What do you reckon about this quote to fix air con?

[aubergenie]

Hi

I have a VT Commodore Station wagon. I bought it from "The Dodgy Brothers" one morning while my husband was asleep. I checked that the air con was working when I bought it. However, it was a rainy day and I think I was fooled.

Took the car to the auto electrician to get the air con re-gassed as I thought that was the problem with the air-con. He had a quick look and told me that the compressor belt was missing i.e not there at all and that he would give me a quote to fix the air con. The quote was for:

A new compressor
Regas
Labour
Drier
Belt

Total of $895

My brother (who is a Hemi - head) had a look and reckons the belt looks easy and not too complicated and that I should get a new belt and put it on and give that a go. Like BEFORE I do anything else. If I do this, is it dangerous to the engine? What could go wrong?

Advice please anyone?

I just replaced the radiator which had to be done ASAP and so was expensive (no radiator = no car = no work = no pay). So anything to keep the bills down will help.

[Morton]

Sounds like a bloody rip to me

It can't hurt to throw an aircon belt on there and see if that fixes things. I can't see why it would need a new compressor until you've tested to see if this one still works. Compressors sit in wrecker yards for AGES and are then salvaged and work perfectly well. What sort of motor is it? V6? V8?

At worst, don't stress - I just removed the aircon from my car You'll love it. Trust me.

[Cica9]

First of all he can not diagnose your compressor to be faulty without the belt. If the compressor was faulty and you want a brand new compressor I'd say that the price is moderately high but not extreme by any means.

My suggestion is to go down to Supercheap or similar and buy a new belt. Belt replacement is relatively simple to do and if you do not know how to do it, it should not be that expensive esspecially on a Commodore. I charged my client $150 labour for replacement of 3 belts recently. After this your AC system might operate with no problems. If it still does not work take it to someone else for a 2nd opinion. Don't mention what auto electrician had said .

[aubergenie]

Thanks you have said what my brother said. Will give a new belt a go first and go from there.

[aubergenie]

It's V6 by the way. It's a Mummy wagon but it can still keep up with the ricers

[markholland]

HI
you said the belt was missing. I thought that this VT (Buick) V6 motor has only one belt to operate the water pump,alternator, air con, power steering?!etc. If the belt was missing how on earth did the car go? sounds a bit smelly to me.

[accentstencil]

HI
you said the belt was missing. I thought that this VT (Buick) V6 motor has only one belt to operate the water pump,alternator, air con, power steering?!etc. If the belt was missing how on earth did the car go? sounds a bit smelly to me.

You can get a belt that fits without the compressor, but from memory you have to remove on of the idler pullies to run it that way. So in order to replace it with the belt that includes the compressor, that idler pulley will need to be refitted also. The pulley that is missing goes near the compressor.

[VT-565]

You can get a belt that fits without the compressor, but from memory you have to remove on of the idler pullies to run it that way. So in order to replace it with the belt that includes the compressor, that idler pulley will need to be refitted also. The pulley that is missing goes near the compressor.

I'm with Mr. Stencil. I've done it myself on my ol' VT when the compressor idler pulley mount broke off. I'd say aubergenie was sold the car without the compressor hooked up at all and they showed her how well the fan works instead of the whole system. Being a rainy day it might have been hard to tell the temperature difference. I would say that the quote is quite good, providing that the amount listed and only that amount is paid to get your A/C back in good running order.
Makes me laugh,(this isn't aimed at you, aubergenie) people baulk at paying this much for a compressor for the refrigerant gas in their car but turn a blind eye if some one quotes them thousands for a compressor to blow air into their throttle body. lol.

[Trevor 062]

Doesn't sound too bad at all, my VT air is also stuffed & I had the air cond mechanic we have here at work look at it & quote on fixing it. His ball park figure was minimum $1200.
Hence I don't have air cond any more..

[Cica9]

Doesn't sound too bad at all, my VT air is also stuffed & I had the air cond mechanic we have here at work look at it & quote on fixing it. His ball park figure was minimum $1200.
Hence I don't have air cond any more..

Did he tell you what is wrong with it? Sounds very expensive unless he is replacing underdash component such as an evaporator. You can always get a 2nd opinion on it.

[STEALTHY™]

It would have to be a V6. a VT 5L compressor is $700 alone from any where in Aus.

[Trevor 062]

Did he tell you what is wrong with it? Sounds very expensive unless he is replacing underdash component such as an evaporator. You can always get a 2nd opinion on it.

He was talkin new compressor, yes V6 motor