Is the air conditioning system in the latest VW Polo the same type fitted to the latest Octavia? The reason I'm asking is that I have an Octavia that keeps losing it's air con gas and the dealer keep saying it's because it's not being used enough, yet a relative of mine has a Polo that's only been used once every 2 months and the air con works fine on that.

Thanks

to all itents and purposes it's the same-------you need a pressure test with dye

If your car has aircon just leave it on all year, your car will not steam up in the winter with it on, it isn't just for cooling the car in summer.

If your car has aircon just leave it on all year, your car will not steam up in the winter with it on, it isn't just for cooling the car in summer.

Agreed.

The seals in the A/C Compressor become dry and start to weep out the refrigerant gas if the A/C isn't used regularly. And remember that even if the A/C is switched 'on', the compressor does not run continuously, it freewheels, so not increasing fuel consumption by much.

If your car has aircon just leave it on all year, your car will not steam up in the winter with it on, it isn't just for cooling the car in summer.

Agreed.

The seals in the A/C Compressor become dry and start to weep out the refrigerant gas if the A/C isn't used regularly. And remember that even if the A/C is switched 'on', the compressor does not run continuously, it freewheels, so not increasing fuel consumption by much.

But remember that the A/C will not work once the outside temperature drops below 4-5 degrees C. So if you're sitting in an icy car park with a steamed-up car waiting for the A/C to do its thing - forget it!

Personally, I've just let the A/C do its thing all year round - no impact on fuel consumption as far as I can tell.

As others have said, just leave it on.

I think you may be getting told a porky or two though, I have had plenty of cars with A/C and even those from almost 15 years ago only needed a regas every couple of years at the most. I didn't tend to use it much back then as there was a noticeable loss of power and increase in fuel consumption back in the old days.

Sounds like you have a leak to me.