R-12 costs - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Russo 85300tD · #1 07-12-2004, 01:39 PM

I just had the AC repaired on the 300 D. Seems that the system had 2 leaking hoses. One was the high side hose and the other was the Low side hose. While the high side hose was $ 450.00 and they low side hose was $ 74.00 it was the cost of the R-12 that burms my Butt ! The INDY charged me $ 248.00 for the 4 cans of R12 to diagnose and recharge the system. I don't know if they were 12 oz , 14 oz or 16 oz cans. The Indy said the going rate for R-12 was $ 63.00 a pound. The really sad thing is that the next day while visiting with my parents I found that my Dad had six 14 OZ cans of R-12 sitting on the shelf in his basement. Well at least I have enough for the future. BTW I asked the Indy about supplying my own R-12. He said he could only use his own R-12 not any that a customer might have . Oh yea the cans that my dad had still had the price stickers on them from PEP boys. $ 1.25 a can !

leathermang · #2 07-12-2004, 01:55 PM

Well, you are new here... but that will be a lesson you remember...
I think you could have gotten that expensive hose rebuilt for under $200...
and you can check on " completed auctions" at Ebay to determine what the real going rate for R12 is...
You search this site and find the place to get your 609 license.. open book, $20... they send it by mail.. then you have a number to give to people you buy the R12 from

Always better to run things by the forum first..
we are a frugal bunch....and hate to see anyone get burned...

tenknots · #3 07-12-2004, 02:04 PM

My local guy said $100/can. I found it on Ebay for around $25-30/can.

Lance Allison · #4 07-12-2004, 03:10 PM

I've just picked up six 12oz cans at the local Advance Auto for $15.99 each.

Pete Burton · #5 07-12-2004, 05:12 PM

bought on E-bay recently for $23.50 a 14oz can. The price still hurts

, but it's MINE all MINE...loud, evil laughter

leathermang · #6 07-12-2004, 06:39 PM

It doesn't hurt like $248 for four cans !!

rickg · #7 07-12-2004, 06:46 PM

Just wondering, what's the going rate to upgrade to R134(or whatever the new stuff is called)? My SD has already been upgraded, but my 'ol Audi hasn't, and it doesn't work. If I'm gonna spend several hundred to get it working, figured I might as well upgrade, if it's not too much more. Figure in the long run it's worth it. I'm sure R12 is just going to keep getting more exspensive, and probably harder to get.

Plantman · #8 07-12-2004, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lance Allison
I've just picked up six 12oz cans at the local Advance Auto for $15.99 each.

I try to ask around autozone here and they look at me like I am from Russia or something.

"It's illegal to sell R-12 sir"...

Retards....

leathermang · #9 07-12-2004, 07:20 PM

Those retards are closely related to these Pelicans....
No wonder they are 'endangered'....
We will probably have to paint all roads white to keep them from putting themselves out of the gene pool...

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/07/12/fooledpelicans.ap/index.html

Hatterasguy · #10 07-12-2004, 07:37 PM

Whats wrong with R-134? I just bought a can for $10 from Autozone, my ac works fine.

Lance Allison · #11 07-12-2004, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Plantman
I try to ask around autozone here and they look at me like I am from Russia or something.

"It's illegal to sell R-12 sir"...

Retards....

Oh yeah...Auto Schmoe...that's the first place I checked. I got this blank look for about 5 seconds followed by "Umm...you can't by that anymore. Only dealers have it now...."

Ok guy, whatever...LOL

When I did go into Advance Auto, they made very certain I had a 609 certification before they would even shoot me a price.

Lance Allison · #12 07-12-2004, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rickg
Just wondering, what's the going rate to upgrade to R134(or whatever the new stuff is called)? My SD has already been upgraded, but my 'ol Audi hasn't, and it doesn't work. If I'm gonna spend several hundred to get it working, figured I might as well upgrade, if it's not too much more. Figure in the long run it's worth it. I'm sure R12 is just going to keep getting more exspensive, and probably harder to get.

Actually, R12 has come down in price several fold in the past 3 years. It was as high as $48 per can locally, last year it was about $30/can and just last weekend was $16 per can.

I'm not so sure about calling an R12 to R134a an "upgrade". In my experience so far, the cooling properties of systems originally designed for R12 work best with R12. Yes, 134a will work okay for most people...

Rick Miley · #13 07-13-2004, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hatterasguy
Whats wrong with R-134? I just bought a can for $10 from Autozone, my ac works fine.

You're in Connecticut. R134a in a system designed for R12 doesn't cut it in Florida. Or Texas. Or a lot of other places that are hotter than Connecticut.

Hatterasguy · #14 07-13-2004, 03:21 PM

It hasn't been over 100 yet but at 93 my ac has no problem keeping the car cool. It is not as good as my moms GM, that thing is an ice box. But most American cars seem to have better ac than their European counterparts.

gsxr · #15 07-13-2004, 03:41 PM

Russo & tenknots, you both need to find a new "indy" or "local guy". I can't believe they ripped you off like that. Were they wearing a mask and waving a gun at the time? And who the hell uses R-12 to diagnose leaks? ROTFL!! Whatta moron (sorry).

Get the hoses rebuilt, it's many times cheaper - any GOOD a/c shop can do this, usually for $50-$75 per hose. Note that "cans" are either 12oz or 14oz, neither of which is a "pound", a pound being 16oz.

So be careful what you're paying for. $20-$40/can seems to be a reasonable price these days.

R-134a is only an option in cooler states, IMO, and is difficult to do properly (more like, not many shops take the time to do it right). I am vehemently opposed to 134a conversions - if you don't want to stick with R-12, use an alternative compatible with mineral oil such as Duracool or Autofrost. 134a isn't bad, it's the 134a-required PAG/POE oil that's bad!