Never ever had a car with a working AC

[M104]

I was thrilled that for the fist time in my 13 years of driving I would have a working AC when i bought my car. Owner had the system refilled a few years back and I bought the car in September of 2024 but didn't really need to turn it on. Sure enough, when I needed it during summer of 2025 it was blowing hot but lived with it. Today I had an appointment at a nearby auto center and they couldn't charge it because there's a big leak but they couldn't find the leak anywere at the condenser, hoses and compressor. It probably is the evaporator, very common on this model.

My current car is absolutely undriveable during summer being dark blue with black leather interior. I will have to drive about 3000 km to Germany, Switzerland and back and would like advice (other than fixing the AC because i won't pull the dash if it's evaporator, which i think it is) on what type of cloth seat cover would make it bearable. I might end up driving the Peugeot for this road trip as this one is grey with light grey cloth interior but is a manual and has no cruise control.

Anyway, i just thought i would be fun to share the fact that out of about 15 cars i've owned, i've never ever had a car with working AC or at least working for more than a few weeks even with cars in perfect condition otherwise, to point I tend to forget it even exists.

 

[walterjay]

Enjoy!

 

[supton]

Enjoy! I find that around 21C I can live without it... but much above that and it's required, especially on highway drives. The wind noise from having a window open is deafening after a while.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Try one of those beaded seat covers taxi drivers used to use, or there is a folding seat insert that has a coiled wire middle surrounded by breathable fabric.

 

[M104]

I think it really depends on cloth vs leather seats and dark color cars are worse. I was watching weather forecast and it will be as high as 30-35c for most of the trip (up to 95f?).

 

[IndyIan]

In your local climate, I don't think I would bother with it either. We lived quite well without AC for 10-12 years, when we were young and skinny! Until we had the kids, then having windows open at 60mph blasting hot air and noise on them wasn't really an option...

My first car was a 1981 Olds Omega that still had the big under dash vents directly from the base of the windshield, and it at 55mph with a window cracked to draw air out, would push so much air through that the car was basically at ambient temperature inside with 20mph wind... It was a light beige inside and out which helped.
The AC got weak on the Impreza, and it needed a new condenser, but I want to sell it, and running it low on refrigerant can get very expensive, so $600 later it works great again.

 

[M104]

It is true that with this climate I tend to forget about it as it is not needed from September to June. Summers have been brutal lately and I miss it a little more every year.

 

[MrkofXcellence]

I remember in 04 when I got my first car with working A/C after years of no A/C and vinyl seats. My favorite was the sweat that would be on your Tee shirt in a perfect seatbelt pattern when you got out.

 

[Chris142]

Been there. I was driving a black 1973 international pickup with drum brakes,tiny cab and no ac until I bought my jeep in 02 when I was 33.

 

[Kira]

I miss it a little more every year.

We're also getting older every year (ha-ha)

Overall, I TOTALLY MISS the cable-pull kick panel vents.
Those should never have been removed. ....if the windshield's upper edge is hinged and the lower edge can swing out, then OK.
A pal had an ancient Power Wagon with a hinged windshield.

 

[skyactiv]

Is renting a car in your budget?

 

[wtd]

Growing up we didn't have AC in our vehicles or our house. When I went to college the dorm I was in didn't have AC either. It wasn't until my second year of college did I move into a dorm with AC.

I didn't have a vehicle with working AC until 1993 when I bought a new S10 4x4. Every vehicle since has had working AC or I fixed it when it went bad. I can handle not having AC in my vehicle way easier than in a house these days.

 

[Snagglefoot]

There is another way of looking at this. Its like owning a boat that is not totally water proof and you carry a pail with you to bail it out once in a while. Once thing common with Canada and France is you can purchase R12A which is a mixture of propane and butane. It does not have environmental issues like other refrigerants. If your system has already bled off, you can get a pro to evacuate your system, and charge it with R12A. After that you purchase a R12A kit and just load in a can every once in a while, just like bailing a leaky boat.

My system stopped cooling this week, and I checked the high pressure. It was 50 psi. That's good enough to load in a can or two of R12A. I got mine to blow at 48F. The high side pressure is 110 psi.

Flame suit on. This is not meant to be good advice for folks who want to maintain a competent system, just for someone who wants to keep a leaky boat going.

 

[M104]

There is another way of looking at this. Its like owning a boat that is not totally water proof and you carry a pail with you to bail it out once in a while. Once thing common with Canada and France is you can purchase R12A which is a mixture of propane and butane. It does not have environmental issues like other refrigerants. If your system has already bled off, you can get a pro to evacuate your system, and charge it with R12A. After that you purchase a R12A kit and just load in a can every once in a while, just like bailing a leaky boat.

My system stopped cooling this week, and I checked the high pressure. It was 50 psi. That's good enough to load in a can or two of R12A. I got mine to blow at 48F. The high side pressure is 110 psi.

Flame suit on. This is not meant to be good advice for folks who want to maintain a competent system, just for someone who wants to keep a leaky boat going.

If i knew what R12A was before i would have ordered a few cans but it's too late. Maybe the leak is substantial anyway and i couldn't keep the system charged for more than a day.

 

[Donald]

Maybe find an independent mechanic who is familiar with your car and could fix it at a reasonable price. If he has done a few it will take less time

Always possible the first shop missed something and it's not the evaporator.

 

[brages]

My first car as a 16 year old did not have AC. I bought another car a couple of years later that did.

I'm willing to drive a car that's slow, ugly, rusty, etc but no AC is a deal breaker for me.