Open window or air conditioning…

[Warped9]

Growing up my father never had a car with air conditioning. And it would be many years before Dad had a car with air conditioning. My first car didn’t have air conditioning.

Flash forward all those years to today and I still like driving with the window(s) open. I use air conditioning when it becomes uncomfortably hot or on the highway when it gets too blustery, and noisy, to have windows open.

I like feeling the fresh breeze through an open window. And it can feel like you’re moving faster than you really are with windows open. When I open my driver’s window fully I also open the rear driver’s side window a bit to soften the air flow—seems to work. Sometimes I’ll open both front windows fully with the rear windows open a bit.

I’m certainly not averse to air conditioning. As I said if it’s uncomfortably hot and with no freshening breeze to be had then the AC is definitely on. When I do use it, though, I set it to a comfortable temperature given I don’t want to be shivering just to be comfortable. In extent I can’t stand going into a store, or another car, where it feels like I’m freezing.

Where I live in south eastern Ontario we don’t get that many horribly hot and heavy days so so consequently I don’t use the AC all that much.

But thats me…

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[Tigger]

I’m with you Ray. I’ve got to the point almost 20 years ago where I will not own a vehicle without a sun roof as I like it open with windows down. But yes, on the highway, I’ll do air. (this is the one main reason I wanted a Bronco instead of a Sport but after owning both, I like the Sport better)

And it is most likely to our upbringing. We did not have air in our cars nor in our house.

 

[Warped9]

And it is most likely to our upbringing. We did not have air in our cars nor in our house.

Yep, the houses I grew up in didn’t have air conditioning. My parents didn’t have a home with AC until they retired. And I have AC in my present home. But like my car I manage it just to be comfortable. On a hot day it’s nice to walk into a cool, but not shivery, house.

 

[jkernitzki]

I never had A/C in my car or home until I moved to AZ. Even had it added to my '91 Miata after the move. From late May until late October the A/C in whatever car we own at the time runs pretty much full-time unless we go to the high country. I've done summer cross-country's without it when I was (a lot) younger, and it was brutal from the mid- and southern latitudes of the US.

For those of you in much cooler climes, I agree that fresh air is more enjoyable all around, but you should absolutely run the A/C from time to time; it's not a system you want to have repaired because of dry rot, bearings in the compressor drying out, etc. Even five minutes every couple of weeks will keep it healthy.

 

[Warped9]

If I remote start my BS in summer weather it’s blowing cold air when I get in. If it’s too hot I’ll leave it running.

 

[Jake25]

Vehicle HVAC always on Auto, windows closed. Lightning has a heat pump.
House runs heat pump/HRV system. 69F winter/76F summer.

 

[cprcubed]

Born and raised in California, I loved driving around with the windows down and the Bay Area weather was perfect for it. The last 28 years in Cali, I worked at Edwards AFB (Mojave Desert). 110F airflow through the car is still 110F! You need AC and the same goes for Texas with the high humidity and temps. Today's vehicles also have ungodly high beltlines where having your arm on the open window opening is not comfortable at all. Cheers!

 

[TrueNorthSport]

Growing up my father never had a car with air conditioning. And it would be many years before Dad had a car with air conditioning. My first car didn’t have air conditioning.

Flash forward all those years to today and I still like driving with the window(s) open. I use air conditioning when it becomes uncomfortably hot or on the highway when it gets too blustery, and noisy, to have windows open.

I like feeling the fresh breeze through an open window. And it can feel like you’re moving faster than you really are with windows open. When I open my driver’s window fully I also open the rear driver’s side window a bit to soften the air flow—seems to work. Sometimes I’ll open both front windows fully with the rear windows open a bit.

I’m certainly not averse to air conditioning. As I said if it’s uncomfortably hot and with no freshening breeze to be had then the AC is definitely on. When I do use it, though, I set it to a comfortable temperature given I don’t want to be shivering just to be comfortable. In extent I can’t stand going into a store, or another car, where it feels like I’m freezing.

Where I live in south eastern Ontario we don’t get that many horribly hot and heavy days so so consequently I don’t use the AC all that much.

But thats me…

 

[TrueNorthSport]

Good to hear from a fellow Bronco Sport owner and Ontarioan !

It may not be "horribly " hot in your area of the province today but the humidex in Toronto is 40 C ( ? F) !

Just returned from a shopping trip ,
definitely had the A/C blasting in the BS. !

Cheers

 

[Warped9]

It's about 30-31C here in Brockville today, but it's not humid. I went out earlier today when it was about 25C and had the car windows open. I'm home presently and the house AC is running to keep it a comfortable 23C. It's supposed to be nicer tomorrow.

I lived in the GTA, in Mississauga, until 16 years ago. It was often humid in the GTA. Living in suburbia or going into downtown Toronto could be brutal with all that pavement and concrete reflecting the heat. It's a lot more tolerable when there is ample trees and grass around. And here we don't get nearly as much humidity off the St. Lawrence as you get off Lake Ontario in Mississauga and Toronto.

 

[RSH]

Mostly drive with the AC on, the Sport has too much wind noise and buffeting with the windows open. Off road wind noise isn't a big issue and I can stick my head out when needed to comunicate with a spotter or listen for any scraping or banging sounds.

 

[DesertRat19]

My first vehicle was a stripped down Jeep Comanche, no AC, manual, no power steering, no FM radio, no power brakes.

In the BS I love off roading with windows down regardless of temp. Living in Phoenix, AC for regular driving is necessary for basic health safety.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

I've noticed that rolling down the road with the rear windows down, the buffeting inside the vehicle resonates and is so loud is it unbearable.

 

[DesertRat19]

I've noticed that rolling down the road with the rear windows down, the buffeting inside the vehicle resonates and is so loud is it unbearable.

Gotta crack a front window a bit

 

[Warped9]

I've noticed that rolling down the road with the rear windows down, the buffeting inside the vehicle resonates and is so loud is it unbearable.

Never thought of doing it that way. If I have the driver's window down, either partially or full I have the rear driver's side window open an inch or two to reduce buffeting. If I lower the front passenger window I'll do the same with the rear passenger window.

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