Air-con-con!

[gar]

Has anyone on this forum tried Kwick-fit's air-con regassing service yet?

If so, was it any good?

I ask as I am thinking of giving it a go but I don't really have any faith in them. They offer a good price and a money back guarantee if the coolness doesn't improve by 10% but when I think about it, most people are gonna go in if their air-con is not cool enough so that 10% is not really gonna be a big margin......

If your cooling is say, down 80%, there is no thing to stop them imroving it by 10% to make it operate at 22%, thus not getting much better but still being in their clause to charge you! I would rather pay a good place £80 for a good increase, then them £50 for a minor one!

However, if they do exactly as anyone else and it gets all freezy cold again, I would rather stump up £50 then £80, if you get the drift! B)

I have recently changed the cabin filter too so I will hold fire to see if this makes any diff or not!!

[reece]

Ring around for quotes, try Mr T

[Chris81]

How are you supposed to be able to guage if it's 10% cooler?!?

[Parts-King]

What should happen is that the inside cabin temperature is tested quite scientificaly..........you put a thermometer inside the car :D: Take a reading, the car is then re-gassed, and if the job is done properly, re-oiled too! Then you take its temperature again after the re-gas. In MOST cases, you never notice the deteriration in the A/C you just get used to it, so a re-gas in most cases restores the A/C back to its best. Ask if its a proper A/C service and not just a re-gas, you need to have the system oiled too, otherwise its like having your car serviced without changing the engine oil!

Kingo

[reece]

Is there any guarantee?

[Raeman]

I've just changed the cabin filter in mine and now the air-con is fantastic. Much colder than before....bit too cold actually. But then the heaters are far warmer!

[alfiejts]

How old is your Yaris and is there any real reason why you're unhappy with the current air-con performance?

My last one was a 2000 CDX and even at eight years old, it was still working fine (and certainly good enough for a UK summer day...)

The only real reason to have it regassed is if some of the refrigerant has leaked out. It works like a fridge or freezer and people don't get them regassed as a matter of course...

Now a car aircon system has a lot more rubber hoses and connections than a fridge, so there's more chance of some of the gas leaking past a seal but unless you're not happy with the cooling performance, save your money....

What people don't realise is that you should run the aircon system for at least a few minutes every month to keep the refrigerant circulated and this lubricates the internal rubber seals. If you don't do that, the seals can dry out and this is what allows the pressurised refrigerant to seep out.

All that Kwik Fit will do is re-pressurise the system with more refrigerant that will increase the pressure and cooling efficiency.

The issue is that you can't tell whether your existing system is already fully pressurised OK or whether its low.

So all you can do is go with your gut feel - if you're unhappy with the cooling performance or you can tell that its worse than it used to be, then an aircon service is probably a good idea, but otherwise, its not necessary....

[gar]

How old is your Yaris and is there any real reason why you're unhappy with the current air-con performance?

My last one was a 2000 CDX and even at eight years old, it was still working fine (and certainly good enough for a UK summer day...)

The only real reason to have it regassed is if some of the refrigerant has leaked out. It works like a fridge or freezer and people don't get them regassed as a matter of course...

Now a car aircon system has a lot more rubber hoses and connections than a fridge, so there's more chance of some of the gas leaking past a seal but unless you're not happy with the cooling performance, save your money....

What people don't realise is that you should run the aircon system for at least a few minutes every month to keep the refrigerant circulated and this lubricates the internal rubber seals. If you don't do that, the seals can dry out and this is what allows the pressurised refrigerant to seep out.

All that Kwik Fit will do is re-pressurise the system with more refrigerant that will increase the pressure and cooling efficiency.

The issue is that you can't tell whether your existing system is already fully pressurised OK or whether its low.

So all you can do is go with your gut feel - if you're unhappy with the cooling performance or you can tell that its worse than it used to be, then an aircon service is probably a good idea, but otherwise, its not necessary....

You are part right but air-con DOES go a bit off, so to speak, after a few years, as does brake fluid.

Any manufacturer will tell you to get the gas changed and the brake fluid too, at about 2 yearly intervals.

Although I recon this is a bit too regular (money motivated, I guess), the performance drops off as time goes by.

My car is an 02, I must admit I dont use the a/c much in winter as you rightly mentioned and I know I should. It has got a bit less effeicient over the years and sometimes gets proper cold, sometimes just cooler.

I have to change the drivebelt soon anyway as it is worn and that too may play it's part in my non chill factor so I will do that first.

I beleive Kwik-fit DO change the complete gas/oil but I have just seen Mercedes has got a promo on for re-gassing so will ask if they do all makes or just thier own stuff first...

If you can trust them to do a 30k car, I recon they can do a Yaris!

B)