Quote:
Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary
They said the compressor ended up costing a lot more because they needed an EV certified mechanic, a special, more costly refrigerant, and who knows what all else. It seems like they got nickeled and dimed to death.
I would hope I could just grab a ~$300 compressor, bolt it on, and then go down to the local mechanic and ask for a $150 refrigerant flush. I suppose if there's a YouTube video of someone doing it, it can be done.
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I've never been charged extra for an "EV certified" tech. Any dealership that is selling EVs should have at least one and the posted labor rate is the labor rate.
EVs use the same R1234YF refrigerant as a regular car. The Bolt uses 2.3 lbs. R1234YF is about $100 a lb at the RETAIL level - about half that wholesale.
The PAG oil that lubricates the compressor is much more expensive as it has to have lower conductivity than a normal PAG oil. That runs about $400 for a 5 gallon pail so $0.61 per oz. A car the size of the Bolt should use about 4 oz.
So we are at generously another $250 for refrigerant and PAG oil
So $550 for parts / $2450 for labor - they got ripped off.