Window vents?

lowbridescape · 07-11-2008, 03:38 PM

Is there an official GasSaver position on window vents (plastic things that go over side windows)? I've seriously cut back on using the air conditioner <sound of back patting>. I leave windows open under 40, close (or almost close) above 40. Today was in low 90*s. Does the vent increase drag vs. close window? Is an open vented window a compromise between air conditioning and a plain open window?

theholycow · 07-11-2008, 03:44 PM

I suspect that they generally don't help, but mine doesn't seem to be hurting much. It does cause some small vortices which are visible on my window when it rains.

They're called ventvisors, and your subject line made me think of this:

I love those and wish they were still around, even though they're ugly, they just feel so nice.

**Jay2TheRescue** · 07-11-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theholycow

I suspect that they generally don't help, but mine doesn't seem to be hurting much. It does cause some small vortices which are visible on my window when it rains.

They're called ventvisors, and your subject line made me think of this:

I love those and wish they were still around, even though they're ugly, they just feel so nice.

I have those triangular vent windows on Rusty, and he also sports chrome ventshades over the regular windows. I opened the vent windows once, then they whistled and squeaked so much afterwards. I had to spend an entire afternoon playing with those windows to get them shut so they were quiet again. That was about about 10 years ago, and I have not opened them again since. Rusty has A/C - no need to open those squeaky little windows.

-Jay

red91sit · 07-12-2008, 06:12 PM

I dig those windows too. I actually had power vent windows on the Lincolns. My favorite part of that car, well second to the seats. I want to stick some Lincoln seats in the Merc.

GasSavers_RoadWarrior · 07-12-2008, 09:32 PM

Heh, one of my college buddies had a 300D of about that vintage and the seats were like those you find on public transport... very durable... but luxurious? .. not so much.

red91sit · 07-14-2008, 07:29 PM

I agree, they'll last as long as thre rest of the car, but I wish they wuoldn't so I would have a good excuse to remove them haha.

GasSavers_JoeBob · 07-14-2008, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theholycow

I suspect that they generally don't help, but mine doesn't seem to be hurting much. It does cause some small vortices which are visible on my window when it rains.

They're called ventvisors, and your subject line made me think of this:

I love those and wish they were still around, even though they're ugly, they just feel so nice.

Looks like someone tried to break into that car...

I remember many a summer day in my Corvair, turning those vent windows so they would blow back on me...they may have even saved my mother's life once....

We were moving to a new home about 20 miles away from our old place. My mother had a mattress and some other items loaded into the back of a Corvair station wagon.

Since these items were too large for the back of the car, the hatch was pushed down as far as possible, and tied with a rope. It was a cold day, so the windows were up. About half way to the new house, she started feeling sick. She wound up turning those vent windows at her to force some air in her face, reviving her enough to make it to our new house. When my dad came home that evening, she told him the story, and wondered why she had been feeling sick. He laughed and said that the back end of the car created a vacuum and was pulling the exhaust right into the car, and she had been getting CO poisoning. And that she did just the right thing by turning those windows back on herself. And he added that next time, either leave items too long to fit for the moving van, or to leave the hatchback all the way open.

Thus was my first lesson in automotive aerodynamics.

**Jay2TheRescue** · 07-15-2008, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeBob

Looks like someone tried to break into that car...

I remember many a summer day in my Corvair, turning those vent windows so they would blow back on me...they may have even saved my mother's life once....

We were moving to a new home about 20 miles away from our old place. My mother had a mattress and some other items loaded into the back of a Corvair station wagon.

Since these items were too large for the back of the car, the hatch was pushed down as far as possible, and tied with a rope. It was a cold day, so the windows were up. About half way to the new house, she started feeling sick. She wound up turning those vent windows at her to force some air in her face, reviving her enough to make it to our new house. When my dad came home that evening, she told him the story, and wondered why she had been feeling sick. He laughed and said that the back end of the car created a vacuum and was pulling the exhaust right into the car, and she had been getting CO2 poisoning. And that she did just the right thing by turning those windows back on herself. And he added that next time, either leave items too long to fit for the moving van, or to leave the hatchback all the way open.

Thus was my first lesson in automotive aerodynamics.

I remember as a kid my father would drive our old 1980 Pontiac stationwagon on the off road trails at the beach. There were signs saying 4wd vehicles only, but we never got stuck. We would always ask him to roll down the rear window, but he would never allow that car to move with the rear window even cracked. The person riding in the "way back" was always sweating it.

-Jay