Air conditioning system renewal

[gdb]

My 1991 Mercedes 230 TE had Diavia aircon retro-fitted in about 1993....it's just given up the ghost, and I want to have a new system fitted. A commercial vehicle specialist had a good look and recommended a new system, suggesting it was too expensive to repair.
Been quoted about £1500 for a new complete system by Reader Air conditioning Has anyone experience of having a retrofit system renewed?
Does anyuone have a recommendation of which company to go to?
I had a bad experience with one London company, who charged the system last summer, and when it failed again after two days, didn't return my calls.
Any advice or comments gratefully received.
gdb

 

[Andy Wr]

As a refrigeration and air conditioning engineer my self a couple of things worth mentioning. The system that you already have is obviously already fitted into the car and has become part of the car aesthetically, if a new system is fitted what disturbance to the interior of the car will take place and how is the evaporator section fitted. What exactly is the problem with the old system, the common faults are faulty compressor either mechanically or seals leaking gas, condenser coil rotted (leaking gas) hoses perished (leaking gas). Compressors can be refurbished or service excanged at a company in Byfleet, condensers can be custom made using the old one as a patten, a company local to me has these made, hoses which on a retrofit system are usually all rubber with ally ends where as modern cars use a lot of rigid ally pipes, hoses can be made using the old ones as a patten at any truck hydraulic hose specialists, if you can identify the failed components contact Diavia and see what parts they can supply you with as a one for one swap to fully or partly refurbish your system. When I was repairing car ac I had customers who would not spend £250 on a air con system.

This guy seems to know what he is doing, perhaps he could offer advice or parts. http://www.gocool.co.uk/