New a/c compressor...

[giant_mtb]

So the Monte Carlo's ('96 3.4L) a/c wasn't/isn't working and we just thought it needed new refrigerant...so we took it to the local GM dealer and - 3 hours later - they told us that we need a new compressor and it would cost "a thousand dollars" to get it put in. (1065, to be exact, according to them) They must be joking, right?  I found some on eBay for about 120 bucks (used, yes) so assuming a new one would cost, say, 3-400 bucks, that's still about 11 hours of labor at 65 bucks an hour!  ELEVEN HOURS?!

Jesus christ, what the hell should we do?  We certainly aren't paying 1000 bucks.  Should we buy a used one off eBay and have an independent shop put it in?  

Ahhhh this sucks!  I want a/c!


Sorry, I'm really angry about it right now.

[Champ]

your dealer charges $65/hour?

Most around here are just above $100/hour...

Which gives you buying a new part (you have to at a dealer) around 6 hours of labor, which can be reasonable... some cars have their A/C in bitch locations.

Does that include their diag. time?

[giant_mtb]

I have no idea...my dad's going to call them tomorrow and ask them how much of that thousand and sixty-five bucks is parts and how much is labor...then we're gonna figure out what to do.  I wouldn't assume that that price includes diagnostics (that's what you mean, right?) 'cause they already spent 3 hours "diagnosing" it today when all we asked them to do was change the oil and put in new refridgerent.

[Tom]

You don't need a/c.  It makes your car slower, wastes gas, and in your case will cost a shitload to fix.  It also contributes to isolating you from the road with your windows up.  My a/c is down because of old refridgerant, but I refuse to pay money to fix it.

[S204STi]

I have no idea...my dad's going to call them tomorrow and ask them how much of that thousand and sixty-five bucks is parts and how much is labor...then we're gonna figure out what to do.  I wouldn't assume that that price includes diagnostics (that's what you mean, right?) 'cause they already spent 3 hours "diagnosing" it today when all we asked them to do was change the oil and put in new refridgerent.

I don't know why you payed for work you didn't authorize...

Oh well, that is in the past.  I have never done an a/c compressor on your model car, but they are generally not easy.  You have to recover and pull a vacuum on the a/c system to remove all r134a from the system, then pull the drive belts which for us is a 2hr job by itself, including the a/c part which may even be more than that, then on from there to actually remove the part which can be a pain, as others mentioned.

Try finding a good reman unit online maybe.  This job is tough for DIYers becuase to perform it properly you really need a good a/c recharge machine that can pull a vacuum first to remove any air and moisture from the system.

Sorry man!

[giant_mtb]

I found one reman one online for about 240 bucks.  Carparts.com...they sell it for 240 bucks and the list price is 406.

[giant_mtb]

Yes, I found the receipt from the dealership...

"A/C Blows Warm
ACR put diagnostic charge in, found leaking compressor and hose, made est to replace: $1065.60.  Removed charge

1 ADYE A/C DYE"

69.00 for the diagnostics and 3.25 for the dye.

[AutobahnSHO]

This job is tough for DIYers becuase to perform it properly you really need a good a/c recharge machine that can pull a vacuum first to remove any air and moisture from the system.

OUCH!
You could still do the component replacement yourselves (or have a cheap shop do it,) then have the a/c refilled- which shouldn't be more than $200 MAX to fill/test.
The downside of course is the shop might charge the system, still say something is wrong, and hose you double..  

[JWC]

I would venture a guess that the average A/C repair today is around $1000.  This estimate probably isn't too far over.

As Autobahn says, you can do it yourself and have it recharged, but risk being told there is still something wrong. Honestly, there could or probably is. If I had written the original estimate at my shop, I would have told you also that is all we have found and that is the starting point. When the pressue returns to normal specs, it isn't unusual for the next weakest spot to let go, especially on older cars.

I get about three phone calls per day from some one asking me to "top-off" their freon because it isn't cold enough and they have never added any. Well, you shouldn't have to...that sh!t don't 'vaporate.  If the freon is low, you have a leaking problem somewhere.

[AutobahnSHO]

I would venture a guess that the average A/C repair today is around $1000.  This estimate probably isn't too far over.

As Autobahn says, you can do it yourself and have it recharged, but risk being told there is still something wrong. Honestly, there could or probably is. If I had written the original estimate at my shop, I would have told you also that is all we have found and that is the starting point. When the pressue returns to normal specs, it isn't unusual for the next weakest spot to let go, especially on older cars.

I get about three phone calls per day from some one asking me to "top-off" their freon because it isn't cold enough and they have never added any. Well, you shouldn't have to...that sh!t don't 'vaporate.  If the freon is low, you have a leaking problem somewhere.

I was in an '05 Altima with someone a couple weeks ago and he said he needed it topped off, since it wasn't as cold anymore...  :blink:      

[S204STi]

I would venture a guess that the average A/C repair today is around $1000.? This estimate probably isn't too far over.

As Autobahn says, you can do it yourself and have it recharged, but risk being told there is still something wrong. Honestly, there could or probably is. If I had written the original estimate at my shop, I would have told you also that is all we have found and that is the starting point. When the pressue returns to normal specs, it isn't unusual for the next weakest spot to let go, especially on older cars.

I get about three phone calls per day from some one asking me to "top-off" their freon because it isn't cold enough and they have never added any. Well, you shouldn't have to...that sh!t don't 'vaporate.? If the freon is low, you have a leaking problem somewhere.

I was in an '05 Altima with someone a couple weeks ago and he said he needed it topped off, since it wasn't as cold anymore...  :blink:    

Does it have automatic climate control?  May be an issue with the A/C amp and not the R134a charge.

[AutobahnSHO]

I would venture a guess that the average A/C repair today is around $1000.? This estimate probably isn't too far over.

As Autobahn says, you can do it yourself and have it recharged, but risk being told there is still something wrong. Honestly, there could or probably is. If I had written the original estimate at my shop, I would have told you also that is all we have found and that is the starting point. When the pressue returns to normal specs, it isn't unusual for the next weakest spot to let go, especially on older cars.

I get about three phone calls per day from some one asking me to "top-off" their freon because it isn't cold enough and they have never added any. Well, you shouldn't have to...that sh!t don't 'vaporate.? If the freon is low, you have a leaking problem somewhere.

I was in an '05 Altima with someone a couple weeks ago and he said he needed it topped off, since it wasn't as cold anymore...  :blink:    

Does it have automatic climate control?  May be an issue with the A/C amp and not the R134a charge.

I dunno- I'll probably never see the guy again... (Army school in Georgia.)

[Phillip]

I haven't had AC all summer because my compressor started to lock up on me going down the road.  Stopped at a gas station, listened to the awful racket it was making through a thick piece of wood and knew it was the compressor, and cut the belt.  Well, I won't lie...it hasn't been exactly fun, but I mean it's not that hard to live without AC.  Plus it zaps all the power from my 128hp engine   I didn't like using it when I had it.  Made the car sluggish.  AC systems are expensive.  You have to understand that and realize that when they go out that you can do two things: forget about it and suck up the heat, or spend your big bucks to get it fixed right.  I wouldn't get too upset about it.

[280Z Turbo]

The A/C in my dad's Dakota stopped working so he bought a couple of those R134a recharge kits. He just gased it up and it started working good again.

I only used the A/C in the Focus on those unbearably hot days we had a couple weeks ago and I took the A/C out of the Z to make way for intercooler piping and an electric fan. I don't really miss it.

The A/C still blew cold on the Z, but it didn't work right because of the turbocharger boost.