Question:
Air conditioning has become quite commonplace on UK cars in recent
years but I fear we're still being held to ransom by the garage trade
with the high prices they charge for topping up the gas and similar
routine maintenance - often £100 including VAT just to have the gas
evacuated, weighed and refilled, for example. In the USA, Middle East
and elsewhere you can have this task carried out for much, much less.
They also sell cans of R134a and other refrigerants in shopping malls,
for DIY-ers.
Does anyone have experience of maintaining their own vehicle air
conditioning in the UK and how have you got on? I'm well aware of the
safety aspects but with sufficient care, it's not exactly rocket
science. I assume there's no law against DIY maintenance per se.
Answer:
I think you've hit it on the nail there. It's only been in the last five
years or so that air conditioning has become a standard item of equipment
across normal cars. Back in 1992, only a few Mondeo-sized cars from the
European manufacturers offered air conditioning, as either standard or as an
option. When I say a few, I mean in terms of the cars sold. These days, I
suspect it's difficult to buy a Mondeo class car that doesn't have air
conditioning.
In this respect, we're well behind the States. Market forces will drive
prices down, I'm sure of it, but with everything it's the early adopters
/cough/ who pay more for it first.
