Air Con Compressors - how much?

[BeezerDiesel]

As seems to be increasingly common on here my air-con is not too frosty at the moment.
I've not had it re-gassed yet but I'm dreading the report when I drop it in for an air-con service.

VW quoted me £65 or £75 for a full going over of the system. A local air-con specialist will do it for just over half of that but I've heard reports on other forums of non VAG trained techies overfilling the system and knackering the compressors.

Either way you look at it the likelyhood of a new compressor is very high at the moment! So just wondering if any of you have had a recent replacement compressor and how much the part and labour is likely to be so I know a ballpark figure to negotiate with whoever I decide I can trust to work on my GTI.

Mine's an 05 model too so well out of warranty. 

[Andy]

the compressors fitted at the dealers are over a £1000 fitted i believe;i got mine done at a bosh centre for £40 ands i am glad i got it done

[BeezerDiesel]

A grand! 

But thanks for that though, I think I prefer your second figure. 

[TomB]

I'm sure they're available in the aftermarket for a lot less, as long as its a decent brand you should be OK.

As you're probably aware, mine's on the blink too.  The first test I did on mine was to see if the fan comes on when you turn the AC on.  If the fans don't turn on, the AC will not function.  My fans don't come on, so I'm going to get the electrics tested before I start buying expensive parts.

[BeezerDiesel]

Cheers Tom, do you mean the underbonnet fans or the behind dash fans? Sorry if that is a daft question!

[Andy]

A grand! 

But thanks for that though, I think I prefer your second figure. 

sorry i should of put the £40 was for the regas--i read some where its the mechanism on the compressor that doesn't engage when you switch the ac on...the dealers tell you its a new pump but people have fixed them by just doing the switch on the pump

[BeezerDiesel]

Yeah, I didn't think you got a new compressor for £40! Well I guess you could if you had a dodgy mate in the right place!
Sounds typical that a dealer would want to replace a whole compressor rather than fix it. Ones too used to doing warranty work I guess that have forgotten that real fee paying customers have to cough up their own £££££.

Anyway thank for the info 

[TomB]

Andy I saw some new compressors on eBay for £250 today, check the part numbers and they may be suitable.

I've also been informed that the clutch on the compressor can fail, and this is a replaceable part available from the dealers.

I think its best looked at by an AC specialist to confirm the problem.

[BeezerDiesel]

Cheers Tom. I keep putting off getting it looked at. The thought of those potential £££££s is scary. For some reason it doesn't seem as painful spending the ££££ on mods as it does on repairs!!!

[Deako]

Got mine booked into the dealership this Saturday for a look under warranty. I have dealer warranty till September, then 2 years extended warranty after that.

Air conditioning has worked once in the past 2 weeks. When it did it was frosty, so im sure its not just a regass will fix issue. Fans on rad do not come on when the air con is turned on, so its either a fan or compressor issue. However, when the engine is hot the fans work perfectly.

[Deako]

Mine is rebooked this Thursday for more investigation.

I wish they would have just booked it in the once, as i had already told them it didnt work, the fans didnt come on and it seemed like there was a fault with the compressor, but they still did their own diagnosis.

But, they still dont know whats wrong in spite of having it for more than 2 hours. One thing i do know is that there are no leaks and there is plenty of gas in the system.

[TomB]

Sounds like exactly the same problem as mine, Luke.

Let me know how you get on.

[billyboy]

Mine wasnt cold so had a mate do a re-gas, apart from the gas liquid being low, there was next to nothing of
the lube oil that gets added aswell as gas liquid.
keeps all the moving parts lubed
the re-gas people shouldnt make a mess of things adding to much/not enough, as the amount needed is a a sticker/plate
on the front slam panel
billy

[Deako]

So mine has been to the dealership twice and they still cant find out whats wrong with it. However, i am pretty sure the problem is the compressor seizing. If you drive the car sedately, the air con doesnt work. So for 2 weeks, it has been turned off.

If you turn the air con on, then give the car some stick, the air con starts working. 

So i think my compressor is faulty. Its booked in again for 2 days 1 week on Tuesday.

[Deako]

Well, my compressor has now been replaced under warranty and the climate control is now back to working properly and is icy cold.

Wouldnt have liked to foot a bill like that myself.