My Indy says BMW parts only

[esntrk1]

The guy has a decent shop but I'm not paying OEM prices when there is a sensible alternative. Imagine if I bought OEM air struts for my 4.8is. That alone would have been a deal breaker. Anyways, at 170k my AC unit has failed. I'm sure it's the clutch. I bought the part to repair it but haven't found an Indy that wants to take on the job. Their recommendation is to replace the entire AC compressor. Ok well, that means new drier, expansion valve, freon, coolant and all the labor to get it done. On top of that he is insisting on the OEM compressor (~$1200). I think that's insane. BMW does not manufacture any AC compressors. They source them. My model is a Calsonic CSV717 that says "Made in Japan." So much for the authentic German part myth. So after days of research on this I find 4 companies in the Dallas, TX area that remanufacture AC units. 1) 4 Seasons 2) Compressor Works 3) Universal Air Conditioner, Inc (UAC) 4) Omega Environmental Technologies. All these companies reman on site. After reading up I have decided to go with 4 Seasons for the AC compressor, drier and expansion valve. Has anyone else used this supplier? Part numbers: 97442, 38686, 83086. I've never replaced an AC compressor myself but I've learned so much recently that I'm almost ready to try it. Tired of these shops trying to hit me for a couple grand when the solution is probably more like 600.

[Helihover]

It's because they have the choice. The choice to do it right. They also have way more knowledge on installing parts than you or I, so there could be a lot more to this than installing cheap parts.
If you worked in an industry that was of the higher end, would you use cheap/non oem parts to fix your system? Hell No! Cheap parts go on cheap cars and nicer parts go on nicer cars. And....... You gotta pay to play. If you wanna play and not pay....... DIY!!!

[David.X5]

I'm with the OP on this. Many times you can buy the exact same part (like that calsonic compressor) for 1/4-1/2 of the BMW price. If you DIY, that's the way to go. But you have to educate yourself. There's plenty of cheap parts out there

Unfortunately, if you don't DIY, you have to live with the rules of the mechanic you go to. Markup on parts is often a big source of revenue for them. If they are busy, they are just not interest in a low margin job. I get that. They may also not want the expected arguments of what happens when the part you brought in fails. My Indy will except outside parts but with no warranty of any sort. Decided to spend the money on the BMW tools I needed (especially software) and Switch to 100% DIY. I only see the Indy now to install tires and alignment.

[David.X5]

If you go the DIY route, either pay someone to properly evacuate the refrigerant or look around for a used refrigerant recovery machine. I finally bought a used recovery machine 2 years ago and have used it several times since. Completely paid for itself. Many times over. You don't need anything fancy or speedy. Then get some good AC gauges and a vacuum pump capable of reaching micron levels (harbor freight makes a couple that work) and you are all set. You can even get your EPA card for vehicle work online. A short web course, $25 and a quiz and you are certified for life!

[g300d]

^still on original antenna

Sadly, I've seen posts of people needing to replace antenna parts on this forum.

Yeah, knowing as much as you can about your car really pays off with BMW's. I dont plan on ever going 100% DIY, but you can save so much on repair if you take the time to understand the situation.

I dont go for the cheapest, or most expensive, I try to go with what's right based on the situation...My default is OEM when available, but some parts are only available OE so sometimes I get forced to that with critical parts. Or sometimes non OEM but reputable manufacturer-made, I can go with that too. Still expensive to maintain these trucks, but a lot less so.

OP, Your CSV is a variable displacement compressor, and there are a few extra steps in the diagnostic process to look into when working with these. I went through a lot of grief before arriving at a diagnosis with mine.

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by David.X5

I'm with the OP on this. Many times you can buy the exact same part (like that calsonic compressor) for 1/4-1/2 of the BMW price. If you DIY, that's the way to go. But you have to educate yourself. There's plenty of cheap parts out there

Unfortunately, if you don't DIY, you have to live with the rules of the mechanic you go to. Markup on parts is often a big source of revenue for them. If they are busy, they are just not interest in a low margin job. I get that. They may also not want the expected arguments of what happens when the part you brought in fails. My Indy will except outside parts but with no warranty of any sort. Decided to spend the money on the BMW tools I needed (especially software) and Switch to 100% DIY. I only see the Indy now to install tires and alignment.

Then it time to fine a mechanic that you can work with and not a mechanic that tell you it his way or the highway. Most mechanics will install parts that are new , refurbish or remove from a recycle yard, but because they didn't supply the parts they are under no obligation to guarantee that the parts will work, fix the problem or have a warranty.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by esntrk1

The guy has a decent shop but I'm not paying OEM prices when there is a sensible alternative. Imagine if I bought OEM air struts for my 4.8is. That alone would have been a deal breaker. Anyways, at 170k my AC unit has failed. I'm sure it's the clutch. I bought the part to repair it but haven't found an Indy that wants to take on the job. Their recommendation is to replace the entire AC compressor. Ok well, that means new drier, expansion valve, freon, coolant and all the labor to get it done. On top of that he is insisting on the OEM compressor (~$1200). I think that's insane. BMW does not manufacture any AC compressors. They source them. My model is a Calsonic CSV717 that says "Made in Japan." So much for the authentic German part myth. So after days of research on this I find 4 companies in the Dallas, TX area that remanufacture AC units. 1) 4 Seasons 2) Compressor Works 3) Universal Air Conditioner, Inc (UAC) 4) Omega Environmental Technologies. All these companies reman on site. After reading up I have decided to go with 4 Seasons for the AC compressor, drier and expansion valve. Has anyone else used this supplier? Part numbers: 97442, 38686, 83086. I've never replaced an AC compressor myself but I've learned so much recently that I'm almost ready to try it. Tired of these shops trying to hit me for a couple grand when the solution is probably more like 600.

Good luck with those AC vendors. if you go cheap you are going to reap cheap

[squidzilla]

I am with upallnight. If you want to use your part you have to find a shop or mechanic with will take whatever and warranty accordingly. I have two indy shops I like here in Salt Lake County. One will use any part I bring them and one won't touch the job even if it is a BMW part I bring. His parts only or the highway.

[maharaj1]

To the OP, nothing wrong with buying aftermarket parts for your X, I've done it with my E53 as well as the other vehicles myself and my family own. The key is to do your research before you purchase them. There are certain components that I choose to go aftermarket with. Others I will only go with Original BMW Parts. Things to look into are the components typical failure rate, cost, fit/finish, reputation of the brand (if it is an aftermarket part) and even reviews on the forums or place you are purchasing them from. Also think about the frustration factor. If something aftermarket does end up failing think about how frustrated you will be that you have to replace it again, you will tell yourself that you should have spent a little more on one of better quality, especially if it something that is labor intensive to change.

In regards to the whole parts situation it depends on the shop you go to. We don't discourage customers from bringing in their own parts but we can not warranty them if they fail prematurely. If we purchase parts from one of our distributors/vendors there are expressed warranties to replace/repair them in the event they fail.

If a shop owner were to warranty parts their customers brought in they would probably end up going out of business from the losses they would take. Also it is not a case of "my way of the highway" it is a case of being reasonable. It protects both the owner/technicians who work at the shop as well as the consumer.

Short story as an example. Customer with a Honda Accord had some suspension components replaced on the front end of their vehicle. One of the parts replaced, a ball joint, failed causing the hub & spindle assembly to subsequently fail. The entire hub separated from the front end causing damage to the front fender and nearly caused an accident. When it was determined that the ball joint was the culprit the parts supplier was contacted and they have taken responsibility for the faulty part and as a result they are also covering the entire cost of having the car repaired. I've left out some of the details as well as the name of the supplier for obvious reasons. Not to say this is a painless process but it is a lot easier since we purchased the parts. Had the customer purchased these parts and brought them in it probably would have been much more difficult to receive adequate compensation for the damages.

This example is a little on the severe side but hopefully this helps put things into perspective.

[Domo018]

I purchased an a/c compressor kit off of ebay for $169.99. Came with everything even o-rings and oil. Had a shop evacuate the system for me and replaced everything on my own. It was pretty simple (im experienced). Pulled the compressor out through the top instead of removing a bunch of stuff to get it from the bottom. Went back to the shop the same day to get them to pull vacuum and recharge. A/C blows cold.