We are getting a new car "hoorah" and chatting with my wife today she tells me I should turn the ircon off the last 1-2 km of driving, she the waffled on that this would make the aircon last longer ie service life. Putting aside the reason of turning it off before leaving the vehicle as the last 1-2km wont affect the temp in the car going up much does anyone know what she's trying to tell me. She mentioned it was to do with smelling bad???? anmaking it last longer..lifespan?

By turning it off, and taking in air from the outside you will dry the condenser. The smell you sometimes have inside a car when the air-con is just switched on is the 'dirt" buildup upon the condenser.

The condenser stays moist and therefor this "buildup" of smelly organisms can take place.

Condensers can be "attacked" by these organisms, or prevent water from leaving the surface of the condenser and corrosion can be the result of that. Which could lead to a leak. So your wife is right with her theory.

I am sure that you will switch off the air con the first month, and after that you will just do what everybody else does....including me...

OK Thanks

Condensers can be "attacked" by these organisms, or prevent water from leaving the surface of the condenser and corrosion can be the result of that. Which could lead to a leak. So your wife is right with her theory.

this corrosion theory applies when the car is 50 years old

Condensers can be "attacked" by these organisms, or prevent water from leaving the surface of the condenser and corrosion can be the result of that. Which could lead to a leak. So your wife is right with her theory.

this corrosion theory applies when the car is 50 years old

Not true Naam, although we don't tend to look upon it as corrosion when we are talking about aluminium for instance.

But you know what I mean, and i think the OP does too. And that is what it is about.

Standing water/moist patches between the ribs and tubes of the condenser made out of different material will be a bridge for the "corrosion process"

You ofcourse could have given your own educated answer.

right turn it off and when you sell the car in 10years it will be a good selling point,might even be worth another 1000b