Buying a car with no Air Conditioning...

TooObvious

Hey, I'm in the market for a new (to me) car. Given that it will be primarily suburban driving, i'm looking at small petrol engined cars. My heart is set on a Toyota IQ, however the one i have pinpointed does not have a/c!!!

Just for the non query related comments, this is a 2nd car to the family car, I don't have a secure access point for electric charger, I use train when I can and there will be a brompton fold-up bike going in the boot.

My query - Is it a mistake in this day and age buying a car with no a/c?

speedbird834

You have to decide yourself how important it is to you. Personally I wouldn't buy a car without - it's not just useful in warmer weather but also great to keep the windows mist-free during wetter weather.

L1011

Wouldn't consider a car without it in Ireland due to how damp it is. The cooling is a nice side product if its warm, but the drying is the essential bit.

This sounds like its going to be a bad weather car too, if you're intending to use it as an adjunct to cycling - if that's right you'll be only driving it in peak AC weather.

PilotHole

I wouldn't buy one without either but.....we survived for many many years without it.

JimmyVik

Used to wonder why people obsessed about air con.

Since i started driving cars with air con though, i would never buy one without it now.

Its 1st on the list of essentials if looking at a car now :)

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118140288#Comment_118140288

And still do. Ours on one car and only used in the very odd summer heatwave.

HeidiHeidi

I hate A/C in a car with a passion - but when it's needed, it's needed, and I'm not sure I'd buy a car without any more.

Mine gets fired up about 5 times a year max, but those times (v. damp, or v. hot) I'm awfully grateful for it.

bazz26

Contrary to popular belief you don't need a heatwave to have a use for air conditioning. It's very useful on those mild damp Irish days too to clear condensation. Our climate is perfect for it.

TooObvious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118140271#Comment_118140271

Yes, you're correct on pissy days I would be inclined to stay in the car, on moderately wet to average weather days I generally drive most of the way into town, park up and cycle in the D8 to D2 section. So there could be a wet brompton in it on the way home also. Irrespective of this, there definitely seems to be a consensus!

RINO87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118140931#Comment_118140931

Yep, wet bike, damp clothes, sweaty driver = lots, and lots of condensation, and personally, it would drive me mad!!

I've my ac/cc on all year, set to 19 degrees and never have to touch it, its brilliant.

For a new Dacia Sandero in northern Europe it is one to ponder whether you get one with or without. For almost every other car you'd be hard to find a good reason not to spend the extra.

TooObvious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141022#Comment_118141022

I take umbrage at the "sweaty driver" comment!

RINO87

ha ha, I thought that might happen!!! For "sweaty", read GLOWING

colm_mcm

The only iQ worth buying is a loaded 1.33 model.

the 1.0 engine and miserly Irish spec ruin an otherwise interesting car. I had one for a while from work when they came out.

you don’t need aircon, but that’s the least of your worries.

wotzgoingon

What you want is climate control. I have basic aircon and it is freezing even on hot summers day on low that I have to alternate having it on and off as leave it on too long and it's like sitting in a ice bath. Then turn it off for a while and get hot then rinse and repeat turning it on and off while climate control with keep the cabin at a constant temperature doing the turning on and off automatically.

PsychoPete

Wouldn't even consider buying a car without it, I use it all year round

TooObvious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118163153#Comment_118163153

I think you might be right. Turns out the car I was interested in does have a/c just not climate control. Either way, I test drove a 1.3 auto IQ (fully loaded)at the weekend and I wasn't overly impressed, they look very cool, but the CVT box put me off. Straight after that test, I took out a Fiat 500S and despite 30bhp less, was far more fun, and also a lovely place to sit.

colm_mcm

I’d agree with you. The iq is quite rare though which is a lot of the appeal. The 500 is far more practical though.

Leonard Hofstadter

As with the others, I wouldn't buy a car without a/c unless it was some sort of fun car for the summer. Anything else needs a/c, end of story.

Henry Ford III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118140347#Comment_118140347

That's a mistake. It should be used regularly as the refrigerant is also the system lubricant and without circulation rubber seals and hoses will perish.

wandererz

Just... don't do it.

galvo_clare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058217101/buying-a-car-with-no-air-conditioning

Are you sure the Brompton will fit in the boot. From what I remember, it won't.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118166110#Comment_118166110

You turn the heat on marginally in that case to take some of the chill off the inbound air.

acequion

Just saw this now and at this stage the Op has either bought the car or not. But having been in that situation with my last car [I had it bought before I realised there was no a/c] I wouldn't advise anybody to touch a car without it. In fact it should be a standard feature, as important as heating and it probably is now. I did keep the car for four years but constantly cursed the lack of a/c. Constant battling with fogged up windows and a few hellish long journeys during heatwaves are experiences I'll never again repeat. I eventually upgraded last summer and value my a/c above all else.

TooObvious

So, I bought the IQ with the manual box, it does have air conditioning thankfully, and the Brompton does fit in the boot with 1 seat down and a bit of wiggling. I'm driving with the A/C on all the time basically and no problems with fogging or anything to that effect, even over the last few days.

For @colm_mcm, the rarity won out in the end. It's got enough power for day to day driving, far more comfortable than a smart and as good as any other city car, it's deadly around town, and braved Storm Barra over the past few days with no issues. MPG on the first full tank was 47.2mpg - not fantastic, but it was a combination of N7 and plenty of city driving with no effort on my part to save fuel. Not sure who I'm trying to convince here!

Thanks for all the feedback!

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291613#Comment_118291613

Did you get the 1.0 or 1.33

TooObvious

I got the 1.0 - It's perfectly fine for all the driving I do.

It's 2021 my friend, get one with air con. Irish people don't realise how good air con is until they actually own a car with air con, and go back the other way. Please, treat yourself, air con is a v standard product nowadays.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291613#Comment_118291613

Cool car. Always wanted one, but need more seats and space.

Like the others I would always want AC for Irish damp in the winter.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118140331#Comment_118140331

:) I get what you're saying, but I have a picture in my head of you buying a Tata Nano just because it has air con :) :)

road_high

An absolute essential in my opinion. Strange a niche almost luxury small Japanese car like the IQ wouldn’t have it as standard. I’d look for another. I couldn’t do a heatwave without it.

Personally now that air/con is pretty standard kit in cars, I just wouldn’t go for a car without it for the visibility as well as comfort factor. It makes a big difference.

road_high

Was looking at recent Polos last year and a load of them come without air con. Ruled them out completely and just got a fiesta instead.