Please can anyone give a good rough estimate of how often the air conditioner/climate system needs to be recharged? The car in question is a 1998 Audi A6. Think it was last done at a service in 2001 before I had it.
Just interested to know as we're taking it to south of france next week and don't want to be left boiling. Also note that Audi no longer check the system as part of routine servicing. Got a leaflet through form the dealer offering a check up and re-gas at an 'unbeatable' £99. Sounds like a rip off to me...
It's going in for a major service on our return anyway.
Many thanks.
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£99 might be OK, depending upon where you live....
Down in the South West, I'd pay no more than £75 tops (and that's for a Range Rover) recharge.
I'd advise servicing the system every 3 years.
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DL,
I'm interested in getting an RR a/c re-charge, who do you use?
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Some places recomend servicing every 20000 miles. Mine cost £65 plus VAT
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You loose 10 % gas each year, at our garage you would get it charged up for £25 and if you want a dye put it to find any leaks, another £10, but then we are up north east.
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That's damn cheap!
Almost makes the long journey up to you worthwhile!
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How far North East?
Fullchat
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I left my car (also Audi) with an air con company this morning as it was no longer cooling the air. They're ringing me later with a diagnosis. Never been regassed so that may be all it needs ... but I suspect they'll find seals or something which needs replacing.
Difficult to know what to do if they say it has a leak:
1. Regas and see how long it lasts (does it tend to leak out pretty fast?)
2. If it tends to disappear slowly, it would get me through the summer (changing car later this year).
3. Repair the leak (£?) ...
4. Get a new car sooner!
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Had my 98R Vectra in with an air con / auto electrican company over a month ago, a regas took < 1 hr (about 5 min of which involved any human interaction) cost £55+VAT and solved all my air con woes.
No leaks were found I just had become lazy about running it over the winter.
Worked a treat on the way to / from the beach, 1hr trip each way yesterday.
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\"Worked a treat on the way to / from the beach, 1hr trip each way yesterday.\"
While we sweated the day out at work........you lucky person!
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We have our own R134a a/c recylcing station - we are part of the Autoclimate Network, so we have good backup and spares availability. Our equipment is top-notch Robinair kit.
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when i say north east i mean sunny South Shields in South Tyneside
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I have a '95 Accord and the air con system has never been touched and still running perfectly!
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The Japs always make things reliable.....
Peugeot and Land Rover air conditioning systems resemble seives IMO!
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I accept what people say about losing ??% of the gas each year but at 3 years old my Peugeot a/c still works so well that, even in the present weather, I have to reduce the cooling after only 3 miles of a journey.
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Like Armitage Shanks, my 4 year old Pug 406's aircon has never been touched and still works perfectly. I do make a point however of running it all year round and giving it a monthly Italian tuneup as per HJ's recommendation in the FAQ's on this site.
Regards
RM
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Surprisingly, the more you use aircon, the less it leaks.
The leaks come from the seals drying out.
It's pretty warm in the UK at present. About the same as in France.
You could trying freezing yourself over here, and if all's well leave it alone.
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Cheeky - why not consider having the car & A/C serviced in France? It should be much cheaper, even if done at an Audi authorised dealership.
Sean is right. To keep your a/c in top condition, use it all throught the year. Then the seals should last longer and leak less.
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......or come down to the Sunny South-West on holiday and have it done here at considerably less cost than perhaps at home in London etc etc!
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......or come down to the Sunny South-West on holiday and have it done here at considerably less cost than perhaps at home in London etc etc!
Good point DL. I second that.
My advice to Cheeky stands only in so far as he has prearranged plans to be in France with his car next week.
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