You know what, you’re 100% correct. They are “SANDEN” compressors. That’s OEM.

My fault for getting words mixed up.

Anyway I replaced mine with one from autozone.. they say they are “Sanden” rebuilts but how honest can that be..

Dealer was going to install a “New OEM” unit but at $800 I went for the $200 option. Now I wish I would have paid the $800 or tried harder to source the real deal.

Photo of the OEM on my truck when it took a dump. And yes, I replaced everything in the whole system.

 

I hear ya on the cost. Shortly after my 3 year / 36K warranty ran out in 2003 I got a pinhole in the condenser. Dodge was happy to charge almost $1000 to replace it. Now, I replace that stuff myself. I just replaced the condenser (another pinhole) on my '06 Dakota. for about $250. the Compressor on my '00 Durango ~$250. Both are running fine and made the $30 investment in the gauges and the $40 for the vaccuum pump worth it :-) I think the heater core on the Durango may be next so I will once again need those tools when I pull the dash and disconnect the evaporator...I will replace the Evap when I do the core. :-)

The "Cheap" rebuilds run about $200 and don't have the power of the 'slightly" more expensive 3rd party OEM's. If you get the part number from the dealer you can shop around on-line...I've see OEM compressors (part number RL056107ae) between $500-$570.

I've been running my OEM 'replacement' for 3 years now...no issues.

J

 

Your warranty was only 3 years? When my parents got my Durango it had an 8 year/80,000 mile warranty

 

Standard Basic Warranty was 3yr/36K on those trucks.

They came up with the 5yr/100K power train warranty a few years later.

I've never seen an 8yr warranty standard on any Dodge.

J

 

^youre thinking powertrain.

Bumper to bumper only 3/36k

 

Got the 99 Durango with 194,xxx miles. It's only been over a month and it's already at 195,540. That's just back and forth to work and the occasional run to the dairy farm for milk.

 

ya I think I got mine with somewhere around 165*** just hit 190000 yesterday. im geting a lil nervous cause im not done fixing everything from the dumb prevous owner who couldn't even put a pair of speakers and radio in properly. but shes still running strong lets hope she stays that way

 

Eh. Depends how you look at it. In reality making the required repairs isn't that bad.

Problem most folk have is that they feel they shouldn't have to pay for repairs or up-keep. You either pay for a car payment or vehicle repairs.

I pay $500 a month for my one car payment and I haven't had any issues from the day I bought it (about 8 months ago). That is $4,000 over the course of 8 months. No issues.

My Durango cost me $2,500 in repairs. First one was $1,000 up front. The next was $1,000 up front. And the last repair was $500 up front.

Now in those three situations in the last 3 years - sure it sucked handing over the debit card and paying $1,000 on the spot. But in the end it's overall cheaper.

If you were in the position to choose - $18,000 over three years. Or $2,500 with high upfront costs for repairs?




All boils down to how well you manage your money. And how much money you dump into your vehicle will say how long it will keep driving down the road!

 

I don't pay to have some one else fix my cars I do it my dam self plus if I cant do it I got a buddy that is a ase certified mechanic that will come to my house and get dirty with me and teach me how to do it and not charge me a thing just askes for a smoke out instead of 500$ so in all I proly pay less then most do on repairs I never go to a dealer or mechanic unless its a last resort and even then the only thing id go to a mechanic for is for transmission work other then that I do it or have help and I got plenty of ppl to help wen needed. I hate new cars I would never pay 30,000 or more for a car id rather buy a old car and dump 30,000 into it and have it be my own not pay my life away to a car I wont own till 10 yrs later if you still have it by then new cars r so over rated. there not even cars there just computers with wheels who the hell wants that. come on realy let me put rims a nice exhaust and a chair on a big laptop with an umbrella wood u drive that everyday cause that's basically what it is

 

This is the difference between someone who can afford a new car and can not.

I say that because I have a couple new vehicles and a old vehicle. I guess having the choices in front of me daily really lets me get a good comparison.