It’s easy to think of the aircon in a car as one of those things included in a car’s factory trim, that we don’t need to put too much care into. This oft-neglected part of a car is hardly given the care we would normally extend to the engine, brakes, fluid levels, and upholstery. But aircon’s don’t last forever, and they’re not a single device that can be relied upon to effectively run for an indefinite period of time. In fact, a car’s aircon is a complex piece of kit, made up several components that need to be cleaned, occasionally replaced, and generally looked after. Otherwise, the aircon system will simply cease working.
If It’s Already Broken, Don’t Fix It
When it comes time to sell your car – perhaps after many years – a faulty aircon is certainly something that will knock some value off the vehicle, regardless of how you plan to sell it. That said, if you find yourself in possession of a car with a faulty-aircon, the best move may be to make use of a reputable used car dealership. The reason for thisis that it is only dealerships that have the restoration resources to fix up your car – and the market reach to find a buyer for it regardless of the condition.
CarFastCash.com is a well-connected dealership with outlets across Southern California, including Orange County, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles. If you are looking to sell your used car, theysay that a faulty aircon should be no barrier to making a sale.
That said, it may come as a surprise that the aircon is something that you can actually do a lot to look after. With a proper regime of care, an aircon system can be made to last significantly longer, and to operate effectively for all that time as well.
Caring For Your Aircon
If you would like to hold onto some extra value when it comes time to sell your car, then there are a number of things you can do. Here are some of the most important.
Run the Aircon Weekly on Defrost Mode
If you can take ten minutes out of your week, you should consider running your aircon on defrost mode, on the coolest setting and at the maximum fan speed. This will help maintain the gas pressure and keep the compressor running. It will also clean moisture out of the system and prevent damaging mildew.
Clean and Replace the Filter
As mentioned, an aircon system has many parts. One of the most important is the filter. Consider cleaning it on a regular basis and replacing it every once in a while.
Avoid Pre-Cooling the Car
On those sweltering days, it can certainly be tempting to pre-cool your car before you even get inside. However, aircon works best when you are actually driving. Pre-cooling can wear out the system.
Set the Aircon to the Coolest Setting
An aircon system works most efficiently at the coldest setting. Running the system at higher temperature forces the aircon to reheat some air, which burns fuel and wears out the system quicker.
Keep Your Car Clean
There is little you can do about the quality of the air that is drawn into the car from outside, but by vacuuming regularly and keeping your car cool, you can prevent interior dust and debris from bunging up your aircon.
With so many care tips, it’s possible to think of the aircon as a whole system unto itself. And taking the time to look after it can go a long way to bumping up that price when it comes time to sell.
