Driving car without A/C Compression drive belt?

[David T]

That's absolutely true, as is the fact that I drove my car year round in Vegas for nearly 5 years with no A/C and can tell you that it's not nearly as bad as others let on. Convertibles like Jeeps are much worse. Unless you live in a swamp where you need it to dry the air out and defog the glass, you'll be just fine.

Maybe you are more acclimated to the heat. Without A/C you can lose POUNDS and dehydrate quickly. I once had to drive about 15 minutes and I was soaking wet and stuck to the seat. It's like a sauna in there! Here in the Northeast it gets HHH (hazy, hot, and humid). The windows are a joke, you get no relief from them! And you will get a lot of trouble of you try to drive with the doors open unless you are in a parade. I consider the A/C essential, NOT a luxury. If it isn't working I am NOT driving the car!

[DMC-81]

Speaking of driving without AC, my car doesn't have the system reconditioned yet, but I was able to drive the car in Florida's 100+ degree heat in July. The key was ceramic tint on the side windows and the windshield. Mind you, it was still pretty warm with the windows down and the vent fan on speed 4. I wouldn't let my wife endure that temp on a long drive, but I was not a wash of sweat. I tried driving it under similar conditions before I had the tint installed, and the cabin got too hot to be inside it for more than 10 minutes.

My point is that I can really recommend the ceramic tint, especially on the windshield. The installer asked me if I ever had a windshield tinted before. When I said no, he said " It will change your life". I laughed at the time, but now I know what he meant.

As others have mentioned, I anticipate the tint helping the A/C performance when I get that system restored.

[kings1527]

That's absolutely true, as is the fact that I drove my car year round in Vegas for nearly 5 years with no A/C and can tell you that it's not nearly as bad as others let on.

No, it really is that bad. And then try telling your passenger as they're sweating like Ted Striker trying to land an airplane "hey, it's really not that bad in here. It's more like a dry heat", while you turn on the fan which feels more like walking into a hair dryer.