How important is AC in a car during the hot months in Tenerife?

[Velocette]

I'm going to buy a second hand car, hopefully a softop, but some that I've seen don't have ac, I expect to be here all year, but I haven't experienced the really hot months here, so I'm wondering whether there are forum members who can advise me.

I've lived in Thailand, where you feel that you would die if you didn't have ac, as the weather there is so humid, even with the hood down the heat is unbearable.

But some people here do drive cars without ac, perhaps us northern europeans find it more difficult to cope with the heat.

Anyhoo, would the fact that you can remove the roof and feel the wind, be enough to keep cool?

[slodgedad]

Personally I would never buy a car with AC.

When we bought our car, new, 3 years ago we had to wait for a non AC car. We could have had the AC version straight away but decided to wait.

Every time I, or the family, encounter AC it's sore throats and sniffles time...No thank you.

[canarybird]

I've lived here year round for years and yes I sure do love my AC to stay comfortable even on short drives on hot summer days. I wouldn't buy a car without it here.

And I live in the north of the island.

Top down would be okay for a while with me but you still get the hot sun and I would want to have shade while driving.

Canarybird

[Medman]

I've lived here year round for years and yes I sure do love my AC to stay comfortable even on short drives on hot summer days. I wouldn't buy a car without it here.

And I live in the north of the island.

Top down would be okay for a while with me but you still get the hot sun and I would want to have shade while driving.

Canarybird

I would never buy a car without AC and I live in West of Scotland. I use my AC even in the Winter to avoid the inside of the windows steaming up. Great in the Summer when you need. If you don't like it - switch it off !

[Malteser Monkey]

Please correct me if I am wrong and have been mis informed but With AC aren't you meant to keep windows closed whether it be in a car/office or at home.

Doesn't it affect it's performance or something ? (help)

[golf birdie]

My car has it and to be honest I cannot remember the last time I used it. I prefer the window down as here you don't spend much time stuck in traffic jams. Also it seems to take power away from the car.

[Vortex Wake]

Yes, expect 5 to 10% loss in engine power with AC turned on, and a similar loss in fuel economy.

Get the seller to demo AC 'coldness', as a simple 60 euro re-gas may not rectify faulty AC. Other parts can be costly to repair if it has been run without gas for a long time.

AC in traffic jams in London are where it is most useful for me - in the UK summer , just have the windows down :D

[mike in chayofa]

It's climate control for me, every time - set it an forget it.

You will consume more fuel with a/c, but for the amount of fuel that most people use on this small island, it isn't significant.

Unless the engine is under-powered for the weight of the car, you shouldn't experience much loss of power.

[Velocette]

Personally I would never buy a car with AC.

When we bought our car, new, 3 years ago we had to wait for a non AC car. We could have had the AC version straight away but decided to wait.

Every time I, or the family, encounter AC it's sore throats and sniffles time...No thank you.
Assuming that your here during the hot months, it's interesting that you and your family choose to endure the heat rather than suffer what sounds like an allergic reaction to the ac? . . .the lesser of two evils.

I guess with ac there must be an increase in chemicals airborne stuff from somewhere or other, but cars are full of chemicals, so it's probably not that surprising to have a reaction when the ac blows them into your face, particularly if one is sensitive to them.

Equally, I've always found car heaters to produce an unpleasant heat, it's just better than freezing.

[Malteser Monkey]

Assuming that your here during the hot months, it's interesting that you and your family choose to endure the heat rather than suffer what sounds like an allergic reaction to the ac? . . .the lesser of two evils.

I guess with ac there must be an increase in chemicals airborne stuff from somewhere or other, but cars are full of chemicals, so it's probably not that surprising to have a reaction when the ac blows them into your face, particularly if one is sensitive to them.

Equally, I've always found car heaters to produce an unpleasant heat, it's just better than freezing.

I think he means going from one extreme temperature to another can bring on colds and sore throats - not allergic reactions.

Best not to have the AC too low ie freezing:beach::shiver:sick3::D

[Velocette]

I've lived here year round for years and yes I sure do love my AC to stay comfortable even on short drives on hot summer days. I wouldn't buy a car without it here.

And I live in the north of the island.

Top down would be okay for a while with me but you still get the hot sun and I would want to have shade while driving.

Canarybird
Mmm, interesting as you live in the supposed cooler north of the island, and still want ac, and yes when the top is down one can't really wear a sombrero (spl?) if your travelling at speed, I could of course always wear a head scarf (however camp it may look, but maybe there's a way to 'butch' it up, pirate style with a hoop earing perhaps)

[Suej]

When we bought a brand new car 4 years ago we thought Great! Air Con! hardly ever use it!:)

[YOUNG GOLFER]

In the summer when it's very hot i have to say AC is as important as petrol is to a car lol

[Velocette]

I would never buy a car without AC and I live in West of Scotland. I use my AC even in the Winter to avoid the inside of the windows steaming up. Great in the Summer when you need. If you don't like it - switch it off !
Steamy Windows in Scotland! . . .yes great for getting rid of condensation, just can't imagine you having a heat wave in the West of Scotland and needing ac!

Your quite right of course if you don't need it switch it off, my problem is I'm looking at Mazda Mx5's and many of them just don't seem to have ac, and I imagine retrofitting them would be v expensive and troublesome, perhaps a large fan on the dash!

Added after 18 minutes:


I think he means going from one extreme temperature to another can bring on colds and sore throats - not allergic reactions.

Best not to have the AC too low ie freezing:beach::shiver:sick3::D
Possibly, I can remember as a passenger asking the driver to turn down their ac or give me a scarve! . . .sure it can be too cold, but equally I'm sure that some people do have a reaction to airborne stuff in a confined space, cars are full of chemicals, you can smell them quite strongly in new cars, the engine bay is quite a cocktail of them, and it does find it way into the passenger compartment, they definitely leech out and become airborne inside the car. But most people aren't too bothered by it.

Added after 5 minutes:


Please correct me if I am wrong and have been mis informed but With AC aren't you meant to keep windows closed whether it be in a car/office or at home.

Doesn't it affect it's performance or something ? (help)
I'm no engineer (just very opinionated) but yes it's pointless having the windows open, house or car, that's just letting more hot air in (something I know a lot about)

Added after 5 minutes:


When we bought a brand new car 4 years ago we thought Great! Air Con! hardly ever use it!:)
It's surprising to read such diverse opinions on ac, some can't live without it, and some clearly don't feel they really need it, it's fascinating how different we all are.

[Suej]

Steamy Windows in Scotland! . . .yes great for getting rid of condensation, just can't imagine you having a heat wave in the West of Scotland and needing ac!

Your quite right of course if you don't need it switch it off, my problem is I'm looking at Mazda Mx5's and many of them just don't seem to have ac, and I imagine retrofitting them would be v expensive and troublesome, perhaps a large fan on the dash!

Added after 18 minutes:


Possibly, I can remember as a passenger asking the driver to turn down their ac or give me a scarve! . . .sure it can be too cold, but equally I'm sure that some people do have a reaction to airborne stuff in a confined space, cars are full of chemicals, you can smell them quite strongly in new cars, the engine bay is quite a cocktail of them, and it does find it way into the passenger compartment, they definitely leech out and become airborne inside the car. But most people aren't too bothered by it.

Added after 5 minutes:


I'm no engineer (just very opinionated) but yes it's pointless having the windows open, house or car, that's just letting more hot air in (something I know a lot about)

Added after 5 minutes:


It's surprising to read such diverse opinions on ac, some can't live without it, and some clearly don't feel they really need it, it's fascinating how different we all are.

I suppose it really does depend on how long you spend driving around and whether or not your car is garaged or left in the hot sun for long periods!
We find we only ever use the AC when the car is parked up in the road whilst shopping or something. If we are travelling on TF1 just having the windows open is fine except in extremely hot weather. :)

[Velocette]

Yes, expect 5 to 10% loss in engine power with AC turned on, and a similar loss in fuel economy.

Get the seller to demo AC 'coldness', as a simple 60 euro re-gas may not rectify faulty AC. Other parts can be costly to repair if it has been run without gas for a long time.

AC in traffic jams in London are where it is most useful for me - in the UK summer , just have the windows down :D
V useful info on checking condition of AC, I'd not even considered that aspect of it, thank you.

[Ecky Thump]

Steamy Windows in Scotland! . . .yes great for getting rid of condensation, just can't imagine you having a heat wave in the West of Scotland and needing ac!

Now that is a preconceived idea, that here in the West Coast of Scotland, that we don't get heat waves, we do and we also get hot air from the Gulf Stream and on some of our coast line you will find palm trees growing.

So yes we do have the need for air conditioning in our cars!

[poker]

We have a cool garage under the house and no airco.
If the car would have to stand all day in the sun think i would buy airco if i could on a new car .

Sent using Tapatalk.

[mike in chayofa]

......my problem is I'm looking at Mazda Mx5's and many of them just don't seem to have ac, and I imagine retrofitting them would be v expensive and troublesome

Suggestion!!! (I'm full of bright ideas occasionally) :D

Why don't you hire a similar car for a week or so, to see how important it would be to you.

I'm not sure about the MX5, but with a lot of convertable cars, the air con automatically becomes inoperable once the roof is down, so it would depend on how much time you plan to be 'open or closed'

[Sundowner]

Climate control is the best, set your prefered temperature and forget about it! You will never be to cold or to hot and no more windows misting up.