19th Oct 2026, 19:58
That's a wrong assumption to make, in UK/Ireland there is no reason the climate control won't be on all the time, most people do, heat in winter, cool in summer. You're just thinking of cooling alone, but heating is also a thing. It also clears the windscreen and reduces interior misted windows, when it's cold and damp, that is essential.
21st Oct 2023, 22:15
These days, not necessarily. Modern air conditioners, especially those which use the new R1234YF refrigerant, are designed to have them on most if not all the time. I thought being recommended to run all the time was a joke, until my air conditioning specialist showed me the difference in newer compressors: they don't have piston rings (designed to reduce friction and therefore engine emissions, and improve fuel consumption), and instead have teflon "rings" at the top of the lining. This requires constant lubrication to keep the seal intact. Regardless, I think the point was that the only way for a car of that weight to get to 70 MPG is truly ideal conditions, resulting in the least amount of work that the engine needs to do.