Air conditioning service - worth it?

[golfhappy]

The air conditioning engineer stuck a thermometer in my air vent stuck it on cold and waited about 30 seconds and it came to the required temperature..think it was 5 degrees C and said i didn't need it serviced. That was on a 3 1/2 year old MK6

[p3asa]

The worst thing you can do with aircon is not use it. A lot of people don't use their aircon in the winter because they think it has no use. That is when bacteria can build up in the system and you get a bad smell from it.

That's me. I never use it.
I just find its a catch 22 with the window misting up. 
I never have misted up windows but the very odd time I have tried out the AC, it is guaranteed when I leave the car and come back to it the windows will be misted.

[clubsport]

I wouldn't be concerned about using kwik fit, the process is automated they plug the car into the vacuum and refill module and it basically goes through the motions. I would expect VW would use a similar method?

I had an old 911 system checked and refilled last year, after 8 years since the last service it still had 92% of the required weight of refrigerant. You can get an idea how tight the system is, by how much refrigerant is in the system.

I would only have the a/c serviced after a significant time period or more importantly of you feel the system is less effective. On the basis of don't mend it, if it is not broken!

Kwik fit, do the occasional promotion, mine was £30, as I said I only had it done as a considerable period of time had passed.

[AntGTD]

Wouldn't even trust Quickfit to get that right!

[ajmoir36]

Would it not be covered by the warranty if you don't follow the recommended servicing?

[p3asa]

It's not in the recommended servicing schedule though.

If it was that important it would be included and the price of the servicing would increase to cover it.

[Finglonga]

I had a 10 year old Mondeo that I got of the original owner and he had never has the air con service and it worked perfectly. I keep getting emails from the dealer that sold my car saying it needs urgent work. Apparently it is the air-con service that I declined as the only time it will be done it when the performance of it reduces.

Literally a money maker for the dealer, same as the paint protection and tyre insurance that the salesman try to sell you.

[Mk7-GTD]

The worst thing you can do with aircon is not use it. A lot of people don't use their aircon in the winter because they think it has no use. That is when bacteria can build up in the system and you get a bad smell from it.

That's me. I never use it.
I just find its a catch 22 with the window misting up. 
I never have misted up windows but the very odd time I have tried out the AC, it is guaranteed when I leave the car and come back to it the windows will be misted.

I find that if it is wet outside and I'm in shopping or something when I come back to the car sometimes the windows are fogged up but by the time I have started the car and ate my small box of nuts(cashew nuts) the windows are clear. Granted I do put it on windscreen and rear window de-mist but it is also a really small box of nuts.

[p3asa]

I just find it a vicious circle. If I never use it, I can guarantee the windows aren't misted up when I come back to it. If I have used it I can guarantee they are misted up.

[mullermn]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I should just check if it's still kicking out cold air first.

I do leave mine on all the time, but I spend most the winter having my feet blasted with hot air to defrost them so the refrigeration components don't get much of a workout.

Somebody in the thread mentioned 5 degrees - is that right temperature the system should kick out if it's all working OK? I'll stick a thermometer in the vent and check it out.

Cheers