Star Road

The air conditioning in my BRZ had been getting weaker lately, but it seemed to work fine on the highway so I ignored the issue. Even on a 100 degree day, I would still set my A/C to 77 degrees. However, driving across the Mojave desert, I found myself turning the dial to 72…then 68…then LO. Luckily it still maintained “just cool enough” air, but I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I went down to Beeline European Auto Care in Santa Cruz.

It felt a bit funny to get the A/C serviced on a nice cool morning with the marine layer hovering, but I knew I would get the chance to really exercise it in the desert soon enough.

The machine first drains your A/C system, measures how much came out, then refills it. From working with A/C cooling systems in my career, I knew how finicky these systems can be and why it’s important to have the correct amount of refrigerant in the system. I asked Chris if I should try refilling the A/C with one of those recharge cans and he reminded me of that whole debacle when we worked together and urged me to get it done professionally.

Beeline is a chill shop run by my friends, so they let me poke around on my own. I went to the unit next door which has their lounge. Hey, I should bring my PS1 out next time!

Very much a “car nerd” theme going on back here.

And a great view the other way of some of the cars in storage.

There are some employee cars chilling outside, like Ryan’s 240’s.

There are some other rare special bulldogs out there too, like an Imola Red E46 ZHP sedan, or a Mk4 GTI 337 Edition that looks stock but packs twice the wheel horsepower it originally came with.

They can do some major work here. This was a whole front drivetrain and suspension dropped down from a late model Audi S5.

I wonder if tiny SUV’s will ever return.

This is the shop doggie from the place next door; he was very friendly and really wanted some attention. He approached me curiously; when he found out I was friendly he flopped right down and showed me his belly.

I visited Iveta next door for a lovely hot coffee and hung out for a bit outside in the refreshing cool ocean air. Then the news came through: the vacuum test showed no leaks, but they hardly took any refrigerant out. With it filled up to the proper level, the A/C is now icy cold. When I get in my car after it’s sitting in 100+ degrees all day, I get fully cold air blasting within seconds of turning on the car. After seven years I’m not too bothered that I had to get it “recharged”, as they say, especially after the last few crazy hot summers this thing has endured. I think I’m more surprised that I’ve already had the BRZ for seven years and over 80,000 miles! As British automotive journalists love to say, what a machine.