Bristol

Bristol is both a city and a county in South West England, with an estimated population of 460,000.

Bristol’s modern economy is built on creative media, electronics and aerospace industries. The city-centre docks have been redeveloped as centres of heritage and culture.

It is also one of Britain’s most popular tourist destinations, due to its wealth of arts and culture, and the opening of the £500million shopping centre, Cabot Circus, in 2008. Bristol’s thriving art scene hosts the Bristol Old Vic—an offshoot of The Old Vic in London—that occupies the Theatre Royal on King Street.

It is also a popular belief that the unidentified graffiti artist Banksy is from Bristol, with many of his artworks appearing around the city.

The most popular cars in Bristol

Given their all-rounder versatility and crossover social status, it’s no great surprise to hear that the VW Golf is estimated to be the most popular car in Bristol, according to data provided between 2012 to 2018 by ownership and postcode.

Close on its heels—and in order of popularity—are the Mercedes A-Class, Nissan Qashqai, Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Vehicle numbers in Bristol

There are approximately 322,000 licensed vehicles in the Bristol area, with some of the most popular models including the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Corsa and the Mini.

Fixter garages in Bristol

There are a total of 9 Fixter garages in the Bristol area, all ready and waiting to provide you with a fantastic quote for your car service, MOT and a wide range of vehicle repairs.

Fixter garages service the following postcodes and more, in and around the Bristol area:

• BS1: City Centre, Bristol
• BS2: Kingsdown & St Paul’s, Bristol
• BS3: Bedminster, Southville & Bower Ashton, Bristol
• BS4: Brislington, Knowle & St Anne’s, Bristol
• BS5: Easton, St George, Redfield & Whitehall, Bristol

- BS6: Cotham, Redland, Montpelier & Westbury Park, Bristol

What does an air conditioning condenser do?

The condenser sits at the front of the radiator and is an integral part of your air conditioning (AC) system. It converts the refrigerant gas into a cold liquid to provide chilled air throughout your vehicle, to keep you and your passengers at a comfortable temperature on a hot day.

How often should a condenser need replacing?

A well-maintained and properly serviced condenser should last as long as your car will. However, as with all vehicle components, they’re prone to wear and tear, and leakage and blockage can create irreparable damage.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

A faulty air conditioner won’t affect your car’s MOT but it can affect the comfort of you and your passengers. It’s worth keeping your air conditioning running at its optimum performance as the impact it can have on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency could significantly affect the day-to-day cost of your motoring.

What happens when we replace your condenser?

• Our efficient and fully qualified mechanics will check for possible fault codes relating to your air conditioning that could lead them directly to a condenser fault.

• Wherever required your condenser will be replaced and you’ll be advised of any other connected or associated problems arising from its malfunction.

• You will also be advised of any other parts that may need to be replaced for the best operation and health of your vehicle.

• Once the faulty condenser has been replaced, our mechanics will test it thoroughly to ensure the correct running of the new part and make any adjustments required for its premium operation.

What causes an AC condenser to stop working correctly?

There are a variety of reasons your **AC condenser **could need replacing. It could be that the fan has stopped functioning correctly, or that the condenser has developed a leak or blockage somewhere. It may be because it has become clogged by refrigerant contaminated with unwanted elements, infiltrating it from other parts of the system. It’s also possible that objects being thrown up from the road—including gravel, litter and other debris—could cause damage to interfere with your condenser’s correct operation.

Symptoms of a malfunctioning AC condenser

Your air con isn’t as cold as normal or not working at all

Your condenser could have stopped working correctly if you notice that the air conditioning in your car isn’t providing the usual levels of cold air as normal, or if it isn’t working at all.

You can hear a ticking sound or see liquid

A ticking sound from your engine or areas of liquid leaking around the air conditioning unit are signs that your condenser could be malfunctioning.

Your fuel consumption isn’t as high as normal

A malfunctioning condenser could also affect your fuel consumption, so if you notice that you’re not achieving your usual mpg, it could be time to have your condenser checked out.