Does anyone here have experience with this feature? It looks like several different brands offer it. Long road trips in the Texas sun lead to a sweaty back, and I would assume trying to rig it up after market is a challenge? Any feedback on efficacy or cost/benefit is appreciated.

i don't know if it's worth the pain to rig this up aftermarket. i suppose you could redneck something if your car/truck also has air vents routed to the back seat or under the front seats...but again may be more trouble than it's worth.

they are nice to have though, if you have a car with them. keeps just enough cool breeze on the buns and lower back to keep pudgy kids like me from sweating in leather seats.

My limited experience with it made me feel like I had peed in my pants

It's like a magic Gold Bond button

I have experienced it in many Lexus, Infiniti and Ford products.

They're nice but not a 'must have'.

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My limited experience with it made me feel like I had peed in my pants

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+1

Folks' Cadillac has it. I can't stand it. Maybe if I were in 100 degree weather with 100% humidity, I might feel differently, but I've found it uncomfortable every time I tried.

My wife considers it a must have. It was a key feature we shopped for when we bought our 2007 Infiniti M35. I'll agree that is really nice in the summer. Getting home on a long drive without a sweaty back is really cool (pun intended).

Aftermarket? I don't see that it is worthwhile. You need perforated upholstery.

For leather I bet it does help a little....

One thing I have always wondered is would it be better to get ventilated leather seats or cloth? One of the reasons I have always liked cloth is it does not get as hot in the summer months.

Heated seats are pretty fantastic. I'd look for cooled ones if I ever got leather. Huge upholstery fan thanks to the Texas sun though.

My current and previous autos have/had heated and ventilated seats. Love 'em. Didn't think I would care until I had them. Was a requirement when I was looking for the current vehicle.

Current vehicle is a convertible, so that makes me enjoy the heat/cool that much more.

There's also a very noticeable difference between cooled and ventilated seats. The air coming through ventilated seats is directly dependent on the air temperature in the car. If you get inside a 100* car the air is going to be 100* until the overall tempetature cools.

Cooled seats have the cooling element in them in addition to the fans so they cool much faster.

[This message has been edited by TitanAGGIE09 (edited 4/15/2013 1:01p).]

Rio Grande Valley. F-250. A/C seats.

Hell ya.

I consider it a requirement. When I get in my vehicle in the summer, the cooled seats turn on as soon as the vehicle is started. I usually put the cooler on the lowest setting once the seat has cooled down. In GM vehicles, if you're talking on the phone through the hands-free system, the A/C fan barely runs. It's nice to have the seat coolers keeping you cool while the A/C fan is not keeping up with the heat inside the car.

If you've owned a car with them during the Texas' summer they will be a must have after that.

A word of warning if you consider these seats-

DEEP SEAT FARTS WILL HAUNT YOU!!!

My wife used my truck and later said 'something died in your seat a/c unit.'

I don't know how you would add something like that aftermarket, unless the vehicle in question had it as an option and you got a lower-option model.

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They're nice but not a 'must have'.

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GTFO

Off topic, I have a set of unused seat heaters I'll offer for sale to the auto board.

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It's like a magic Gold Bond button

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I love 'em. Must have for my new FX4

My parents Lexi have them and I'm envious... my older BMW just has heated seats and I wish I had cooled seats too. I use the seat heaters all the time up here in KS.

I have. I like. I recommend.

Have it in the wife's optima. ****ing.awesome

Thanks for all the feedback! I will be test driving a few sedans with this feature: Hyundai genesis, Lexus es, Lincoln mks. The downside is if you drive it and can't live without it (xenons), it limits your choices.

I have limited experience with them but I was not a fan.

I've driven or rode in an Optima and Avalon with them and the first thing I noticed was that the seats were hard and uncomfortable. I'm not sure if that's a function of the seats/cars or if its attributed to the extra duct work in the seats.

Also, while the seats do cool they have a weird wet feeling to them that makes me feel like I'm sitting in a cold puddle of water.

Obviously there are a lot of people that like them but in my limited experience I haven't really liked them and wouldn't want them.

I love them. As others have said, when I remote start my truck they turn as as well, as long as the exterior is above 75 or something like that. I'll usually turn them down to the lowest setting after that, never had the pee in my pants feeling, though I thought I would. All that being said, I don't know how much of a hastle it would be to rig them up in a car or if I'd do it. But any car I buy in the future will have it.

Yeah seat cooling/heating is great.

I dont live somewhere where its hot and I primarily drive S-Classes at work, but yeah .. seat cooling is great.

Had them once. Loved them. Wife agreed with Chick and hated them for that reason.