Do you use aircon other than in hot summers?

[Droverunner]

Aircon/climate always on... 20-22deg for me usually.

 

[mioba]

Always on.

 

[Manc Rick]

Well I’ve learned something. It seems it’s a case of use it or lose it, even when it’s not needed. I have never given it much thought until recently.

I think my habit started when I used to drive a car with a smaller engine that used to lose power when the aircon was on; you could feel the car pull back the second the aircon went on (was the Mrs’ old Toyota Aygo).

Plus people used to say the aircon used more fuel (I don’t think that applies and if it did, I imagine it would be unnoticeable).

My screen is rarely misted over so I thought it was pointless to have it on all the time. I stand corrected and will in future leave it on auto

 

[dry run]

Always ON and set at 22.

 

[Phillip Butler]

Always on for me. Cool car in summer (well it's a cool car anyway) and dehumidified air in winter. Humid air is not as comfortable and steams the windows up.

 

[rorywquin]

I’m a big fan (not…) of those drivers who whack the heating temp to max when they get in in the winter - I’m guessing they think it will heat the car faster…

They then turn it to full cold once the car gets too hot for them… just set the temp you want and leave it alone FFS…

Cooker & oven - wife always turns it to max so that it will get to the right temperature quicker.......


More annoying is the lot that idle their car for 20 minutes in winter before driving off.......We have a bedroom window open summer & winter and there is nothing more annoying than the tin can rattle of a frozen diesel engine at 5am in winter .......

 

[Rob7seven]

I'm another always on, I've never switched it off. Set at 20 or 21 most of the time, cooler in really warm weather. I know people who think that it's a hot weather only thing, but of course it isn't, and I don't think modern systems have any significant effect on fuel consumption, which is something that non-users mostly insist that it does.

My conversion happened around 1990, I was ordering my fifth new Golf GTi, and all through the same salesman at the same dealer, he was a good guy and I believed what he told me. VW were offering AC with a sunroof, or full climate control for a few hundred more. Dealer friend strongly advised taking the CC option, told me I'd never regret it, and he was right. I've specced full CC on every car since then, though these days most would expect it as a standard item, which it always is on a Mercedes.

 

[Srdl]

Always on - stops the windows misting up on cold days

 

[JBell]

Always on, 18 in Summer, 19 now

 

[brandwooddixon]

I'm in the leave it on camp.
The pump will be declutched when accelerating and with a big engine there's quicker ways of burning fuel than using the air conditioning.
With lubricant in the gas, it really needs to circulate a good while to keep the seals in good condition, a quick on quick off wont do anything.
I can understand how in a small engined car you may not wish to keep it on, but hey ho.

 

[Wighty]

It looks like nobody is in the leave it off camp

 

[joderest]

agree with above, leave it on, cant do any harm
Oh and a Toyota Aygo does lose a bit of power when you turn on the aircon, but hey, its a 998 cc three cylinder engine, so i think its entitled to do so (good little car though)

 

[Blobcat]

agree with above, leave it on, cant do any harm
Oh and a Toyota Aygo does lose a bit of power when you turn on the aircon, but hey, its a 998 cc three cylinder engine, so i think its entitled to do so (good little car though)

I never turn it off in my 799cc of raw diesel power smart

 

[Nigel Hewitt]

<shrug> The climate stuff is always on. Currently keeping me warm.

 

[Manc Rick]

I have today left it on

Not that it bothers me much, but a quick google seems to indicate that fuel consumption can be increased by upto 10%, particularly at lower speeds. Most sites seem to be quoting an 8-10% increase, which does surprise me as I expected 1-2%.

How Much Fuel Does Air Conditioning Use?

www.kwik-fit.com

Just to reiterate, I use premium diesel and would much rather have a fully functional car than save a few pence on fuel - it’s just an observation. ?

 

[SmartAmg]

I have today left it on

You Devil you.
Seriously though,
Good move.

 

[Woodleigh]

Yep, all year round

 

[Rob7seven]

I have today left it on

Not that it bothers me much, but a quick google seems to indicate that fuel consumption can be increased by upto 10%, particularly at lower speeds. Most sites seem to be quoting an 8-10% increase, which does surprise me as I expected 1-2%.

How Much Fuel Does Air Conditioning Use?

www.kwik-fit.com

Just to reiterate, I use premium diesel and would much rather have a fully functional car than save a few pence on fuel - it’s just an observation. ?

I can't believe that 8 to 10% figure, it may have been true when aircon first appeared years ago, but modern systems are far more efficient than that, just ask any Mercedes, or probably any other, car dealer, I'm sure that 1 to 2% is nearer the truth, and even then, only when it's working hard.

Many years ago, I had a friend with a Citroën SM, a big fast car in it's day, Maserati engine. We were on the M3 on a hot day. A huge windscreen and we were driving into the sun, the interior was baking, so he switched on the aircon, and it felt like he'd hit the brakes, so early AC systems back then really sucked the power, he told me he rarely switched it on for that very reason. Long time ago though, probably around 1980, or maybe a few years earlier.

 

[00slk]

Always on but unfortunately in the 55 the air con switch is broken, change the switch, worked for awhile then stopped again. Scanner said AC switch, but which switch
Modern cars use next to no extra fuel.
My 1970 Pontiac Catalina used quite a bit more fuel with the air con running, as did my 78 450 SE.

 

[Blobcat]

I have today left it on

Not that it bothers me much, but a quick google seems to indicate that fuel consumption can be increased by upto 10%, particularly at lower speeds. Most sites seem to be quoting an 8-10% increase, which does surprise me as I expected 1-2%.

Don’t believe everything you read online… apart from this forum natch…