Has anyone seen the devices currently advertised on the net & other places called "AUTO COOL" a solar powered device for around £15.
Fitted on the top (inside) of a wind up window, allegedly keeps your car "cooler" whilst parked in the sun.
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Has anyone got one and does it actyually work ?
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Several reviews at:
www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/auto-cool-...t (look towards the bottom of the page)
I'd suggest you might as well leave all the windows an inch open at the top for the same effect. But not in Toxteth.
V
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Overall opinion seems to be that they don't work and customer 'service' is non-existent. Any reasonable a/c system will cool a parked in the sun car down to an acceptable temperature within 5 minutes max. Even if you don't have a/c these things seem to be a waste of money
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I use a silvered windscreen shade (currently available in poundland). I first came across simple cardboard ones in the Med. many years ago. They certainly help.
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Likewise, silvered windsreen cover and steering wheel handle both bought when we lived in Oz....just try getting into a parked car that has a temperature in excess of 60C and a steering wheel that can burn the hands!
Also, consider the colour of the car, there is a very good reason white is one of the most popular car colours in Oz. Dark colours may well become less popular if hot sunny weather becomes more common.
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Agree with Stargazer. Silver Berlingo stays much cooler than deep grey Xantia. Reflective sheild in winscreen stops dash acting as a storage heater, even without aircon it's quite manageable up to S of France temperatures.
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& don't leave the sunroof open, without the shade pulled accross.
Several instances reported of the vehicles catching fire, due to this.( info from local radio)
Don't ask me how!!
VB
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& don't leave the sunroof open without the shade pulled accross.
:-S My Fiesta used to spend all summer with the sunroof open 24/7 more or less and didn't have a shade. It never caught fire AFAIK.
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Reflective windscreen shade, and if it's a dark coloured car, an old double bed sheet tucked into the doors so the roof is covered.
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"Several instances reported of the vehicles catching fire, due to this.( info from local radio)
Don't ask me how!!"
People lobbing lit cigarette butts into car through open sunroof???
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Always try to park in shade in summer: rule number 1...
madf
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Always try to park in shade in summer: rule number 1...
Never park under trees with birds in them - rule number 2...
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Never park under trees with birds in them - rule number 2...
Or likely to leak tree sap everywhere - rule number 3...
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Here in the US, there are more effective ways of cooling the car down. Some cars have a button on the remote control which allows you to start the engine whilst outside the car and use the air-con to cool the interior down this way.
The other way is simply not to switch the engine off when leaving the car parked somewhere for a short length of time. People get out, lock the doors, run into the (airconditioned) general store and leave the engine and air-con running the whole time. I've even seen people doing this when filling their vehicles up at a petrol station, though this only seems to be prevalent in some of the more "Deliverance" resembling areas of Georgia and Alabama.
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People get out lock the doors run into the (airconditioned) general store and leave the engine and air-con running the whole time.
How do they do that?
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Sounds rather dodgy to me.
Using those reflective screen blinds helps considerably. Otherwise people should learn to cope, cars get hot in summer. We managed in the old days.
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TMS. We used to burn witches in the old days too but I think we have moved on, as has car technology! I can cope but I prefer not to - it is a/c for me!
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>> People get out lock the doors run >> into the (airconditioned) general store and leave the engine and air-con running the whole time. How do they do that?
They follow the usual car exiting process of switch off engine, get out of car, lock doors, go into shop, but leave out the "switch off engine" step.
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>> People get out lock the doors run >> into the (airconditioned) general store and leave the engine and air-con running the whole time. How do they do that?
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I assume they use two sets of car keys. I could leave my car running with a/c on and then lock the car with the spare set (I guess....)
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It's illegal to leave a vehicle with the engine running on a public highway.
The one most useful aspect of a sunroof is that you can quickly get rid of much of the hot air in a parked vehicle merely by opening it - then let the A/C take over if you are fortunate enough to have both.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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I assume they use two sets of car keys. I could leave my car running with a/c on and then lock the car with the spare set (I guess....)
Now I see the misunderstanding - been over here too long probably!
Most US cars don't have the remote control locking buttons integrated into the key, they're on a separate key fob, so it's easy to lock the car remotely with the key fob whilst leaving the key in the ignition.
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If you are in the North/North West, Home Bargains (aka Quality Save) have South Park windscreen shades for 59p at the moment. Cartman saying "Respect my authority" on one side, silver reflective on the other.
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seems to be prevalent in some of the more "Deliverance" resembling areas of Georgia and Alabama.
".....squeal like a pig bwouy......"
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Silvered screen-cover for the win!
Mine even comes with a set of suction pads.
Also, prevents the dash getting hot as Hell in the sun, and keeping radiating that heat out for ages afterwards...
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