Yes or No- Air Conditioner in car

thesolelifethesolelife 369 Posts
edited March 2008 in Strut Central
For many many years, I ride with people who don't use their air conditioner in their cars. One of the reasons is that "the AC uses up my gas." or

  Comments




  • At least in my car, I can feel a small strain on the engine when I push the button.

  • Yes, but only if the heat is really unbearable. Windows down is the move.

  • Yes, mine too...so does that equate to using "excess" gas? or battery power? or something else?

  • DJBombjackDJBombjack Miami 1,665 Posts
    Most A/C units will rob at least 10bhp from your motor.

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    My air conditioning is the little side window.

    My Beetle

  • Tuff_GongTuff_Gong 627 Posts
    I prefer going with the windows down when I can. If it's oppressively hot and nasty out I'm gonna use AC. AC does use more gas, but unless your friends drive around with their windows up when not using AC then they're not saving any money. If you drive around with windows down it causes drag which lowers fuel efficiency.

  • Controller_7Controller_7 4,052 Posts
    they tested this on Mythbusters, in terms of gas milage related to AC. It basically broke down like this:

    -under like 50 miles or so, it's better to roll the windows down.
    -over 50 miles and the windows actually create drag on the car, causing worse gas milage than if you were to use the AC.

    I might be off on the exact speed it changes at, but you can probably find tests online.

  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    My compressor was completely broken, so I just took the belt off. Now I get slightly better gas mileage.

  • djJazzOnedjJazzOne 302 Posts
    Those Mythbusters guys seem a little men on film. Just saying.

  • Those Mythbusters guys seem a little men on film. Just saying.


    yes. I parked one of these dudes cars one time when helped my buddy w/ his valet business (not the warus dude) and of course he was driving a prius (hi o-dub!). He had all kinds of microscopes and science gear in the back. I thought he was flame-o but he was there with his kid. One of the other valet guys told me they came there semi-often and the other guy (walrus dude) sometimes brought his boyfriend. They are lousy tippers, though the first guy walked about a block and a half to go to the ATM (past about 3 parking spots) to get money for the valet




    At least in my car, I can feel a small strain on the engine when I push the button.


    Yes, but only if the heat is really unbearable. Windows down is the move.

  • reskresk 391 Posts
    AC on all day man, even if the sunroof is open..........i live in miami, the heat here is not to be messed with, even our winters are warm

    dual climate control in the whip

  • akoako https://soundcloud.com/a-ko 3,413 Posts
    i still have the compressor, but the AC system is totally fucked.

    i never really used it in my passat anyway, unless i was on a long road trip or something...

    IMG src=http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v193/227/109/501292729/n501292729_417898_8574.jpg>

  • Strider79itStrider79it 1,176 Posts

    I hate air conditioner, especially when outside is too- darn-hot ....

    goin out on the street( 32??) from a taxi (-3??) is something REALLY irritating and unheathy

  • pacmanpacman 1,113 Posts
    AC is a must in Arid-Zona.

  • DjArcadianDjArcadian 3,630 Posts
    For many many years, I ride with people who don't use their air conditioner in their cars. One of the reasons is that "the AC uses up my gas."

    or

    Yes, running AC in a car puts more load on the engine and thus uses more gas. I only use AC in a car when it's unbearably hot outside.

  • DjArcadianDjArcadian 3,630 Posts
    My air conditioning is the little side window.

    My Beetle




  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Where's that "air conditioning - yes or no" thread we had last summer? Now that had some interesting thoughts on the subject...

    ****

    While I agree that AC anywhere is a necessary evil on a stinking hot 100-degree day, I love the feeling of being in a car with the windows down when it's only moderately hot. Makes me feel like I'm in the movie American Graffitti and I'm cruising the drag or something.

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts

    I hate air conditioner, especially when outside is too- darn-hot ....

    when it's too darn hot outside, thats when you need AC the most

    i aint gonh be like those elderly people who keel over and die during the big heatwave of the year, hell no. AC has been invented; i aint gonna ignore it

    next thing you know were gonna get a post that reads like:

    I hate heat, especially when outside is too- darn-cold ....

    logic is a hell of a thing
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