Here in New Mexico it's sunny and hot every day in the summer. No clouds, and very few trees to park under. So any time we park in a parking lot our car is broiling when we get in- to the point where I have to run the air conditioning for five minutes before we can even get in. So my kids and I stand outside while the air does it's thing.
Does anyone out there have tips on ways to keep the car cool? We have one of those folding shades for the front but it doesn't do much good.
Hmm. Not a lot you can do really. But before I get in my steaming hot oven-of-a-car, I will open my son's door, my door, sometimes another door to let the heat OUT of the car before we get in it. I also crack the back windows open an inch or so to help let hot air escape while I'm shopping.
Open the windows a little when you park the car. Would those window shade thingys that you buy for babies help any? At least you could block some of the sunlight coming in the side windows.
no tips on how to keep the car cooler, but I did go all of last summer in Missouri heat with no AC in my primary vehicle and I will tell you that we did not drive anywhere without a cooler with ice cold beverages and we also took squirt bottle with water to mist each other with. Also taking towels to lay over the seats/ car seats and seat belts help them from getting so hot.
Good luck!
window tinting will help. A lightweight car cover can help too but isn't always practical to put on when you have little ones in tow.
And for car seats - I freeze those reusable blue ice packs and put them in my kids' car seats when we're out (cover the seat with a light towel - those baby hooded towels are a good size for this), then put the ice packs in a cooler bag in the trunk when we get back to the car (bonus - the ice packs can help keep your groceries cool for the drive home).
If your windows are not tinted I would recommend getting them done. I was born and raised in Las Vegas it gets pretty hot here too. I have mine tinted and the window shade in at all times when my cars parked.
HTH
It will take a few minutes to get your a/c to cool the a/c ducts that bring the cool air into the cabin of the vehicle. The best way to accomplish this is to roll down the windows and drive the vehicle. This takes outside air and brings it inside rapidly. After the hot inside air is gone, about 1/2 a mile at 20+ mph, roll up the windows and put the a/c controls on "recirculate". "Recirculate" takes the inside air and recirculates it through the a/c over and over. That brings down the inside air temperature more quickly.
Good luck to you and yours.
I live in AZ and we are under heat advisory and its 115 today. UGH! So you need your windows tinted BLACK! And the driver and passenger doors as dark as your state allows (the window tint people will know). Also the big reflector window screen for the front windshield is great! Its the shinny silver one. Also, if you have car seats in the back, get a shade for the BACK window also, if you have a car. And, crack the windows. Good luck!
The folding shade was my idea. Maybe get your windows tinted.
i keep my windows cracked a bit. It helps to cool down quicker and you dont get that burst of hot air in your face when you open the car.
ask for a remote start for a 4th of July present. :)
I use a sun shade and leave my widows cracked. When I leave my windows cracked I make sure that there is NOTHING worth anything visable in my car too!
Use a silver reflector in the windshield and crack the windows.
I live in Texas and we are in the midst of our 100+ degree days right now as well. The best thing I have found is having the windows tinted, using a sunshade in the windshield and keeping the driver and passenger windows slightly cracked
Always leave the windows cracked about a half inch. The car won't get quite as hot inside. It will still be hot, and hotter than the outside air is, but not as hot as it would be if the windows were up all the way.
I agree with the window folding shades for the front and rear, if you have those sorts of windows (I drive an SUV and the back window is vertical, so those do nothing).
I also will roll the windows ALL they way down immediately upon starting the vehicle, and turn the a/c on high. It makes it easier for the car to push the hot air out of the vehicle if the windows are down. As I start to drive, I let the a/c blow high and the windows stay down for a minute or so (if I am moving steadily, not pulled out a car length and stopped at a stop sign), then put the FRONT windows up and leave the back ones down for another 15 seconds or so. Then put all the windows up and turn the a/c to recirculate.
We have the plastic visors over the windows so we can crack them and no one can reach in...
We also put one of the reflective windshield screens to help reflect the sun OUT of the car...ours was about $30 and stretches the whole length of the windshield...
I have ALL of my windows tinted...it's not legal in MD to tint the front windows of an SUV, but I'll take my chances. It keeps my truck SO much cooler. And I have the vent things on all of the windows also so I can crack them and no one will know they are cracked. I should get one of those light reflecting shades that everyone loves!!
Tint the windows.
window tinting, REFLECTIVE window shade for front windshield (resembles tin foil, works better than non-reflective) and crack each window. Not much else you can do :)
