Car Aircon Regas Cost: A Price Guide for South Africa

"How much does a car AC regas cost?" is the most frequent question we get. The price can vary significantly, and it almost always comes down to which type of refrigerant gas your vehicle uses. There are two main types on the road in South Africa today: R134a and R1234yf.

R134a: The Common Standard (Pre-2017 Vehicles)

For decades, R134a has been the industry standard. It is widely available, and the cost to regas a system with R134a is generally affordable. Most vehicles manufactured before 2017 will use this gas. A standard regas service for an R134a system includes recovering old gas, vacuum testing, and refilling with the correct weight of new gas and oil.

R1234yf: The New Eco-Friendly Standard (2017+ Vehicles)

Due to environmental regulations aimed at reducing global warming potential, manufacturers have shifted to a new gas called R1234yf. It is much kinder to the environment but is significantly more complex and expensive to produce. As a result, the cost of the gas itself is much higher, which directly impacts the price of a regas service. These two gasses are not interchangeable; you must use the type specified for your vehicle.