Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

No good for carrying bikes unfortunately which we'll be doing on most trips. And shooting brake is beyond my budget!

I'm not an air con expert, but this sounds like you paid for a re-gas then the gas leaked (£60 is going rate).

If you don't use the air con for a while (e.g. between the end of summer and April) the seals can dry out and leak, but it could be a bigger problem.

When it stopped working last year you could hear it 'try' but air didnt get any colder, now when you hit the button absolutely nothing changes

This sounds like the compressor was running but now isn't. Depending on what car you've got you could google common problems and do some fault finding yourself.

Much like having a sport button in cars, I think an a/c button is pointless. Both sport mode and a/c should always be on imo.

Much like having a sport button in cars, I think an a/c button is pointless. Both sport mode and a/c should always be on imo.

I leave the aircon on all the time, the Mercedes turns it off when it detects WOT, then turns it back on again when you calm down.

thanks.. i will give it a go, its an old micra and they seem to be pretty serviceable, i have time on my hands!

a/c should always be on

Fine if you want to stop people from opening their windows or getting outside air in.

Aside from the following situations I don’t see a need for opening windows:
Toll booth payments
Driving alongside a high wall or through a tunnel
Collecting a McFlurry from the drive through

It’s a small space, I wouldn’t worry about the impact of opening a window for a few mins on a/c, just leave it on

You leave it set to recirculate?

All good points but they won’t do it because fuel economy

If it has leaked that will be trickier than a simple fix unrelated to gas normally.

One thing you can do is put a die in the system to work out where the leak is coming from. E.g. quick google found this kit on eBay (not recommending this one):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UV-Dye-Torch-Kit-Ultra-Violet-Leak-Detection-Dye-For-Car-Air-Conditioning-RLD1-/260924844698

Both sport mode and a/c should always be on imo.

Apparently if you leave your a/c on all the time the seals are less likely to dry out so you're less likely to have problems.

I’d imagine a/c has a negligible impact on fuel economy in most modern cars

I’d wager you are wrong but I don’t have data.

Our 10000btu /hr heat Pump is 1000 watts and the rest.

In my old 306 the fuel economy goes from 10l/100klm to 12l/100klm and even then it nothing more than a slightly cool and weak breeze whilst making 89dB of noise.

Still, last summer when it hit 45ºc I was thankful for the noisy, slightly cooling breeze!

Mind you, the 2015 Audi is no better. My Dads old toyota corolla (1996) has freezing AC... it's never needed a regas.

The increased drag from having the windows open typically outweighs the impact that the a/c has on fuel economy.

And in winter its a good idea as it prevents the windows from misting, so you can see out properly and don't die/kill anyone.

Nothing worse than getting into a damp and misty Uber because the driver refuses to use the a/c.

Don’t be tight, just leave a/c on all the time

On a more fun note was that video of those Norwegians who mounted a split consumer unit on their motor but in reverse so they could cool the interior of the car to literally freezing posted on here? That’s fun.

I took a cab in Madrid, I was wearing full suit and tie, it was 42 degrees, and the cab driver wouldn't turn the A/C on due to fuel economy concerns. He did, however, have every window wound all the way down and a literal gale blasting through the car - which would (as Dan points out) have been hammering his fuel economy far more than using the A/C.

My A/C is always on, you need it in the middle of winter down here...

Peeps, to be clear, I wasn't providing an argument that you shouldn't have it on, and on most of the time. That's cool. Or hot. Or whatever.

I was suggesting why 'it should be on and the user can't turn it off' is a difficult argument to make to a manufacturer. Unless they all did it. In unison.

@Dammit sounds like the kind of person who will barrel down the motorway with the air con on and the windows open. Maybe modern cars are smart enough to shut down the AC at that point. Making a mysterious system even more curious.

People like options.

They need buttons for options.

Same as they need options for faster stripes.

Take away the options they get clammy.

#JustSayin

I'd just like to apologise for causing this slightly awkward air con debate. Just a lot of hot air if you ask me though.

Seller said garage said 'probably needs a re-gas', he's going to call them tomorrow and get them to look at it. He suggested this, which backs up my theory that he's not out to rip me off.

I just do kinda need the car by Tuesday so I'm hoping we can get this sorted by then.

Back in the day air con compressors sucked so much power from the engine that you could hear the revs drop when you pushed that button. You've got to remember that even a 'fast' car like a Golf GTi knocked out about 118bhp because cars didn't weigh anything, and the drag of a compressor took a lot off that, especially as most were huge things designed for American V8s. On a modern car (Mk7 Golf has 229bhp) with smaller kit it's not really an issue.

My Honda Accord Type-R had no air-con to maximise the power. Never bothered me apart from the one time I drove it back from Interlaken to London in one hot August day