I've been told by others that when you put the a/c on in your car, that it 'takes away' from your gasoline supply and wondering if this were really true..?
2007-06-15 04:14:16 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Let's word your question a little differently - running your a/c does not directly "take away" from your gas supply. The a/c compressor puts additional load on your engine when the a/c is on. This additional load requires additional fuel, which reduces your gas mileage a little bit. Not so much that it's worth worrying about, though. Turn on your a/c if you want and enjoy!
2007-06-15 04:19:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since in town driving under 40 mph with windows down creates little or no more aerodynamic drag than with the windows up fuel economy will suffer. As another person has said the rpm's of the motor takes a nose dive with the compressor on throughout the rpm range and that equates to fuel waste.
If the heat is unbearable I'd use it regardless.
If you can stand a little breeze switch your vent on only and crack the right rear window or tilt the sun roof. If the humidity isn't too high screw the air conditioner.
The person who said your gas mileage will be better with windows up and air on didn't indicate at what speeds the car was moving. I could buy into that theory if your were sailing along at speeds 55 and above. Some cars, trucks and all SUV's are non- aerodynamic anyway as air sails beneath the ragged undercarriage so in my opinion nothing helps.
Maybe somebody would get with it and design an SUV a foot lower to the ground and clean up the bottom side. People who buy those things figure they will be driving through creek beds, cornfields, and climb bolder infested mountains. Snow is a non - issue. I traveled the same 24 mile four lane route for 38 years with a two wheel drive car and managed never to wind up in a snow bank. I don't have enough fingers to count the times I've seen SUV's laying on their sides or roofs.
2007-06-15 12:23:43 · answer #2 · answered by Country Boy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The AC in most cars is powered by a belt which is driven by the engine. That puts additional load on the engine, which means more fuel is required to make explosions powerful enough to turn the crank. The difference is maybe akin to driving with an extra passenger or two.
AC is more efficient than driving with your window down at higher speeds, because wind resistance (and problems caused by unaerodynamic things like an open window) increases at the cube of your car's speed. So if you have a certain amount of wind resistance at 10 mph, at 40 mph, you have about 64 times as much. That provides a lot of opportunity for the most efficient cooling option to change. The exact speed at which AC is better will vary by how efficient your AC is, and the shape of your car (and possibly the air pressure). But it's safe to say that on the highway, AC is the way to go.
2007-06-15 12:10:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does burn more gas but if you put your windows down instead that actually burns more gas because it puts drag on the car. A few months ago they did a test at a race track with the 2 same cars and one did the windows down and the other did ac and the ac car didn't burn as much gas.
2007-06-15 11:22:58 · answer #4 · answered by Matt S 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Using the a/c affects your gas mileage but I read somewhere that if you are driving over 35 mph (which most of us do) then you use less gas using your a/c then you would with your windows down.
2007-06-15 11:48:37 · answer #5 · answered by angela 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
uses some i dont care.....AC cost 1200 to 1500 to put in ur car...cost little for the comfort.
2007-06-15 13:48:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it affects your mileage negatively
2007-06-15 11:17:30 · answer #7 · answered by caretaker 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋