Greetings,

2006 V70-T wagon 171k miles. Been in the family since new. I've owned for about 10 years.

A/C quit working last summer and I decided I was not going through another North Carolina summer without AC. Can't decide if I should get it fixed or better off getting new vehicle.
Mechanic estimate to fix is $1,300. Seems lot to put into a car that old. And who knows how soon the next 4-digit expense will be.

Thoughts and advice much appreciated!

 

It may be worth it right now. If car has been well maintained .in good condition I would do it. Car prices are very high, new and used. Do you for see any big expense like a timing belt this year? That $1300 is about 2 car payments on a new car. I saw where avg car payment in the USA is over $600 per month. I guess it is all about what you can afford.

 

really depends on what is being fixed. is the compressor shot or is the compressor clutch not engaging full time? Is there a system leak? has the leak been traced to a hard to reach component like the evaporator? Is your mechanic a volvo shop or a generalist? There's some nuances that I wouldn't trust to a generalist. For example, on some Volvo models, the weak link is the AC clutch, which can be reshimmed or replaced without opening the system. If you need to have the system opened, then there are other parts that should be replaced ie o-rings, receiver/dryer etc and perhaps the compressor. This should be done by a pro-shop with the right tools to evacuate the system and refilling with the proper oil amount.

As to your question on getting the car fixed - to me that's a no brainer. Fred's math is spot on. Your car is good for many more years if properly maintained and its resale value will suffer if it has a broken AC.