Replacing a condenser

Let me also say that I was never told by the DODGE dealership (that services my truck) that the condenser was broken. HOWEVER, they DID tell me the Freon (or whatever the ecofriendly stuff is called) needed to be recharged. So I went ahead and them put two pounds of the stuff in. And the A/C STILL does NOT work. So when these guys at the dealership I was trying to do the trade in at told me the condenser was broken...I just assumed it was true, cuz the freon recharge didn't work. Just thought that would help...

Did they put in a tracer dye, and saw it somewhere along the condenser? Or are they just guessing? It's far more likely for an evaporator to leak than the condenser (no real mechanical reason for this, just many more people have suffered evaporator leaks).

If it is truly a leaking condenser, then an aftermarket replacement is around $150. Labor to swap the condenser shouldn't be more than an hour (as compared to an evaporator, which takes almost the whole day). So you're looking at between $200 and $225, plus the cost of the refrigerant - maybe $300 total, $350 tops.

Middle for that road truck should be around 7K retail. A dealer won't give you that on a trade in. 5K well........

In my experience for a vehicle that would sell for 7K on the street from a private party, it would fetch 4K-5K on trade. That would the blackbook (wholesale auction) price. They wont give more in trade than they could get the same vehicle from the auction for.

My examples:

Trading in a vehicle is a lousy deal. Most people I've heard that said they got a great high trade in did so because they overpaid on the new vehicle paying close to MSRP rather than close to invoice.

In some states such as Arizona tax on the new vehicle is computed on the difference of the new vehicle price minus the trade in. So some savings can be made there for a trade in that is worth quite a bit.

Generally speaking, the cost of the repair is going to be more than the increased value of the truck on trade in. You might spend $350 for the repair, but it would only add $250 to the value. Just trade it in as is, and let them worry about it.

Thanks Guys.

I live in Cache County Utah. Trucks are a form of currency here, and are ALWAYS at a premium, fetching a premium price. I will bring my truck back to my local Dodge service center and tell them the freon charge didn't work, and tell them to inspect the Evaporator core and condenser. I will then purchase the aftermarket part, and have them replace it.

After that, and a solid buffing / wax job...I think I could easily gte

That truck has to be a 4X4 and flawless to bring that around here

Your dealer must be understanding to install aftermarket parts that you carry in, I don't see that happening around here! Did you ever get a actual price from the dealer to repair? Also ask around for a good private shop to the repair. Around here I know some shade tree mechanics I would trust more than who ever the daeler would turn loose, at less money too. Greg

Try trading them in Texas. You get premium. In 2000 I traded a '86 Chevy 1500 long bed with a crappy v6 that needed $500 valve job. They gave me $4000 trad in value.

I doubt that. In the US, of new vehicles sold 1 out of 8 are trucks, excet for Texas and then it increases to 1 out of every 4.