I was advised by my previous Audi dealer that it is best to leave the climate control/aircon running at all times because it prevents the build up of bacteria/mould (as per the post from tttimbo above).
The other, perhaps even more important, aspect is that the refrigerant in the system contains lubricants to protect the seals within the system and if the aircon isn't run at least frequently the seals can dry out, leading to a costly replacement job. This was confirmed by a neighbour who rarely used her aircon, thinking it added substantially to fuel consumption, and when the seals etc failed she ended up with a very large bill. Whilst many years ago aircon systems did involve hefty fuel consumption penalties, the latest systems are far more economic to run. I haven't turned mine off in the 2 years since buying my car and have no intention of turning it off anytime soon.
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