How the hell can manufacturers sell a car without A/C? **Update** The real answer makes itself known ;)

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thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
i love A/C. i have wet dreams about it. 85 on the freeway is just WAY too noisy with the windows open, plus you get better mileage with A/C, plus you can hear the stereo, plus the "vent" on my accord blows warmer than the outside air, so you need it more often than you'd think.
 

EmperorIQ

Platinum Member
Sep 30, 2003
2,003
0
0
i live in LA and i personally dont like using AC. I prefer having all windows down with the air blowing in my face. However, i'd stil get AC cause my passengers always complain. :|
 

thedarkwolf

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
9,037
132
106
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: glugglug
I agree AC should be standard (hell I thought it was too!).

Power windows I would rather NOT have though. They are one of the most frequent things to break/wear down, and I don't want to be unable to open the window because the stupid window motor ran out of lubricant or whatever.

So you wouldn't mind having roll-up windows in your Mercedes or BMW?


Parents had a mercedes and the a/c worked 1/3 of the 10 years we had it and we never once had all four power windows working. Most of the time we were happy when just one was working so yes god yes I wish that mercedes had had manual windows. It was a 77 model though so they might be a little better by now ;).

You should get a/c if for nothing else resale. It took me 6 months to sell my old 93 nissan without a/c. The first question people asked when they called was does it have a/c and when I said no that was usually the end of the phone call.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
48
91
Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: glugglug
I agree AC should be standard (hell I thought it was too!).

Power windows I would rather NOT have though. They are one of the most frequent things to break/wear down, and I don't want to be unable to open the window because the stupid window motor ran out of lubricant or whatever.

So you wouldn't mind having roll-up windows in your Mercedes or BMW?


Parents had a mercedes and the a/c worked 1/3 of the 10 years we had it and we never once had all four power windows working. Most of the time we were happy when just one was working so yes god yes I wish that mercedes had had manual windows. It was a 77 model though so they might be a little better by now ;).

You should get a/c if for nothing else resale. It took me 6 months to sell my old 93 nissan without a/c. The first question people asked when they called was does it have a/c and when I said no that was usually the end of the phone call.
Yeah, I was thinking about that too. You'd have a tough time selling a car with no A/C in North Carolina
 

winr

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2001
6,081
56
91
Where I live, in the summer if have no AC, not only will sweat drip from your armpits, your buttcrack will get wet also.

(I used to be an Auto Technician (mechanic) and fix my own crap.:D






:)
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
Originally posted by: NFS4
I was pricing a Mazda 3i on Edmunds.com and noticed that A/C is optional (no A/C on a $13,000 car is :|). Maybe this would be of less concern up in Canada or some other igloo place, but how the hell could you live without A/C in the States...especially in the summer time?

It just seems like one of those things that should just be STANDARD no matter what. At least IMHO, all vehicles sold in the states should at LEAST come standard with:

A/C
Power Windows/Locks
FM/Cassette/CD, whatever...as long as you have some tunes;)

How much does AC add to the cost of a car? $300-$400?
 

johneetrash

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2001
3,791
0
0
when i get my lotus elise, it's gonna be without ac and power everything :p

*hopes to win the lottery this year*
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
Originally posted by: NFS4
I was pricing a Mazda 3i on Edmunds.com and noticed that A/C is optional (no A/C on a $13,000 car is :|). Maybe this would be of less concern up in Canada or some other igloo place, but how the hell could you live without A/C in the States...especially in the summer time?

It just seems like one of those things that should just be STANDARD no matter what. At least IMHO, all vehicles sold in the states should at LEAST come standard with:

A/C
Power Windows/Locks
FM/Cassette/CD, whatever...as long as you have some tunes;)

How much does AC add to the cost of a car? $300-$400?

It is $700-$800 for the Madza 3. That is a lot of money if you are just looking for basic transportation...
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
35,319
2,453
126
Power windows and locks are evil. I'll take manual, thank you.

My car doesn't have power windows, locks, power steering, a thermostat, or an A/C. You'll live. :)
 

BruinEd03

Platinum Member
Feb 5, 2001
2,399
1
0
Originally posted by: NFS4
I was pricing a Mazda 3i on Edmunds.com and noticed that A/C is optional (no A/C on a $13,000 car is :|). Maybe this would be of less concern up in Canada or some other igloo place, but how the hell could you live without A/C in the States...especially in the summer time?

It just seems like one of those things that should just be STANDARD no matter what. At least IMHO, all vehicles sold in the states should at LEAST come standard with:

A/C
Power Windows/Locks
FM/Cassette/CD, whatever...as long as you have some tunes;)

I'd say ABS, also. It's useful in a variety of conditions.

-Ed
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
91
That way the auto makers can advertise a Mazda 3i for $13,000 and everyone goes whoooooooo gotta get one. Then they go to the dealer and find out that once the wheels and AC are added the car now costs $18,000.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: rudder
That way the auto makers can advertise a Mazda 3i for $13,000 and everyone goes whoooooooo gotta get one. Then they go to the dealer and find out that once the wheels and AC are added the car now costs $18,000.
Yeah I saw the base price was $13k, but in alabama only a fool would buy a new car without AC, so the reality base price is more like $14k+ and suddenly it's in the same ball park as a corolla S.

One can supposedly buy an altima and an accord without Ac according to the website, but no dealer locally would sell them like that.

AC may not be needed in the northwest territories, but any southern province of canada can make do with it. It definitely gets hot enough in ontario, alberta, nova scotia, and even newfoundland to require AC on warm days.
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
What my car DOESN'T have:

Power windows
Power door locks
Cruise control
Fog lights

Why? My last car had them, I rarely used them. In many cases I would've liked to have crank windows. They're some of the top most likely things to go wrong and aren't cheap to fix. Instead I diverted the money saved from that to get things that I will use. Like the tire and handling package, heavy duty cooling package, limited slip rear end, and a V8. I used those alot.

Edit: I had the base stereo in there when I ordered it, I had planned to put an MP3 CD deck in from the beginning. I love it :)
 

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,770
126
Power windows are more trouble prone than regular crank BUT.. if you take the time
to remove the door panels and give the regulator a good lube job every couple of
years they should last longer. Mine are 10 yrs. ols and still work fine..
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
I'm sure this has been said already, but it boils down to $$$.

Car manufacturers are going to offer the cheaper options as long as there are people willing to buy them.
 

Quixfire

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2001
6,892
0
0
PM to NFS4:
Since no one covered the real reason some import cars are not equipped with A/C then I will provide you the answer.

It?s all about tariff taxes; most imported vehicles are taxed on their base retail price. If a car company, like Mazda, Honda, & Toyota, can reduce the base price of the vehicle by removing a few features it can save them hundreds in taxes before the car even get to a dealership. After they are there the dealer can install the A/C kit and make even more profit on the vehicle. I stall a lot of this kits for local dealers and some customers, average price $600-$800 on a new vehicle, $1000-$1200 on a two or more year old vehicle. The increase is more due to part availability than labor to install.

BTW, I am an A/C mechanic with over 16 years experience.
 

cavemanmoron

Lifer
Mar 13, 2001
13,683
58
91
A/C adds to the costs of the car,and also the weight of the car.

The weight of the car affects the CAFE outcome {corporate average fuel economy}
which the Auto makers have to meet,or pay penalties.

This was so important {weight} that for many years GM and others were using alumnum
for hoods,rear deck lids,bumper reinforcment,etc,as well as putting in "space saver" tires etc.etc..

This is alos a reason so many cars had such wimpy cams,ultra high rear end gear ratios,
Mopar came out with an overdrive version of the 4 speed tranny,and so on.

 

Cyberian

Diamond Member
Jun 17, 2000
9,999
1
0
Originally posted by: Quixfire
PM to NFS4:
Since no one covered the real reason some import cars are not equipped with A/C then I will provide you the answer.

It?s all about tariff taxes; most imported vehicles are taxed on their base retail price. If a car company, like Mazda, Honda, & Toyota, can reduce the base price of the vehicle by removing a few features it can save them hundreds in taxes before the car even get to a dealership. After they are there the dealer can install the A/C kit and make even more profit on the vehicle. I stall a lot of this kits for local dealers and some customers, average price $600-$800 on a new vehicle, $1000-$1200 on a two or more year old vehicle. The increase is more due to part availability than labor to install.

BTW, I am an A/C mechanic with over 16 years experience.
I assume that these tariffs do not apply to 'foreign' cars built in the US?