Audi A1 - Air con service cost

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 10:47
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Halmerend
£149 for a four year old car which seems extortionate to me. Where do people here get this done and do I need to bother if it’s working fine? Thanks guys.
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Fri 12 Mar 2021 10:56
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - daveyjp

It was also suggested on our Yaris when services last week, also 4 years old.

The aircon is never turned off and it works fine so we declined their offer to take money off us.

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 10:58
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - elekie&a/c doctor
If it ain’t broke , leave it alone. If the ambient temp is only 10 degrees, can’t see how it can be properly tested .
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Fri 12 Mar 2021 11:05
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Xileno

I totally agree with the 'leave it alone' view. The time to have aircon worked on is when it's not working properly. On my old 2007 Focus I was persuaded by the dealer to have a re-gas, I think it was £40 but this would have been back in 2010 (approx). I've never had it touched since and it still works to my satisfaction, demisting quickly etc.

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 11:53
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - RT

I totally agree with the 'leave it alone' view. The time to have aircon worked on is when it's not working properly. On my old 2007 Focus I was persuaded by the dealer to have a re-gas, I think it was £40 but this would have been back in 2010 (approx). I've never had it touched since and it still works to my satisfaction, demisting quickly etc.

Use it all year round to reduce the chance of failure and have it serviced IF/WHEN it doesn't cool as effectively as it used to. £70 is a reasonable figure for a full aircon service, a basic recharge being cheaper.

Edited by RT on 12/03/2021 at 11:55

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 12:15
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Lee Power

A lot of newer cars use the R1234YF refrigerant & this is a lot more expensive then the older R134 stuff.

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 12:24
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - dan86

A lot of newer cars use the R1234YF refrigerant & this is a lot more expensive then the older R134 stuff.

This is the reason the new refrigerant is more expensive than the old one something to with Honeywell I think holding the patent to it. It's also a thinner gas and more susceptible to leakage and also more flammable. But the system isn't backwards compatible so you can't use R134A instead.

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 19:23
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - S40 Man

A lot of newer cars use the R1234YF refrigerant & this is a lot more expensive then the older R134 stuff.

Plus it's an Audi so the might see you coming.

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 12:22
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - madf

Air con service is winter from Kwikfit is very good and cheap

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 15:29
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Halmerend
Thanks. Any other recommended places to do it?
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Fri 12 Mar 2021 16:39
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - bathtub tom
Any other recommended places to do it?

Google?

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 16:42
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Hugh Watt

While fully endorsing the "if it ain't broke..." view, my own past experience with a local garage making a pig's ear of a re-gas is that it pays to find a reasonably local AC specialist. For not much more than the cost of a fast-fit re-gas, a mobile chap who knew exactly what he was doing came and sorted out the problem.

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 16:51
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Doc

I have used this specialist in Kent.

www.ac4cars.co.uk/

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 16:52
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - elekie&a/c doctor
I wouldn’t trust any of the quick fix sheds to pump up my tyres . When it comes to car a/c , all they do is put your car details into their database, hook up the ac machine , and walk away . Any problems with the functionality of the system is beyond their capability. As above , find a local recommended specialist .
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Fri 12 Mar 2021 19:47
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - _
I wouldn’t trust any of the quick fix sheds to pump up my tyres . When it comes to car a/c , all they do is put your car details into their database, hook up the ac machine , and walk away . Any problems with the functionality of the system is beyond their capability. As above , find a local recommended specialist .

Ditto.

Search for air conditioning specialists (your postcode) and find a proper competent specialist. it'll be much cheaper than a main dealer.

Edited by _ORB_ on 12/03/2021 at 19:48

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 20:18
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Metropolis.
For simple gas evacuation, refill and service (I think they change the compressor oil as well), I have always found the local Halfords auto centre to be fine. They are not really capable of fixing problems like a specialist is, but if yours is working already you dont need a specialist. I dont know if you have a warranty on your audit, but if you do be careful you are not losing coverage for ac problems (which I would be surprised if they occur like compressor dying) by refusing the ac service IF it is on the manufacturers maintenance schedule, unnecessary though it may be. I doubt it is mentioned on the schedule actually but you never know!
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Fri 12 Mar 2021 20:44
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - brum

New cars sold after 2017 require the use of R1234yf refrigerant per EU 2006/40/EC

So the OP's car has R1234yf. Kwikfit charge £130 for a regas with this refrigerant, its unlikely youll find anywhere much cheaper. They will charge an extra £20 or so if you want the antibac /antivirus cleaning bomb which they also push. So the OP didn't overpay a great deal.

However if it was working and cooling correctly and there were no other symptoms such as strange noises, there was no need to regas it. This is one of many upsells pushed by VAG and other dealers. Shameful behaviour actively pushed by the UK brands. Last year I started getting fancy picture postcards from Skoda UK telling me that at 2 years old my aircon service is due or my brake fluid change is due at 3 years. Misleading and shameful nonsense designed to pull money out of gullible people. They are at best recommendations, and in the case of air con, a completely unnecessary service if it is working.

You don't have your fridge/freezer serviced every 2 years, or indeed ever, only if it stops working.

Edited by brum on 12/03/2021 at 20:52

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 20:53
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Metropolis.
I actually dont mind upsells, provided they ACTUALLY do the work and it is ACTUALLY in the maintenance schedule. Paint protection is a pet peeve of mine though. Too many relatives fleeced on that one!
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Fri 12 Mar 2021 21:03
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - brum
I actually dont mind upsells, provided they ACTUALLY do the work and it is ACTUALLY in the maintenance schedule. Paint protection is a pet peeve of mine though. Too many relatives fleeced on that one!

Aircon service is not in the servicing schedule. You can dowload the customised schedules and maintenance info for your particular VAG car using official erWIN online although it does cost a few euros to access.

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Fri 12 Mar 2021 21:08
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Metropolis.
Yes I agree I have never seen aircon in a service schedule. I have also never owned a VAG product but they seem to pop up with ac problems more often, like Honda does on thai forums. Purely anecdotal though, I have no evidence to back that up!

Edited by Metropolis. on 12/03/2021 at 21:11

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Sat 13 Mar 2021 10:40
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - Hugh Watt
(I think they change the compressor oil as well)

- as I recall, that was one thing my cheapo refill had omitted...

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Sat 13 Mar 2021 11:15
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - elekie&a/c doctor
They may top up the compressor oil , they certainly don’t change it . To do so would mean removing the compressor. Could be a 2-3 hour or more job on some cars .
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Sat 13 Mar 2021 12:30
Audi A1 - Air con service cost - brum

Yes, compressor oil is not changed as above. When an aircon is regassed, they usually use a fully automatic machine. It removes and weighs any gas left in the system, and separates any oil that is held in suspension in the gas. This will be in the order of only a few ml. It pulls a vacuum to remove all the gas, any water present boils off too. It checks the system for leaks by then stopping and checking the vacuum is still maintained after being stood for around 30 minutes or more. It then refills the system using a set weight of new gas. At the same time new oil is added, equal to amount removed plus a bit usually 5-10ml depending on how much gas had been lost.

If the vacuum test fails, it indicates a leak, the machine stops as its illegal to refill a leaking aircon system. One significant advantage with kwikfit type places is if it they don't charge the customer if the machine fails the vacuum test (ask them beforehand to be sure). No idea but doubt a dealer would do that.

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