[thetapeworm]

Just curious really, I know most manufacturers recommend a period of about 2 years for an aircon regas these days but past experience with other cars has seen it last a lot longer, the Cactus seems to need doing (rather than it being done just for the sake of it) between 18 and 24 months otherwise there's no cold air to be had.

Given R1234yf isn't cheap compared with the longer lasting, ice cold, R12 I used to enjoy on 90s Japanese imports or even the later R134A stuff (I know the newer stuff is better for the planet) it's quite annoying to have to refill it so often.

I just wondered if everyone has the same experience with the Cactus?

 

[IanHurley]

Unless there was a leak never had any car needing to be regassed of any make. If yours needs replenishing you must have leak somewhere!

 

[thetapeworm]

Unless there was a leak never had any car needing to be regassed of any make. If yours needs replenishing you must have leak somewhere!

That was my thinking, it's a sealed system and while it can get less efficient over time it shouldn't really get to the point where it's like having it switched off in under 2 years.

Of course they "leak test" when you get it filled and supposedly take all the old air out but I'm not convinced the garages that have just bought the machine and the gas truly carry out a proper job compared with an air con specialist. I think the proper places use nitrogen and check for air escaping, smaller molecules I believe, it would be pretty annoying to have a leak though, like you all my rubbish old cars have gone twice the mileage over many more years and only needed say one fill during that time.

This is why I wanted to ask, the industry says every two years but my experience says otherwise and wanted to check if the car has an issue or if this is the norm these days.

 

[IanHurley]

They should have put a dye into your gass so that any leak can be easilly traced, perhaps ask for the car to be properly examined to look for the leak. Personally I would not go to a dealer, their technicians have been on an aircon course but and aircon specialist will have far more experience with sorting these sort of issues

 

[thetapeworm]

They should have put a dye into your gass so that any leak can be easilly traced, perhaps ask for the car to be properly examined to look for the leak. Personally I would not go to a dealer, their technicians have been on an aircon course but and aircon specialist will have far more experience with sorting these sort of issues

We're talking ATS through a Groupon deal here, it's a plug it in, take the £98 and have a cup of tea job for them

It definitely needs a proper investigation IMO but when you google "how often should aircon be regassed" and it comes back with "every 2 years" it's a hard argument to win, hence this post.

Their site even says to do it yearly once the car is over two years old!

 

[berapotter]

What is this regass of which you speak of?
7 years and still ice cold.
it'll probably stop working now... you watch...you just watch!

 

[thetapeworm]

What is this regass of which you speak of?
7 years and still ice cold.
it'll probably stop working now... you watch...you just watch!

Based on everything else we've had with the car I suspect ours was built on a Friday afternoon after everyone had been to the pub

I'm very much an "air con on" kind of person but then I've been like that in other cars that haven't been anything like as needy, I think I did the Supra and the MR2 once in 10 years of ownership and they were ancient old cars far more likely to have leaks and issues than a relatively new one with a fairly basic setup.

Oh well, it's in to be done again today... and by "done" I mean the machine will pretend to leak test while the "tech" fits tyres elswhere, it'll put some R1234yf in, they'll tell my wife it's much colder now... it will be... then I'll be back getting annoyed about this in 12 months or so.

 

[berapotter]

I've never had a regass what sort of money is it costing? if you don't mind me asking?

 

[thetapeworm]

I've never had a regass what sort of money is it costing? if you don't mind me asking?

Just under £100 with the Groupon discount, it's £135 without but prices might vary elsewhere - that's the cheapest around these parts though.

In comparison the older R134a can be done for about £30 - the older gas stays in the air for 10+ years, the new stuff a few days so we pay more for something that basically disappears into thin air once it gets out there (which it shouldn't).

I miss R12, lasted forever, cost very little and was so cold it made you stop being able to feel your hands