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Ok folks, as some of you know, I'm new to this forum and the proud owner of a lovely, one year old Avensis. It's my 3rd Toyota, the first being an 02 MR2 and the second being an 05 Corolla. The point of this post is to mention the seemingly increasing trade in air conditioning service. Even the likes of Kwik Fit have their fingers in the pie these days. My view is, it's mostly a big con! Here's why...... Air conditioning systems are sealed. Sounds simplisitc, but it's true. Basically, just like in a domestic fridge (yes, that is an air conditioner!) you have 3 main parts - The Compressor, The Evaporator and the Condenser. I'm not going to bore you with all the principles of how it works, but basically the system houses a refrigerant gas in a vacuum. The system cools the air in the car by changing it's state from a liquid to a gas, and in doing so draws in heat in a constantly changing cycle. In effect, the system is not adding 'cold', it is removing 'heat'. Now, the reason I mention the vacuum is important when I comment on these 'air conditioning services.' A vacuum is just that, a vacuum! It's a sealed system, meaning it'll either work or it won't! If it's leaking it needs fixing before any of this so-called "re-gassing." In other words, if your air conditioning / cimate control is working fine, NO NOT get sucked in to this 'air conditioning service'. Other than checking / replacing the cabin filter, which I'm sure you good people can all do yourselves, the system is pretty much maintenance free. If possible it's a good idea to also check the condenser and evaporator coils to make sure they're clean, but to be honest I've not ever seen real dirty ones on a car before. I should mention what a lot of others have said - use your air conditioning! The more you use it, the more reliable and efficient it will be! The gas inside the system also contains lubricants which seal the various joints and connections in the system. The more they move around, the better the system will work. To be honest, I keep the A/C on in my car. Sure, running the system will use a bit more fuel (although these systems are getting ever more efficient), but in my view it pays dividends in how the cabin temperature is kept as I want it and maintains the integrity of the system. Remember, the A/C doesn't just cool, it de-humidifies, so even in winter you're quickly going to get rid of those misty windows! If it does start to feel like it's not getting cold, then I'd suggest you do have a refigerant leak, which should be checked out before and re-gassing takes place. Like I said, this is more likely to happen if you don't use your a/c regularly. Car air conditioning systems run at lot lower pressures than building systems so are more prone to leaks if they're not used. The moral of this story is 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it!' After all, you don't have a bloke come around and re-gas your fridge, do you?! Just keep an eye on the cabin filter and use your a/c! I hope I've not droned on too much and that what I've said may help some of you fine people.