which of these two dealers are ripping me off - AC repair

Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Ford SportTrac Forum

Help Support Ford SportTrac Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
B

brian b 2

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2006
Messages
56
Reaction score
0
Location
, na
My AC in my 03 Sport Trace is not blowing cold air so I took it in to two separate dealerships for estimate.



Dealer #1 tells me I need



1. "Manifold" and "Condenser" replaced

Price $1,065.

I declined service and paid the $90 diagnostic fee and left with the service report.





Dealer #2: I called them for a price quote based on the symptom and parts dealer #1 stated.

I was quoted $800 for the job on the phone.



When I took the car in today. Dealer #2 tells me Dealer #1 missed diagnosed and that a dye test show I had a leak in "Manifold", "Condenser", and "Compress"

Price $1400



How do I know which dealership is telling the truth?
 
You eed to replace the Manifold, compressor, and condensor at one time?



You are supposed to believe that?



Get real. They are both bending you over.



Jesse James used to rob people, but he used a gun.





Tom
 
If the compressor has gone bad for some reason, it is possible that the condenser is a non flushable type that has to be replaced after compressor failure. Also, on some vehicles the orifice tube is located inside the lines attached to the manifold, and is also another part that needs to be replaced with a compressor. Now if it was just a leak, then maybe you can get by with just a seal kit.



Where I work at (Advance Auto) we have all those parts available, and we also have some mechanics that are ASE certified that we recommend for such repairs. They are "Mobile Mechanics" that keep all their tools on board their van/trucks and can do the job for less than that. Don't let the places you take your vehicle to be the final word on job pricing. Go by your local Advance/Auto Zoe/Napa/CSK/etc. and ask if they can recommend anyone to do the job. I know which guys to send customers to for electrical/chassis/HVAC/etc.
 
Go to an independent service station and do NOT tell them what the others have said.



Simply say you have an A/C issue and would like a price and that you intend to GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION for a second estimate.



They will try very hard to be correct and as affordable as they can be and still make money....
 


Taking it to a third repair center for an estimate sounds like a good idea, but soon you will have a car payment's worth of estimates under your belt and still no fix.



I think AC systems are the Achille's (sp?) heal of today's autos.



TJR
 
If shop number two did a dye test and ACTUALLY found an answer in the short time they had it. You have a major leak.



Generally, unless the problem is HUGE, it takes time for the dye to make it thru the system and get to the leaking area. Even then, there has to be enough dye to get to the leak for the dye to be seen with a black light.



My point is, your problem is BIG or they were not upfront with you.
 
is your compressor kicking on at all?



when i had my 01 it was not blowing cold the second year i had it

my compressor was cycling on and off so i bought a can of 134 with

the hose/gauge attached and recharged it myself acording to the instructions.

i had no more problems with it and it was working fine up until i traded it

in back in april.
 
AC units are hard to diagnose when they are not running at all. Until you can get the leaks fixed so they will hold pressure you cannot determine if other parts are bad. If a compressor goes bad it can send debris throughout the system and some components cannot be flushed clean. If that is the case, then a number of components may be bad.



You can get additional estimates and you can probably find an independent shop that will make repairs at a decent price, but don't be suprised if they find other problems than what was originally estimated.



I am pretty sure that an independent shop would give you a better price than a dealership would. Also, look for a guarantee since they are replacing most of your system, they should be able to guarantee their work.



...Rich
 
Quote" "You eed to replace the Manifold, compressor, and condensor at one time? You are supposed to believe that? Get real. They are both bending you over. Jesse James used to rob people, but he used a gun.

Tom".



Tom, I agree with you. The odds of all three component leaking is very slim.

But I'm at the mercy of those manchanics. Right now I'm not sure who to trust anymore.
 
Leakscan be hard to find. My '94 stang devoped a leak. Used dye and UV, my electronic detector, no availe. finaly I soaped the low pressure switch inside the plug in point. There it was..

When I cant fix it or if it to much involved. I let a reputable shop do it. Not the dealer. Especialy if it involves a compressor. That way you have a warranty on the work. I got tired of getting bad compressors from auto parts. Even new ones.

Im not certified but I do know Ac systems. I have all the tools and vacuum pump, gauges,etc to do the work.
 
Me - No accident. My AC was running but wasn't cold for the past three months, but I kept using it that way, not sure if I screw things up even more. Then last week it finally died.





RichM - How do I tell if my compress was kicking or not?





Castiejoe - It took them 3 hours to call me back to say they ran a dye test.
 
Get a black light and look yourself, if it is there (as in has a leak), you will find it.



You can buy a black light bulb cheap. At least you will have a better clue to who is being honest.
 
bleyran, Lookat the front of the compressor. If the center the cluctch is not turning. It is not engaged..
 

Latest posts

Top