no, that's just rationalizing. you're sitting uncomfortably for 10-15 minutes waiting for that temperature to be reached[0], and even then, heat transfer is maximized by having the air flow over you. the edge case might be when there are like 4+ people in a car for which there are not enough vents, but even then, pointing the vents at people, even somewhat indirectly, is better.
heat transfer is what makes you feel cool/warm, not temperature, and air flow promotes convection (as well as conduction). it's why metal feels cooler (or warmer) than plastic at the same temperature (e.g., differing heat transfer coefficients).
[0]: note that most car trips are less than ~15 minutes, at which point, all that heating/cooling is wasted as you flush it out the door.
heat transfer is what makes you feel cool/warm, not temperature, and air flow promotes convection (as well as conduction). it's why metal feels cooler (or warmer) than plastic at the same temperature (e.g., differing heat transfer coefficients).
[0]: note that most car trips are less than ~15 minutes, at which point, all that heating/cooling is wasted as you flush it out the door.