Thought I'd save $50 fixing my own AC... nope

Tried replacing the AC compressor on my 2010 Honda Civic last weekend. Watched like 4 YouTube vids and felt confident. Got the parts from AutoZone for $180 but then realized I needed a special manifold gauge set that cost another $120. After 3 hours of fighting with the bolts I stripped one and had to tow it to a shop anyway. Shop charged me $90 just to fix the bolt and evac the system. So I spent $300 to save maybe $200? Has anyone else had a simple job turn into a money pit like this?

4 comments

4 Comments

finley_price241mo ago

Yeah I tried swapping a dead battery once and ended up replacing the whole alternator by mistake.

kim.zara23d ago

LOL "replaced the whole alternator by mistake" - that's basically a masterclass in how NOT to fix a battery problem. I once spent an afternoon trying to replace a headlight bulb and somehow ended up disconnecting the entire front bumper. My car looked like it was having a midlife crisis for two days while I figured out how to put it back together. Some of us just have that special talent where simple fixes turn into full-on mechanical adventures.

mary_foster921mo ago

My dad did the EXACT same thing with his old Ford truck, took him three weekends and two trips to the auto parts store to figure out it was just a bad ground wire.

the_elliot23d ago

Oh come ON, three weekends for a ground wire? That's called LEARNING your truck inside and out, not a waste of time. Now he probably knows every inch of that Ford better than any mechanic ever would.