Antarctic Vehicle Air Conditioning

Antarctic Vehicle Air Conditioning is a complete mobile service for your auto air conditioning needs, whether it be just an annual service, a regas or a major air conditioning repair.

We service all areas of Brisbane southside and we are available to come to you any day of the week, including Sundays at no extra cost. We even work evenings as well. No advance booking is necessary. Just pick up the phone and call us and we will be there the same day, in most cases within a couple of hours.

No need to arrange transport to and from a workshop and be without your car all day for an air conditioning repair. We prefer our customers to be in control and in the comfort of their own surroundings. All our work is guaranteed.

Please see below for more information.

What does it cost to regas my car's air conditioning?

If it's a straightforward regas then the total cost would be $120.00.

• Regas
• Leak testing
• Pressure testing
• Pipe & hose repair & manufacture
• Air con repairs
• Servicing
• Deodorising
• Retro fitting
• Installation
• Leak dye
• Compressor guards
• Flushing
• Pipe modifications
• DDR compressor testing (late European)
• Gas recovery only
  
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However if there's no gas then where's it gone? It could be because of a leak or simply not been serviced for years. In either case a full system test is carried out before any gas is added to the system. If a problem is detected then we inform you of the problem and the cost involved to fix it. If you decide not to have the work done then a basic charge of $50.00 is all you pay.

Our labour repair rates are charged at $70.00 per hour ($35.00 per half hour) plus any parts needed for the repair. There is no extra charge for a weekend booking.

    We accept payment by Eftpos, Mastercard, Visa and cash.

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Any person / business carrying out automotive air conditioning work must be licensed and registered with ARC (Australian Refrigeration Council). A list of authorised persons / businesses can be viewed on the ARC website www.arctick.org. Look for the ARC logo.

All persons / businesses who conduct auto air conditioning repair work must possess all the required equipment.

In addition, all persons / businesses who conduct car air conditioning work must follow the new code of practice regarding servicing and repair to automotive air conditioning systems.

Refrigerants must not be allowed to escape to the atmosphere. If there is a leak it must be rectified or be decommissioned (gas removed).

There is no such thing as a TOP UP anymore.

What is VASA? VASA (Vehicle Air Conditioning Specialists of Australia) is the organisation that represents professional car air conditioning technicians. Members of VASA have met the requirements needed to be called a professional auto air conditioning technician. This ensures you the customer that you get quality workmanship. You can check on the VASA website www.vasa.org.au for a list of members. There is also a wealth of information on there too. Look for the VASA logo.

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Do you know that your car's air conditioning needs to be serviced at least every 15 months? This means that the gas and filter should be renewed. Lack of regular service can lead to expensive air conditioning repairs.

You should run your air con for at least 10 minutes a week all year round. The gas carries oil that keeps the sealing O rings in good order. Failure to run the air conditioning regularly can cause the O rings to dry out and let gas escape. You can use the air con on any temperature.

Running a vehicle's air conditioning system on insufficient gas can cause a multitude of problems leading to expensive repairs.

Never get a car's air conditioning system topped up.

If you have a leaking system GET IT FIXED. Knowingly leaking gas into the environment is illegal and very bad for the environment.

Did you know that the old R12 gas (pre 1994 vehicles) is approx 8000 times more damaging to the ozone than CO²? The current gas R134a does not harm the ozone but adds greatly to global warming.

Never try to release gas from a car's air conditioning system. It's dangerous! It freeze burns on contact and disperses oxygen and is heavier than air. It boils at approximately minus 30 degrees. Licensed technicians are trained how to handle it.

Do not fit used auto air conditioning parts such as condensers or filters. Systems that have been used before and the internals left in contact with air will form acid and corrode from the inside making them weak.

A car's air con system must be moisture free, hence the filter has a desiccant inside to absorb moisture. The amount it can absorb is 20 ppm (parts per million) - equivalent to a tear drop.

Retro fitting a pre 1994 car to the current gas is more involved than just changing the charging ports.

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As well as general air conditioning work on commercial vehicles, we can now offer a fully installed under dash air con system to your truck cab.

These units are so cold you will need to wear a jacket, not to mention the power of the air flow from the vents which we have measured to be over 20 knots. The dash unit can be mounted anywhere in the cab that is practical. Ideally the best place is in the centre on the floor between the seats.

The controls are remotely mounted to give you ease of operation. Mounting the dash unit this way will keep the cost down by reducing the amount of piping and labour involved. We use multi flow condensers for better efficiency, and if needed the addition of a thermo fan to aid cooling when the vehicle is standing for long periods.

If your truck already has air con but poor cooling we can modify it using existing components and reduce the cost again. If your truck does not have air conditioning fitted the main obstacle is the compressor mount on the engine. As these are no longer produced it has to be fabricated to suit, which will add to the cost - approx $500.00.

Standard pricing is $2999.00 if compressor bracket already exists and is useable (dash floor mounted between seats). Add approx $500.00 if bracket needs to be fabricated and fitted with belts etc.

Call for more information.

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Antarctic Vehicle Air Conditioning was started by the owner Kieran Lawrence 8 years ago in England where he performed auto air conditioning repair work for car dealerships, independent garages and the public. He qualified in the UK as a car air conditioning repair and service technician and refrigerant handler, and also holds a USA qualification in automotive air conditioning. He moved to Brisbane with his business and is qualified to Australian standards, holding Australian qualifications in auto air conditioning.

He is also a certified motor mechanic here in Australia. During his time in England he featured on a popular TV motor show program demonstrating servicing car air conditioning. He has also featured in a VASA training DVD and magazine here in Australia.

As he is from the UK he has worked on thousands of European cars as well as American and Japanese, be it from a tiny smart car to a Lamborghini. The fundamentals of car air conditioning are the same regardless of the make or model of the vehicle. He prides himself on offering a same day service to customers any day of the week.

ARC Accredited

VASA Member

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