AC vs. windows down
Push My Button
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 4,997
From: Calgary, Alberta
Yup, steep hills will cause your car to work awfully hard to work against gravity, and AC makes it much worse. Oftentimes, there are road signs before such steep hills warning to turn off your AC when going up the hill.
On a side note though, I drove from Reno to the Bay Area, through the Lake Tahoe area, with the AC on the whole time (on low), and two people with all of our stuff, and I still averaged 36 mpg. As long as you drive economically, and use common sense, having the AC on will not destroy your mileage. It'll just lower it a bit.
On a side note though, I drove from Reno to the Bay Area, through the Lake Tahoe area, with the AC on the whole time (on low), and two people with all of our stuff, and I still averaged 36 mpg. As long as you drive economically, and use common sense, having the AC on will not destroy your mileage. It'll just lower it a bit.
I will sometimes flip my air off going up steep hills or for passing. It still pumps cool air for a good 5 minutes after and when you start decending the extra drag it puts on the engine will reduce how much brakes you need (not by much, but still works a bit.... oh I guess only in a manual car as well)
We get a little break in the Fit because the electric power steering is one less belt to crank.
People also seem to forget that electricity isn't free either. Always running the fog lights when it isn't foggy is causing the alternator to drag the engine twice as much as headlights alone.
People also seem to forget that electricity isn't free either. Always running the fog lights when it isn't foggy is causing the alternator to drag the engine twice as much as headlights alone.
Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 33
From: Nashville, TN
My wife doesn't acknowledge that windows roll down
It can be sunny and 75 degrees. Where I would roll down the windows and enjoy the air, my wife will crank on the AC. She doesn't seem to know that Fit windows can be rolled down. Nonetheless, I told her when she drives the Fit she can drive it as she wants. That may have been a mistake.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
