Air-con repair costs hotting up

British motorists will fork out a cool £177million fixing broken air- conditioning systems this year

Auto Express Car Reviews

07th July 2007

The average cost of a repair, based on a sample of 20 vehicles, works out at £555, making it the third most costly item to mend on a car, after the engine and transmission. The table reveals the potential bill for five top models. Of those listed, the Vauxhall Astra's system is the most expensive to fix. On the Luton machine, a replacement compressor is £704, while a condenser costs £177.

If both fail, the owner could have to fork out £881 on parts alone. Labour could add a further £388. But it's Mercedes A-Class owners who face the biggest bill for the mechanic's time. The condenser alone takes 2.6 hours to replace and a main dealer will charge up to £299 to carry out the work.

The study was performed by mechanical breakdown cover provider Warranty Direct. A spokesman said: "Now that 8.5 million cars have air-con, a lot of people could face a big bill this summer."