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Should I replace my AC compressor before I sell my car?

CGriswald309

CGriswald309

Active Member
First and foremost, thanks in advance for any and all advice.

Here's the situation.

I have a 2005 Kia Spectra that I need to get rid of because I'm leaving the country.

I was told today that my compressor is shot. I know someone who will do the work well and is very reasonable. However, I'm wondering if I should even bother as I need to sell it in the next two weeks.

So, should I fix it or just lower my asking price $500?

The car is being sold in Southwestern, PA so although it is the end of June it isn't all that hot here.

Many thanks in advance!
 
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I think not having the AC working will be a turnoff to many buyers and if it is a wash 500 either way I would get it fixed.
 
How quickly will your mechanic have it back to you? If you are leaving in two weeks, you don't have time to dick around.

Some folks always use their air conditioning rather than put down the windows and I guess non working AC would be a turnoff to them. I can't imagine using the AC often in a low power car like that.
 
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CGriswald309 said:
First and foremost, thanks in advance for any and all advice.

Here's the situation.

I have a 2005 Kia Spectra that I need to get rid of because I'm leaving the country.

I was told today that my compressor is shot. I know someone who will do the work well and is very reasonable. However, I'm wondering if I should even bother as I need to sell it in the next two weeks.

So, should I fix it or just lower my asking price $500?

The car is being sold in Southwestern, PA so although it is the end of June it isn't all that hot here.

Many thanks in advance!
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if it is a $500 car..... have you looked into if it might be more beneficial to donate it to a charity and get the tax write off...or even close to avoid the "joy" of selling a $500 car?
 
I think the OP was sounding us out on reducing his asking price by $500 vs. paying that sum for the A/C repair. A 2005 Spectra should be worth much more than $500 unless it's had the snot beaten out of it and/or has well over 200,000 miles on it. If it were my car, I'd probably get it fixed before selling it. A typical buyer who encounters a car with a major system such as A/C not working will wonder if the car has been abused or ill-maintained. He'll either walk away from the transaction or offer much less than the car is worth.

$500 is also a good price for a compressor replacement, especially on an import. I paid more than $700 several years ago to have that job done on a Mercury.
 
The asking price for a used car (unless the price is listed as "Or Forget It") is the beginning bargaining price.

If you have it fixed, the current value of the car is the beginning bargaining price. If you don't have it fixed, the current value minus $500-700 is the beginning bargaining price.

You'll end up with more if you get it fixed, and I guarantee you'll sell it a lot faster if everything works, because if the A/C is broken a lot of potential buyers will walk.

I'd get it fixed, as long as it doesn't take 13 days. :D
 
Dr Tinear said:
I think the OP was sounding us out on reducing his asking price by $500 vs. paying that sum for the A/C repair. A 2005 Spectra should be worth much more than $500 unless it's had the snot beaten out of it and/or has well over 200,000 miles on it. If it were my car, I'd probably get it fixed before selling it. A typical buyer who encounters a car with a major system such as A/C not working will wonder if the car has been abused or ill-maintained. He'll either walk away from the transaction or offer much less than the car is worth.

$500 is also a good price for a compressor replacement, especially on an import. I paid more than $700 several years ago to have that job done on a Mercury.
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sorry my bad misread that... ..oops..
 
If you want it to appeal to a female type person you really should fix the a/c. They are half the population...


Carl
 
You MIGHT be able to find an inexpensive, working A/C compressor in a salvage yard?
However, the price of even a used compressor, along with labor, will probably eat up most of that $500, IMHO.

Steve
 
Speaking as someone who makes a living in the car business, absolutely get the a/c tended otherwise you'll have a much more difficult time selling the car and/or will be heavily penalized in price when you do. Being it's summer makes it all the more necessary, unfortunately.

This all assumes the car is overall in clean condition otherwise. If the car is mega-rough with mega-miles- then that's another story.
 
Celt said:
I'd have it repaired and use that as a buying incentive that the AC was recently repaired.
It'd be one less worry for the potential buyer.
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Yep, If its easy, I would get it fixed, if someone is buying the car they probably won't want to immediately get it fixed...especially being sold in summer, if it was fall then maybe it wouldn't be a big deal, but for some it's an immediate thing.

Then again, the AC has been out on our camry for years, and my beetle never had it. So, it would depend on the buyer. You'll get more interest if its repaired I think:yes:
 
If you have a friend who is good with cars, get a compressor from the junkyard, buy your friend a case of beer, and have them put it on for you. Unless it is insanely hard to get to, they aren't that hard to change.
 
If you truly only have two weeks to sell it, you may end up having to accept a really low offer anyway. Imagine how much more galling that would be if you had just sunk $500 in it.

If it's possible for you to make arrangements where it doesn't have to be sold so quickly, that would be a different story.
 
beat_truck said:
If you have a friend who is good with cars, get a compressor from the junkyard, buy your friend a case of beer, and have them put it on for you. Unless it is insanely hard to get to, they aren't that hard to change.
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There is the issue of properly discharging and recharging the system. Replacing A/C components is certainly more involved than replacing a water pump, for example.
 
stereofanboy said:
If you truly only have two weeks to sell it, you may end up having to accept a really low offer anyway. Imagine how much more galling that would be if you had just sunk $500 in it.

If it's possible for you to make arrangements where it doesn't have to be sold so quickly, that would be a different story.
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This. Plus if it takes a week to get the AC fixed then you only have 1 week to sell and you'll be in an even worse position. My sister was in a similar situation last year and she ended up taking an offer for less than half of bluebook.
 
Thanks for all the responses!

Thank those of you who said that I should get it fixed. I think that is sound advce. However, I only have until the end of this month.

I ended agreeing to $3150 (way less than I wanted). However, I doubt that Carmax would offer me any more for a 2005 Kia spectra with a busted AC and 131,200 miles.
 
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CougarXR7 said:
There is the issue of properly discharging and recharging the system. Replacing A/C components is certainly more involved than replacing a water pump, for example.
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Agree. If the compressor is "shot", this means it's lost it's seals and has blown crap all through the system. You're looking at a compressor, receiver/dryer, orifice tube, system flush, oil, new refrigerant for sure. Spend the $500 if it's all new stuff. Not a bad price at all if he get's it done in time.
 
I say sell as-is. If any reason isn't enough, the possibility of the repair going bad before you get to sell the car, when you have a time limit, might cause you to have paid for the repair and still take a hit selling it with a non-working A/C, even if the buyer is promised a repair warranty on the compressor. Warranty schmarranty; if it's not blowing cold air for the potential buyer, it's not working.

Charles
 
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