Car with best AC?

[Casket]

I've been contemplating what to do with my 1988 Cab's AC for a while now (it needs to be charged, but might have other problems too, but that's another story). And in reading through the various threads on here, I started to wonder what make/model of car has the best AC? I realize that 80's 911 AC is horrible, but if a guy were to hypothetically buy a car because he wanted the BEST automobile AC system out there, than what would he buy? ...I'm just assuming here that P-cars in general don't have super duper AC, and the "winner" would be a Toyota or something.

This is partly just my innate techogeek curiosity, and partly a utilitarian question because I'm fixen to move down to Houston TX and I've been thinking about getting another car to use as a beater/commuter car so I don't put a zillion miles on my 911.

So what do you think. ...Who's got the best stock AC?

[mossguy]

'96 Taurus

Best.
Tom

[Rick Lee]

My 993's a/c has never been serviced and still blows ice cold. Original battery too.

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by mossguy

'96 Taurus

Best.
Tom

Wrong. While the FS10 compressor does a great job of cooling, it can not hang with the 10PA17 series compressor Nippondenso built. The FS10 loses in the longevity category when compared to the aforementioned compressor as well.

It's all relative though. How clean is your condenser, has the vehicle been smoked in while on recirculate, etc... The variables make every car a/c different.

Hands down the vehicles that were originally equipped with 10PA17's are the winners. I'm not saying this because a handful of vehicles in my family are equipped with that particular compressor and still blow popsicles at well over 200K miles, but rather because I see, sell, and install various compressors on a daily basis.

Fords with the FS10 usually have great a/c systems, but the vacuum leaks and internal compressor disintegration will get you eventually. It's probably #2 on my list though.

Nippondenso compressors of the 80's and 90's were probably the best ever made, but the newer Denso design is horrible. They have a tendency to eat themselves. Kind of sucks you 911 guys can't get cold air, my 944 blows plenty cold.

[jorian]

The A/C in my F150 is positively frigid.

[Rot 911]

American cars are the king of AC.

[JeremyD]

I had a jetta that was cold on the low setting - in Florida summer!

[RANDY P]

2002 S10 AC at even moderate fan speed will make your arm go numb. I have to shut it off sometimes it's so damn cold.

About the only thing that excels on that rig..

[McLovin]

Any modern car (say 2005 and newer) will freeze you out if you want.

A car with smallest cabin and glass area, and the most upright windshield and rear window (like a pickup truck), is easiest to keep cool, though.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Kurt V

American cars are the king of AC.

Yup. The one thing they all do well.

[mattdavis11]

I guess you guys forget the days of A6's with POA valves and are in love with orifice tubes. lol.

[jorian]

"I guess you guys forget the days of A6's with POA valves and are in love with orifice tubes."

I don't get it. Is this A/C-guy humor?

[Super_Dave_D]

My G35 freezes me out! The Pathfinder does very well for an SUV. I thought it was just a newer car thing.

[VINMAN]

Any Ford that I have ever owned. Especially the trucks.

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by jorian

"I guess you guys forget the days of A6's with POA valves and are in love with orifice tubes."

I don't get it. Is this A/C-guy humor?

Just the orifice tube portion, the other makes note of when american a/c systems were awful, but hey, they were in the development stages.

I'd rather have an a/c system with an expansion valve, most American cars have orifice tubes.

[Tidybuoy]

My '88 944 has extremely cold ac. The 85+ 944's have very large vents which made a big improvement over the earlier years.

My '88 528e had really cold a/c too.

I really liked the bmw setup because you could have fresh air at the same time as the heater was on because they were seperate systems (but that's a whole new topic). It made it nice in the winter to have hot feet with cold air blowing out the top vents.

[Casket]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

Wrong. While the FS10 compressor does a great job of cooling, it can not hang with the 10PA17 series compressor Nippondenso built. The FS10 loses in the longevity category when compared to the aforementioned compressor as well.

It's all relative though. How clean is your condenser, has the vehicle been smoked in while on recirculate, etc... The variables make every car a/c different.

Hands down the vehicles that were originally equipped with 10PA17's are the winners. I'm not saying this because a handful of vehicles in my family are equipped with that particular compressor and still blow popsicles at well over 200K miles, but rather because I see, sell, and install various compressors on a daily basis.

Fords with the FS10 usually have great a/c systems, but the vacuum leaks and internal compressor disintegration will get you eventually. It's probably #2 on my list though.

Nippondenso compressors of the 80's and 90's were probably the best ever made, but the newer Denso design is horrible. They have a tendency to eat themselves. Kind of sucks you 911 guys can't get cold air, my 944 blows plenty cold.

That's super interesting.

[PeteT]

I drive a white 2007 white Ford F150 for a work truck and am surprised on how poor the A/C is. Always has to be full cold and it takes a long time for it to cool the vehicle down. OTOH the wife's 07 550 is awesome. Once you setup it right in idrive the thing is awesome.

[Tim Hancock]

Daughter's '87 924S blows a ton of VERY cold air.

[126coupe]

My Ford F 350 Dually blows cold but, the volume of air sucks