No More Oldsmobiles

I never had this dilemma before. With gas so high, I figure an open sunroof would cut mileage because of the drag. But running the AC isn't free.

dazygirl415

I would think that neither one would give you a noticable amount of increased gas mileage so do what makes you happy! :D

mrkbik

The gas mileage would be pretty negligible. I like to hear what's going on around me so I always open the windows and sunroof.

Slims8

They say that rolling down your windows causes enough wind resistance to equal the extra power required to run your A/C... 6 to one, half a dozen to the other.

Slims8

I hate it when people say "they say". Just thought I would clarify: I have heard people say....

dazygirl415

I reiterate: do what you want, do what makes you happy! D

Antimo12

I get to chlosterphobic in that car...So all windows and sunroof are always open..Im used to driving my dodge ram...so this tiny space is very uncomfortable still..

Rupes

I don't like having the AC on cause it drains the power from the engine.

snizzle

this is exactly why i don't use it much, regardless of the fuel savings it robs the engine of power... and it's much more noticable on small displacement engines

rx8pilot

they did this on "Mythbusters"... ran 2 exact vehicles around an oval track until their tanks ran dry at about 60 mph... (half a tank of gas) the one with the window down ran something like 30 min. longer...

Discman2

I always go with my windows sown. Except on the highways. if it gets sunny I put the AC on, but usually I don't need to

therm8

Yep, but that was with the oh so aerodynamic Ford Explorer. Not sure how, the aerodynamics of the 8, might affect the results. My guess is that the AC would still give better mileage on the highway. The sunroof causes some serious drag at 80+, and it's loud :p . I'm still more of a windows down type of guy, and rarely use the AC. It helps having cloth seats. Takes away what we Navy types call Nauga-A$$ (see Naugahyde) :D , from sweat inducing leather seats.

mrkbik

This reminds my of my dirvers test. I was driving a crappy little neon on the highway and once I hit 60mph, the AC shut off.

Revolver

A/C on or off or windows up or down depends on the driving I'm doing. If I'm cruising, hey whatever's the most comfortable. On max attack it's strictly A/C off and windows up.

Never had a sun roof - never will. They add weight high in the car and where I live skin cancer is a real issue (especially when you're follicularly challenged like me). Ditto convertibles - always heavier than the coupe version and I don't need the attention.

rodmeister

"An experiment is worth a thousand expert opinions." I don't think anybody really knows so you might try alternating gas tanks with air conditioner and sun roof. It would be interesting and we'd all learn something instead of endlessly speculating.

Rupes

He was saying that the windows down on an explorer was better than having the AC on for fuel economy. Don't you think on a more aerodynamic car, the effects would be increased even more?

therm8

Oh yeah, got it backwards in my head.

Aerodynamics is wierd stuff. The 8 could be the most aerodynamic car in the world...with the windows shut, but open one window and crazy stuff happens. I'd think the more aerodynamic the car with 'em up, the worse hit it'd take with 'em down. But without good tests, or a wind tunnel i really don't know.

rx8pilot

I think we have a winner!!! *ding, ding, ding*

there's a point where the a/c would be more efficient as most of the drag is increased almost exponentially with speed...but that point i'm almost positive is beyond 75-80 mph (but not much further than)... and as most legal speed limits are 80 and below right now.. it's safe to assume.....windows down is better for gas mileage...throw in the sunroof..and ur adding more drag..and so on.. but below 80 i'd put money on the windows down car going further.

Glyphon

if you lived in georgia, this wouldn't be a question...windows up with ac on...unless you'd like your interior yellow. i might change this when summer rolls around, but then its so hot that unless you are driving highway speeds, you won't get adequate cooling from going 2-55 (windows down). and sadly with traffic around here, you'll most likely be sitting still or going really slow (even on the highway).

LiL BenNy

i blast the AC till my car cools down to a comfortable temperature so the leather isnt melting my *** or my hands, then ill turn it off and open the windows..

Tbone

Hey, we have the same cars! I have an 02 Ram 1500 4x4 quad in silver, and the RX-8 in silver.

rx8pilot

never said anything about comfort or cleaning..lol just mpg.

as for me.. yeah..windows up..and a/c on. i can clean my car spotless...go inside for a nice glass of ice water and come out to find that my car is covered again in frickin pollen....


bama sucks...can't wait to get deployed to iraq..lol

Glyphon

lol...that was me last weekend. except replace go for water with finish washing 1 side. its annoying to get through washing and go to dry it and find little yellow circles all over the car.

and as for mileage, around town windows down gets better mileage. on the highway, a/c gets better mileage.

<tangent>
and i'm pretty sure that the speed in the afore mentioned mythbusters episode was 45mph, not 60.
</tangent>

rx8pilot

ehh...whateva..lol

the explorer at 45=60 in an rx-8....aerodynamically speaking..lol

Wurmfist

Your Air conditioning compressor cycles on and off weather or not you have it selected to be on in any case. So you really aren't saving anything powerwise or mileage wise. So I say. Open the sunroof AND blast the air conditioning!

No really, it's true, the only thing you can do is close up all the windows in your car and just run the air. Then you might see some sort of difference in your gas mileage, but I think you won't see much, if even noticable.