pure's with out ac

[KarenS]

gotta have air!

[jimvw57]

The A/C will also filter out those nasty pollen critters that make my hay fever act up. I use mine quite a bit as a filter. Gotta love those farmers out spraying the fields and plowing, cutting hay, etc. I'm not sure I'd get a car without A/C just for that reason.

Seems like the MPG goes down with the windows open. Not uncommon on newer cars.

[Dave Van]

I have 2 Pure's without A/C. I ordered one that way, my Bee, and bought a orphan about the same. Our high this past summer was 86 and that was two days...so I don't really need it. No matter what others say I feel no A/C adds to my mpg which is mid 40 all the time and right at 50 if I behave!

[Westfield 11]

Originally Posted by NCC1701

Interesting feedback. But, you're in LA. Not as much need for A/C there as there is in most locations. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe your Summers are more mild than Minnesota's.

Only if you think temps over 100 are mild..... This year we had one day of over 115. I live in Tucson and LA and it gets hotter sooner and stays hotter longer in the part of LA where I live than in Tucson. A/C is mandatory here!!
And try to sell a car w/o A/C anywhere, it will cost you........

[BigWarpGuy]

My previous vehicle - a 1996 Nissan pickup (pre Frontier) - did not have AC. I had it for 12 years but only had about 85,000 miles on it. I am used to not have AC. When I bought my Pure, it did not have AC. I used the 2wd55 method of 'AC'; 2 windows down and 55 mph. It might have made the vehicle slower but it felt nice. Here in central New Jersey, it can get very warm and humid. I do not mind not having AC.

[Alan Smithee]

Originally Posted by NCC1701

...you're in LA. Not as much need for A/C there...you can do without the A/C better...Got you right?

Correct (although most of LA is away from the coast and a lot less mild). I very rarely use AC in any of my cars, and it's never needed at night...but the AC definitely goes on more often in the smart, and sometimes at night as well.

Part of it is the heat generated by the engine, but also with a passenger; having another 98.6F body occupying what little cabin space there is creates the need for cooling. Add luggage to the remaining space and some freeway to really get the engine heated up, and we find the AC has to be on for comfort even if it's cool outside.

[Woody14619]

Originally Posted by Alan Smithee

I find that the smart gets warm and stuffy a lot sooner than a regular car.

I agree, but for me that's a good thing. I live in a place where 6 to 7 months a year it's winter, so that quickly-warming car thing is nice.

I would think though that unless you live in the northern states, you probably want AC in a pure. If you were getting a cabrio, you could probably skip it, since if it gets too hot, you can put the roof back and get a bit of cooling that way.

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by Woody14619

I agree, but for me that's a good thing. I live in a place where 6 to 7 months a year it's winter, so that quickly-warming car thing is nice.

Here is Something for us in the northern climates to remember, not only does the car heat up quick but, think about what happens when you put your dial into defrost.

In order for cars to keep from fogging up in the winter, especialy small cars, when you turn the dial to defrost the AC is turned on. This will suck the moisture out of the air and speed the defrosting/fogging process.

Two, or even 1 Body in such a small space creates a lot of moisture just breathing, if you add a hot drink to the mix it fogs up quickly in the winter without the AC.

[JanetMermaid]

People are ignoring the importance of resale value for cars with/without A/C. This quote is from the cars.com site:

"Simpler options such as power windows and locks and air conditioning are critical for residual value. Cars without them suffer big discounts on the used-car market."

[danag]

Originally Posted by forestacademy

Here is Something for us in the northern climates to remember, not only does the car heat up quick but, think about what happens when you put your dial into defrost.

In order for cars to keep from fogging up in the winter, especialy small cars, when you turn the dial to defrost the AC is turned on. This will suck the moisture out of the air and speed the defrosting/fogging process.

Two, or even 1 Body in such a small space creates a lot of moisture just breathing, if you add a hot drink to the mix it fogs up quickly in the winter without the AC.

And it's this exact reason why I would never buy a car without AC. I need AC where I live during the summer, but even in the winter when I don't, I still use it for those few minutes when the windows fog up.