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I'm going for a dye test tomorrow AM and will let everyone know how it goes. I'd like to, at the very least, put off the cost of an evaporator replacement for a year or so. How many times can the system be recharged before it won't hold a for a substantial period. $50 for a dye test and recharge seems to be a small price to pay compared to an evaporator replacement of $1200.
I think the risk in all of this is there are probably many used cars on the market that have leaky A/C systems and exhibit no symptoms at the time of sale. A $50 check of the system is probably well worth the cost to know how serious the problem is. Otherwise, for cars of a certain age and mileage that have no record of an evaporator replacement I would just assume they will need it.
Not to be argumentative, but I'm not altogether convinced that in all cases the a part that is used or "Fits" one model year is the same as a previous year, especially over a large span of time and even if it has the same number stamped on it. Cost reduction without improved quality occurs often in manufacturing. Supplier/Manufacturers change, materials used change, and other factors come into play in reliability. Continuous improvement of costs and profits are not the same as continuous improvement of quality. The more familiar I become with European vs. Asian markets, the more evident who is more successful in continuous improvement of quality and reliability while reducing cost. It's the advantage of the Asian manufacturers that they have embraced continuous improvement culturally and, not to mention, maintain some of the lowest labor rates in the world.
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