San Diego, CA – During the cooler months of the year, and with the price of gasoline on the upward swing again, most car owners drive with their windows open, but with the warmer seasons approaching, a standard debated question begins. Does turning on the auto ac waste more gas than the increased drag of a car with rolled-down windows?
The standard answer is; it depends. All cars have a speed at which driving with open windows will drag, but that speed varies based on size from car to car, and in some cases the speed needed is well above the speed limit. Turning on the air conditioning can decrease the car’s fuel economy an average of six percent.
“But there are drawbacks to not using your auto a/c,” states Tomas Chavez Jr., President of AC Parts Warehouse. “Having your windows open generates a lot of noise in the car and then there’s the pollution as well. In most cases, natural cooling during the hot summer months is nothing compared to man-made.”
A 1994 study by the Society of Automotive Engineers showed keeping the widows rolled down while driving in the city works best and using the auto a/c on the highway works best. Overall though, driving with the windows down barely surpasses a/c, but for the most part the benefit of comfort to the driver supersedes any lack of efficiency in the heat of the summer. Having the option to do either is imperative and most car owners should have their ac compressor serviced yearly.
AC Parts Warehouse can be reached at 1 (800) 727-8708, or at ww.acpartswarehouse.com.
