Hi guys,

First post here. I have a 96 Accord LX 2.2L that I bought a couple weeks ago and immediately and I've got an AC problem. Just a little background on my situation. I started a new internship but it might end in 3-4 months if they are unable to hire me to stay on. So I mostly bought the car as a temporary solution. Purchased it for $2200.

Once I noticed the air was somewhat cool but not ice cold, I took it into a mechanic who said the compressor was bad and there were leaks in the line and on the valves. He gave me some yellow tinted glasses and showed me the Freon leaks with a black-light. Definitely saw residue on the compressor, line, and battery.

They recommended installing a new system with an air compressor kit and a Denso 4720136 compressor. The entire kit runs $438 and $40 for a couple Freon cans. The labor estimate comes out to $306.85 with a grand total of $861.74 with taxes and a few other supplies. The A/C kit comes with a lime time warranty...but again I might sell the car in 3-4 months.

Question is: Is this a good deal and a fair price for the parts and labor? Am I able to purchase the parts for cheaper and have someone else install them? For a 16 year old car, is it worth putting in this much money into the vehicle if it only marginally increases its value? I live in the midwest so it could run up to 85-90F in the summer which could be pretty miserable if I'm sitting in traffic. What do you guys think? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

You could get by for less, but you'll be running some risk by using used parts. You should be able to find a good used compressor ($50-100), AC line (aluminum line?) or hose ($25-50), and new receiver/drier ($25). Check ebay and car-part.com for used parts.

If you install these yourself, you will realize the largest savings, but this does require basic mechanic skills.

After parts installation, take car to a shop for receiver/drier installation (last item), AC lube oil installation, vacuum leak checking and charging by volume ($100 guess).

So w/ some effort on your part, you should be able to cut that bill in half.

Part of what you're paying for is assurance of a good repair. If you don't want to DIY, I would suggest checking on local Angie's list for Auto AC shops and get quotes for the job. Your first quote doesn't sound out of line, if the shop does good work.

good luck