Vehicles with the Coldest A/C Systems?

[Highlander 1459]

Ac can only blow so cold before the evap starts to freeze up. Part of the reason I bought my 87 f250 is because those systems work well. Even retrofitted to r134a.

exactly. basically if the Evaporator is much below 32F it will eventually freeze.
hard to quantify which system is coldest because there are so many variables.. aka a vehicle deals with radiation heat, heat soak, humidity, etc...

 

[edyvw]

I measured as for some reason I didn't "buy" the 41F I saw on YouTube. Sure enough my LS430 puts out about that at the vents.

BMW is not supposed to have great AC but I am cold when I drive my 2007 335.

Our 2011 Enclave by far has the worst AC. I tried to recharge it just in case, to no avail. It is through this vehicle that I found a big difference at 2000+ rpm than idle. 59F to maybe 48F if lucky. I'd rather not think about it I'm sure people are thinking 50F? no good lol

The rear evap does not have a huge puddle by the rear right wheel, as it did when new.....and the system did break when the car was relatively new and had 30k....

Last 20yrs or so, BMW’s have really good AC systems.
The whole saga around BMW AC systems is coming from 1979 I think when BMW NA hosted German executives in Dallas in the middle if the summer and shovel them in black 7 series. They boiled on the way to hotel.
Hence, every BMW having MAX AC button after that.
On MAX AC mine will cool down fast interior beyond being comfortable.
But, I had better AC systems.

 

[fdcg27]

Last 20yrs or so, BMW’s have really good AC systems.
The whole saga around BMW AC systems is coming from 1979 I think when BMW NA hosted German executives in Dallas in the middle if the summer and shovel them in black 7 series. They boiled on the way to hotel.
Hence, every BMW having MAX AC button after that.
On MAX AC mine will cool down fast interior beyond being comfortable.
But, I had better AC systems.

My old 318i ragtop had really good AC, for those hot weather conditions when I left the top up.
Once drove back from Columbus to home on a work trip top down in an ambient of 104F. About 100 miles and drank two liters of water en route without even needing to pee.

 

[Malo83]

My 83 Silverado with the R12 System, she would get pretty cold.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I did some work on the AC of my Xterra, and was testing it with a thermometer. It was about 80F and high humidity outside and the temp drop at the duct with outside air was 41F at idle, so 39F temp drop seems pretty good. It was like a steady stream of water coming out the drain.

I never had a system with R12, but I would bet they were much colder.

 

[JimPghPA]

The R12 system in my 1985 Olds Delta 88 Royal coupe would get sooooo cold I sometimes had to turn on the windshield wipers to clear away the condensation on the outside so I could see. The Keychain would get sooooo cold that if I held it hanging when I left the car drops of water would form on it.

Though no actual ice-cubes were ever seen, the term I used was "it blows ice-cubes."

 

[JimPghPA]

Back in those days, some high end luxury brands used GM AC-Delco compressors and other AC parts for a reson.

 

[sloinker]

1st
2nd
3rd place.
Say no more.

 

[E150GT]

I would imagine they all do pretty well these days with electric fans being the norm.
My 2016 Mazda 6 and 2011 ls460 can idle in 108 degree heat in traffic with 50 degrees coming out the vents with the fan on high. If you lower the fan speed it will get down to 40.
My 1995 f150 takes a bit to get down to temp and until I added a couple of electric fans up front anytime you stop at a light they temp would start creeping up. I don't want to get into extended stop and go with it to test the limits of that air conditioner. It's a shame too. I just had the compressor replaced along with he condenser and I was hoping it could handle stop and go traffic better.

 

[midnightlaundry]

The coldest ones I can remember are the R12 systems with the huge compressors.

Dad had an 84 Escort Wagon.. He got the AC serviced and it would blow visible fog mist it was so cold.. LOL

 

[clinebarger]

Back in those days, some high end luxury brands used GM AC-Delco compressors and other AC parts for a reson.

Harrison A6 Axial....Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Bentley to name a few.

 

[clinebarger]

I see Ford mentioned a lot, They work well....But probably the reliability is what makes them stick out when GM a lot of compressor issues in the late 80's & throughout the 90's into the 2000's.
GMT400 trucks had the worst A/C....Owned a handful over the years & I'll never buy another one!

 

[eljefino]

1999 XJ Cherokee. Didn't even have tinted windows.

Ironically the engine cooling on mine was marginal, and neglect from the previous owner made it worse.

 

[Chris142]

Right now, it's 84F, dew point 73F, and real feel 93F. I see lots of cars driving around with windows down, new ones.

Honestly? We're all humans. I find it hard to believe that with a 73F dew point, people are comfortable, aren't drenched, and like driving this way, better than with AC on.

As far as being wimpy, I had no AC in anything other than work, until summer 1998. I have no idea how come it was OK all those years, but today, I can't do without

The only time I roll my window down is at the drive through.

 

[loneryder]

2010 Mercedes ML350.

We are currently in Phoenix. Yesterday it was 117 degrees. The car gets so cold, we have to turn the temperature up in the Mercedes as we are freezing in the car, even at 117 degrees. Never experienced anything like it.

The MB's I have had will freeze you after a while no matter how hot it is. The hotter it is, the colder it blows it seems.

 

[Leo99]

I took driver's ed in high school over the summer. The local Buick dealer loaned us new Buicks. My instructor liked it cold. The first day, I wore shorts and a t shirt. After that it was long pants and a hoodie in the 90° weather.

 

[Nick1994]

The only time I roll my window down is at the drive through.

Yup. I also roll them all down for the first 10 seconds of every drive if it's been sitting in the sun.

 

[michaelluscher]

I've had good success with Ford A/C
Taurus, Villager, Fusion/Milan
Even the '94 Escort got brick
When they went back to the drawing board with the FS10/FX15 compressor for 134a, they got it right

GM products OTOH have always seemed to disappoint me
They take too long to cool down after heat soak, and they just don't cool well in stop and go city traffic
Going down the road, sufficient
But I'm in the city, that doesn't help me
My Bolt being an exception, that thing cools instantly, no matter traffic speed

My Camry gets cold, and stays cold, but newer Toyota products I find just barely adequate

Honda/Acura and Hyundai/Kia I'm consistently disappointed in

 

[hank2]

I had a couple of early 90's Nissans that still had R12 systems. Super cold A/C.

Also, any R12 system Chrysler vehicle that still had the old RV-2 two cylinder compressor. I think they went away in the late '70's after 20 years.

 

[John105]

Was there ever a time when you turned off your AC, prior to shutting off the vehicle? I did that until 10 years ago, because it was a habit I picked up from my parents....pretty sure their first 2 cars with AC (Toyota Celica and Camry), had rocker switches to turn the AC on and off. And they always turned it off, prior to rolling into wherever it was they were parking. I guess 10 years ago I learned that action is totally not necessary today.