Got the aircon done - by Kwikfit

Got the aircon done - by Kwikfit

Author
Discussion

Devil2575

13,400 posts

188 months

Wednesday 8th May 2013
quotequote all
I refilled my aircon myself with a kit from Halfrauds. Cost about £30 and will do 2 refills.
I knew it didn't have a bad leak as it still got cold it just took about 15 minutes. A quick top up and now it's all good and has been since last summer.

fjord

2,143 posts

137 months

Thursday 9th May 2013
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Well, i popped into kwikfit today at the OP's advice.

The manager i dealt with was a sound bloke. Didnt charge me for sticking it on the A/C machine, as it detected a leak on the system.

Charged me £11 for stripping a wheel down which is leaking air, cleaning it all off and balancing it up again. He said it's not guranteed and was pretty straight with me.

All in all, fairly pleased.

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

228 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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Have noticed a problem with the aircon on my Mazda 3. Whilst searching around the net I found this thread.

My problem seems to be the compressor failing to start (when I turn the aircon on there is an absence of the usual click and noise and only a tiny change in engine revs). So, to start with I thought I'd get the gas check done somewhere.

I've read mixed reviews about Kwikfit's service, but the comments above have given me hope. Is this service still recommended and has anyone had their aircon fixed this way lately?

Thanks.

Sump

5,484 posts

167 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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Kwik fit put 1.3kg of gas into my 650g capacity car.

dave_s13

13,814 posts

269 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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If anyone is up Leeds way and needs their a/c fettling then ring this chap.
http://www.yell.com/biz/cooldrive-automotive-air-c...

He really does know his stuff and his prices were very fair when I used him last year. No connection other than I was impressed by his professionalism and he did a very thorough job.

anonymous-user

54 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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I used a Halfords Autocentre last year for an A/C regas on a 10 year old Saab 9-5. They did a leak test, then a recharge all for £49, and it's worked a treat. The leak test was, I believe, a tenner and they wouldn't have recharged the gas if it was leaking. For a tenner, you can't go wrong.

In fact, the test was free. And now with an extre 10% off the regas.
http://www.halfordsautocentres.com/webapp/wcs/stor...
Nothing to lose...

357RS

275 posts

157 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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xreyuk said:
They regassed mine and actually found that it was over pressure from the factory so reduced the pressure too.

Could explain why so many AC condensers fail on my model car.
When the compressor is not running the pressure in the system will equalise between high and low pressure sides and then, that pressure will depend only on the refrigerant (more than likely R134a) and the ambient temperature.
Hence they could not have "reduced the pressure".

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

228 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
quotequote all
Sump said:
Kwik fit put 1.3kg of gas into my 650g capacity car.
Did something burst?

Smanks

3,100 posts

187 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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Mine is cold enough, but it will cycle on and off every 10 seconds or so, worth a go at re-gassing?

Spare tyre

9,575 posts

130 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
quotequote all
my friend and i both had newish cars that didnt have working ac

we took them to a local quick fit (but independent) type garage

my mates lasted a day - mine about 3 months

they claimed to have done a leak test, perhaps they did - we'll never know.

anyhoo, i just had mine done last week in Southampton by a specialist, he found a leak (guess this is good news in some respect), fixed the leak and regassed - £140 i think i paid

time will tell if he really fixed the leak!

A.J.M

7,909 posts

186 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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I got mine regassed last summer, i found out by another garage who gassed it, that i had a hole in the condenser, only after they had charged me to gas it.

Got condenser changed, took to kwikfit and regassed. It's been cool ever since.
You get good garages and bad garages everywhere.

Sump

5,484 posts

167 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
quotequote all
funkyrobot said:
Sump said:
Kwik fit put 1.3kg of gas into my 650g capacity car.
Did something burst?
No, the cooling fan was whizzing like anything though.

edp190

333 posts

209 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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I just got my daily snotter MOT'd (30) and A/C regassed (29) by local kwikfit. Now ice cold.

Booked and paid online and got 10 off for combining with mot and further 10 off with discount code. (Stackable)

Very happy!

Edited by edp190 on Thursday 22 May 22:03

Negative Creep

24,980 posts

227 months

Thursday 22nd May 2014
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Thinking of getting this done as the Celica's is completely dead. Considering the age I think the chances of it being just a regas are very low, but I have hard they use the ambient temperature as a get out clause?

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

228 months

Friday 23rd May 2014
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Looks like I'm off to Kwikfit this weekend. Thanks all. smile

skilly1

2,702 posts

195 months

Friday 23rd May 2014
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I have been warned off Kwikfit but I took my 2001 Audi A6 to be re-gased at Kwik Fit last week. 40 all in and it works great, again told not charge if they found a leak. Free coffee / TV / Internet whilst waiting. Took 45mis.

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

228 months

Friday 23rd May 2014
quotequote all
edp190 said:
I just got my daily snotter MOT'd (30) and A/C regassed (29) by local kwikfit. Now ice cold.

Booked and paid online and got 10 off for combining with mot and further 10 off with discount code. (Stackable)

Very happy!

Edited by edp190 on Thursday 22 May 22:03
Could you let me know the discount code?

Thanks. smile

Limpet

6,310 posts

161 months

Friday 23rd May 2014
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Got our old Scenic done by KF years ago and was very impressed.

As well as restoring ice cold air-con, we got a nice report with before and after vent temperatures and pressures, weight recovered and added.

I asked the guy how it worked, and he said they just hook it up to the machine, enter the make, model and year, and walk away. The machine recovers the old refrigerant, tests for leaks, and then recharges with the correct weight of refrigerant for the car. It's a hands off process. All the time, it monitors what's going on, and if there's an issue it stops. Otherwise, it generates a nice report at the end.

The only way you can really screw it up is to enter the wrong model details.

The air-con was about the only thing that worked properly on the piece of crap when we sold it a year later, so they did a good job.

edp190

333 posts

209 months

Friday 23rd May 2014
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Code is KFGC-AC10-1112

HTH cheers ed

Dave200

3,916 posts

220 months

Friday 23rd May 2014
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If you're in London or the Home Counties, I can heartily recommend WeGasAnyCar. 50 gets you a smart, friendly guy who will turn up to your house on time and do a great job of regassing and diagnosing any issues.