Got the aircon done - by Kwikfit

Got the aircon done - by Kwikfit

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Discussion

matchmaker

Original Poster:

8,463 posts

199 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
quotequote all
The aircon on the Octy has been getting less and less efficient for about a year (or two frown ) now, so in the hope that we might have a summer rofl I decided to get it looked at.

So I went to a "specialist" that had been recommended to me. "Hi, I need my aircon regassed" was my cheery opening line to him.

"Unlikely on a car less than 15 years old. You must have a fault" was the reply. "The compressor pulley has a habit of falling off on VW group cars. I'll have to run a diagnostic first which will be £40 plus VAT. Then there will be the cost of any parts and £40 plus VAT for regassing" eekeek

Now, I'm pretty certain that if the pulley on the aircon compressor had fallen off I'd have noticed so I made my excuses and left.......................and went to Kwikfit. Who connected the car to a machine, drained what was left of the refrigerant and oil, leak tested it and regassed it for £49.

I now have a cold car - thanks to Kwikfit. Never thought I'd ever recommend them!smile

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

166 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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where did the original gas end up?

ctdctd

482 posts

197 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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They did mine for £49 too - lasted 2 weeks.

Had a "proper" aircon guy look at it. He charged £125 to fit new valves and re-gas. Lasted two weeks.

Gave up - open the windows now:-(

Astra Dan

1,670 posts

183 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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That is really poor. Even Kwik Fit attempt a leak test, and fill with a dye so you can at least see any leaks later on. Take it back.

ctdctd

482 posts

197 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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Astra Dan said:
That is really poor. Even Kwik Fit attempt a leak test, and fill with a dye so you can at least see any leaks later on. Take it back.
It was two years ago now!

The KwikFit machine won't fill it if it detects a leak.

The air-con guy did a leak test before he changed the valves (the ones used to top it up) and again afterwards and said it was fine.

After the two weeks he topped it up again and said there "may" be a slight leak in the vicinity of the passenger footwell and he thought it was a dash out job to find it. I lost interest about then and decided not to throw good money after bad.



EddieFelson

1,168 posts

213 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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Snap, bought a car recently no cold air. Visit to Kwikfit, £49 for a regas no problems since. Cheap and cheerful, they couldn't get over the size of the engine. lol

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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EddieFelson said:
Snap, bought a car recently no cold air. Visit to Kwikfit, £49 for a regas no problems since. Cheap and cheerful, they couldn't get over the size of the engine. lol
Had mine done by Kwikfit about 6 weeks ago ( as per this thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... )

Still seems fine

spudey

28 posts

159 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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I took my 172 to kwik-fit for a re-gas, I suspected I had a leak and had been told they don't charge you if you have a leak, plus you know which part to repair/replace. Free AC diagnostic FTW.

Turns out it just needed a re-gas anyway so left £49 lighter and much cooler cool

This was in Dyce. I had tired in Elgin a couple of times but the AC machine was broken.

Zoobeef

6,004 posts

157 months

Thursday 5th July 2012
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Willy Nilly said:
where did the original gas end up?
If a new system looses 40g or less of coolant a year that is classed as a good system as that is the standard of a new system. So even a fully working system could loose alot most of its coolant in 5 years let alone 15

Jaffo

31 posts

142 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
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Had my mrs mg zr done by kwit fit....smashing job and really can't fault it.

Still working ok a year on too.

Carrot

7,294 posts

201 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
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Got my old corsa done by KF, lasted 3 weeks. They wouldn't refund as it was OK at the time it was gassed, and said there must be a leak.

Got it redone by cool cars of Basingstoke, who leak tested it and found no leak. Re gassed it and 6 months in still works perfectly.

I only went to KF as they did it free if it didn't work. Otherwise I would not go near the place even with my stty old car. Never again. They can even manage to fk something up that a machine does for them rolleyes

Zoobeef

6,004 posts

157 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Carrot said:
Got my old corsa done by KF, lasted 3 weeks. They wouldn't refund as it was OK at the time it was gassed, and said there must be a leak.

Got it redone by cool cars of Basingstoke, who leak tested it and found no leak. Re gassed it and 6 months in still works perfectly.

I only went to KF as they did it free if it didn't work. Otherwise I would not go near the place even with my stty old car. Never again. They can even manage to fk something up that a machine does for them rolleyes
May of leaked from the high ans low pressure ports which doesn't show while the kit is connected.

If you can get them to fill the system with refrigerant with UV trace it means if you have a leak it sprays the UV at the leak and is easier to see the fault

Carrot

7,294 posts

201 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Zoobeef said:
Carrot said:
Got my old corsa done by KF, lasted 3 weeks. They wouldn't refund as it was OK at the time it was gassed, and said there must be a leak.

Got it redone by cool cars of Basingstoke, who leak tested it and found no leak. Re gassed it and 6 months in still works perfectly.

I only went to KF as they did it free if it didn't work. Otherwise I would not go near the place even with my stty old car. Never again. They can even manage to fk something up that a machine does for them rolleyes
May of leaked from the high ans low pressure ports which doesn't show while the kit is connected.

If you can get them to fill the system with refrigerant with UV trace it means if you have a leak it sprays the UV at the leak and is easier to see the fault
As I said, cool cars of Basingstoke leak tested it, none found. They regassed it properly and it is fine.

KF fked it up somehow. I don't care how, but once again I am proved right that they are totall useless.

daemon

35,724 posts

196 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
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They're great for fault finding too.

We'd a 407 with no aircon working, took it to Kwikfit and they found a burst pipe which they pointed out for me. They didnt charge as they couldnt get the air any cooler than when i'd arrived.

Bought the pipe off Peugeot for £14, fitted it myself, took it back to Kwikfit and they successfully regassed it, for which i cheerfully paid them the £49.


xreyuk

665 posts

144 months

Tuesday 7th May 2013
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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.

lescombes

968 posts

209 months

Tuesday 7th May 2013
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I used one of those can jobs from Halfords 4 years ago on my Jap Import Mazda.... cost me £30 at the time as I needed the connector job too. It can be as much as the Kwik Fit cost at this time of year but I got mine in the Winter...lol
The Air Con has been cold since, brilliant kit & I have used it with success on 6 cars so far.

CallorFold

831 posts

132 months

Wednesday 8th May 2013
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I didn't take mine to KwikFit but a smaller local garage.

They charged me £40 for the drain/refill and the guy there put some luminous dye in so any leaks could be detected. That was getting on for 12 months ago now and it's been icy cold every since smile

-car was a Ford Focus

fjord

2,143 posts

136 months

Wednesday 8th May 2013
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My e46 just doesnt fking work at all (but not much on it does at the moment).

I was melting yesterday.

When i press the AC button, i dont even hear the compressor fire up. Could it be fked, or would no gas just mean the compressor wont engage? I hope the compressor isnt seized or broken. It's only done 48k in 8 years so has hardly been used frown

spitfire-ian

3,829 posts

227 months

Wednesday 8th May 2013
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fjord said:
My e46 just doesnt fking work at all (but not much on it does at the moment).

I was melting yesterday.

When i press the AC button, i dont even hear the compressor fire up. Could it be fked, or would no gas just mean the compressor wont engage? I hope the compressor isnt seized or broken. It's only done 48k in 8 years so has hardly been used frown
Normally if there is no gas the compressor won't start. Get it re-gassed and then see smile

onesickpuppy

2,648 posts

156 months

Wednesday 8th May 2013
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lescombes said:
I used one of those can jobs from Halfords 4 years ago on my Jap Import Mazda.... cost me £30 at the time as I needed the connector job too. It can be as much as the Kwik Fit cost at this time of year but I got mine in the Winter...lol
The Air Con has been cold since, brilliant kit & I have used it with success on 6 cars so far.
Yup, I did the same. Works well. And once you have the connector it's cheaper on successive jobs. I think I also got some sort of credit against the empty refrigerant can/bottle thing...