Regas every year?
You have a leak
Air conditioning is a sealed system. Gas doesn't get 'used up'. Why yearly regassing means you're paying for the same gas twice.
Every November the phones start: 'aircon's gone warm again, just needs a regas'. Sometimes that's true. But if it's the second or third summer in a row, there's a leak, and you're buying the same refrigerant over and over.
Here's how to tell a system that needs gas from a system that needs fixing, plus what each actually costs.
Sealed means sealed
An A/C system is a closed loop. Gas circulates, it doesn't get consumed. A healthy system holds its charge for the life of the car minus a percent or two a year. Losing enough gas to matter means it's leaving through a leak: o-rings, hoses, condenser stone damage, or the compressor shaft seal.
The $99 regas trap
A cheap regas recovers what's left, throws in new gas and hopes. No vacuum test, no leak check, no measurement of how much was missing. Three months later it's warm again and you're back. That 'cheap' regas costs more than a repair after two visits.
What a proper regas looks like
- Recover and weigh the old gas: the missing amount sizes the leak
- Vacuum hold test: a system that can't hold vacuum can't hold gas
- UV dye if anything's suspicious: the leak glows green under the torch
- Regas to spec with the right oil charge
That's what $189 buys you in a proper A/C service: the leak test is included because a regas without one is just a rental.
The usual leaks and their prices
- O-rings and service ports: $40 to $120 in parts and gas. The happy ending.
- Condenser: sits in the stone line behind the grille. Around $640 fitted and regassed.
- Compressor shaft seal: often means a compressor, from $980 all-in.
- Evaporator: the expensive one because the dash comes out. Quoted per model.
Whichever it is, you'll see the green dye photo and the price before we fix anything.
While you're here
A/C quick answers
Warm air but no idea why? Tell us the car and when it started on the contact page and we'll point you at the likely culprit.
Sort it before the heat does
Book the regas with leak check. If it's just gas you're done in an hour. If it's a leak, at least you'll know where. You'll get a written price before a spanner touches anything, and +61 2 9724 0853 works if you'd rather book by phone.