At 05:03 PM 1/29/2002, Dave M wrote:
>I sympathise.
>Its impossible to figure out the ventilation controls without an owners
>manual.
>Tell me this isn't one of the most stupid designs ever conceived.

I disagree with the choices they made -- but the choices were clear.  They
built the controls so that you get maximum defrost by putting all the
levers to the right.  Once they decided that, the operation was pretty much
fixed in stone.  So no, I don't think it is a stupid design.  Crude,
perhaps.  Misguided, perhaps.  But it fully accomplishes what they set out
to do.  I might add that I didn't even find it all *that* hard to figure
out how to operate the thing without the manual.  Took a few minutes of
playing with the levers and watching what happened to be sure of it.  It
may have helped that long ago I owned a Saab with independent controls for
top and bottom air...

>The same goes with the rear heater lever, who can ever remember whether up
>or down is on
>or off.

If it helps, forward is on, aft is off.

--
David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"