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Browsing the classifieds in the local paper got me wondering how many cars that are 4 years or older have air con that is fully functional. Personally I have found that with my cars, when the cars reach 4 years, air con 'bits' seem to need replacing, for whatever reason,(or I may be unlucky) and they are not cheap to repair or replace. So I was wondering how many people, who have a car 4 years or older, have fully functioning air con?
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My Coupe is coming up to 6 years old, and air con still works very well. As to whether it works as well as it did when new, I couldn't say, but it blows cold when I need cold and hot when I need hot!
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My 8-year old Mégane has just had the system regassed for the firt time. Nothing replaced.
I have always, however, made a point of running the system for a short time every month, even in winter. Now I don't do even that -- I leave it permamnently on, even for cold air. The point is that the coolant fluid is also the lubricant, and either practice keeps it circulating.
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For the FIRST time of course, not the firt.
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I forgot to mention tha I ALWAYS run the air for at least 20 mins once a week, even in winter, obviousely, it's on all the time in summer.
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HJ provides advice on using and maintaining an air conditioning system:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=14
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Although it has a manual override, I never switch off the climate control in our 2003 V70. Whenever the engine is running, so the compressor kicks in and out. 365 days a year.
Two nice features of this system (which probably exist on other cars too, but I have no experience of them) are that the compressor temporarily suspends operation when full throttle is used, and that it is designed to work efficiently by *only just* doing the amount of cooling and de-humidifying work it needs to. Many systems work in binary mode (off, or fully on), thus wasting energy by over cooling air that then has to be heated before entering the cabin.
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The A/C in both my eight-year-old cars works perfectly (MB W124 Coupé and Golf VR6 Highline). It's on all the time. On the previous MB it was off by default; on the present one it's on by default -- a sensible change. The service engineer agrees with HJ: use it or lose it.
I suspect that defunct A/C in older cars is simply the result of the systems being neither used nor maintained.
No A/C in the 1991 MB W126 that I bought recently, nor in my 1984 Capri 2.8i. In both cases I'm simply glad that there is no A/C to go wrong. I have toyed with the idea of retro-fitting it to the MB, but so far I just don't miss it, and I've never felt I needed it in the Capri.
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Works fine in my 1996 Mondeo (which I've had from new). Its run for at least 20 mins each month.
I had a regas a couple of years ago because it wasn't quite as cold as it used to be, but no other attention.
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Ditto, 1996 Mondeo, AC never touched, seems fine (touch wood). SWMBO has it running incessantly. I've taken to wearing a wooly Benny hat when she's in the car. I used to work on commercial AC installations & regard AC, in a car especially, as an unnecessary liability.
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Aircon works fine on my Terrano age 5 and a half but an accident about 3 years ago resulted in the aircon radiator being replaced and the system was obviously recharged.
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Air Con works fine in my 1992 Celica. Had the car 3 years now, never any problem.
Previous 1988 Celica working fine when disposed of in 2000.
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Working fine on our 1992 Passat, but over the last 2 years we've replaced the compressor and the condensor.
Definately worth getting it fixed!
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Aircon has never survived more than 5 years in any Peugeot (306, 405, , 406) I or my family and friends have had. Usually the condensor or pipe leading to it has failed.
My Octavia has just had it's first re-gas and guess what, it is just coming up to its 5th birthday!
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The aircon in my 94M Omega still works really well; doesn't appear to have ever had a regas / service. OTOH SWMBO's 96P Omega aircon gave up at 6 years old.
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Aircon is the only thing still working in my 96 Peugeot 605.
CD player, cruise, power steering, heated seats, wipers, and central locking started to play up since about Christmas.
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The Aircon in my 7 year old Rover 414i (R.I.P) which I sold last December was working fine although you could feel the engine 'audibly' slow and labour somewhat when it was engaged, quite unlike my new Golf where you would not know whether the system was operating or not, from that respect, ie no apparent change in engine note etc. Perhaps the systems and compressors are smaller and more efficient nowadays.
I always run the aircon for at least a half an hour a week when I really can't see the point in having it on all the time. Obviously it can be used to great benefit during the cold months in order to keep the interior of the car both warm and
dry and to eliminate misting.
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1999 Mondeo, had it working today.
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99T Mondeo - aircon has just packed up - unfortunately discovered on a long and unseasonally hot drive down France 2 weeks back.
Any idea how much a regas costs anyone?
Dan
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Regass on its own will be £80-100 ish. Ask them to put some UV dye in there so if there's a leak they can find it later
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less than I thought - thanks
Dan
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Regass on its own will be £80-100 ish. Ask them to put some UV dye in there so if there's a leak they can find it later
Find a good independent specialist. Mine (Lancashire) charges £55 inc VAT.
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ie no apparent change in engine note etc.>>
Try switching it on and off whilst holding a constant slight throttle setting - you'll know through the sole of your shoe...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Try switching it on and off whilst holding a constant slight throttle setting - you'll know through the sole of your shoe...:-)
Doesn't work with fly by wire throttles ;o)
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>>
Doesn't work with fly by wire throttles ;o)>>
Does with my Bora...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Climate control on my 13 year old GT-Four works fine, only problem is a slightly noisey pump, which I'm thinking about replacing.
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Air con working fine on my 10 year old Rangie. Apart from using it regularly, re-gas and fresh oil will help longevity.
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\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"
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We've never had any problems with the aircon in our Renaults. Like a number of people here have said, regular use is key. I run it for 30 mins a week even in winter to dry the system through. In summer it's on much more of course.
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The aircon or erindoor's 1999 Punto is still fine. It is used regularly during summer and winter(great demister!).
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Our family had a civic from 1983 to 1999 - The air con worked just fine to the day we sold it.
It was never switched off, in its entire life. Mind you this was in Sri Lanka!
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Works fine in my 96 540i E39. Worked fine in my ex-96 328i last week.
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Still works fine in SWMBO's 1998 Daewoo Matiz (though it does seems to use about half the engine power)! Only got the car in October but since then have made sure the A/C stretches it's legs for a good 10-15 mins a fortnight on high fan speed (and on level ground!)
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PhiL
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Ah! the Chevvy Matiz and air-con, always switch off when going uphill! for obvious reasons.
My 1998 Mondeos air-con is fine and never been touched since new.
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You try a suzuki swift - auto - with 4 up and aircon.
painful. and they charged me hire fees for that.!
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8 year old xantia air con def still working there starting to get very useful.
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Im a student ive got time!!!
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