Is there a fad of driving without AC?
 

Seems like I'm seeing a lot more cars with the windows rolled down.

I'm not talking about junker cars, convertibles, or 80 degrees. I'm seeing nicer relatively new cars with the windows down in 95 degree weather both in town sitting at red lights along with interstate.

What's up with that? Is this the latest hip and trendy thing to do while you grow your hipster beard?

Nice day outside? I can't say that I see sweating your ass off as a fad, but I put my windows down at every opportunity. For that matter, I put the top down at every opportunity.

I don't even use the A/C unless the wife and or kids are in the vehicle.

I've had my hipster grey beard (now) for close to 40 years ....no AC in the 911 and turned it on once in my F150 several years ago giving my aunt a ride :). I thrive in the heat though....always have....

Always have my windows down, unless it's raining. I like the fresh air.


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I usually have the top down on my DD 2004 GT, but when stop and go in town, I will run the A/C to keep from dying in 95 degree heat.

I don't really notice that around here, except for the vehicles that obviously wouldn't have a working AC. Even a majority of the contractors, and construction vehicles that roll around these parts have their windows rolled up. The humidity has been brutal here lately though.

I work in the heat, so I drive in the heat as well. I bought an '06 R1200 GS back in February, so adjusting the windscreen all the way down has been my air conditioner. That puts the air right into my helmet when my visor is popped open one or two notches. the breeze couldn't feel better. I haven't driven anything else since I bought it, unless I knew there was bad weather that day.

The Beetle doesn't have AC (of course). No heat either with the Ahnendorp header.

The Turd also doesn't have AC. It does have quarterlights in the door windows though, which are pretty nice to have when the defogger needs help some in the rain.

Cobbler's shoe syndrome has kept me from fixing the air in the 'Burb. I just charge it up whenever I have to haul people. One of these days, I'll replace the compressor, unless the corrosion that's accumulated from saturated PAG oil seeping out of the leaky case somehow creates a seal...

The 928 I usta haz was the only one that had reliable AC, but I always preferred opening the windows, and sunroof when I drove it. It's living up north now where AC isn't quite as necessary, but my brother did have to put a can of 12 in it recently in order to keep his shirt clean when he drove it to work occasionally. I'm not sure if he's a windows-down driver or not.

I love fresh air and the wind in my face. That said, when its 95 -105 and 80% humidity and your in town at stop lights, I don't want to sweat like a pig and then smell like when I arrive.

If you think that the above stats is a "nice day" then more power to you. You are a better person than me.

If you live in MI then you don't understand. That would akin to me saying what's the big deal? I don't need heat in December.

All I'm saying is that there seems to be a lot more people in TN running around in the middle of stifling hot summer days without AC. It used to be only work trucks or people too poor to afford a car that had working AC would do so.

When I was a young man, I was more used to the heat. My cars didn't have AC, I spent a lot of time outside, and was used to the heat. I felt like my parents kept the house far too cold, not because they kept it that cold, but because I was used to the heat. If you spend much/most of your time in a hot atmosphere, you'll get used to it and be comfortable in it.

We run the AC at home and there is AC in the office. I do get out to walk the dogs, and do enjoy the outdoors, but don't spend that much time outside or in the heat. I'm not used to it and pretty much always run the AC in the car. I can start to sweat just getting to my car in the parking garage. It's because I'm more used to AC than the heat and humidity.

I worked with a woman that hardly ran the AC at home. I was told that in a rural area outside of Houston, her husband and her waited until Aug to put the AC on. I can tell you that must have been miserably hot. Consequently, she always felt like the AC in the office was set far too low to be comfortable and spent her days usually in multiple layers of clothes and gloves whether it was Jan or Aug. It was what he was used to.

I prefer my windows down to ac, but I do notice that as I get older, I like some relief from the heat.
I work in either a freezing garage in the winter, or over a 200 deg motor in a 90 degree shop in the summer, so I am used to the elements.
She works in an air conditioned office, if it is 80 deg, the AC is on full blast .

I prefer the AC. You get better mileage at highway speeds and it's more comfortable. We've had 95% humidity around here for the past week. Add a little sun through the windshield and it's a sauna.

95?? A/C ??? I fart in your general direction!
OP, needs to ween off the pamprin and zima,
Move to that pottery barn republic, texas!
Yeee haww, every pottery barn is bigger in texas!!!!

I'm seeing it here and it's been upwards of 105°

My guess is the A/C is broken

Whoa there, sorry, just teasin!!

Vive les bruins!

Don't like AC much. Not often needed in CO.

I believe sweating rids us of toxins and I like a good sweat now and then. I'd like to build a sweat lodge some day. Maybe I'm a sweat hog and don't know it.

Fair enough. Mea culpa.

20 years, no AC.....but I have a cabriolet in So CA.....:rolleyes:

Good reason to keep the windows up and the AC on. Farts are just a flesh wound to my Volt!

No worries!!! Mea Congnac XO :)

A wink's as good as a nudge to a blind bat!

Cooler climate, no humidity, cabriolet... All good reasons to not need AC.
When I was in college I had a car that had AC every winter and heat every summer.
Now I am rather fond of comfort and not sweating my arse off.

POS 80's era 911 a/c with black leather interior is useless anyways. Windows down it is.

Mustang ragtop, top down and a/c blowing ice. LOL

84 Targa with an aftermarket A/C that barely works is one reason I don't drive it much in the Summer. Bumper-to-Bumper traffic on the I-5 and 105 outside and black interior and shifting constantly is not enjoyable.

In LA, I like my Camry Hybrid just fine. Twice the mileage as well.

I almost NEVER roll down the windows. I drove an 914 with no AC for 21 years. It was my only car and I have had my fill of open cars, and no AC. My 911 has AC and it kicks butt. On my recent road trip I got cold a several times and I had to turn the temperature UP when it was high 90s outside.

I am way tired of wind noise. I prefer the wonderful cold air of the AC blower.

I see a lot of people driving around with the windows down and their arm out the window. I don't understand that anymore than facial tattoos or facial piercings. It is just alien to me.

It is a free country. If someone prefers to sweat in their car, power to them. Enjoy the heat. I prefer the AC.

I don't like the noise of traffic going by (loud pipes save lives...) and the wind buffeting that makes it sound like a helicopter is running inside the vehicle. I roll em up and turn on the A/C.
Haven't really noticed that trend here, but when I was in England I did notice that more people had their windows open rather than have the A/C on.

After the car payment and insurance payment they can't afford gas?

Dunno but I can see it...

Top down anytime it's over 60°F and no rain. On the motorcycle that obviously doesn't apply.

Windows up and AC on most 80% of the time.

Rarely do I drive with the windows down unless it's to make sure some A hole sees the finger clearly. ;)

Plus one on wind noise. Hate it, so ear plugs are a must for long trips.

Also if your headliner is not in great shape the buffeting can wreak havoc.

I was in Romania in 99 and the fad there was to keep all windows shut in car or home. No AC anywhere. It was a bit stifling.

We were driving around in Bar Harbor, Main in June of this year. It was 68 degrees and sunny and beautiful. We were only going 20 MPH with all the pedestrian traffic. My wife suggested we roll the windows down and open the sun roof. That was the first time I had done that since my trip to Monterey, CA in 2014. After about 10 minutes we had had enough sun and open air so the windows went up and the sunroof closed and the AC was back on. It will likely be several more years before I roll down the windows and open the sunroof and drive around again.

These two statements seem contradictory with CA traffic. Y'ALL suit your wussified, pampered selves....just don't expect your pampered football teams to keep up with southern boyz who prefer to keep the finger out 100% of the time in the August heat...a soaking wet heat :)

gonna roll Scottsdale for Carmel mid-August, no a/c run across the desert.

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You hero.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1470098220.jpg

I roll both. Windows down and the A/C- helping to cool the environment.

When it is 114* here and u see people driving with their windows rolled down it isn't because they like the heat. Btw there are a lot of cars driving around with the windows down which means they dont have the money to fix the A.C.

When the weather is really nice I will roll the windows down for a change of pace. But if hot fk that the windows are up and AC is blowing cold.

I like fresh air but I don't do well with heat so I run the AC whenever temps are above 85. I've also been told that environmentally it's better to run the AC as it pollutes less when running.

I run windows down as much as possible at speeds of 45MPH, above that, there is a shift to AC + windows up = more peace and quiet.

The XK is really bad with wind noise when the windows are down on the interstate compared to the 944. I primarily use the AC not based on temperature, but humidity. A 80 degree humid day = AC on. 100 degree dry = windows down.

A plus of driving with the windows down, is you aren't in as much isolation. People can chat in traffic if they have their windows down.

THIS! I just have to feel the breeze as I'm rolling through my commute. Even in stop and go traffic...if my arm isn't hanging out the window, I just hate it!

Even in the winter time...heater on, window down, too! Must be something to do with the rush of the wind passing by...

Randy

Yep same for me. I love having the windows down as much as possible. I'm now driving a Jeep Wrangler and had the roof off for a couple weeks which was great around town but not as special on the highway.

Not a fad, just a thing some people like. My girlfriend hates air conditioning, and doesn't have it at home. Never uses it in her Golf. Also never uses the blower fan, which is, um, rather stuffy.

I like to have one car (these days, my appliance car) with good, working AC. Sometimes I'm hot and wseaty and I just want cold, dry air. Even then I don't overuse it. 911 doesn't have AC, don't want it. Top off whenever it's not raining, windows up or down according to road speed and wind buffeting tolerance. I'd like to modify the HVAC to get fresh air through the center dash vents, though.