We have never had this in a car before - now we have We just phoned a garage as it needs a re-gas and was shocked at the price quoted to do this. Do we bother ............... Can we not bother ? I'm all in a bother ................
We went without A/C for a couple of years and decided earlier this year "enough". However, we had to spend out some money in getting a new compressor and re-charging. But, now it was worth every penny of the cost. Like in Las Vegas and Phoenix, it gets pretty darn hot here in the summer months. Then, add on the humidity, that neither Vegas or Phoenix gets, and the outside temp is like taking a steam bath. Bottom Line.........yes, get it re-charged!
Depends on where you live and what your weather is like. Our summers are so hot and humid that I wouldn't have a car without an air conditioner. I'm not a mechanic, but you shouldn't have to put more Freon in it. You might have a leak.
I've just had mine re-gassed during the car's annual service..but tbh @Patsy if your finding the price is too steep..as we're not likely to be getting an Indian summer now..you can do just with the fans on or a window slightly open...There's no necessity to have air con gas in the car...
Thanks all Now that we've experienced the air con, we see the benefit of it, it is good ! So will be grateful for it next summer but am told we shouldn't leave as it is, all winter We phoned another garage and got a better price - so happier now
That's right about "not leaving it as it is, all winter". We were told, when we got the new compressor, to run it for a few minutes each week while the vehicle is parked, even if we actually don't use it. Why? The A/C compressor needes to be lubricated inside and that is what the Freon (A/C liquid) does. Even during winter months, the A/C should be turned on for a couple of minutes for lubricating the compressor. Our new compressor and Freon recharge cost to much to have the new compressor ruined.
It is a good idea to call around and get a few estimates from different shops before you have the work done, and it is also important to check out the reports made (or not made) about a business before you send your vehicle in for expensive repairs. Many years ago, I had just bought a VW camper bus, and the first thing that I did was take it to the closest shop to have all of the fluids checked, and get an oil change. When I bought the vehicle, it ran perfectly; but after the oil change, it barely sputtered along. The mechanic showed me the oil pan and said all the little filings at the bottom meant that I had a serious problem, and they wanted to do about $500 worth of work on my engine. I didn't have that kind of money, so I said I could not do that right then, and I wanted to pay for what they did and get my car back. I could barely drive it down the street, it sputtered so bad. Fortunately, just down the street was a VW repair shop; so I went in there and explained what had just happened to me. When he looked at the oil cap, he could see that they had drilled a hole in the top of the cap, which broke the seal and let air in, and that was what was making it run so bad. He put some duct tape over the hole, and the little VW ran just like new again. Even worse, when I got back home and talked with my neighbors and showed them the filings that supposedly came from the oil pan, they told me that those filings were actually from a CHAIN SAW ! ! The whole mechanic shop that I went to first was just a rip-off, and they would have replaced my oil cap and charged me for rebuilding the engine.
Yes, we have been careful, we have chosen a garage that sells our make of car and they actually came out cheaper ! We may have a leak Shirley - we will find out next week But you would have to have a re-gas at some time
Gee - I recharged the A/C in my 10 year old car last week. Took 10 minutes and $40 for the refrigerant. A youtube video saved me the trouble of finding the port to hook up to.
The previous car I had for 12 years never needed recharging but the one I have now has been recharged twice, even though the garage has checked for leaks. I find the AC useful all the year round for demisting when it's humid (most of the time in the UK) and the windows steam up,