davidjpowell
MB Enthusiast
I'd happily pay the £15 - can you recommend anywhere in South Yorkshire?
I'd happily pay the £15 - can you recommend anywhere in South Yorkshire?
dog68
Active Member
No, Lol. 
Terry_
Auhorised Forum Sponsor
Sorry David I can't. But maybe others in your area can help
Terry_
Auhorised Forum Sponsor
The point I'm trying to make dog is that I think people get ripped off over a period of time by consistently paying only 29 quid!!!!!!!!!
davidjpowell
MB Enthusiast
duplicated somehow. bugger.
StevenN
Active Member
I know I have pressure on both hi and lo sides but no cold air.
If it works it works. If it don't I don't pay.
If I believed there was a significant leak I wouldn't get it done.
If it works it works. If it don't I don't pay.
If I believed there was a significant leak I wouldn't get it done.
dog68
Active Member
Today i went to booked appointment, and they said it had a leak, so no top-up for me 
. They said to find the leak, they would need the car all day, so that will have to wait for a while, despite this, very polite service
. They said to find the leak, they would need the car all day, so that will have to wait for a while, despite this, very polite service
Spinal
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2004
- Messages
- 4,806
- Location
- between Uxbridge and the Alps
- Car
- x254, G350, Duster, S320, Mach1, 900ss and a few more
I'm curious... last time I went to kwikfit for an aircon recharge, they did a pressure test before refilling...
So I don't see what the issue is - I'm not an expert in this, so is the issue that the pressure test they do is not a nitrogen pressure test? In which case, what is it?
Like so many others, I reckon the price is a loss-leader for them, you go in for a 29£ aircon regas, they get rid of their old gas after summer (so they don't need to store it) and while you're there can identify worn tyres, brakes, etc...
Seems like a winner to the consumer... (now, whether they are technically capable is another ball game)
M.
I took the E320 there back in August.
Compressor was running (so must have had some refrigerant/pressure in the system), but wasn't particularly cold.
Passed the pressure test and was vacced/recharged to spec (1000g R134a from memory?).
When removing the adaptor lines, one of my charging valves at the front, near the condensor had a very slight hiss. The valve was sticking ever so slightly (it was a tiny hiss, you wouldn't have noticed at first).
Kwik-Fit refused to charge for the service, and suggested I arrange for a replacement valve and then returning for the service.
I was home within a couple of minutes, and gave the centre pin of the valve a slight nudge - it moved a fraction of a mm and reseated, stopped hissing and hasn't leaked since (over 2 months ago now). I'm guessing that the valve hadn't been moved in 11 years, hence didn't seat 100% at first.
Either way - it cost me nothing, and I can't really fault them for their approach
As with any chain type business, the service/experience will only ever be as good as the individuals you deal with, but Kwik-Fit aren't all bad, not all of them anyway.
I'm sure there's just as many horror stories from MB main dealers, I've certainly seen/heard at worse from many high-end businesses (Audi for one!)
Just my experience
Compressor was running (so must have had some refrigerant/pressure in the system), but wasn't particularly cold.
Passed the pressure test and was vacced/recharged to spec (1000g R134a from memory?).
When removing the adaptor lines, one of my charging valves at the front, near the condensor had a very slight hiss. The valve was sticking ever so slightly (it was a tiny hiss, you wouldn't have noticed at first).
Kwik-Fit refused to charge for the service, and suggested I arrange for a replacement valve and then returning for the service.
I was home within a couple of minutes, and gave the centre pin of the valve a slight nudge - it moved a fraction of a mm and reseated, stopped hissing and hasn't leaked since (over 2 months ago now). I'm guessing that the valve hadn't been moved in 11 years, hence didn't seat 100% at first.
Either way - it cost me nothing, and I can't really fault them for their approach
As with any chain type business, the service/experience will only ever be as good as the individuals you deal with, but Kwik-Fit aren't all bad, not all of them anyway.
I'm sure there's just as many horror stories from MB main dealers, I've certainly seen/heard at worse from many high-end businesses (Audi for one!)
Just my experience
StevenN
Active Member
Take a look online.
£29 at the moment
Mick K
Member
Yes £29 as of 4 days ago and it was not advertised on their tariff board as a special offer but as a standard charge (no pun intended)
Mike
I asked K.F last year when they had an offer on about my W126 but they said its an older type of gas, diff pressures etc and they didn't have right adaptors etc. Sounded to me like they couldn't be bothered so didn't pursue it with them. My experience of KF is unless its dead simple they either don't have the ability or the can't be bothered. I used Halfords earlier this year for an AC recharge on my wifes Fiat Multipla(and before you start on their weird looks they are a superb car!). They did a good job, full vac out&fill with dye inc. It lasted 3weeks so returned it and free of charge they diagnosed the leak to a pipe/seal. Pipe is £80 from Fiat but they wanted £275 for job but would gas it again free. Didn't matter as you can't buy seal without pipe so i'll source 1 myself and change it then get a re-gas for £45 at a garage i trust.
StevenN
Active Member
1st Kwikfit Centre had no gas but didn't bother phoning me.
Even came out with some bull that the other centres were also out.
Told me it would be next week.
Phoned Thier head office who phoned around and found another place not too far away.
Bit of a wait but their on it now.
Asked what model and engine size so doing the job right at the moment.
Fingers crossed for cold air
Even came out with some bull that the other centres were also out.
Told me it would be next week.
Phoned Thier head office who phoned around and found another place not too far away.
Bit of a wait but their on it now.
Asked what model and engine size so doing the job right at the moment.
Fingers crossed for cold air
StevenN
Active Member
All done and working like a fridge.
Had to put the heat back on as it's bloody cold!
I will have to see how having the EC light off effects MPG.
Just a shame the first bloke was lying.
I told the manager of the one that did the work.
He said the other branch could have borrowed some from him.
Mines done, who's next?
Had to put the heat back on as it's bloody cold!
I will have to see how having the EC light off effects MPG.
Just a shame the first bloke was lying.
I told the manager of the one that did the work.
He said the other branch could have borrowed some from him.
Mines done, who's next?
holbay
Active Member
I went to Kwikfit today in rutherglen started job right away, after approx 1Hr they said it wont work vacuum and leak test went perfect but machine kept cutting out at 150 something, the guy suspected his machine at fault. So i went along the road to the Budget tyre centre who are owned by Kwikfit i told guy there what happened he said machine will cut off if it does not have enough refridgerent in its tank so it is back to Budget tomorrow to try again...
StevenN
Active Member
Did they charge you?
holbay
Active Member
No they did not.. But just back from Budget tyre/exhaust centre their machine did the full recharge cycle and charged the full £29. But i have got home and checked temps with a snapon thermometer and outside temp is 12.5c air temp from vents is 16.3c so no freezy cold for me just now
. Went back and guy says if system has been down for any long time then it may take some days for aircon to properly come into play, also offered if no change in next week then free recharge next weekend. Oh and i have checked the compressor is switching on and off with the EC switch.. George.
