Re-gas

Just had mine done - leak tested, etc and regassed for £105. Fiat main dealer.

Graham

I'd get the dealer to do it, especially if the car is still in warranty because if they find anything else, say a faulty compressor, then it will be replaced under warranty and you won't end up paying several times for gas etc.

If you are driving a Mondeo TDCI, I guess 2 years old maximum, why quibble over £15 on a once-in-a-blue-moon expense? If you wanted bargain basement motoring, buy an old Peugeot 205!

If it needs a re-gas after 2 yrs I'd be concerned about the system - definitely a dealer job - get it inspected

Tony

Well, it's no good to you as I live about 200 miles north of you but up here, there's a mobile aircon guy comes out to your house or your workplace. He first connects up a vaccuum rig to drag out any nasties or any old gas then recharges the system whilst injecting compressor oil and a UV dye which will show up any leaks and charges the very reasonable price of just £65 inc vat.

Unless the car is in warranty, NEVER go to a main dealer for this sort of thing as they're far too expensive.

Mogweed.

Many of them farm the work out anyway.

A TDCi will be what, 2 yrs old maximum? Shouldnt need regassing yet, unless you've got a leak, or havent used the a/c since this time last year. Always exercise it once a week throughout the year- or leave it engaged all the time.

Tim..

Hello,

Certainly don't go near a VAUXHALL main dealer as they hinted they were going to find problems. I pretended not to know anything about aircon when I phoned and said the vent was cold but not as cold as it used to be. The person I spoke to said, "in that case we would need the car for a whole day", "it will be around £280 before we find any faulty parts". I was told that the whole system would be tested with an infra red dye and the mechanic had infra red glasses to see any leaks. I always thought it was done by ultra violet and a lamp. After they refilled the system it would sit for 3 to 4 hours while I was being charged for labour in those hours. i questioned this and was told that the clock started from the time the mechanic did and finished when the car was fixed! I thought dealers had a book telling them suggested times in which to complete jobs, they used to when making warranty claims. Then they would no doubt charge for the items they claimed were faulty and having to drain and fill the system again because it was apparently faulty. I phoned another dealer and they said they couldn't do a regass without testing! So it seems to be a great money maker.

This is because Masterfit is going the same way as Kwik Fit and National Tyres and others in that they are sales driven. Managers are pressured into achieving so much income per week and if it's down they get told off. I was speaking to one of them while I was having tyres fitted, after refusing tyre insurance, shock absorbers, tracking, exhaust and god knows what else he tried his best to sell. He explained how it works! That's why National Tyres hate you printing off discount vouchers from their website and taking them in. They even role play between themselves to make things sound dangerous. So that's why each car is worth as much as they can get away with depending on the customer. How many people have gone to Kwik Fit for an exhaust only to be told the shock absorbers need changing. I took a car that had passed an MOT a week earlier and there was no damage, but they still homed in on shocks. They wouldn't put in writing that there was a problem after I said I would report the MOT testing station.

It's terrible to have the fear of knowing I will be ripped off or conned when I go near a main dealer or other garage because of this sales pressure the mechanics are put under. t's like the way phone shops used to work, and some still do. They sell insurance you don't need or contracts that make most money for them rather than what you need. It's a shame there isn't a garage that adopts the Carphone Warehouse method of business!

I hate having to take any car to be fixed. Mechanics can be honest enough, but are pressured into telling porkies to get sales.

Local non-francise Vauxhall specialist- 49.50 + Vat for regas. (vacuum, new oil, re charge + dye and evap fungicide spray)

Tim..

The message from " Tim \(Remove NOSPAM." contains these words:

Of course - how much of that actually gets done is anyone's guess.

Well only going by their advert in the local paper! Am taking the Volvo in to be done and will *ensure* they do exactly what they're meant to!!

Tim..

In news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de, Graham slebbered:

I don't drive a Fiat :-o

Graham

I do ! - Another Graham ! ;-)

Graham (L)

You were done. £45 round Glarster, £85 a couple of years ago in Chippenham.

-- Malc

If it leaked that much, it will again - only quicker, unless they fitted new parts.

Unfortunately I'm on the outskirts of London, where prices start rising.

Graham

It's recommended only to run it for approx 10 mins a month in the wintertime (unless you want it more) . Keeps the seals oiled up and tight.

Graham

The aircon was turned off for most of the Winter, following which it stopped working. I have now had it re-gassed for £60+VAT, and it now blows cold again. I will now try running it all the time. That is likely to cost me more in fuel than a re-gas every two years. You wouldn't believe how mean I can be!

RTFM. You should run it for at least ten minutes a week. Mine is on all the time.