row is NOT a good idea.

Raab Rakha.

Have seen the exact same thing in many taxi's (Maruti Eeco, Sumo, Tavera, Innova) in Delhi.

I had asked a taxi operator about it once sometime during last summer, he told me that he had installed a transparent plastic dining table cover made for a square dining table. He was very proud of the fact that the dining table idea was given by his wife.

It should not cost more than 150-200 for the transparent sheet and another 150-200 for installation.

But that would depend on the type of installation, i.e. whether you go in for push type buttons or 2 screws on either end with a spring in between to hold the sheet as a curtain.

The screw and spring setup is commonly scene in government vehicles with white embroidered curtains.

Hope it helps.



PS: I'll try to get pics and contrary to popular belief such a setup does not interfere with visibility or cause claustrophobia as the sheet is transparent and in any case you'll be facing forward and not the other way around.

[getsurya]

P.S: 3 more weeks of summer to go. Start early and leave late from work. This option will make sure there is Rs.0 outflow from your pocket.

Avi, this has been the best option given to me so far

maglev, I will not be wanting to do that transparent sheet stuff as that can spoil the looks of my car inside sorry but thank you!