So when I originally read Maggie's post I took it to mean she was talking
about contaminating shop recovery systems _and_ vehicle systems, but Mr.
Coffee has pointed out that she probably just meant the shop systems (duh).

Having moved both dogs and kids over considerable distances in that kind of
heat I think I'd avoid doing it without A/C at whatever costs.... When we
went to Colorado and back (from SoCal) last year we found that the cost of
driving our vehicle given gas prices then and its likely mileage was not
much less than it would cost to rent a minivan given its likely mileage- in
other words the projected savings in gas almost made up the cost of the
rent.
Now this was renting at a weekly rate with a reservation well in advance- in
fact the major deal killer was that we waited too long to decide and the
difference in the advance rates and the more immediate rates were huge.
My point is that you may have other more economical options than driving
that Westy back and forth with the windows down.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Maggie Dew" <wildebus@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 9:36 PM
Subject: Avoid Freeze 12!

> From John Rodgers:
>
> "Apparently there is a very suitable substitute for the R12, and that is
> Freeze12. I know that here in my area in the Deep Hot South, Freeze 12
> is very popular in the older cars and trucks. Nearly all the freelance
> shops carry it."
>
> I am in Santa Fe and have checked with AC shops in both Santa Fe and
> Albuquerque and no one will touch Freeze 12 for fear of contaminating
> their
> systems.  There are also some on-line discussions that say if someone
> offers
> to put Freeze 12 in - RUN!  Now I don't think that there is a problem with
> the refrigerant itself - but it is a blend (80% R134, 20% HCFC) and would
> contaminate equipment used for strictly R134.
>
> I am not looking forward to driving to Oklahoma in July and transporting
> three kids and a dog back to New Mexico with no AC, but I seem to be
> stuck.
>
> Maggie
> '85 Subaru Westy