I just bit the bullet and had my AC refurbished at the dealer for a cost of
just under $1,000 and I am so glad I did. It turns out the receiver dryer
and other parts were worn and had leaks of were not functioning properly. I
had all "O" rings and other parts replace and other repairs done as well
while it was apart. My AC did blow cold before but I had to put in Freon
every 6 months.

Now it blows way colder and we shall see how long the Freon lasts this time
after the rebuild.

I saw the system apart and it sure looked complicated. What a mess.

It is nice to have the knowledge that everything was done properly and is
guaranteed for 15,000 miles to boot by the dealer.

William

> I found a local AC shop that advertised "we make hoses".   They were
> able to patch (resplice?) the one broken hose, after which the system
> held a vacuum and pressure, and the compressor was ok.  Oil changed &
> freon added.
>
> So, I now have a working air conditioner for about $350 ($150 labor,
> $50 parts, $150 freon).
>
> Much better than the $800-$1200 I was getting quoted to actually
> replace the hoses and compressor :-)
>