I'm impressed with the cooling capacity of the AC on these hot, humid days. Only thing wrong is that acceleration suffers a LOT.

 

Just noticed the very same thing today: nice and cool with the the air on recirculate but the acceleration (and the around-town MPG's) are really suffering. My HHR is an LS model with the 2.2L, and it's black, which adds an additional burden on the AC system as opposed to lighter colors.

 

Seriously, I really don't think the color matters. I bought Blackie Labor Day weekend last year and it was 107F+ every day. In SoCal, it is usually around 70-100F most of the time. If it's hot, it's hot.

I have the AC on pretty much all the time and I almost always have the sunroof popped open. I do notice a little difference in acceleration, but not much to be concerned with. MPG is ok too--nothing to complain about. I have a 2.4 with a CGS ching*s. :)

I WILL say having the front windows tinted darker helps A LOT with keeping me cooler.

Just my dos centavos.

@ngelita

 

Today's compressors and the entire systems for that matter are so much better then we had even 5 years ago. Plus it is easy to cool a small vehicle like an HHR.

How many 100° days per year do they have in New Jersey? I believe 56 days of 100º or higher in 1998 is the record for Dallas. But normally we have 5-10 per year.

 

With only about 1 K on my new HHR I have been babying it due to the high gas prices and found that around town driving I could get 25.1 to 25.3 but as soon as I turned on the air it slowly dropped to 24.5 and held there as long as I didn't get on it.

 

big dog is it 2.2 or 2.4

looked on profile 2.4 should have looked there first......duh

 

I lose 1 mpg using the AC, which isn't too bad.

 

Heat Index today was 105 degrees. Actual temp was 100. Car 11, a BLACK HHR, cooled me down quickly and wonderfully. I love the remote start too. That had the car cool before I jumped in.

 

My mileage doesn't seem to change using the A/C or not. And lately, the heat index lately has been 100*+ every day. Yesterday was 107* and a couple of days ago it hit 109*.

And this is only June....

As for the A/C system, works good, but I can tell it is definatly having to work hard.

 

Heat index is BS, same as wind chill factor. Water will not boil at a Heat Index of 212º and it won't freeze at a wind chill factor of 32º. It's like saying I slept with Roseanne Barr, but it felt like Eva Longoria.