I guess I'm too obsessed with my MPG.
I live and work within 5 miles of the beach in Southern California so it usually stays pretty cool.

The last few days the temperature has hovered near 100.

Fortunately I park in a garage at home and at work so the car is cool when I start out.
I open the windows if I'm driving under 30 and close them and turn the fan on high when I'm on the freeway.
I have a large cotton towel on my seat and take my shirt off.

Yesterday I told myself if it got over 94 I'd cave in and turn on the AC.
It actually DID happen to reach exactly 94 and it wasn't that bad really.
I never turned the AC on.
Maybe knowing I'd allow myself to use the AC if it got to 95 helped.

Am I insane?

 

Nope, you are not insane. Just insanely obsessed !

That is great milleage. If I were in your shoes, I too would rather try to resist the urge to turn on the AC- just to keep the high milleage you are getting.


However, we ALL need to operate the AC for a minimal amount of time each week in order to keep the system lubricated. Even those folks living in the white north need to do so as well. If we do not, you may experience premature degradation of the seals and even the refrigerant. This is true for most vehicles equipped with factory installed AC's.



Cheers;

MSantos

 

Yes you are insane, because I am also. It's hard to put on the AC when
you are getting such great mpg.

 

If you're feeling guilty, try the automatic climate control. It optimizes the cooling to a set temperature. I suspect it's better for FE than just turning on the AC full blast.

 

It was 100+ in Silicon Valley yesterday. I managed to make the morning commute without A/C but on the afternoon commute I had to use it.

I noticed that the A/C felt weak compared to my other vehicles (2003 Camry, 2001 Sienna). The air coming out of the vents was not as cold as I expect.

Anyone else notice this on their HCH II?

 

Sounds like what I do. I'll turn on the A/C if I have passengers or if I'm transporting my kitten, but if I'm just commuting I can't bring myself to do it. Fan on full-blast, windows down at the beginning to get the hot air out of the car...I really can't say that the heat bothers me. I spend so much time cursing the winter, I'm going to soak up the summer heat for all it's worth!

msantos has a good point about running it from time to time. So far so good on my end, still blowing ice cold practically as soon as I hit the switch. (Note for clarity: Not a HCH!)

 

I blast the A/C daily, and I use it it ALL the time. I live out in La Verne, where I routinely am in 100+ weather nowadays, so to buy a brand new car and not use it, is just well, silly in my climate. And to answer your question, if you actually use your AC and let it run, it cools the air QUITE nicely. I've been in said 100+ weather and been able to turn it to 69 with the recirculation on and it works like a charm.

 

Kenny, you are insane! I just couldn't stand it any more. I live in Long Beach also, but commute to Downtown LA every day. It has been so miserable in So Cal these past 2 weeks. I moved from the midwest to get away from this kind of weather. I have been running AC every day. It's much harder to keep my car in the 50-100 mpg range. I have to be a lot more delicate on the pedal.
After I get the car cooled down to 78, I put the fan speed on low (1 bar) and it doesn't seem to kill the mpg as bad.

 

I will admire your motivation from the comfort of my auto/set at 72 degree HCH.

 

Maybe you should have considered a motorcycle.