QwikFit Regas - any good?

[HannsG]

Hi guys,

reckon the aircon needs a service. The minute i pres the snowflake button I can hear 'hissing'.

I have never taken my cars to KwikFit or Halfords as i am fairly OCD, but its an aircon thingy so whats the harm right?

Anyone kind enough to share experiences with these guys for aircon? I would gather they give you two print outs, clear the system and refill and test for leaks.

[littlebasher]

A fast fit chain entered the wrong car details into the machine. Tried to put twice the amount of fluid in that was required - popped the condenser.

Got a refund for the regas, but not for the £150 i had to spend on a new condenser. Went in fully working, came out knackered, i just thought for £30 i would see if i could get it even colder!

[HannsG]

littlebasher said:

A fast fit chain entered the wrong car details into the machine. Tried to put twice the amount of fluid in that was required - popped the condenser.

Got a refund for the regas, but not for the £150 i had to spend on a new condenser. Went in fully working, came out knackered, i just thought for £30 i would see if i could get it even colder!

fking hell lol.

[T9JVG]

HannsG said:

Hi guys,

reckon the aircon needs a service. The minute i pres the snowflake button I can hear 'hissing'.

In my relatively inexperienced, experience, I would suggest that you have a leak in the system (can't think why else it would hiss) and your money would be better spent fixing that, prior to regassing. If you regas with a leak you'll simply lose all the coolant (same as has just happened) and you'll be back to square one in a relatively short space of time, only a few sheets lighter...

T9

[eybic]

I hope you're sitting down?

I had them regas my Celica and it worked without any problems. I paid the £30 and left.

Does your AC work? If it was leaking (all the gas would be gone) then it wouldn't cool at all.

[smashie]

I have used them to re-gas my car. Takes about an hour or so. The only reason I went there is because if it doesn't improve it, then it is free.
Didn't improve mine, so it was free.
However what some others also found, was that after a day it was a lot better.

[chryslerben]

littlebasher said:

A fast fit chain entered the wrong car details into the machine. Tried to put twice the amount of fluid in that was required - popped the condenser.

Got a refund for the regas, but not for the £150 i had to spend on a new condenser. Went in fully working, came out knackered, i just thought for £30 i would see if i could get it even colder!

Sorry but I'm going to be that guy, when you say popped the condenser what are we talking here? As in blown outwards or small hole?

[trails]

The internet says Kwik-fit is £49.99...can anyone direct me to a £30 re-gas? TIA

[Limpet]

Kwik Fit has offers periodically, but their standard price is £50.

I used them when the air-con stopped working on my Scenic. It was the usual "If it makes no difference, you don't pay" deal. Restored nice, icy cold air-con that remained so for the several months we kept the car.

The machine they use is automated, so unless they key in the wrong car, nothing can go wrong.

[trails]

ATS do a regas and clean for £42...doesn't seem to have the same 'no difference, no pay' guarantee as Kwikfit though.

Edited by trails on Wednesday 18th January 12:59

[33q]

Worked on my Wife's Mini.

Paid £50....after a bit of grumbling they let me watch/check what they were doing

Still working after 6 months when the car was sold

[Willy Nilly]

If you have a flat tyre, are you happy to pay them money to pump the tyre up or get it fixed properly?

[littlebasher]

chryslerben said:

littlebasher said:

A fast fit chain entered the wrong car details into the machine. Tried to put twice the amount of fluid in that was required - popped the condenser.

Got a refund for the regas, but not for the £150 i had to spend on a new condenser. Went in fully working, came out knackered, i just thought for £30 i would see if i could get it even colder!

Sorry but I'm going to be that guy, when you say popped the condenser what are we talking here? As in blown outwards or small hole?

It came apart where one of the pipes entered the condensor. May have had a weak point or even a coincidence, but like i say it was working fine when i dropped it off as well as passing their vacuum test.

Bloke even owned up to selecting the wrong car (picked an earlier Scenic which held something like 800g where as mine takes 500g).


For balance, i used a voucher code to get a £15 recharge for my Shed at a Formula 1 autocenter last year and had no problems what so ever!

[jke11y]

Kwikfit did my R129 SL about 4 or 5 years ago. Has been tip top since.

[HannsG]

T9JVG said:

In my relatively inexperienced, experience, I would suggest that you have a leak in the system (can't think why else it would hiss) and your money would be better spent fixing that, prior to regassing. If you regas with a leak you'll simply lose all the coolant (same as has just happened) and you'll be back to square one in a relatively short space of time, only a few sheets lighter...

T9

Hi, OP here

I don't thinks its a full blown leak as the aircon is blowing excellent hot and cold air. But it is a very valid point you make.

I had something very similar on my E46 M3, it sounded like darth vader, I made sure it was given a recharge as part of its Inspection 2 service. And the sound never came back.

It could be the expansion valve, low air, aircon motor etc etc. Unsure, but the noise is a pain in the butt during long journeys.

But given my M3 had a similar issue for at least two years before I could be arsed to get it charged again, makes me think it needs a full refresh in the Panda

[KevinCamaroSS]

HannsG said:

I don't thinks its a full blown leak as the aircon is blowing excellent hot and cold air.

Confused here. If it is still working fine, why would you want to touch it?

[ChocolateFrog]

The kit they use is pretty idiot proof, assuming the enter the right car details. The machine will do a vacuum test so if there is a significant leak they won't fill it and you shouldn't be charged.

Mine holds gas for about 3 months so still takes a charge but stops after 3 to 4 months, will need to investigate further next year.

[HannsG]

KevinCamaroSS said:

Confused here. If it is still working fine, why would you want to touch it?

The noise is like a drill....constant wheezing, sounds like someone in their last moments of death every moment I am driving.

As its a commuter car, its becoming onerous.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

The regas machine KF use is fully automated - all they have to do is connect up the two hoses, enter the vehicle details and press the go button. It's amazing to hear that they even get this wrong

Anyway - Formula 1 Autocentres use similar automated kit - £40 https://www.f1autocentres.co.uk/air-conditioning.p...

£5 off voucher code here: https://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/formula-one-autoc...

Total £35.

[Justin S]

Pays yer money. I work in air con and wouldnt advise using that type of outfit. Funny peoples stories of coolant and exploding condensers. Condenser do rot out , which should have been picked up by Kwik fit .Oh, the didnt ? Any monkey can buy an aircon machine and 'plug it in' but without experience and understanding of the system and its foibles, bit like taking your Ferrari to Halfords and fit a Halfords oil filter and 'some oil'. Find a reputed place , get it fixed properly and think of the world around us, as all they do is vacuum the system , unit says no leak after holding the vacuum ( not 100% way of testing) and recharge with 'refrigerant'. Refrigerant leaks can be awkward and for them, their costs are about a fiver for the refrigerant and a smidge of dye. So a good money spin with a low fix rate is a win, other than the loose, which is your time and the enviroment.