Routine air-con maintenance by dealer - necessary or just a pointless expense?

[docc]

I know this is a bit of an old chestnut, but we're talking maybe around £129 now for an air-con service and that's a LOT of money!

 

My understanding (quite possibly wrong!) is that there's no point paying for any air-con top-ups or services unless the system's not cooling the car effectively.

 

What's the feeling here, guys?  Last done about 4 years ago, Yeti approaching its 10th anniversary.

[Carlodiesel]

In My opinion, from new five years should be ok.

Thereafter, every three years.

The gas inside the system also acts as a lubricant.

So keeping the system charged and checked is advisable.

If you use the A/c a lot, then maybe every two years.

Find an independent air con service agent, should be cheaper than dealers.

This is my opinion, others may have their way of doing things.

 

PS. Don't forget the cabin filter. I check my own every year, replace a necessary.

 

Edited 13 December, 2023 by Carlodiesel

[J.R.]

25 minutes ago, Carlodiesel said:

The gas inside the system also acts as a lubricant.

It does not.

 

The system is lubricated by PAG oil, this does not leach out of the flexible hoses like the refrigerant gas due to its molecular weight.

Edited 13 December, 2023 by J.R.

[Prezafab]

I would pay £50 at a respectable garage that is local to you instead to check for leaks and refill.

 

I had our 7 year old Volvo done at the dealer this year for £99, but this was only because we had an extend warranty and the compressor can fail. 

 

With no warranty I would use someone locally who knows what theyre doing.

 

 

[Paws4Thot]

@docc As @Carlodiesel says, indy garage or automotive A/C specialist, not a Skoda main stealer!

[Robjon]

Skoda recommends the air-con is serviced every 2 years.  My local main dealer (who services my Yeti) informs me they would not routinely service the air-con unless there was a problem with it.  I am no major fan of the dealer, but I'll give them credit for explaining this.  My Yeti is coming up to 7 years old and the air-con has never been serviced, but still functions correctly.  I'll ask the dealer again about the air-con servicing when Yeti goes in for its 8th service.

[J.R.]

1 hour ago, Prezafab said:

I would pay £50 at a respectable garage that is local to you instead to check for leaks and refill.

 

If you have a leak you would know as the system will stop cooling in very short order.

 

That is a leak that I am talking about and not the gradual loss of refrigerant gas that permeates through the rubber hoses unless they were made of a material costing more than the whole car.

 

To the OP, if you feel that the cooling performance in summer is not as good as it once was then by all means pay for a vacuum down and recharge, you have had it done once, presumably at your request so you know the signs, it presumably lasted 6 years before needing that, I doubt you need to be concerned after 4 years.

 

Or was the last "service" also upselling by the main dealer?

 

 

[eribaMotters]

I believe the following is true and contradicts some of the comments above :-

- The gas includes the addition of a lubricant, whose job helps preserve the seals.

- The more frequently you use the AC the better as the lubricant gets pumped around and keep the seals protected.

- AC is not just for summer cooling but for year round use, clearing the screen in winter.

- Regular use also keeps at bay any moisture that can be trapped in the ducts that feed the car and filter, eventually the cause of foul smells. 

- The AC gas will leak out, some tests say 10% per year is to be expected.

- Year on year you may not notice a loss in performance but it will definitely decline.

- Don't bother with the main dealer, go to an air-con company or good independent garage. probably about £70.

- A re-gas if done correctly purges the system. Everything is sucked out and the volumn checked. The extra required to bring it up to full volumn is then added along with the correct lubricant.

- A re-gas every two to three years should keep the system in good order if you leave the switch set to on.

 

Finally, you have a nice car with  functions that make it an enjoyable place to be in. Why not look after them and enjoy it, 

Look on the bright side, the gas used in newer vehicles is costing about twice as much to  keep on top of.

 

Just my point of view - Colin

 

Edited 13 December, 2023 by eribaMotters

[Paws4Thot]

4 minutes ago, eribaMotters said:

Everything is sucked out and the volumn checked.

...the mass checked, but you say po-tay-toe, I say poh-tah-toe...

[J.R.]

2 hours ago, eribaMotters said:

- The more frequently you use the AC the better as the lubricant gets pumped around and keep the seals protected.

I said to myself it surely wont be long before someone trots out, or in this case cuts and pastes, that nonsense and I did not have to wait long.

 

That has not been valid for nearly 2 decades on VAG vehicles and others with clutchless AC compressors.

 

[eribaMotters]

For those of us who are less well informed, how does it work then. If the lubricant is in suspension of the air-con gas/liquid, then when the compressor is on the lubricant would be moved around the system and come into contact with any of the seals.

 

Colin

[J.R.]

1 hour ago, eribaMotters said:

when the compressor is on the lubricant would be moved around the system and come into contact with any of the seals

 

Compressor runs all the time, the clue is in the word clutchless.

 

PAG lubricant is not in suspension with R123a gas, a cylinder contains the refrigerant gas only.

 

There is only one seal not "seals", the pump seal, the shaft turns all the time the engine is running and is swimming in PAG oil.

 

But for having to use flexible hoses to allow for engine movement there would be no loss of refrigerant in a car AC system, there would be flared couplings and no O rings which also leach the refrigerant to a lesser degree.

 

You wont find EV's needing regassing but that wont stop the manufacturers from convincing owners that they do, they have it down to a fine art.

[Prezafab]

On your last point...

 

I know from personal experience that the air conditioning is critical on some EVs and plug-in hybrids. In my car, the air conditioning compressor was known for failing (fitted cost £2500+), which meant that  the batteries weren't cooled, so the car would shut the ev and charging side down, and in some cases immobilise the car.

 

The issue was the type and degradation of the compressor oil, and is still not resolved after several years - several owners are on their 3rd compressor - mostly at their own cost. Even with proper flushing at dealers, it still happens.

 

I had a £99 dealer aircon service just as an insurance policy to stop the dealer wriggling out of the official extended warranty (in case I hadn't had a 'recommended service')!

[J.R.]

The price of manufacturer parts and main dealer labour to fit them has become completely stupid in recent years.

 

Scarcely a day goes past on here without someone writing about a £5K £6K or £10+K bill for work that often is not even needed, it always seems to be older vehicles and maybe its their way of saying dont come back to us for any problems with your 4 year old or more vehicle

 

I can remember when the dealer price for all the parts to build a new car cost less than a new vehicle, no I am not kidding, it was when there was purchase tax on new vehicles which started the UK kit car (or self assembly as it was called in those days) industry.

 

Many people were buying all the parts to assemble their own Morris Minors for less than the cost of a new vehicle.

 

If you could get hold of a Bill Of Materials for a modern car, all the part numbers, quantitys and retail prices even the cheapest car would cost half a million pounds to buy the parts.