How Essential Is Your Car’s Air Conditioning To You?
Now, this isn’t a question for those who choose not to own a car. Since the car is non-essential, the state of its air conditioning is irrelevant. I wouldn’t classify the failure of a car’s air conditioning as an emergency, but when mine decided its time was up, I ended up classifying it higher on my priority list than I would have predicted I would. I’m not out of debt yet, but my car’s air conditioning was fixed this past weekend.
A month or so ago, my car’s air conditioning seemed to not get quite as cold as it used to. Over the course of the next two weeks, it rapidly deteriorated, and eventually just completely stopped working at all. My spouse drives my car in the evening when I am at work to take the kids to their activities (since the car seats are installed in my car) and he began to complain about my lack of air conditioning. Which I told him wasn’t that bad. My first car, which is the only car I had before this one, didn’t have air conditioning at all and I survived with it for 12 years, after all.
But then my kids started getting really sweaty and sticky riding in the back seat, and the littlest one (who is 21 months) started looking really pink every time we rode in the car. I tried rolling down the windows more, and that worked a little, but then I caught my son’s hand in a window rolling it up. I didn’t completely close it on his hand, but I did pinch it a little, and he being 4 and with a speech delay, he doesn’t always follow directions very well. My brain could see this happening again, and so I changed my mind.
My spouse took the car in this weekend, and $181 later, the air conditioning is fixed. It had a major leak caused by a nut completely corroding away. The major leak could have been guessed at, since it deteriorated so rapidly. So that’s $181 less towards debt elimination this month. But I am okay with that. And the kids don’t get so sticky.
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August 13th, 2008 at 6:49 am
I feel your pain! My AC quit about 2 months ago, and I’ve been very grateful for the break in heat this week. I’ve been coping by driving with the windows down and adjusting my schedule so that I’m out during the coolest parts of the day.
Of course, I can’t always schedule my on-the-road assignments for work before 10 a.m. I’ve been given an estimate of $400 to fix the AC, but it might be a worthwhile investment for next summer. I just hate to spend $400 on a 8 year old car worth less than $2,000! We plan to save up the money and re-evaluate the car’s lifespan after the winter.
I think children would be a major factor in my decision. It’s just me suffering right now, but I couldn’t make a 2 year old suffer! Glad to hear your fix was relatively inexpensive.
August 13th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Bah, I scarcely remember having air conditioning in a car when I was a kid. Roll the windows down, and just be careful to make sure that kids hands are out of the way (in our day this was easier because windows were almost exclusively hand crank!), and I live in South Carolina (100+ degree days are very common in Summer). I would probably delay fixing the A/C in my car if it went out, even if we had kids.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:04 am
The A/C for us is a must. We live in the desert and it gets extremely hot. When it’s 104 or 110 outside, my guess is that it’s at least 120-130 inside the car. If I don’t have the A/C on and just have the windows open, I’d get a sunburn (our UV index is really high). I don’t drive much - maybe 2-3 times a month, so I might delay fixing it for a little while, but I wouldn’t go long term without it.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:19 am
There’s also an element of safety involved with the AC, if you get too hot then you get all irritable and you might make bad decisions on the roads.
That’s what an emergency fund is for!
Brandon: I agree that it’s possible to make do but how do you benefit by waiting another month? To argue against myself, I’d say that the only scenario that makes sense is since it is August, maybe wherever you live has a shorter summer and you can make it to winter without AC and then save up the $181 over the course of several months. I can see delaying for that reason.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:33 am
my husband’s air stopping working this spring. we live in memphis, where it is hot hot hot during the summer. our mechanic said the price to fix is ($1200) wasn’t worth it for the age of the car (10 yrs), so we started looking. i really did not want to buy a car this summer, but my husband searched carefully and found a great used car for about $6000. according to our mechanic, it should last years.
so clearly, the AC is important to us. and if i were you, i would have fixed it too. we didn’t have AC as kids, but we weren’t strapped into car seats either.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:55 am
I wrote an article about this topic recently as well. Luckily our car just needed a coolant recharge, but I delayed as long as I could before facing the music. It was finally the toll on our toddler that pushed us over the edge in getting it fixed.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I think that because of the kids, this was a smart move. In our old car, the a/c needed to be recharged each summer for a few summers (more cost effective than fixing what was most likely a leak since we didn’t plan on keeping the car that much longer). My husband and I were fine with windows rolled down, but my son was sweating buckets in the back seat. I think being strapped into a carseat makes a big difference.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
The only time I use my air conditioning is when driving with the kids. When I’m by myself, I crank down the windows.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I live in Charlotte NC where we can count on two things in the summer–Heat and Heavy Traffic. Today was what they call ‘don’t drive to work’ day. I saw one poor guy on a bike. I work about 30 min by car from home–and hubby fixed my AC this summer cuz I think I might get heat stroke without it. ITs important!!! And so is my poor old used car.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
A/C in both our cars has been out for over two years now. We cope.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Oh– I also think its ‘certifiable’ to live in SC and not use ac. EGADS!! the air is like soup down there!
August 13th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I should probably add that we live in MA, not AZ or FL or anything, so that also makes a difference.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I would have made the same decision. I live in Pennsylvania where it doesn’t get extremely hot, but I do not like being over 85 degrees ever. Also, using a/c is much better for your gas mileage than putting the windows down. For a $200 fix, I think you probably save money in the long run with keeping the windows closed. Plus, the peace of mind and comfort is definitely worth it for me.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
We grew up in SW Florida without an air conditioner, but I sure wouldn’t want to do it again!
Now I live in cool coastal Oregon, but I still wouldn’t be without the A/C. It filters the air and helps me from getting hay fever, it keeps the smoggy air out when I visit the ‘big city’ or the valley, it helps the noise level while driving, and it sure helps in all those construction zone waiting lines. Nope - I wouldn’t be without it!
Why suffer with the heat if you don’t have to. You can be frugal somewhere else - comfort is usually a priority for me - suffering needlessly because I don’t want to spend the money is not!
That’s the nice thing about being frugal… usually you can make up for an expense somewhere else. We all have our priorities and our reasons for being frugal - being frugal is NOT the same for everyone. What some see as a luxury is not for others. What some see as a waste of money, is not for others.
August 13th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
We have really hot summers the temp reaches 115+ so I think air conditioning in the car is a necessity.
I tell my kids about the good old days when most cars didn’t have air conditioning because it was an option most people couldn’t afford and they look at me like I’m crazy.
August 13th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
AC is primo in central Texas where temps this summer have exceeded 105 degrees! I couldn’t go anywhere in this heat without vehicle AC.
August 13th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I absolutely would get the AC fixed! Whiney, sweaty kids and a cranky, crazed mom don’t mix well. Good decision I say!
August 14th, 2008 at 12:37 am
LOL! In this part of the country, the inside of a parked car will quickly reach 120 degrees. On a hot day, temps will rise even higher. The steering wheel is so hot it can burn your hands — some people carry gloves in the car to handle the steering wheel until the AC cools the interior down a bit.
In the olden days when people didn’t have AC, the towns were smaller and car theft a rarity, so you could leave the windows down while you wandered off. These days you do not leave your car windows open or your doors unlocked, even for a few minutes. Really…you couldn’t drive or ride in a car around here without air conditioning.
Even in more moderate weather, if your nerves are on edge because you’re too hot and your kids are squabbling and cranky because they’re hot, it has to affect your driving. Fixing the AC was the safe thing to do…$181 is as nothing compared to the costs of an accident.
August 14th, 2008 at 10:01 am
I don’t have kids, but I have dogs that travel with me and yes I consider AC a necessity. Even in New England, the car can heat up to intolerable levels. The A/C died in my old car and I suffered one very hot miserable summer without the A/C.
Prior to buying my Saturn, I drove a Subaru that did not have A/C and again, I had some trips that were just miserable without the AC. Most of my driving was local and I could survive without A/C and the windows open for the short trips. Long Trips were tough
Like others, I pretty much use the AC when needed to make my long drives tolerable and comfortable.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
My last car’s AC stopped working for the last 4 years of its life. I live in North Carolina and it’s pretty hot and humid in the summer. Needless to say, I got really sweaty. Three of those years I was in college so I didn’t really care — I was wearing shorts and t-shirt anyway. The last year I had a real job and the only way I survived was by leaving early in the morning before it got hot, then driving home with no shirt in the evening! That may not be practical for you though!
August 15th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Oh yeah, AC is essential for kids, especially if they are youngsters. I think you got off easy just paying $181. I’ve replaced window regulators that cost $350 after parts and labor. Nothing like going down the freeway with the window open. Also, made it difficult to secure the car at night. Cats could jump in, or someone could steal the car.
I would say AC is right up there with good tires on your car. It can get 100 degrees plus where we live in the summer, AC is a must.
I’d get a second, third, or fourth job for that AC
August 15th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I live in Texas, where it was literally 100 degrees yesterday. Air conditioning here is a MUST — no matter how frugal you are!
August 15th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
What a wonderful site. Handling something we all care about from the perspective of a single family. Perfect. Good job, see you soon.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:57 pm
My A/C went out, and the estimate to repair it is $1100. Not worth it on my 10 yr old minivan. It’s only worth about $2500!
It’s not that important to me to fix it. We try to bike-commute as much as possible in the summer anyway.
Keeping it running and in good, safe condition? Very important. Heat? Vital here in Michigan (nine months of winter and three months of bad sledding…). A/C? Optional. I really only need/want it about 10 days a year.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:35 pm
It definitely depends where you live. In Florida there is just no way I could tolerate driving without air conditioning. And with two small children, I think not having air conditioning could lead to potentially dangerous situations. (Not to mention you really don’t want to be driving down the highway with your windows open–debris could easily fly into your car and seriously hurt a passenger).