Air con recharge dilemma

ruggedtoast

13 year old Nissan, want to change it next year. Air con stopped working at the end of last Summer.

It's hot.

Garage have quoted me £65 to recharge it, discounted to £47 if it doesn't work.

I will be a bit gutted to pay £47 for nothing, but it is hot, so am considering risking it.

Likely to be worth it?

Le_Kirk

If it needs recharging, it must have leaked. You need to find and fix the source of the leak and then have it charged. There are a number of mobile people who do this, might be worth searching your local paper or free advertising sheets for such a person.

ruggedtoast

Le_Kirk wrote: »

If it needs recharging, it must have leaked. You need to find and fix the source of the leak and then have it charged. There are a number of mobile people who do this, might be worth searching your local paper or free advertising sheets for such a person.

Would have been two or three years since its last charge at the point it failed. Natural leakage?

I don't want to pay much to fiddle with the ac system on a 13 year old car but would be nice if I can get another year out of it.

Crabman

They shouldn't charge you if it doesn't work. They (their machine) should check for a leak when it's attached before it actually starts the recharging process.

jbainbridge

I took mine to Kwikfit a couple of years ago ... it worked for less than a day. They happily gave me a refund.

Ebe_Scrooge

jbainbridge wrote: »

I took mine to Kwikfit a couple of years ago ... it worked for less than a day. They happily gave me a refund.

I had exactly the same experience. For all the negativity that's posted here about KF, this is one thing that they can't be faulted on.

robbies_gal

shop around they doint usually charge if it doesnt reach the low temp

ruggedtoast

I am never setting wheel in Kwik Fit ever again. I would rather place my John Thomas in a guillotine operated by a drunken gibbon than employ someone in KF uniform to go near my car.

I have just seen Halfords do a free check and charge for £30 so will prolly try that instead. I guess it'll either work or it wont.

EssexExile

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Would have been two or three years since its last charge at the point it failed. Natural leakage?

Last charge, how many times has it been done? I've had several cars with a/c for over 10 years each & never had the system recharged. Sounds like you've got a leak somewhere, but if you only want to keep it another year I wouldn't bother paying anyone to look for it.

EdGasket

Two or three years is reasonable for a charge to last on an old car. That's all I get out of mine. Then just top up again (I use the EZ-Chill cans and do my own). What is the alternative? Spend £400 on a new compressor or condensor? No thanks.

poppasmurf_bewdley

As far as I know, Kwik Fit don't charge if they fail to recharge the vehicle. At least they didn't when I took my old Astra to them some time ago.