Hmm ... wish ah had bot thet new used trailer

What do you think of these prices for the leaky air conditioner evaporator? Evaporator 508; Drier 118; Expan Vaklve 55; 2 drain tubes 17.50; oil & dye 16;

2.5 lbs R134 45; O rings 6; 15.33 hours at $60US/hr. Total with tax $1801 US. If you are not familiar with the evaporator, it is in the middle of the dash. So you have to take ALL the dash out and then try to get all the little parts back together right. My guys only had a few spare parts left over :-) Interesting thing is that Hanz und Franz down ta Heavy Carls would have charged just slightly over $4000 for the same job. Instead of taking one week, it might have taken a day or so less, but no real guarantee on that.

mcbrue coolly under the bridge in the trailer down by the river

96 S420
Reply to
MCBRUE
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McBrue's Price Real World's Price:

Evaporator $508 $165 Drier 118 75 Expan Vaklve 55 22

2 drain tubes 17.50 17.50 oil & dye 16 8 2.5 lbs R134 45 9 O rings 6 2 15.33 hours at $60US/hr

Well, ya know... McBrue saved money in living expense by living in a trailer home under the bridge... So that is why he can afford such a repair.

Reply to
Tiger

How do you find a real world mechanic?

Tiger wrote:

Reply to
greek_philosophizer

Sounds about right. You got to expect to pay full retail for parts when you go to any shop. That seems to be the way averyone does businnes. I was quoted around 3000 for the same job on my SL. Probably would have been milked up to about 4000. The big thing really here is the labor cost. I would be afraid to have the typical gorilla tackle all the breakable trim items and get it all back together correctly.

Peter

evaporator?

Reply to
Peter W. Peternouschek

That's the problem... the real world mechanic is yourself.

Reply to
Tiger

The prices that I listed were from the friendly ole folks at Smilin Sams. The price from Ole Heavy Carl's official MB shop would have come in at $4,200! My conclusion here is that if I ever do buy another Mercedes, it will be taken to the dealer for warranty repairs only. Anything else will be done at Smilin Sam's or a place like that. Smilin Sam was an official Franz und Hanz kinda guy, but he wanted to get filthy rich. So he quit and opened a 50% discount garage! BY THE WAY - I did go and view the kar while it was apart - EGAD!!!!! That is NOT a job for anybody except a mechanic who has done it several times before. The whole dash board and the stuff immediately inside the engine compartment all had to come apart! They charged 15 hrs, took a week, and I figure it would have taken me a year or so. Heavy Carl would have promised it quicker and taken longer, I wager.

mcbrue cooly under the bridge in the trailer down by the river

96 S420
Reply to
MCBRUE

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