Should you Install 2nd Hand Aircon Compressor?
An Aircon compressor is an extremely important part of any vehicle. Unfortunately, most people take their Aircon compressors for granted until they break down. Nothing feels half as bad as driving in the sweltering heat of your car on a brutally hot afternoon. A faulty air conditioner will make you dread riding your car in Singapore. Fortunately, there are a number of options that are open to you in case your compressor breaks down. You can either choose to buy a new one or to replace the broken one with a second hand one. There are pros and cons of either choice. Here is all you need to know about replacing a faulty Aircon compressor and whether installing a second hand one is a good decision.
What is an Aircon Compressor?
An Aircon compressor is the car part that is responsible for keeping the interior of your car in good condition. It cools down the interior when the temperatures are soaring. It does this by the use of a refrigerant, which is known as Freon. The compressor compresses the coolant and ensures that it is circulated throughout the system.
What Makes a Compressor Faulty?
One of the most common causes of Aircon compressor failure is wearing of the device. With time, parts of the compressor stop working correctly and this may eventually lead to a full- blown failure. Sometimes, the coolant simply starts to leak from the shaft and this could also lead to a breakdown. The lack of refrigerant oil as well as depletion of the refrigerant itself can make the compressor faulty. Moreover, humidity in the compressor can cause corrosion and this could lead to a faulty compressor.
There are also numerous signs that your car’s air conditioner is developing problems. For one thing, a faulty Aircon compressor will most likely be noisy. When the clutch stops working correctly, there is a high probability that your air condition system will also stop working. Finally, an air conditioner that blows warm air is all the confirmation you need to know it’s broken. It is imperative that you replace the air conditioner at the earliest opportunity so as to continue enjoying your car rides.
Which Aircon Compressor Should you Buy?
Generally, you can choose to buy either a brand new replacement or a second hand one. If you are on a tight budget, the temptation to install a second hand Aircon compressor can be rather overwhelming. Used compressors are generally cheaper than new ones, although the price difference is not all that big. Save for the probability of saving some few coins, there is simply no other advantage that comes with buying a second hand compressor.
The disadvantages of choosing a used compressor are far more than the advantages. For one thing, second hand compressors have a high failure rate. They are highly likely to break down even a few weeks after installing them. Such compressors are also prone to leaks. The mental anguish that comes with a faulty compressor is simply not worth it.
It therefore follows that the best choice is to buy a new Aircon compressor. The compressor is bound to serve you well for a long time. The peace of mind that comes with such a car part can simply not be overlooked. Better yet, new compressors are not that much more expensive than second hand ones. In fact, you can even get new compressors at a fairly low price if you buy from aftermarket rebuilders and manufacturers.
Tips for Choosing the Right Compressor
It is incredibly important that you buy the right Aircon compressor for your car, regardless of whether it is new or second hand. The only way to ensure that you get the right compressor is to know all the relevant details about your car. What make is it? What model and sub- model is it? In which year was it manufactured? What is the manufacturing date? These details are vital since car parts are often changed every year, sometimes even more than once a year. Luckily, you can often find all of these details at the driver’s side on the door jam.
If for some reason you are unable to find the details, then knowing the manufacturer’s part number of your compressor can come in real handy. This is often engraved on the car part itself. Unfortunately, it can get erased over time. Most of the time however, a trained mechanic can be able to tell exactly what kind of compressor you need for your car. If your car doesn’t have an Aircon compressor, you can opt to have an add- on installed for you. This can help alleviate the scorching heat of the hot seasons.
Tips for Getting Best Aircon Services
Compressor installation is a job that is best left to experts. It can often be time- consuming and requires some technical skills. When choosing Aircon services, insist on working with well- trained and highly experienced mechanics. This is because they are likely to get the job done well in a short span of time.
Additionally, consider the fees charged for the services. You want to choose a company that charges reasonable prices for their services. You can only know what the reasonable price is by comparing different companies, so take some time to ask for price estimates. A good way to reduce the cost of the services is to buy the compressor yourself and ask the mechanic to fix it for you. If you rely on the mechanic to both look for the compressor and then install it, you may be charged extremely high prices for the work.
Conclusion
A broken Aircon compressor is nothing to laugh about. It can make even running the simplest of errands a nightmare. Fortunately, you do not have to put up with a faulty compressor for too long. You can either replace it with a new one or a second hand one. You would be well advised to steer clear of second hand compressors, since they often develop problems fast and you may have to keep fixing your fix. They may appear to be the cheaper option, but they could prove to be terribly expensive over the long haul. If you can, replace your broken compressor with a new one. You will not regret it.
