air con on all the time

[mark hamster 28]

I was reading a few weeks back on here some where and can not find it now so I thought I'd start a new topic on it.!

A few members was saying it's best just to leave the air con on all the time.! Apparently these days it hardly use's any extra fuel ??

So my question is, I have a 3.0D (2009) so on my model, what would you folks guess it is extra it will use ?? also would be interesting to no what the difference is on the other models, 3.0sd, 4.0d and 5.0d.

I remember years ago when my dad would turn it on and off and on and off and I recall years ago it said it used 25% extra ?? also was looking at the new 2014 model X5's and the co2 out the back is very impressing.! on the 5.0D it says 173.! bloody impressive I say..!! Just thinking and dreaming a few years time when its time to go spending again  O:-) O:-)

[535dboy]

I think the thinking now is that it uses so little extra fuel, if any I would argue on these modern cars, that it is cheaper to pay a smidge more fuel now than the costs of replacing parts of the a/c system !

On the lotus, which has basic a/c, you can hear the revs rise as you switch it on and off

[X5Sport]

Mine is never off for the reason above.  If you don't use it regularly it costs a fortune for a new compressor etc.  fuel consumption is not a priority as several have said, and these Diesel engines don't seem to notice when it's turned on.

Richard

[Dr C]

OP - the 30d, 40d, and 50d are all three litre flat six diesels, as the number increases, so do the number of turbos and BHP/torque.....and price!

I also have AC on constantly after reading one of Richard's previous posts...

[noxid1969]

Do you find that the aircon will 'chill' the interior of the car, just recently following a few aircon issues, mine doesn't seem to be able to get the car cold and just cooler, so the sunlight coming in the windows makes you hot, the aircon is definitely on just not very cold. It has been regassed and checked twice in the last month.

[X5Sport]

It should drop the car temp to 16C if it's working properly.

Richard

[noxid1969]

Richard,
Where is the interior sensor positioned that detects that interior temperature as where I am sat it feels warmer and set on Auto the fan runs at 3/4 speed constantly whereas I would expect as the temperature approached the setting the fan speed would reduce.

[X5Sport]

On mine just below the left temp control there is a vent of some sort, and if you push the 'Auto' button it will change the cooling cycles from Soft to Medium to Fast etc.  Each push moves the cycle on and changes the fan speeds.  I use mine on Auto, Soft and the recirc on Auto too.

Richard