My A/C Saga....Finally Figured Out, .......

[FlaAveo5]

Well. I took my car in today, and heres the results. Of course this morning it is 68 outside and nice and cold! But here is my A/C diagnosis. The compressor is leaking. I saw the oil all over it, I have seen it, but it was hissing INSIDE the cabin. Ok. They offered me a 'A/C system cleaning service' that might make it nice and cold for months or longer. OR replace the compressor, and dryer, and expansion valve and one other small part. Total, $790. AND I told them I want that Access. belt replaced today, if there is time. This time they said no problem. I said the belt it $35 at Auto zone. They came back with $90 for the belt. But I THINK it is that price installed.They are NOT charging me for the evacuation and refill of the system, and not charging me for something else that would add another few hundred to the bill. (I guess out of pity, or being a frequent customer) I was trying to listen to all the details, but out the door with the belt put in, still $790 not higher than $810. So it is up there, ALL day, and I got driven home in a top line Volvo and it was hissing all over the place, but the A/C was ICE ICE cold!! I asked the mech./owner why it was making that noise on the drivers side. Mine is on the passenger side, And yet is ICE cold. He told me that it is the least of this cars problems! ' But you can hear it hissing all the time cant you?' I said yes, and he said, 'that's what you hear in Volvos, but it is just barely noticeable'. No radio on, just us talking. Just thought I would throw that in. And that if the compressor and dryer the other small part isn't replaced, they all trap the tiny particles and 'soot' that develops as the compressor breaks down internally, and ruins the entire system in the end. Costing much more to replace, but it isn't the evaporator coil, so the dash doesn't have to be pulled out! So...comments, opinions on what I am getting for $800? Am I getting screwed? Or a pretty good deal? And of course this morning as I said it is cold outside, 68, and there was no hissing at all. I told him about the filter, and my 'tests' of temp., and he said the filter is fine, as long as it is in the right direction, and it is. So the main thing is it is a bad compressor, and the other parts that go along with it. Its like the 1980's again with my VW Rabbit. I had these 3 things replaced like 3 times! Back then it is around $5-600 each time. Thanks for your input....now tell me if I am getting a deal or getting screwed?

[FlaAveo5]

Well its done! Here goes:$799.88 I got the Alternator drive belt finally replaced to, only $40, no charge to put on. Now things run a hell of a lot better, like my wipers have more power, my lights are brighter, my steering is quicker! I called and asked if I was imagining this, and they said no, the tighter new belt runs all that stuff, so its going to make things run better, like new. Ok, the A/C.....I got a new compressor with clutch, receiver/drier, expansion valve then etc. shop supplies. So the parts came in at $492, including $40 for the belt, the labor was $262. Did I get taken? Or was this pretty fair? Just under hours of labor. They didn't charge me for the draining/refilling of the system. That saved me some amount of cash, I was told, it saved me the cost of 1.5 hrs of labor, I assume I paid for the refrigerant. So it is now ICE cold, stone quite, the engine runs quieter to, and that 'hissing snake' is gone! Got a 1 year warranty for all the parts and labor. Took it in at 830am, owner brought me home at 930am after telling me either they can either 'service it', or replace the compressor etc... So I choose replace it all. Plus the Alternator belt. Got it back at 3pm. The owner came and picked me up when it was ready.So that's the tale. Did I get a good deal? The compressor is new, not rebuilt, just not an AC Delco, THAT was priced like it was made of gold! So I got an 'off name brand' compressor, not paying for GM parts, its the same warranty at twice the damn price! Now time will tell if it lasts and works in the summer and nothing else goes wrong. God there is nothing left to replace....(let me live in ignorance).

[xintersecty]

Having reloaded and redid my own AC work considering you got a new compressor and other stuff fixed, I think you got a fair deal.

[milesvinson]

Glad to hear you finally got it fixed. Interesting to find it was the compressor leaking and not the evap core but that would also explain the hissing noise in the core as well as why it cooled better w/o the filter (leaking refrigerant = low pressure thru the core). It sounds like you were given a fairly good deal. The 1 year warranty is definitely a plus.

[Chevy Customer Svc]

Hey flAveo5,

We’re pleased to hear that your concern has been resolved. I understand that you you’re your vehicle in to be repaired. Did you happen to take it to a certified GM dealership? Also, please feel free to reach out to us if you ever have any questions or concerns about your Aveo. We are here to help!

Kristen A.
Chevrolet Customer Care

[FlaAveo5]

Hey flAveo5, We’re pleased to hear that your concern has been resolved. I understand that you you’re your vehicle in to be repaired. Did you happen to take it to a certified GM dealership? Also, please feel free to reach out to us if you ever have any questions or concerns about your Aveo. We are here to help! Kristen A.Chevrolet Customer Care

To be polite, since I don't know you, I wouldn't go to a Chevy dealer for this big of a repair, because it would have cost me twice the price, and probably 1-2 days in the shop. Dealer prices are the highest for repairs. And after my last repair, that cost me over $500 to replace a $17.99 part on the brake, to release that damn 'park interlock' with the brake. $450+ to replace a $17.99 part, that took less than 1 hr. to put in,...is ridiculous. I paid for a new shifter assembly in Oct. as it was, for that 'park interlock' not working, and of course, it wasn't the shifter assembly, covered by a warranty, no, its a $17.99 part...that costs over $450 to put in!? I went to a professional mechanic in Pompano Beach, near my dealer, they have fixed all the problems with my Aveo, including the plastic coolant part that blew up on my car and left me stranded, and embarrassed at work. They didn't charge me for draining the system and recharging it, and for some other small parts that go with replacing the compressor, and I got it back in half a day. Bad enough at $799, but take out the alternator belt, that I asked to be replaced, it goes down to like $740. Chevys repair price would have been twice that price, or at least WAY over $1K. And take a day or two to get the parts and repair it. Which means also renting a car, and the most annoying thing is when I get my car back after ANY repair, the car is filthy, inside and out. My drivers seat is always moved WAY back, personal items are thrown onto the back seat, even if nothing is done inside the car. The A/C vents are always moved, re-aiming them right where I like them, takes me days of fiddling with them. (Why they move them is beyond me). That is why I didn't go to them for this repair. I have gone to my dealer for all the 'maintenance' upkeep, like the coolant powerflush, then the thing blows up!, my transmission powerflushed, God knows when that will blow up now. Both not cheap maintenance items, but I wanted the dealer to do them, thinking they know what they are doing. No one mentioned a word to me that a small plastic part had been redesigned, and was now metal, so I should replace it, to prevent any possible blow ups down the road...and then...BOOM! THAT would have been a BIG money saver. Not a peep out of them. It would have prevented a HUGE coolant system repair a few months later. I could use all those hundreds in MY pocket, instead of my mechanics. So to be polite, that's why I didn't go to Chevy. I tried to keep up on maintenance 'repairs', pay top dollar on it, and I get back a dirty car, everything moved out of place, and the last repair, to replace a tiny $17.99 part, costs over $500 total to replace. My mechanic told me it would have only been $75 at his shop. But it had already been towed to Chevy as it was, and I couldn't tow it again to 'shop for prices' on that repair, and thinking it was the shifter assembly, that THEY put in, it was under warranty, so I thought it would be a free repair. But of course it wasn't that huge part I just had put in. Its some tiny relay on the brake, for the same stupid 'safety interlock' system. Cant deactivate it like I did with the daytime driving lights to save on replacing the bulbs every 6 months. Thus the reason I went to my mechanic. Price, speed, warranty, quality parts, and it comes back CLEAN!