======== Original Message ========
Hi Dan

This is something I was told by my father in law.  Most people have
to have their AC recharged every spring because it 'leaks'.  Actually,
because you don't use your AC during the winter, all the seals dry out
and crack.  Then you fire it up on the first warm day and surprise!
If you use your AC all year (obviously if you live up here in the
North like I do, you use it VERY sparingly during the winter), then
you won't have this problem.

I guess this falls under the heading of "Use it, or loose it"

Kedar
'89 Westy (with AC)

PS: I don't know if this is true, but I've NEVER had to recharge the AC
in any vehicle I've owned.
======== Fwd by: Don Gibbons ========
Vanagons with their strange AC systems lost out on one of the
improvements(?) made in the last few years. Every car made recently that has
AC also has the AC that goes on when the lever is set to "defrost". This is
to remove moisture. It will also lubricate the compressor seals during the
winter when most of us drive around for months with the lever on defrost. I
am sure that all the car builders did this mainly to stop leaks rather than
to give us slightly better defrosting.