[JayhawkNation]

Originally Posted by Glen e

This doesn't happen very often, but it seems to have happened on every car forum I've been on , which is several. Easy way to keep it from happening again, is a piece of plastic gutter guard from Lowe's in front of the condenser. Protects the condenser, doesn't impede airflow. Invisible unless you're on your knees looking at it .

Thanks, Glen! This will be definitely be something I'll do after getting everything fixed. With it being my DD and a lot of highway miles I'm sure I'm at a higher risk than most.

[TedJS]

I would call Chevrolet customer assistance or ask to talk to the dealer rep. If that was where the leak was I assume they partially charged it and leak checked it - and it if was leaking there dye/oil would be in that area. I don't see any of that. Assuming the tech did any diagnosis at all.

If this was a three or four year old car... Then I get it. But this early in it's service life. C'mon. It's a big job to replace that component on that vehicle. Hope they were right.

[AdmAnt13]

I'm an HVAC tech. The steam you saw was most likely 134a refrigerant leaking out. Unfortunately it will not cause staining unless dye was added. That radiator is the condenser coil that looks (and is the same micro channel technology) like a radiator.
I think it stinks its not covered under warranty. Seems like putting a somewhat weak metal like an aluminum coil in harms way is a design flaw.
Hope you get fixed up!

[Stex]

I would find a good independent shop to look at it and give an estimate. They get the oem part for about 30% off dealer list price and may work with you on the 30%?? Also independent labor is usually less $ per hour or hours for work. I would stay away from an area chain repair shop.

[TedJS]

Originally Posted by AdmAnt13

I'm an HVAC tech. The steam you saw was most likely 134a refrigerant leaking out. Unfortunately it will not cause staining unless dye was added.

All current model GM vehicles come with A/C dye from the factory. No way it washed off that if that was really the problem with the component so I would question the dealers diagnosis at this point.

Additionally all A/C components in that car are R1234yf compatible so they should be more robust than standard components given that the refrigerant is mildly flammable . All 2017 GM vehicles are (should be) using the new refrigerant.

[AdmAnt13]

Did not know they started to add dye. That's a forwards idea! Now if only they would do that in residential and commercial equipment.

[BadBillyJack]

yeah, you likely aren't going to see that dye unless you have the special glasses and UV light. Also their quote seems fair-ish, considering the whole front fascia has to come off. I would not be taking that to an independent shop for questionable quality parts and questionable service. I would probably get this covered under my comprehensive insurance, as it's the same thing as getting a cracked windshield from road debris.

[Moc96]

List price for the condenser is $173(OEM part #23455461), so any shop/dealer probably pays half that(I know we do). And it's listed as 2.8 hrs in labor. So they'd be charging you around $400/hour in labor. I've taken my front bumper cover off, took me maybe 20 minutes, it's not as hard or as complicated as it seems.

I'm not sure what state you're in and I know prices can vary greatly depending, but $1350 seems hugely excessive, more than double what it should be.

Please get a second opinion. I can email you an estimate so you can see exactly what you should be charged for, labor and parts, and the time allotted for the job.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to solicit work(don't think there's another 6gen anywhere near us anyways), nor am I saying labor rates are the same everywhere. I'm simply trying to help someone less knowledgable not get hosed.

[TedJS]

Originally Posted by Moc96

List price for the condenser is $173(OEM part #23455461), so any shop/dealer probably pays half that(I know we do). And it's listed as 2.8 hrs in labor. So they'd be charging you around $400/hour in labor. I've taken my front bumper cover off, took me maybe 20 minutes, it's not as hard or as complicated as it seems.

You have to remove the radiator from the vehicle to do the job properly - not just remove the front clip as the condenser is bolted to the radiator and the radiator air baffles need to be removed etc.

It's a big job. Add to that, properly evacuate and then charge the A/C system as well as properly fill and bleed to the cooling system + complete a proper performance test when done. And it's a new model and not something a technician has done before. At least 5 hours to complete the job properly would be more in line. Coolant, refrigerant, seals plus shop supplies probably add to the price.

Most labor ops for a new vehicle are straight shop time so even under warranty the technician wouldn't get screwed. Like most labor times... the 2.8 customer seems too conservative. Probably a carryover from the 5th gen car.

At any rate - I would still contact GM customer assistance as they would probably participate in the interest of customer satisfaction if the dealer agrees as well.

[Moc96]

Originally Posted by TedJS

You have to remove the radiator from the vehicle to do the job properly - not just remove the front clip as the condenser is bolted to the radiator and the radiator air baffles need to be removed etc.

It's a big job. Add to that, properly evacuate and then charge the A/C system as well as properly fill and bleed to the cooling system + complete a proper performance test when done. And it's a new model and not something a technician has done before. At least 5 hours to complete the job properly would be more in line. Coolant, refrigerant, seals plus shop supplies probably add to the price.

Most labor ops for a new vehicle are straight shop time so even under warranty the technician wouldn't get screwed. Like most labor times... the 2.8 customer seems too conservative. Probably a carryover from the 5th gen car.

At any rate - I would still contact GM customer assistance as they would probably participate in the interest of customer satisfaction if the dealer agrees as well.

I understand completely that it's not a simple job, but it's really not that hard either. I was including all parts(coolant and refrigerant are considered parts, same with shop supplies, on most estimates anyways). I also understand that it being a new model makes it harder, as they probably haven't done many, if any, before.

I just looked over the estimate again and the 2.8 is JUST for the condenser, it gives another 1.7 for bumper removal/reinstall and 1.4 for the a/c evacuate and recharge. So almost 6 hours total. Parts total a little under $300(at list on everything), so $1050 for labor? That still seems highly excessive to me.

All I'm saying is....it never hurts to get a second opinion, especially if the price seems high to you.

You do have me really curious what other places, in other areas, charge for labor per hour though. We charge $55 for mechanical and $50 for body.

[Glen e]

$55? South Florida is nearly double that.....

[Moc96]

Originally Posted by Glen e

$55? South Florida is nearly double that.....

Damn! MA really f'd us hard when they deregulated the auto insurance industry here. We are paid the lowest hourly rate by insurance companies in the country....by a lot.

We fixed a customers bumper the other day, just reattaching and trying to make it look ok, what they wanted. At pick-up when asked how much, my husband said $100, lady said "that isn't enough, it looks great", and refused to pay less than $160. I guess we're just so used to getting screwed by the insurance companies that it's carried over to cash work.

Didn't mean to threadjack, sorry!

[Wiskey]

Some AC shops can weld holes in a condesor on some models. That might be worth checking out.

Whiskey

[TedJS]

Originally Posted by Moc96

You do have me really curious what other places, in other areas, charge for labor per hour though. We charge $55 for mechanical and $50 for body.

Well... Most dealers around here are paying entry level techs a minimum of $13.00 an hour to start with top technicians making closer to $30.00 an hour now or you lose them to other industries faster then you can say Camaro 6.

Figure at least $25.00 an hour to retain someone decent now which is probably a "B" tech. Generally, when you factor in such things as social security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, workman’s comp, vacations, uniforms and any insurance that the company pays, then the extra load could be around 30 percent of a technician’s wage that on top of what they took home. If you are paying a technician $25.00 per flat rate hour and the load is 30 percent then to get (at least) a 60 percent profit margin for the shop is about $81.25 an hour. You also have to assume that your technicians are working at a level of 110 to at least 125 percent productivity and that you have money in the bank to carry a 40 hour a week guarantee for the said employee during slow times. The median age of most technicians is 50 now and with the industry changing so quickly in terms of technology with still needed mechanical skills. You know... Basic things like torquing wheels etc. You have to retain people and attract new people to this career... http://triblive.com/business/headlin...-smith-program

With that said... Effective labor rate for dealers or independent are probably $110.00 an hour around this area on average. This would be higher in other areas obviously depending on the demographics population.