How do you stop A/C gas escaping in a barely-used car?

[FlyingPanda]

Mrs Panda has a 2013 Mini Cooper S, which since she started a new WFH job is barely used (<1,000 miles per year), and the air con is forever losing its gas. I don’t think this is car-specific, but more likely usage-specific. We’ve been told that if the aircon isn’t used that the “seals dry out and the gas escapes”, which sounds likely, but is there anything that can be done about this?

We get it recharged, then it sits there for a few weeks, maybe used for the occasional very short trip, then sits there again. Typically it seems to take a year for the gas to escape and the system to stop blowing cold.

On a wider point, we don’t need the car but Mrs Panda loves it. There’s probably no point in changing it for anything else as I guess that issue will still arise, but just wondering if this is something we have to live with, or if there’s any way of preventing it?

[steveo3002]

its got a leak

running it every few months would be enough to keep the seals okay , lazy garages will make up any excuse why it doesnt stay charged

[ARHarh]

Many people don't use their AC for months on end in the winter, it still works on the hot day in July. Its got a leak get it fixed.

[bimsb6]

You need to take it to a specialist who can put a dye in the system to track down the leak.
https://youtu.be/pCv7rCdcXsc?si=QZe-gL2aqoEn_URG

[FlyingPanda]

I should probably have mentioned that each time we’ve had it re-gassed they have tested it and confirmed that there was a leak, but that they’ve fixed it. Then, when it goes again, they say that the leak is because the seals have “dried out” due to lack of usage. I have actually lost count of the number of times the leak has been (supposedly) identified, and fixed, only to be out of gas again a year later. Hence my original question!

[Red9zero]

FlyingPanda said:

I should probably have mentioned that each time we ve had it re-gassed they have tested it and confirmed that there was a leak, but that they ve fixed it. Then, when it goes again, they say that the leak is because the seals have dried out due to lack of usage. I have actually lost count of the number of times the leak has been (supposedly) identified, and fixed, only to be out of gas again a year later. Hence my original question!

I'd find a new garage.

[ARHarh]

When they say they have fixed it, they are lying, simple. As suggested find someone else.

[E-bmw]

ARHarh said:

When they say they have fixed it, they are lying, simple. As suggested find someone else.

^^^^ Wot 'e said.

Try somewhere else.

[Sheepshanks]

As it's got the cheaper gas in, if it lasts a year then just get it recharged every year.

[Smint]

Sheepshanks said:

As it's got the cheaper gas in, if it lasts a year then just get it recharged every year.

This^^ unless you're lucky enough to live near one of the really good mobile chaps who doesn't charge the earth to fix it unlike the local crew here.

Keep an eye open on Formula!1or any of the other fast fitters websites near to you for their special offers, got my Prado regassed this spring very reasonably at F1 who didn't charge the extra some others do for a dual system.