Submitted by: Pete J Ridgard

If you go down to your local car dealers today and look at any of the cars in the showroom, you ll probably find that most, if not all of them have air conditioning. Even just a few years ago this would not have been the case. Air conditioning being automatically available in most new vehicles is a relatively new addition to car accessories, particularly in the UK where the weather doesn t always warrant it. Because of this, many motorists are unaware of how to look after their air conditioning system properly and few actually understand how it works.

The first thing that many drivers do not realise about air conditioning is that it can affect fuel consumption. At low speeds it can really affect how much fuel your vehicle is burning. Opening the windows can also affect fuel consumption due to increased drag, but at low speeds it would be much more economical to drive with the windows open rather than with the air conditioning on. At high speeds however this switches around, which is good in a practical sense, as driving with the windows open at 60mph renders conversation impossible!

Something that many car dealers will not mention when selling a car that comes with air conditioning is that it does need to be maintained. Even if you find that the summer is not as balmy as you hoped, it is still advisable to run the air conditioning about once a week to keep it in the best condition. Unfortunately this also applies to the winter months, and although you may be thinking that there is no way you re going to be making it colder in the car when it s already -1 outside, most modern cars utilise the air conditioning system when on defrost mode. It is important to check this with your car dealer however, as if this is not the case you should still try to run the system regularly.

Another thing to consider when buying an air conditioned car is the fact that every 18months to 2 years you will need to take the car to your local mechanic to have the system recharged, as the refrigerant depletes over time. There are obviously many benefits to having an air conditioning system (as well as the aforementioned downsides) which your car dealer is sure to make you aware of.

On the plus side for example, is the increased visibility that air conditioning can provide during those mornings when everything is steamed up. Condensation issues will become a thing of the past as air conditioning is excellent at regulating humidity. Visibility is greatly improved much earlier on in the journey which created a much safer environment for both the driver and the passengers. Air conditioning will also filter out most of the dust and pollen particles that can often enter the interior of the car through the vents. This is a great advantage to people who suffer from hay fever and asthma.

Many cars at your local car dealership will come with air conditioning as standard now, but if you have a choice of upgrading or leaving your chosen vehicle without, make sure you weight up the pros and cons before decided which is right for you.

About the Author: Pete J Ridgard is a writer and a car enthusiast. He currently writes for the automotive industry. Here he discusses

Car Dealers

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Source:

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