My cars aircon never worked since buying it 5 years ago.
I just live with it, haven't tried a re-gas so can't help.
how often is it needed in our climate.
I wouldn't use thicker oil, especially in this climate. The engine needs all the help it gets from immediate lubrication.
I use a 5W30 in mine and seems to work
Take a look here:
https://justgermanparts.co.uk/a-guide-to-cylinder-head-gasket-thickness/?srsltid=AfmBOorBFk0iLlQ5Y2XKrTuV7StoEiGiZs2yy0VmpPFYZzn2Wu4n8k46
a lot of cars suffer in this country due to the constant damp and muddy roads and the salt spread during freezing temperatures.
There are some good products to combat this but require intensive work.
Used this on a sprinter I have (renowned for rusting) and it was great...
For fook sake, how complicated do cars have to be, it's getting ridiculous :rolleyes::rolleyes:
I think it's about time for an older car with no ecus or sensors like a rover P6 3.5 V8