Car air con systems
Car Air conditioning systems are not necessary for all climates and locations. For example, they are very rarely used in Southampton where I live, because the weather is usually mild. Although it can get very hot for a few weeks in the Summer, it is usually not so bad that the expense of owning, maintaining, and running an car air conditioning system is warranted. Even in Oxford and Birmingham, which are farther from the water, and so get very hot – sometimes more than a ninety degrees – in some cars, there is no air conditioning. I know, because I drive to work in one every day and during the summer it gets hot especially in heavy traffic and the car is stationary!
The only cars where you really need a good car air conditioning system are those that you travel into places where it regularly gets into the 90s, or a place where it is slightly cooler, maybe in the 80s, but gets regularly very humid. If you live in Spain or Portugal, car air con is a necessity. This is especially true if you are old or have a serious health condition. In heat waves during the summer, there is often a death toll, because some people simply need to keep cool or else they will die. So, if you are one of them then please, get a car air conditioning system.
Air con systems come in several types. There are, of course, the window mounted systems. These have a few advantages, but also a few disadvantages. One advantage is that they are cheap, and can often be found used but in good shape for as low as £40 or even less. They are also easy to install – just stick them in the window. This means that they don’t need to be attached to car electrical system by an air conditioning system professional, which of course costs much more. The disadvantages of window mounted air conditioning is that it only cools part of the car. If you want to cool the whole car then the cost quickly adds up. Also, they can be dangerous since, if they are improperly mounted, they can fall and injure, or even kill someone!
The best car air con systems are factory fitted ones because, even though they cost more, they have been professionally installed and come with a full manufacturers warranty.
