Are you 609-certified?
If you’re not, I’m surprised Sam’s would sell you a 30lb bottle of R-134a, because that is technically prohibited. The large amount, not the refrigerant specifically
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Yes Sams will sell r134a to anyone. The r22 that they sell requires a license.
What they are doing is technically not okay
Buying R-134a in such large quantities technically requires the buyer to be licensed
Assuming the shop is talking about replacing the compressor and charging you $1500 does not sound justified to me. It’s a ~$250 compressor, ~$30 on refrigerants and the rest is about 2 hours of labor, more if they charge you for the time the mechanic is drinking coffee while watching the pump evacuating all refrigerants out of the system.
I wonder if you misunderstood the mechanic and there is more to the problem. If indeed it is a matter of replacing the compressor you should call around and get estimates from other shops.
There is a service bulletin that states to replace the condenser on this vehicle with a revised part if the compressor has internal damage. This condenser design is difficult to flush, replacing is recommended. The accumulator, orifice tube and lines should also be replaced if the system is contaminated.
Exactly
Add up all those parts, plus labor and diagnostic charges, and you’ll easily come up to $1500
You don’t even need to be aware of the existence of the tsb to know that if a compressor has internal damage, those parts should be replaced, anyways. And that goes for vehicles in general, not just Jeeps
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Considering the noise is a loud whining I tend to suspect an idler or tensioner pulley bearing. That is light years cheaper than a compressor. A trashed compressor usually rattles and knocks or rumbles; assuming it’s hasn’t blown up. 
@kurtwm2010, I say this respectfully but your logic in regards to compressor pricing AND the methodogy behind replacing one is somewhat misguided.
If you believe in replacing a trashed compressor without flushing the system and replacing certain items as mentioned by Nevada and db4690 then you’re going about it in a backyard manner; not acceptable in a shop setting.
I have no idea what flat rate time is on a Compass compressor but if the one guide I looked at is to be believed it showed .6.4 hours. Usually evacaution, charging, and leak checking is at least another hour-hour and a half.
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Actually, flushing the system is probably the most important part of the work if one wants the new compressor to last. There is no need to skip a step in order to save time or money.
You are right, I am only a backyard “mechanic” (actually, more like a backyard tinkerer). I sincerely question the 6.4 hours allocated for this particular car/jeep. I can go into details if you like, but replacing a compressor on this car/jeep is extremely easy and quick. Adding the other work that needs to be done, the job should be done in less than 3 hours.
Granted, I have no idea who and how “the book” comes up with a 6.4 hours guideline. If I was a shop owner it would tell me to fire the mechanic who takes 6.4 hours or more for this type of work. It would be in my interest to do the best possible job in the shortest possible time and charge the customer the least amount of money. Unfortunately, many do not believe in the last part.
You wouldn’t be in business very long, if you were consistently giving your labor away, and not making a fair profit on parts 
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Well, let me ask this then.
You’re saying a mechanic can do a 6 hour book job in 3 hours actual time so ergo the mechanic should only charge 3 hours.
So let’s say the mechanic spends 10 hours on that 6 hour job. Would you happily pay 10 hours actual time in that case or would you be insisting they “stick to the book” and charge 6 hours?
And db4590 is dead on right; you would not be in business very long using your methodogy.
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You bring up some good points
In my opinion, a savvy service advisor will not call the customer too soon, to pick up their car, so that these discussions of book time, versus actual time spent on the job do not come
Are you saying that even if a job is done in less time than what “the book” calls for, the customer should not be called and charged the estimated time regardless of what the actual labor time is/was?
If you began charging actual time, there would be happy customers and really ticked off ones. The business currently averages out these extremes by charging book times and so there are more satisfied customers.
Not all problems are created equal, even if the same part is ultimately to blame. It wouldn’t be fair to customers to penalize them because it was harder to find on their car. Also, charges would vary based on skill and experience. This is bad for both. The customer loses to job training and the better mechanics get less for the repair than newbies. You have to look at total picture…
In other words, some customers get charged (at least in your shop) to make up for an overrun on labor spent on some other repair job?
Did you carefully read my comment, or just skim over it?
Customer agrees to pay 6 hours for repair
Customer leaves
Mechanic gets done in 3 hours
However, savvy service advisor calls customer 6 hours after they initially dropped off the car
The customer gets charged the 6 hours, “regardless of what the actual labor time was” . . . as you phrased it
I can’t explain it any clearer than that
Now . . . as for my opinions, and some further thoughts
Why should the customer be called after 3 hours . . . after the quick, smart and efficient mechanic, who handily beat the book time . . . when the car is in fact done? That guy EARNED his 6 hours for that job, because of his experience, speed, etc. There might be a situation when the customer, who doesn’t understand, and does not CARE to understand, how book time works, questions why they are being charged 6 hours, when in fact it took far less time for the repair. And now the service advisor has to both “defend” the mechanic’s efficiency and speed, and also explain how book time/flat rate works. Best to avoid that potentially ugly situation in the first place
Based on your own words, I strongly believe you have a beef with the industry. And I don’t know why you choose to keep calling us and the industry in general a bunch of crooks. You’re not getting anywhere, and as you’ve noticed by now, we’re not going to just sit back and take it without defending ourselves and explaining how things work.
You have some interesting things to say, and often make some good points, but if you keep on your current path, expect further strong disagreement. We’ve been polite, I might add.
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Yes, I do believe a customer should be charged for the actual time it takes to complete work. I have been contacted by my mechanic many times to explain that there were problems with work I wanted performed and that I would have to pay more than I originally agreed to. Nothing wrong with that. On the same page, I was charged for less than anticipated because parts or labor were less than anticipated. That is the way to make a customer feel appreciate the shop and the work they perform. Are you telling me that in your shop you never make adjustments to the original estimate?
How do you feel if your plumber tells you that the leaking water line in your house takes 6 hours at $130/hr to fix and he goes home after 3 hours? Would you smile?
I am not sure what rubs your shoulder by me having a different opinion from yours about this topic? Just because mine differs from yours (or others) I am on a “wrong path”? I am sure there are many others that think like me and there are many others that think like you. There is no disrespect intended to anyone.
I continue to profoundly disagree with you, as to your opinions and statements about my business
But if you continue to say that my business is just a bunch of crooks, you can expect further strong disagreement
I feel you’ve come to this website to pick a fight
I think you are misinterpreting my comments. I have never said or implied that your business is crooked. I am only disagreeing with your business philosophy, that does not make you or me right or wrong, we simply differ.
I just prefer not to respond to your last comment, other than to say that this is the first time I had a lengthy conversation about a topic such as this and I buy you lunch if you find any other comments where I “picked a fight” with anyone.
I think I leave this thread as is and join circus De Solei.
I don’t think so
you can’t come here, acting as you did, saying the things you said, and then accuse me of misinterpreting your comments
You’ve got a lot of nerve
Well, doing things by kurtwm2010’s methods would sure make things easier on flat rate mechanics.
Seeing as how kurtwm2010 thinks that customers should be charged for the amount of time it takes to do the job then mechanics can get rid of the flat rate headaches and milk that simple oil change from 8 in the morning until noon.
It would sure remove a lot of stress from the mechanic’s life.
Wonder how many customers would like to receive a bill for 4 hours @ 100 bucks an hour for an oil change…plus parts.
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