A/C work is not as complicated once you understand how to add and check R134. Remove the low and high side port covers. Do it while it's warm. Do you see evidence of a leak? The most common failure for old A/C systems is valve cores. A shop will swap everything and sometimes not even change the valve cores. I've seen it. I've replaced more valve cores on friends cars than entire A/C system rebuilds. A cheap vacuum and hoses are sufficient to vacuum and charge. For 1/3 or less of a shop price, you can buy equipment and fix it yourself. I had a great teacher show me the ropes to A/C work. I wanted to learn after one shop charged me $600+ for work back in '98.

For novices, I tell them to buy the expensive can of R134 with a hose. The dial indicator will keep you from adding too much R134. Connect it to the low side. If it charges up and leaks out, the valve cores are likely bad. A simple tool is used to replace valve cores.

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'06 X5 3.0i - bought @143,123 miles (12/26/20)