Ugh.. Apparently I have angered the A/C gods...

[SuperSix]

I took the wife's Acura to a shop to see why the A/C wasn't working. (I hate working on the car, and I have way too many projects going on right now)

It's a 96 Acura Integra 4cyl, and the A/C had been totally replaced by the previous owner (my uncle) about a year before we bought it. So - the new A/C parts are about 3 years old. Compressor, accumulator, condenser, evap, everything.

I figured it was an oring or something, and budgeted ~$400.00 max.

Got a call back - it's the compressor. Fuck..  They want $1101.00 to replace the compressor. I can get a new OE Denso from Rock for $250.00. Needless to say, I will be going to pick up the car tonight or tomorrow.

So there's 2 compressor replacements for me very soon. 

 

[SuperSix]

Oh, and for the record, I have never worked on either the failed Acura A/C or the failing Cadillac A/C.

[SuperSix]

Wow. Maybe I need to open a car repair shop. Just called them to tell them we can't pay 1100 for the repair - they are charging me 1hr labor - $103.22.

I don't have a problem with that, they need to make their money.

[Just a Six?]

$1100 -$100 labor (fair IMO) = $1K in parts?? Now that's a Rip!! 

[SuperSix]

$1100 -$100 labor (fair IMO) = $1K in parts?? Now that's a Rip!! 

Their labor rate is $93.00 per hours, I can't see an established Acura shop taking more than 2-3 hours to do it. Even if they double the parts cost, it's still high.

[daveismissing]

I don't think I've had an AC shop ever do anything under $800

[Pyro6]

I just did an AC compressor, accumulator, and recharge w/dye. The bill was 880.00 It was a miserable bitch to do. People don't realize the more they shrink the engine compartment the more costly repairs become. Think: plugs and coils on 5.4 Ford. I think everday I hate fixing cars more, I can't wait to retire. Everybody thinks you're screwing em and we can barely cover expenses now. Credit card costs last year were 4,200. 200 every month for Alldata. 100 a month for Identifix. 1300 annual for Snap-On scanner. 80 a month for new Otto scanner software. 650 annual for aligner updates. Payroll. Insurance. Property taxes. Out of hand electric bills......I'm to the point I hate doing my cost of doing business calculations cause it just makes me sick. 

[Just a Six?]

That has to be a real tough market! Lots of new shops opening constantly.
Painting-Decorating is cut throat from "new" people doing things for less than 1/2 the proper price, but with a good commercial contract & 25 year customer base there is no competition as long as I don't get greedy. Altho, there were years we all lived week to week. Now all my guys get paid once a month & they have learned to stash some.