Even though this is not really part of the "hack", I noticed something the last couple of days that I thought might be useful.
I have noticed that when I have the AC on max (recirculate), if I run the mix split between the floor and the vents, the temperature coming out of the vents is *noticeably* colder than if I run the mix strictly out of the vents - even if I control for air velocity out of the vents by turning the fan down a bit when it's on vents only. I have found - anecdotally, since I don't have a cabin thermometer - that the cabin gets cooler quicker that way than on vents only. I haven't looked, but where is the intake vents located on recirculate? I suspect it's colder because the cold air coming out of the floor vents is being picked back up on the recirculation. In any case, I have found that this setting definitely cools down the entire cabin faster.
For me, I have no problem with the overall cool-down one way or the other, but I thought I would mention this as some of those who aren't satisfied with the AC levels might want to give it a shot.