Which car has the coldest AC?
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My slightly overcharged Saturn A/C is working great at the moment.
In fact, it works better than the A/C in my mom's 2010 Altima V6.
In fact, it works better than the A/C in my mom's 2010 Altima V6.
Originally Posted By: JRed
My Subaru's A/C gets pretty frosty right at the vents, but the blower isn't the strongest ever.
if you have a pollen/cabin filter check that, if it is dirty it could be lower airflow through the ventilation system causing less cold air out of the vents.
My Subaru's A/C gets pretty frosty right at the vents, but the blower isn't the strongest ever.
if you have a pollen/cabin filter check that, if it is dirty it could be lower airflow through the ventilation system causing less cold air out of the vents.
The coldest of my vehicles is my 95 Voyager. 39 degrees f at the center vent on recir. It has Enviro-safe in it which is colder than factory freon. My 2006 Explorer is 42 degrees F. Both readings taken when it was 84 degrees f outside.
My '04 Subaru Legacy will flat run you out of the car if you keep the A/C at the max setting. Even on a 95 degree day, I find myself turning the nob up to moderate the temperature.
Just got done with a 300 mile drive in the 02 BMW 325Ci. Have a headache; even with the air coming out of every vent on the lowest blower speed, was freezing cold. Temp was 91F with a 71F dewpoint and was blowing 38-40F air out the vents. I've always been very happy with BMW's a/c.
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Ford full-size vehicles tend to have great A/C in my experience. Toyotas have fairly lousy A/C.
Mine works very good,I dont know what you were driving. Maybe it was low on freon or something. However,a big plus 1 for Ford A/C. I had a 1986 Mercury Lynx when I was at Fort polk Louisiana,that A/C was so cold,it actually had vapor come out of the vents (like when you open your freezer door)
Perfect car for down their in that Heat/Humidity.
Ford full-size vehicles tend to have great A/C in my experience. Toyotas have fairly lousy A/C.
Mine works very good,I dont know what you were driving. Maybe it was low on freon or something. However,a big plus 1 for Ford A/C. I had a 1986 Mercury Lynx when I was at Fort polk Louisiana,that A/C was so cold,it actually had vapor come out of the vents (like when you open your freezer door)
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While some Ford's are excellent not all! I know the F150, Ranger, Focus and Superduty's are good but our Escape's is lacking a bit. Actually that's according to the wife personally I think it's ok. It's no meat locker though. The windows are tinted but it has a dark grey interior which probably doesn't help. I did the rubber foam over the lines which helped quite a bit but still no meat locker. Can't comment on any others haven't had many cars with AC!
I know our Chrysler is much better than our Ford. Both are manual -- which is what I prefer.
Stuck a clip on thermonetor on my friends 00 CVPI [160K miles] last night...The air was 48 degrees coming out of the vents...It was around 11PM with the outside temp at 86 degrees and the dewpoint was around 78 degrees...Most Panthers would have no problem cooling off a 7 room house.
It seems the manual A/C [dial] works somewhat better then the automatic climate control system.
It seems the manual A/C [dial] works somewhat better then the automatic climate control system.
I tested my Santa Fe's A/C at the begining of the season and it was coming out at 42F. It will freeze your $#!@ in no time.
I love it...
I love it...
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
. . . Toyotas have fairly lousy A/C.
Missed this gem before.
Where did you get this idea? It's problematic for at least two reasons. First of all, generalizing across the whole product line, as if everything from a base Corolla to a Land Cruiser behave the same, makes no sense. Second, well, it's incorrect.
Toyotas I've owned (or leased as to the HL):
2001 Highlander (dark red color), Auto AC, worked great.
2002 I-4 Camry LE (gold), Manual AC, worked great, did notice some drop in ultimate cold during long periods of idling. Car totalled in wreck in 2003.
2003.5 V-6 Camry LE (medium blue paint), Manual AC, V-6 driven AC did not seem to have any "fade" problem like the I-4 did.
2007 Avalon (all are 3.5L V-6), Auto AC, very powerful, even on hottest/sunniest Southern days.
2004 Prius and 2009 Camry Hybrids (both are JET BLACK): these cars both have the ELECTRIC powered AC that is common to Toyota hybrids. It is the most devastatingly cold (it's auto in all cases) AC I've ever seen on any cars. Because it's driven off the high voltage traction battery, it functions at 100% whether you're doing 80 on the interstate, or stuck in gridlock traffic. And even in the small I-4 Prius, you never feel any ac drag, slumping or humping as the compressor goes on or off as you often do in conventional small I-4 cars.
The only consistent annoyance with Toyota auto AC (n/a of course for the manual ac) is that on hot days, it starts in recirculate. I guess the engineers figure it gives a faster cool. I prefer to open the windows briefly, let the stale air go, and be on fresh air auto within moments.
So exactly which Toyotas do you think have bad AC, and why?
. . . Toyotas have fairly lousy A/C.
Missed this gem before.
Toyotas I've owned (or leased as to the HL):
2001 Highlander (dark red color), Auto AC, worked great.
2002 I-4 Camry LE (gold), Manual AC, worked great, did notice some drop in ultimate cold during long periods of idling. Car totalled in wreck in 2003.
2003.5 V-6 Camry LE (medium blue paint), Manual AC, V-6 driven AC did not seem to have any "fade" problem like the I-4 did.
2007 Avalon (all are 3.5L V-6), Auto AC, very powerful, even on hottest/sunniest Southern days.
2004 Prius and 2009 Camry Hybrids (both are JET BLACK): these cars both have the ELECTRIC powered AC that is common to Toyota hybrids. It is the most devastatingly cold (it's auto in all cases) AC I've ever seen on any cars. Because it's driven off the high voltage traction battery, it functions at 100% whether you're doing 80 on the interstate, or stuck in gridlock traffic. And even in the small I-4 Prius, you never feel any ac drag, slumping or humping as the compressor goes on or off as you often do in conventional small I-4 cars.
The only consistent annoyance with Toyota auto AC (n/a of course for the manual ac) is that on hot days, it starts in recirculate. I guess the engineers figure it gives a faster cool. I prefer to open the windows briefly, let the stale air go, and be on fresh air auto within moments.
So exactly which Toyotas do you think have bad AC, and why?
My Corolla works REAL well... Even in 110+ days.
The FLEET of Toyota's at work do very well. This last week it was in the high 90s to 104 and just sitting there idling the vehicle was cool.
The Minivans have even better. I don't spend much time in the Hybrids so I can not comment.
On the other hand, the A/C in the Dodge trucks barely keep the single cab cool.
Not sure were someone would get the idea that "Toyotas have fairly lousy A/C"?
Bill
PS: All of vehicles are white so apples to apples...
The FLEET of Toyota's at work do very well. This last week it was in the high 90s to 104 and just sitting there idling the vehicle was cool.
The Minivans have even better. I don't spend much time in the Hybrids so I can not comment.
On the other hand, the A/C in the Dodge trucks barely keep the single cab cool.
Not sure were someone would get the idea that "Toyotas have fairly lousy A/C"?
Bill
PS: All of vehicles are white so apples to apples...
JHZR2
Staff member
On the Toyota front, our previa works OK, but it is a big vehicle with a lot of glass, so it is a relative thing. But it is tight and still is holding charge after 16 years and 220k miles (then again, so are my MBs after far more years/miles).
Coldest is my 98 S10 ZR2. Small cab, big AC, can't use it past fan setting 2. We actually turn the heat up, even on summer days because it is just too cold.
Coldest is my 98 S10 ZR2. Small cab, big AC, can't use it past fan setting 2. We actually turn the heat up, even on summer days because it is just too cold.
Chrysler LH sedans (1993-1997 Concorde, NY, LHS, Intrepid, Vision) were designed to put out the equivalent of a 2-ton home AC system.
http://www.allpar.com/model/lh2/hvac.html
I'd start with that and see what improvements have been made by Chrysler and their competitors since. The AC in the 1997 Intrepid I owned in 2007 was top notch even after ten years and 147000 miles. The AC in the 1996 Intrepid my wife had when she met me was still as good with 190,000 miles plus. Why do you think I got the '97? Should have kept it, too, but we needed the cash from it and my other car for a down payment on a house.
http://www.allpar.com/model/lh2/hvac.html
I'd start with that and see what improvements have been made by Chrysler and their competitors since. The AC in the 1997 Intrepid I owned in 2007 was top notch even after ten years and 147000 miles. The AC in the 1996 Intrepid my wife had when she met me was still as good with 190,000 miles plus. Why do you think I got the '97? Should have kept it, too, but we needed the cash from it and my other car for a down payment on a house.
The "best" automotive A/C system I've ever seen was on a buddy's 1970's Dodge Dart. It was a dealer installed after-market R12 system. The evaporator which hung under the dash looked like something out of a C-store reach-in box and the compressor was a huge York recip complete with service valves, sight-glass etc.
On a 90+ degree day in the sun, the windows would have humidity condensing on the -outside-! You could get the interior of the car down into the 30's.
Of course, with the giant (no heat in the winter) slant-6 cooling system, the engine temp never bumped from the middle of the "normal" range on the gauge. The compressor sapped so much engine power, you could feel it kicking in and out even at highway speeds. Fun, chilly times!
On a 90+ degree day in the sun, the windows would have humidity condensing on the -outside-! You could get the interior of the car down into the 30's.
Of course, with the giant (no heat in the winter) slant-6 cooling system, the engine temp never bumped from the middle of the "normal" range on the gauge. The compressor sapped so much engine power, you could feel it kicking in and out even at highway speeds. Fun, chilly times!
My Jeep has great A/C as well. Even in 85* weather after baking in the sun for a few hours with the windows cracked open, it cools down fast, and the vent temps are too cold to keep your and in front of within about 45 seconds of startup with the fan on max recirc. It's a black Jeep, black leather, factory tint on rear windows only.
Mom's 99 Grand Cherokee has good A/C too, as does my sister's 94 Camry. Dad's 05 Camry has decent A/C, but not as good as the others.
Mom's 99 Grand Cherokee has good A/C too, as does my sister's 94 Camry. Dad's 05 Camry has decent A/C, but not as good as the others.
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