Do you save much gas by not driving with the AC on?

Question

Do you save much gas by not driving with the AC on?

Answer 1

It depends if you have your windows down instead and you are driving at a high spend (like driving on the highway or something) then the drag from the wind/speed can actually be worse on your MPG then simply having the a/c on low.

Answer 2

mythbusters tested the theory.  they found the difference miniscule.    dont torture yourself to save 1 or 2 miles per gallon.

Answer 3

That's a tricky question...the answer is-It depends on the car. For some vehicles, mainly older ones, driving with the AC on can burn more gas than just having the windows down, but typically the answer is "no." Why? Because the gravitational pull of having the windows down can cause the vehicle to work harder to drive...causing it to burn more gas. In the long run, it ends up balancing out to be more cost effective to have the AC on. One way to ensure that the scale is balanced out in order to be able to have the AC on when you drive your vehicle is to keep your car well insulated, tuned up, etc.

Answer 4

I've been told that you have three choices:

1) bake in agony by leaving the windows closed and no AC

2) open the windows, create drag, use more gas

3) use the AC, which uses more gas.

This is really just my boyfriend's opinion and I think he heard it on NPR, but apparently, options 2 and 3 are more or less equal.

Just do what makes you feel good, I would suggest.

Answer 5

yes you save alot more gas when you dont use the ac. The ac eats your gas.

Answer 6

absultely yes and also gives more power to your engine when your ac off....

Answer 7

sure you will save less than a gallon per tank so really if you have air that works use it really it cost less than riding with your window up and its hot that will save money on gas but you will pass out from the heat and with the windows down you have more drag on the car really you use more that way.. run it best at speed it will use little that you could really see.... you can do a test  fill up and run air one week .. marking the mileage before and after then run another tank with it off and do the same thing.... it wont be worth the troubles

Answer 8

Just a tiny bit.

For best MPG:

HWY speed - AC on and window up.

STREET speed - AC off and window down.

The BEST - AC OFF and window UP.

I was out today and was just going for a short drive. The above was kind of moot because it was so hot I could not drive with the AC off (which I normally prefer - regardless of cost).

Good Luck...

Answer 9

there was a special on a nightly-news show this past couple of weeks, i can't remember if it was 20/20 or another. they were doing an hour special on gas consumption. with the ac, they said it didn't consume that much more. and on the highway, just use it, because by the time you roll down the windows, you'll be using more gas because of the wind resistance (as compared to the windows up).