GR86 Do you have your aircon on?

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86GR

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Every car I’ve owned I’ve left the aircon all year round, I find I need the AC on in winter to prevent the screen fogging up. With the GR86 I can turn it off and not have those issues.

On one hand having it off will save a bit of fuel and theoretically leave more engine power for acceleration, on the other hand I think it helps to keep the AC seals lubricated having it running.
 
Maybe it's because I've owned cars over the years where you could feel the drop in power when the aircon was switched on, I always leave it off, and just turn it on when needed. I have noticed when getting in friends cars who seem to leave it turned on all the time, they have the temp setting turned up higher to achieve the same sort of temperature (I rarely need to go above 20 degrees), so I don't know if that's due do needing to turn the temp higher if aircon is on all the time.
 
Leave mine off, turn it on when needed but make sure I give it a run at least once a week to keep it supple.
 
I can't believe this is still a discussion in 2023. Just leave the thing on Auto and set the temperature control to whatever you want at any given time.

It might use a smidge more fuel*, but won't affect your 0-60 times, will help prevent faults through lack of use (without having to do anything silly like remembering to switch it on for some arbitrary period every week 🤪), stops the possibility of it going all pongy on you, and makes your cabin environment more pleasant at all times.

Almost all the people I've ever known who have had problems with a/c (smells, pump problems, leaks etc.) are the ones who insist on switching it off.

I also despair when I pass other cars with misted-up windows. Their windscreen might be clear because of the fan, but you can bet that moisture swirling around the cabin will condense in the most undesired of places and contribute to unseen corrosion under carpets etc.

*and if that was our main concern then we'd all be driving different cars ;)
 
Generally kept on, including this time of year when all-round demisting is needed.

When the weather's nice I do like fresh air in the car so I tend to turn everything off and open one or both windows (around town not motorways).
 
Silver Fox said:
I do like fresh air in the car so I tend to turn everything off and open one or both windows (around town
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Around town? Next to stinking filthy poorly service diesel taxis/vans/buses? Probably the place you want the air con on IMV.
 
v8s said:
Around town? Next to stinking filthy poorly service diesel taxis/vans/buses? Probably the place you want the air con on IMV.
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My apologies - by 'around town' I meant the picturesque villages and hamlets local to me, and the scenic seaside towns where my relatives live.

I forget not everyone lives in rural, bucolic areas!

Cities - I agree. Windows closed.
 
Always on, set at between 19 - 21 degreess depending on the weather, unless I've got the windows down driving at low speed in the countryside on a nice day, which hasn't happened in the GR86 yet.
 
Always on although weirdly have noticed in cold weather unless I have it on the direct screen only the cabin fogs up.

Maybe I'm just a massive mouth breather?
 
Orro said:
You must have had a deluxe model, my 1.4 pug didn't have A/C 😆
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My ex-wife had a 1988 205 'SR' 1.4 - without A/C - when I first met her in the late nineties.

She was convinced the 'SR' referred to the full-length SunRoof it had.









Which is why she's now my ex-wife (amongst other things)
 
Bought a 6 year old Celica TS and had constant problems with A/C.
I took it to a specialist who said this is what happens when they are switched off for long periods and not using them regularly. He said it is like your fridge. Keep switching it on and off to save a few pence and it will cost a few pounds to fix it. Fridges run for ever when left on.
Since then I have left all my cars A/C on all the time so it keeps working properly. They don't use fuel like they used to.
 
As others have said never turn it off. In my old GT86 which I would suspect has the same system as the GR86 I never turned it off in 150,000 miles. Always worked faultlessly. It's lack of use that causes the problems. You need the refrigerant to circulate to lubricate the seals. It turns off at full throttle. I don't even turn it off for sprinting or track days where in warmer temps it's great to keep the cabin cool and my focus levels up.
 
grzoostuff said:
When I drove a 1.4 pug and was overtaking I would turn the aircon off for the extra boost:LOL:
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Oh, I've done that on many older or smaller cars.

On the Civic I had in Qatar in the mid-90s it was a genuinely VTEC-yo moment when you turned it off. A small engine and air-con working flat out in 40°C heat will do that!
 
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