Having worked for Skoda, Audi, VW and SEAT dealers the 2 years AC service was always a recommendation from the manufacturer.

However as you say I can't recal l it ever being on ELSA as brake fluid, cambelts and servicing was. We quite often got branded leaflets on it, obv especially at this time of year.

It's something I've paid to have done on my own cars as I believe it's a good thing to do for the maintenance of the system.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/what-we-check-and-why/air-conditioning-service#details

Im sure as you know, when new they come with the minimum amount of gas needed to run cold basically.

When regassed they tend to get filled to a higher amount so lasts longer.

 

Also is it not recomented for the oil rather than the gas to help the life of the pump and seals

 

I'm surprised that you say that VAG just load in the minimum charge to work correctly, by design these small systems are known as "critical charged" systems, over charge and could experience running pressure problems, under charge, big disappointment with cooling effect, I'd think that the equipment at factory will "critically" charge them using the proven design load required - no time for faffing about in an assembly area.

 

I think that it is accepted that there will always be more than enough oil remaining - unless a major leak has occurred, though some oil will always get carried out across these porous plastic materials along with the gas.  On bigger systems it is important to make sure that any plant damage has not caused a build up of acid in the oil, so "burn-out" filter/driers are fitted to scrub up the oil/gas mix as it passes round the system - as well as oil samples taken at service to check for acid content at service/repair time.

 

Edit:- actually your comment about minimum gas charging only brings back horrible memories of when 10>15 years ago fridge gases were being replaced with greener equivalents, and a lot of older high performance cascade systems which accounted for maybe 5% of the total world market for fridge plant,were not ever thought about by the fridge industry experts (mainly defense/aerospace industries used that sort of kit). So, in winter they ended up being loaded up work as well as they could, in summer some charge(s) needed to get decanted back out to prevent high pressure trips, and surprisingly, when the weather cooled down they needed extra charge(s) loaded in! Some of that was never to successful due to the existence of refrigerant blends - gas replacement time!

Edited 20 August, 20169 yr by rum4mo

One area of this trade that deeply disappoints me is that the focus of the front of house staff is sales orientated.

Certainly everywhere I've worked they are none technical people who have in most cases never even seen the parts they are selling and in some cases forcing on to customers, I'm not going to lie - it does happen and I think this is made worse by these people having little, if any actual knowledge of what they are selling and ignorance of diagnostic processes.

How many dealer centres have you visited where you speak to a "dolly bird" or "fancy man", plastered in make up or donning designer stubble with a trendy sweep over who are there to look good, have no idea how a car works but try to squeeze you for all they can. A soon as a slightly technical question is asked you get the answer?: "I'll go and get a technician"

Things are done differently in Germany where working on the front counter has a minimal requirement that you have served time as a tech, it considered a promotion and warrants a decent salary. German techs also earn more than us in the uk and are actually regarded as skilled workmen, where as over here the only tradesman that people perceive to have a difficult, highly skilled and under appreciated job are electricians.

Im sure as you know, when new they come with the minimum amount of gas needed to run cold basically.

When regassed they tend to get filled to a higher amount so lasts longer.

 

Also is it not recomented for the oil rather than the gas to help the life of the pump and seals

I'm afraid that this just isn't true. Many systems that I've evacuated on new cars, usually for M.E.T work or other repairs has pretty much the exact right amount stated, that would be a LOT of cars, all with decent, consistent results.

Skoda need to follow VW's example on Websites.

But then they can not even get Configurators current.

 

The Service information is just pathetic as well.

As bad as the Printed Material like Owners Manuals.

 

Maybe the new UK Brand Director will be having this all sorted out by the time he has had 12 months in the job.

Join in with VW in the honest approach and post real relevant information to Current Owners and not just good news stories 

for Skoda on increased deliveries and upcoming new models.

Emission Scandal updates and the likes, and where no Recalls but Service Campaigns they can have them clearly publicised. and explained.

VW used to on their official websites.

http://master.skoda-auto.com/mini-apps/recall-actions

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/caring-for-your-car/air-conditioning

Pretty much the same spiel on the SKODA site with the 2 year recommendation at the bottom.

Yes, this "front of house" perceived/inferred intelligence/product knowledge does seem to be a regular problem in UK across all service areas, maybe we can blame our liking for Uncle Sam's way of doing things for taking that on over here. Thing is it does tick all the boxes for most people that just use a car as a box for getting around in.

 

Any contribution that I made to this thread was not meant to be pointed in any way towards the people working "at the coal face" - to use another crap analogy, what annoyed me was just the performance of the "front of house" gang, which is where the customer contact starts/ends.

 

I was not too convinced that the VW sponsored "how did we do?"  survey, covered all aspects of the "going to dealership service department" very equally between "booking appointment" > " what happened when you arrived at service department" > "timely completion of tasks as agreed" > "workshop actions".  I seem to remember it covered a few aspects of all of these areas, dealt a bit more about "were return visits required due to workshop tasks?" - and needed to know if you would buy another VW, still none of it surprised it really, these surveys are all geared to supress any negatives and boost any positives.

Yep, I had that one a couple of weeks ago at a three year service. Probably a marketing push to get the optional checks done as they certainly didn't ask about it at the 2 year service.

 

I've never had a/c regassed before and usually have a 10+ year old second car.

I think if you look at any manufacturers "Owners forum" You are gonna find some folk happy with the service they get and others thinking their brand are a bunch of money grabbing French connectors!

 

I had air-con regassed by my main dealer after work was carried out but due to the fan needing replacement, they not only didn't ask for the cost of the gas, they REFUSED to charge me as THEY were unhappy with things. After the fan was replaced, the gas was again, refilled and I was still not charged for this, just the fan replacement work.

 

I have seen almost everywhere, re-gass recommendations, along with brake fluid, to be every other year. This IS just recommendation and some owners happily go without it for the life of the vehicle, others change it religiously. If it feels cold, leave it, if not, get it done... As for the brakes, if it stops, leave it, if you hit the car in front up the arse, tell the driver "Its only a recommendation to change the fluid" Then count how many of your teeth are still left in your mouth!

 

Oil was also mentioned in this thread... My daughter has been doing low mile, barely warmed up journeys now for around 5 years without an oil change on (My) Yaris and I recently got round to changing the oil. Previous changes showed nice golden coloured oil, free flowing and clean. The latest was black like a diesel cars oil, thick and gooey. In fact, I had to warm up the engine in order to "Suck" the oil out as I started using one of those oil vacuum pumps, rather then get under the car, remove all the plastics, drain the oil, change the filter, refit drain plug and plastics and refill oil. I am fairly sure that had I tried to get away with running the oil that long and thick on my diesel Fabia, I would have blocked the oil ways and seized the engine!

 

She probably HAS lowered the lifespan on the Toyota to at least some degree but we are planning on owning it for life anyway, so no unsuspecting "Mug" will be paying for the consequences of our neglect. This was the first new car I have ever owned and I have ALWAYS ended up paying out for repairs that the previous owner(S) failed to keep in check so think of that when you buy your next car. If new, lucky you but think of the less well off second/third owner who could be investing in a money pit, if you fail to maintain your car, knowing you will only own it for a few years. I have always been totally upfront about work I have or have not done to any of the vehicles I have subsequently passed on to a new owner, in order to give them an insight as to how it will continue to serve them. Sometimes to my loss as they have knocked me down a little, but that has only happened once or twice as I have always priced fairly and then either you buy or you walk!

 

Sorry if Ive gone way off topic there but it comes around again, when you think of selling your car and can show ALL work carried out at proper intervals, rather then just a stamp in the book at service time. Also, when you come to buy used, you can tell the caring owner as they have gone above and beyond what is deemed necessary by undertaking the "advised" work route, too!

My 2007 Fabia II went in for an aircon service at a garage local to my office in Bucks did I have been using for a decade. Reason for poor aircon performance: zero gas in tbe system. Works better now...

The garage are great (except for phoning you to let you kow the work is complete) and ate certainly good enough to to work on the cars owned by Jay Kay