ac

[teamster1975]

Found a video of the advert

[steve_earwig]

Aww, I thought it would be a spoof.

I heard two stories many years ago and have never even been near ThickTwat: They didn't bother doing a mate's wheel nuts up, he spotted it though, and they left the bolts undone on a mate's calliper, resulting in it falling off and destroying the wheel, he was damn lucky not to roll it too. In fairness, I had the cambelt changed on my 2nd 16 valve BX by an independant Citroen garage and they left my wheel bolts loose and I also had the gearbox oil change by a Citroen franchise and they put the wrong oil in it (as recommended by the oil supplier, not Citroen) which resulted in the 'box being rebuilt. They were about to put the same oil back in it again when I spotted the problem.

In fact, up 'til my 2nd 16 valve I'd always driven clunkers and done my own servicing, when it went I was back to driving clunkers until I came out here and bought my D9, whereupon the stealers immediatly stung me for stuff I'm certain I didn't need.

[skylinemv]

Well back from Kwik Fit, and have read everyone's comments.

To be fare tot hem the machine is automated and anyone could follow it.

The pressure test is suck not blow so if sum gunk gets sucked out through the leak point it will register as okay.

They re-ran the test and oiled and filled the system at no cost.

If this didn't fix it they suggested a refridgeration expert for a leak test with dye.

Feeling really cool now all the way home. After looking under the bonnet to check for boobs I noticed a weep of oil at the base of the condensor.

My guess is it will be empty of refidgerant by morning and another rotted condensor bites the dust

[steve_earwig]

To be fare to them the machine is automated and anyone could follow it.

So this lets them off being idiots? Who is this "anyone" anyway? I bet it's not my other half who still can't work out how to set the video I bought her two years ago.

[rapport25]

Remember the old advert i quote " YOU CANT GET SHITTER THAN A KWIK KWIK FITTER, YOU CANT GET SHITTER THAN A KWIK KWIK FTTER, YOU CANT GET SHITTER THAN A KWIK FIT FTTER WERE THE BOYS TO TRUST (LIKE HELL!!!!!!!)

[rapport25]

Just reading your comments back from the garage. So they dont have all the equipment then? How can they offer an a/c servie then?. The guy that services my a/c. He did a pressure test on mine which showed a leak. But to find out the location a dye is put through then car. It was tested a week later condensor and pipework needed replacing. Apparenlty the pugs have one of the best climate/aircon systems going.

[Welly]

This is weird. You can't test a refrigeration system by "sucking" - they must "vac" the system to get rid of moisture but a proper pressure test is a Nitrogen bottle and 150-odd PSi into the pipes.

I don't understand what Kwickies have done here because the test has to be carried out ONCE the old refrigerant has been recovered and vac'd. Only then can they determine whether or not the system is OK to charge with new gas. In fact this event normally sees the downfall of most car a/c's as the customer then has to embark on fixing the system at great cost - so in effect you go in for a re-gass and end up with nothing at all

[rapport25]

Spot on welly My knowledge of air con was zero till mine needed work now i know a little more than before Stills makes me laugh that people think air con is for the summer only. It does what it say on the tin so to speak conditions the air in the summer removes the humidty. In the winter the damp its that simple you simply adjust the temperature to suit Anartic 14 degrees. Or barbados 30 degrees

[puggy]

Very true welly !! i have paid for 2 re gasses when if a proper test had been
done it would have shown that to be a useless excercise cos of a leak

[Welly]

I've been to hell and back (got the T-shirt) with car a/c systems over the last 5 years and have gathered a fair bit of experience I suppose.

The FTO's air con was working but showing signs of a leak on a pad fitting (joint) and I ordered a mobile man to come and fit me a new genuine Mitsi O-ring only to find it was still leaking when we did a simple soap bubble test on this joint. The only trouble was he had already vac'd the system and was not allowed to put gas in knowing there was a leak there (doesn't say much for the guy who had obviously gassed the system just before I bought the thing). Anyway, £600.00 later and it was all done (until a pipe went 8 months later @ £120.00).

The Honda was bought accident damaged and needed a large flex hose and a rigid pipe section this all cost me £450.00 even with me fitting the pipes. Then 3 months later I spotted a leak on a fitting where the a/c man had used an undersized O ring but he replaced that for free.

The 406's condenser went and was replaced under warrenty on a 50/50 cost basis.

All in all when you've had all this and stood there speaking to the fridge man then you understand much better.

There's a lot of cowboy re-gas merchants out there who are willing to operate below the regulations and also fill your car with a mega mix of all old recovered stuff to keep the cost down.

[rapport25]

There's a lot of cowboy re-gas merchants out there who are willing to operate below the regulations and also fill your car with a mega mix of all old recovered stuff to keep the cost down.

Bloody hell did not know people did that but like anything i suppose Knowledge is power!!!!.

[Welly]

My a/c man told me he gets offered "cheap" refrigerant but from an unconfirmed source so it's refrigerant but a kind of mix of some new and recovered stuff.

The "pure" refrigerant R134a is expensive so..........

[rapport25]

The guy i dealt with came highly recommended from a good friend and i asked him to explain air con to me as i was interested in how it works etc.. He did tell me horror stories where people recover the gas and instead of paying to have taken away at charge the let the gas into the air which is against the law. Untill today i did not know that they some times use a mixture of the old gas. Bastards. I usually pay around £50 to £60 for a re gas on the 406. It is calculated by weight. Some use more some use less etc...I have seen kwik fit charging £30 for a re gas i guess it must be a mix not the expensive stuff then!!!

[Welly]

I have seen kwik fit charging £30 for a re gas i guess it must be a mix not the expensive stuff then!!!

I would say Kwickies would have a deal going with refrigeration suppliers based on volume of sales, afterall they have a few more branches than Mr Mobile eh!

Actually I've just had a sniff around at the cost of R134a and found some at £6.25 per Kg bearing in mind most cars only need 500 to 700 grammes then that makes it about £3.00 per car there are other costs to consider like the oil additive and the UV dye but it would seem there's probably not that much to gain buying the cheapo mixo dodgy stuff

[skylinemv]

We guys thanks for the enlightenment on Kwikfit and the a/c pitfalls.

As predicted there was no refridgerent in this morning and the weep of oil was at the base of the condenser so it doesn't take a dye test to see that leak and I am down £45 for two refills

With the system empty can anyone see any pitfalls or no no's to fitting the condenser myself?