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      07-14-2011, 06:56 PM   #1
bpbenda
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Need New Compressor ... Thoughts?

So, my automatic 2006 325i just suddenly starting blowing warm air when attempting to run the air conditioner. I had a problem similar to this five years ago when I bought the car brand new. At that time it was a compression valve, which got replaced under warranty. I was worried maybe it had gone bad again.

Took the car into a place called EuroFix here locally in Nashville. They popped the hood and found that the front cap had been snapped off the compressor. See the photo below for the piece that broke. They are saying that the whole compressor has to be replaced now, which I believe.

They want to charge me $1,326.70 + $39.98 in shop supplies + tax (comes to around $1,500) to replace the compressor and re-charge the system. They will only use new OEM parts, which in this case is a Denso Compressor with Clutch, part number 471-1532. They will honor the work with a three-year warranty.

My questions ... What are the best websites to buy OEM parts so that I can compare what it will cost me to buy the compressor and take it to them to install, verse them buy through their channels and put a three-year warranty on the part plus the work? Also, does anyone know if $1,500 sounds reasonable as an all-in cost to repair a compressor?

Thanks in advance!
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      07-14-2011, 07:21 PM   #2
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Real oem BMW web site list the compressor at 1174.00 so it seems like your guy is pretty close. The job itself is not that bad to do if you can wrench. You would need to have the system evacuated and recharged correctly in order not to damage the system. I can tell you from first hand experience as a former mechanic, that AC work is not cheap and the parts do tend to be pricey. I would still shop the job around. But keep in mind you do want a warranty with such an expensive job. Use someone you trust and who knows what they are doing. Here's the link for real oem...

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...94&hg=64&fg=50
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      07-14-2011, 08:28 PM   #3
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Thanks, 1bad335, great response! I don't mind to tinker from time to time in jobs above my head so long as I have the time and patience to make sure that I do it right. Got too much going at the moment to even consider such. So, for a few hundred dollars I will pay someone else. Saving $2-300 is not worth the time right now for me. I will make some calls and shop it around. Thanks!
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      07-14-2011, 09:02 PM   #4
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My car had this exact problem. Your compressor seized. The part that broke off is the compressor clutch spring plate. My compressor seized at 75K miles. I had a dealer fix mine because I wanted a BMW trained technician fix it because at that time in 2009 I felt there wasn't enough experienced (in the E90) independent shops that had made the repair. My cost was $2,400 but I had them replace the drier in the condenser just so the whole system was fresh with no leftover contaminates. The price you were quoted seems pretty good. The compressor is a $1,000 part.
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      07-15-2011, 08:40 AM   #5
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Thanks, ENINTY, another solid and helpful response!
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      07-15-2011, 02:59 PM   #6
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ENINTY mentioned also replacing the dryer receiver at the same time as the condenser. Is this necessary, recommended, what? I have 56,000 miles on my car, and other than the compressor going bad a few days ago and the faulty expansion valve that got replaced when the car was new in 2006 I have not had any problems with the air quality or air system. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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      07-15-2011, 11:08 PM   #7
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PM sent! let me know!
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      07-16-2011, 08:18 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bpbenda View Post
Thanks, 1bad335, great response! I don't mind to tinker from time to time in jobs above my head so long as I have the time and patience to make sure that I do it right. Got too much going at the moment to even consider such. So, for a few hundred dollars I will pay someone else. Saving $2-300 is not worth the time right now for me. I will make some calls and shop it around. Thanks!
I looked into doing the job myself too. I have a full autoshop at home, lift, air tools, etc, so the accessibility to R and R the compressor was not an issue. But as 1bad335 mentioned AC parts are expensive. If you don't evacuate and refill the system properly you can blow the new compressor right off the bat. The problem with AC work at home is tools and refrigerant supplies. You can get a decent, relatively inexpensive, AC vacuum pump to evacuate the system and preload the refrigerant, but as a layman you can't get a big enough bottle of R-134 to properly refill the system without having to swap the bottle mid fill. With all these considerations I left it up to an experienced mechanic to do it.
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      07-01-2013, 10:49 AM   #9
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So how did this turn out with the Denso compressor? My compressor is noisy and shop telling me that clutch is failing and I need to replace it. They are quoting a Denso unit. Any issues with Denso compressors?
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      07-01-2013, 10:52 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by db2112 View Post
So how did this turn out with the Denso compressor? My compressor is noisy and shop telling me that clutch is failing and I need to replace it. They are quoting a Denso unit. Any issues with Denso compressors?
Two years later and no problems. Works great!
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      07-01-2013, 08:32 PM   #11
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I had my compressor replaced at 82,000, I'm now at 220,000, so 138K on the new Denso compressor. AC blows cold as can be.
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      07-01-2013, 08:40 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bpbenda View Post
ENINTY mentioned also replacing the dryer receiver at the same time as the condenser. Is this necessary, recommended, what? I have 56,000 miles on my car, and other than the compressor going bad a few days ago and the faulty expansion valve that got replaced when the car was new in 2006 I have not had any problems with the air quality or air system. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Replacing the receiver/dryer is always recommended whenever the system has been open to the atmosphere for any length of time. If you're doing this yourself and have your own vacuum pump and another car to drive for a day or two, it's possible to get by without doing it, but the basic point is that the receiver/dryer has dessicant in it (like those little silica gel packs that are always in the pocket of your new leather jacket for some reason) and if the dessicant gets saturated, it won't be pulling the moisture out of the system like it's supposed to. So either replace it, or if you're doing it yourself, once you get everything all buttoned up pull a deep vacuum on the system and let it sit like that for a day or two if you feel like being frugal. (not like "frugal" has any point in this discussion; I seriously hope that my compressor doesn't need to be replaced any time soon!)
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      07-23-2013, 09:58 PM   #13
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I just had mine fail at 170,000 miles so I guess I have been really fortunate although I am not really feeling that way. I am going to do the replacement myself. I assume those who have done this don't cycle the ac on when they are done, drive to a shop and then have the system purged and filled. Am I missing anything that I should be aware of regarding the refrigerant?
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      07-23-2013, 10:14 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pruettfan View Post
I just had mine fail at 170,000 miles so I guess I have been really fortunate although I am not really feeling that way. I am going to do the replacement myself. I assume those who have done this don't cycle the ac on when they are done, drive to a shop and then have the system purged and filled. Am I missing anything that I should be aware of regarding the refrigerant?
Just make sure the HVAC system is off when you turn off the car before you remove the old pump and use the same key to drive the car to get filled. I'd also get a new drier considering the mileage.
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      07-28-2013, 02:28 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
Just make sure the HVAC system is off when you turn off the car before you remove the old pump and use the same key to drive the car to get filled. I'd also get a new drier considering the mileage.
Thanks, I was able to get a mobile mechanic to come to my house and purge the system so I can swap everything out. I am going to do the drier and because I am going to be in the neighborhood already and I have dodged the water pump bullet I am going to go ahead and and do the WP and thermostat, as well as the temp sensor because I have read that the o ring tends to dry out and create a leak. I plan on keeping the car for the foreseeable future and pass it on to my daughter for her first car since it has pretty much fully depreciated with all of those miles on it. I am disappointed to have the clutch fail and have to replace the entire compressor when the compressor is perfectly good but it is what it is. By the way I got two 1500 quotes from independent shops and then a $2200 quote from my dealer.
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      07-28-2013, 05:38 PM   #16
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If anyone has specific information on how to replace the drier please chime in. I have a Bentley book that is useless in this area. Any help is appreciated.
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      07-28-2013, 06:01 PM   #17
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I don't know about the best websites. Have you contacted other facilities to ask them what they would charge to do the same job? Having additional quotes and the Internet prices may put you in the position from which to make a final decision on how you want to handle the repair.

All the best and good luck.

PS
I don't suppose you can buy a new cap and snap it back on and put some freon (or whatever is the preferred coolant these days) in the thing and get a good result?
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