As the title states, which way is better to save on gas? It's not a big deal, i'm just curious....

 

windows down, ac is driven by the crank, so naturally its going to ropb power and gas

 

windows down of course, plus ac slows you down alot.

 

Having the windows down puts drag on the car so that screws gas milage over too. As for which will get better gas milage over the other, I don't know.

 

If you got AC, why not use it?

 

yes, but is it JDM ac?

 

I heard past 50mph, the a/c robs less gas than windows, but thats just something i heard.

 

Not hitting redline unless you are at the drag strip helps you get better mpg by a lot.

 

Its the same for either or both together. If you've watched the mythbusters, you might might have seen this. They drove a ford windstar i believe around a track for a full tank of gas wih ac on, windows up. ac off windows down, ac on windows down. The MPG was the exact same on all.

The drag with the open window isnt enough to lose fuel effeciency. The ac only robs hp, not fuel efficiency.

 

in city driving i bet ac makes a difference. i usually drive around with my sunroof open and driver window halfway down. ac off. getting about 30mpg in my ex .

 

im getting about 24 mpg...gotta change that air filter

 

According to Mythbusters, you get better fuel economy with the AC on than the windows down. Windows down causes more drag.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BlueIntegraBoy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">According to Mythbusters, you get better fuel economy with the AC on than the windows down. Windows down causes more drag.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Was just getting ready to say that. Had wondered if anyone else had seen that show.

 

i thought the one with the ac on died before the one with the windows down. i watched that episode

 

The mythbusters experient was okay and everything but aerodynamics of all vehicles differ greatly. A Ford Windstar was a great car to use for the show to get marginal results for both experiments.

A four door sedan, however, will have much less drag with the front and rear windows down than just the front ones. The AC DOES use more gas, not just hp, as you have to use more gas to achieve the same velocity as you would without it on. Robbing both hp, and in turn, gas.

I say if you have a sedan, have all windows down. If you have a sunroof... use that for optimal gas mileage. Any sunroof will circulate enough air to cool the passenger compartment. If you have a coupe without a sunroof or latch windows... well... guess you're going to experiement with which is better, ac or windows. All cars are different.

EDIT: Also, if you don't mind the somewhat silly look... you can get those window visors that you attach to your doors to reduce drag.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by silverb18 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As the title states, which way is better to save on gas? It's not a big deal, i'm just curious....</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had this female friend whom her dad gave her this article on a Honda Accord. The article was regarding which would eat up more gas between just rolling your windows down or using the AC. It showed by having the windows down the vehicle lost more gas than using its equipped AC.

*shrugs*

 

i dont have ac, so I just dont worry about it. my wimdows stay rolled down unless it is raining

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hapexamendios EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yes, but is it JDM ac?</TD></TR></TABLE>


My AC belt is JDM. For real.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xEnderx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


My AC belt is JDM. For real.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i bet it adds eleventy billion whp and cost a millionzillion dollars huh??

 

Use a JDM A/C system and you get best of both worlds.

 

Geo Metro.

 

i live in miami Fl. where its 80 plus degress. a/c owns me....i hate getting somewhere wet. even if i have the top off, the a/c is on.
gas mileage=

 

I think The Myth Busters solved this not long ago.

Mileage definitely drops more with the AC on than with windows down.

 

I don't care which one saves more gas... I just like the wind blowing through my hair. lol.

 

in a bigger vehicle with a little more power to spin the a/c condenser pulley then running the a/c would get better gas mileage.. but i have found that in my civic it robs me of alot of power when i cruise with the a/c on... so sun roof wide open windows cracked for me...