At the end of summer my compressor shat the bed. I took it to my Mini guy and of course, like everyone else who's gone through this, I did not like what I heard. I opted to find an AC shop who would do it for less. I found a guy who quoted me $900. Ok, good deal, as it was 1/2 what the other shop wanted. They started to work on it and realized what a PITA it is to work on and we agreed on an additional $400, talked down from $500. My other option was pick it up for no cost and start over. Fine, just fix it; it was 100 degrees in Texas. Well, I get it back and it works intermittently. Cold for 10 seconds, ambient air for 30 seconds...a vicious cycle, on and off. It did, however, get a little better over the month we drove it like this, but it still did not work correctly. Now, I didn't know this until a week after picking it up because I let my wife drive the car too and she never said anything about it; just that it took a while to cool the car down. I took more notice, because with me spending $1300 of my hard earned money, I want it to work like it should. So, I called the guy and he said to bring it back up there. I had just taken my motorcycle in for warranty work so we were going to have to tough it out for a week or two until I got my bike back so that I had a way to get to work, etc, while she took the other car. Anyways, I just took it to him -- and of course the weather is finally cooling off making it a little harder for my argument -- and he says that he can't make the compressor turn off like I claim that it does. Well that's because it's 70 outside and the ambient air is not that bad. It's a little harder to tell. He got a little smart with me, but I KNOW that this is not working correctly. Why would I waste my time bringing it back to you if it worked? I want it to work. He then tells me it's because of all the glass on the car. That's a load of B.S. as well because the stock compressor kept the car respectably cool, though, not as good as my Honda Element, the ice box. I finally got a call today that the compressor manufacturer won't send him a new compressor and that he has to install a new valve instead, first. Will a bad valve cause intermittent air like that? This is not the valve in the dash, but on the compressor. What does this valve do; anyone know? I'm worried that if this does not work, what recourse could I have in a situation like this? He told me that he would replace the compressor once under warranty and that was it. He does not get reimbursed for labor for a bad compressor. He has to eat a day of work over it, so I can understand his frustration with it. I imagine if this (the new valve) does not work, I'm SOL on getting a whole new compressor installed by him. I'm also concerned that it will now be hard to tell until next summer when I really have no recourse and I'm out all this money that could have been put to better use. In retrospect, I should have spent the extra money in the first place to have a reputable Mini/BMW shop do it, but hindsight is 20/20 and I will chalk this one up to one of life's live and learn moments. Just needed to vent, no pun intended.

 

you might want to look into small claims court .... no lawyers involved .... just you and him b4 a judge .... man to man .... many times the notice to appear brings a new desire to resolve the issue ... and if he fails to show up you get a default judgement!

 

Not the installer's fault if he did the work and he has a faulty part, and the A/C compressor is a PITA to get to, or R&R if needed.....if it was easy we'd all do our own.....

I think lesson learned the hard way, there's a reason it costs what it does to have stuff done at the dealership, but at least the 2 year warranty on parts and labor means you won't have to pay for it again.

Good luck with your repairs, Muzak....let us know what happens, OK?

As to your question...maybe, but I doubt it. I've read several horror stories of people who went to aftermarket A/C shops for a new compressor and wound up going back over and over and still not getting it resolved. We have a local club member who paid a guy about $800 installed for a new one, and paid for another one a year later - and it's out again now, a year after that.

 

+1
Sometimes it just proves that going cheap is sometimes more expensive.
Some item in a AC system are tricky...and that is why repair KITs usually replace like 90% of the stuff in a system...they usually have a new drier, expansion valve, compressor/clutch....and the condenser is often replaced for good measure depending on what the oil looked like when the system is opened up...they are notoriously hard to flush contaminants out of. That means the only parts left is a few hoses, a pressure switch, and the evaporator under the dash....opening the system up is just such a pain..it is something you want fixed the first time....
That having been said, the installed should stand behind his parts+work....if you found the parts...it is kinda of a gray area...most shops then offer 0 warranty on the work if the problem is a part you supplied.
Sorry it has been such a PAIN to get your car fixed...I feel for ya!!

 

and dealer repairs are war' for two years are they knot?

 

Thanks, Gents. I did not bring my own parts in and he did replace everything, which he claims is all new parts, with the exception of the expansion valve in the dash. Fans are working properly as well. I dropped it off this morning and will have it back this evening. The compressor manufacturer seems to think it's the valve on the compressor not letting the refrigerant pass through like it should. Hopefully this is the case, but even the shop owner has his doubts. He told me to pray to whatever God I believe in, and also asked when I rode up on my Moto Guzzi why don't I ever buy American? I bet he never takes on another Mini again. I will definitely provide an update. I've also thought of small claims court as a last resort. What I'd have to do though, is shell out the 2 grand for the dealer to do it and then take him to court, I'm guessing. This would provide the proof that he didn't do the job right and I had to have it redone. I hate for it to come to that, as it's not really my style. I have such a laid back personality. I hope that we can sort this out.

 

IF the compressor is BAD from HIS supplier...HE SHOULD 100% swap it out for free!! His part...HIS supplier, His problem. I'm pretty sure even though he would hate to have to do this, if he is a pro, he would.

 

I agree, he should stand by his supplier.

 

Got the call to pick up the car yesterday evening and he tells me that his gauges all read the same as before and he sees no difference. I thought for sure that wasn't good news. He also told me that he bought an expansion valve for under the dash, but that he would not install it. So, I have the part. It was free to me. Anyways, I pick up the car and it seems to be the same as before. Bear in mind, it was about 75F outside, but I could feel the cold and then the ambient blow off an on for about 10-15 minutes. I had to run some errands that took about an hour and after that first 15 minutes it blew ice cold non-stop. Appears so far to be in decent working condition. Maybe the valve on the compressor did do something. This afternoon will be fairly warm, near 90F, so I'll get a better idea of where I am with this thing.

I'm pretty sure that this guy is done with the car forever, so if I want anything else out of it, I'm going to have to put up a fight. Hopefully I don't need him anymore. Maybe next spring, because it's getting to where I don't need A/C, I'll have my local independent BMW/Mini shop install the expansion valve for good measure. Or, is this something that I can do; do you have to evacuate this system? If that will better the cold/ambient cycling from a cold start, I'd like to have it done. Although, is this pretty normal behavior for a Mini? I mean there's more refrigerant in a coke machine for crying out loud. However, I don't seem to remember that before it went out. But than again, we haven't had this car very long.

All in all, I'm in a better mood today. Now I can get to looking at replacing the brake pads; that warning light just came. It seems like one thing after another with this thing. But I still love it and can't imagine not having a Mini in my life.

 

The system would have to be evacuated, then the valve installed, a new drier would then be recommended (anytime the lines are opened, it is recommended), the system vacuumed ( to remove the air in the lines+any moisture in it), and then refilled.
Brakes are pretty easy...very standard. A few tricks, but nor bad. The DIY's here are pretty good...most shops should be able to handle them no problem if you decide to let someone else do it.

 

Bummer about evacuating the system and another new drier. I guess it will wait 'till next summer, if I even need it.

I've done my own brakes since I was 16, so I don't think it should be a problem for me to do them. I just did my Element a few weeks ago. I need to get a manual, though, so there are no surprises. I take pride in fixing something myself. Even though I have to drag and force myself to actually do it, there's a sense of accomplishment when you're done.

 

Sorry to hear about your issues I didtake my car into a stealership and the is now cold but no heat!?!? Now I have to take it back and deal with all their bs.

 

If it was their fault, maybe they'll fix it at no cost to you.

 

Unfortunately they aren't taking responsibility...they want to charge me for another diagnostic and go from there. Mini of Baltimore is terrible and there have been many horror stories coming out of that place recently.

 

Bummer, dude. What is wrong the quality of the work you get these days? I'm about to take my motorcycle to the dealer AGAIN for the same oil leak -- 3rd time. Now it's leaking from another spot too!! Businesses don't want to take responsibility for their parts and labor and they do shotty work, or put out a half-arsed product. For example, some we all know: A/C compressors, faulty radiator fans, leaky engine mounts, electric window motors, etc. Obviously, this is not always the case, but it's been happening a lot to myself lately. And not just in automobiles. I had a recent terrible experience with a home contractor I had remodel my bathroom. I sound like an old curmudgeon, like my grandfather, but maybe he's right??

 

Unless you have tons more time on your hands i see just one option.....

Go back to the first guy who quoted the correct estimate. He obviously knows MINI's.

Beg for mercy, promiss to patronize him in the future being sure to mention "what a great guy he is"......and maybe he can mediate this out with the compressor vendor instead of the other guy.

Just claim stupidy and ignorance, lay on the charm and hopefully you will get this taken care of in a timely manner and with correctness.

 

My problem has been fixed. It takes about 15 minutes of intermittent cold air (in stop & go city traffic; highway is more efficient), but it blows cold and steady after that. I'm okay with it. I may have them (the right people this time) drop in the expansion valve, come spring. I was never impressed with the A/C in this car from day 1. Like I said before, there is more refrigerant in a Coke machine, so you can't expect it to be a rolling ice box, unfortunately. Especially living in the south. It's going to be in the 90s today in freaking October.

 

I can keep the inside of my 05 s beer cooler cold...I do use a Zippy shade to block out the sunroof though...I bet if I tinted my windows I could get it colder...but the condensation on the windows does suck...and fogging up my sunglasses when I open the door too!!
I think that now that you have a new compressor, you ac will be nice and cold once it is all fixed and working 100%.

 

I've got to get this out, but I hear of numerous people paying big bucks for what I considered a simple repair, truth be told...the compressor itself is the most expensive part of the entire equation. Assuming you have a shop that is willing to do an evac/purge of your system alone, removal of the A/C compressor is a simple matter of putting the front end in service mode, remove the 3 bolts holding the compressor to the block, and removal of the lines with with hex keys. Simpler to reach than even the alternator, due to it's positioning at the bottom of the block. OEM unit through Pelican Parts runs ~$450, and a purge/vacuum/refill on R134a with compressor oil shouldn't run more than $100.

By no means am I all that mechanically savvy; after following the Bentley manual for my alternator replacement, I did the A/C solely off prior knowledge, referring only to torque specs in the end.

As for a little more on-topic, the cycling sounds awefully like a system pressure issue; the Mini system will shut down if it encounters either too high or too low of pressures (oftentimes due to either too high or too low a fill charge; a tech who just "eyeballs" the levels can easily get it wrong).

- Matt