Does keeping the AC on use lots of gas?

[bubbasmith99]

I've heard different things. On the one hand I hear that putting the window down uses MORE gas since it increases the drag/friction on your car.

Then on the other hand I hear that with the AC on your chewing up your gas at an increased rate.

Can any ricers help me out with this? Thanks

 

[Quixfire]

I didn't think ricers used A/C, I thought they needed the extra horsepower?

Truthfully most modern cars only lose about 2-3 mpg when the a/c is in use. If you keep it on reticulate it may only drop 1-2 mpg.

My Escort GT gets 32-33 with the A/C on and 33-34 with it off.

 

[0roo0roo]

few mpg isn't much

 

[Doggiedog]

You do lose alot of power though. You can definitely feel it.

 

[Scarpozzi]

It's an insignificant load on the engine unless you're towing something or going up a hill in intense heat. If you watch your tachometer, you may see it bump up to compensate for running the A/C, but as I said, it isn't much.

 

[DougK62]

If you are in the city in stop and go traffic then rolling the windows down is more efficient.

If you are on the highway then using the A/C is more efficient.

This is the general rule.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

you're in texas and complaining about COLD?

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

you're in texas and complaining about COLD?

You're in Canada and don't realize your air filters down here?

 

[BillGates]

Stay cool, gas is cheap. Don't worry aboot it.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: DougK62
If you are in the city in stop and go traffic then rolling the windows down is more efficient.

If you are on the highway then using the A/C is more efficient.

This is the general rule.

Unless you live in AZ.
AC is always more effective here.

 

[Slickone]

At low speeds, AC uses more gas than having windows down. Above a certain speed, AC uses less than windows down.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Slickone
At low speeds, AC uses more gas than having windows down. Above a certain speed, AC uses less than windows down.

yup... of course you could just set it on vent

 

[dawks]

Some nut job did some tests, and found that any speed above 52km/h (like 30mph), its more effecient to use your A/C then it is to drive with your windows open.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

you're in texas and complaining about COLD?

You're in Canada and don't realize your air filters down here?

For real. I'm from the Caribbean. Cold enough to freeze water is too cold for me. Hot enough to cook eggs is too hot for me.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Slickone
At low speeds, AC uses more gas than having windows down. Above a certain speed, AC uses less than windows down.

yup... of course you could just set it on vent

I hope you don't use vent in Texas.

 

[vegetation]

I easily 3-4 mpg more with the ac off, windows rolled down, at 65 steady. Even so, it's too hot and I like quiet so I eat the mileage by leaving the ac on.

 

[mee987]

if its just a 5-10 min drive i put the windows down since my AC takes a couple of minutes to get cool anyway. and it definitely cools me down when im going 60mph+, regardless of how hot it is.

 

[focusyn]

a friend told me that for most cars, if you are going below 45mph it's better to just pull the windows down. if you're going faster than that you save more gas by putting on the AC. i'm not sure how true that is, but it seems like a good estimate.

 

[wfbberzerker]

isnt a/c one of the biggest contributors to increased CO2 in the atmosphere, i.e. global warming?

 

[Syringer]

I rarely ever drive with the windows up, whether its cold, or if I'm on the freeway. It's just makes driving so much more fun

 

[Quixfire]

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
isnt a/c one of the biggest contributors to increased CO2 in the atmosphere, i.e. global warming?

Nope, that was just a big lie to ban all CFCs.

 

[silent tone]

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
isnt a/c one of the biggest contributors to increased CO2 in the atmosphere, i.e. global warming?

I don't believe CO2 forms with the breakdown of CFCs. What does happen is the Chlorine atom splits off in the upper atmosphere and breaks up ozone (O3) molecules, supposedly thousands per atom.

 

[dullard]

At city speeds, the AC increases gas use by about 10-12% while opening the windows increases gas use by 2-3%.

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

<--- Sunny Los Angeles, CA.

Forecast this week: 75 / 75 / 78 / 81 / 79

Yep, open windows.