Retro-fitting aircon

The Crooner

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
665
Reaction score
62
Location
Woodhall Spa Lincolnshire
Your Mercedes
2006 R320 cdi
I've now looked at two 124s with aircon, but neither were anty better than my car, and the aircon was inoperative anyway.

The warm weather we have enjoyed has reinforced just how much I have missed cool air.

Is there a specialist who would quote me to retro-fit an air con system from a breaker car to my 124, 230TE?

I would seriously consider paying good money to have this done.

Tony
 

rpe2

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2006
Messages
2,866
Reaction score
3
Age
46
Location
Silchester
Your Mercedes
His: 2018 E220 d; Hers: 2016 SMAX
There are, but sadly (and unsurprisingly) lots of ££'s.

The only firm I know of is Mark 4 in Slough which I appreciate is some way from you Tony.
 

Cnics

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
292
Reaction score
0
Age
40
Location
Worksop - UK
Website
www.cnics.co.uk
I looked at getting it done to my van, i think the cheapest quote was about £1500, that didn't include the manufacturers control panel, just a couple of switches to stick somewhere on your dash. I can't imagine it being any different on a car to a van. I suppose if the model of vehicle you wish to fit it to had aircon as an option you have a bit of a head start as sometimes there is space / components already in place. Eg, my van has a large idler pulley on the aux belt where the pump goes.

Of course, it seems alot of money, but it isn't a great deal more money than the option would have been as a brand new car.
 

mikestrivens

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,715
Reaction score
147
Location
Stockport
Your Mercedes
1995 W124 320TE, 1998 R129 SL500, 2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx
I had a new Diavia system retro fitted to my old W124 280TE in 1995 when I bought the car. This cost about £2k and also included the proper Mercedes control panel with the control buttons between the rotary knobs. There are several places around the country that still install these systems, just google Diavia. Before I swapped my 280 for a 320 I had the aircon serviced by Reader Air near Epsom. They gave me a list of firms near Manchester that also do Diavia but I can't find the list now. If you give them a call I am sure they could help find one near you.
 
OP
The Crooner

The Crooner

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
665
Reaction score
62
Location
Woodhall Spa Lincolnshire
Your Mercedes
2006 R320 cdi
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Thanks Mike, pri8ce is still the same today:

To Tony
With reference to your enquiry about installing an air conditioning system to a Mercedes Benz 230TE 1992 RHD

To supply and install an integrated in-dash air conditioning system to the vehicle detailed above £1650.00+vat

There are also options for uprated water radiator which would be purchased as a separate item.

24 months parts and labour warranty (subject to a 12 month service)

Vehicle will be required for 5 days.
If you need any more assistance please don’t hesitate to call us

Best Regards
Sales Department
Reader Air Conditioning

So is there a Mercedes Independent specialist who could do it with recycled parts more cheaply?

Tony
 

Bolide

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2002
Messages
3,294
Reaction score
4
Website
www.w124.co.uk
Your Mercedes
BMW 525 Diesel Touring
So is there a Mercedes Independent specialist who could do it with recycled parts more cheaply?

Probably - but would you save enough to make it worthwhile? You wouldn't get a 2-year guarantee either

If you plan to keep the car then it works out at £330 + VAT a year over 5 years. Personally I'd pay £330 a year to keep cool

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk
 

roadhog

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Messages
1,616
Reaction score
2
Location
Sunny Norfolk
Your Mercedes
W124 300D x2, C124 300
Buy the car with the air con, swap the bits over and sell the car without air con. :)
 

White230CE

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
230
Reaction score
0
Location
Hertfordshire
Your Mercedes
1989 W124 230CE
IIRC, Cheshire Classic Benz have some original MB aircon kits which they can retrofit. While I believe the kits are only for cars you buy from them, they might be able to help with info?
 
OP
The Crooner

The Crooner

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
665
Reaction score
62
Location
Woodhall Spa Lincolnshire
Your Mercedes
2006 R320 cdi
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
Buy the car with the air con, swap the bits over and sell the car without air con. :)

I wish I had the mechanical aptitude, maybe I should discuss this with my next door neighbour who maintains my car

IIRC, Cheshire Classic Benz have some original MB aircon kits which they can retrofit. While I believe the kits are only for cars you buy from them, they might be able to help with info?

I'll phone them, always impressed with the cars they market, wish my philosophy and budget extended to buying one of theirs.

Probably - but would you save enough to make it worthwhile? You wouldn't get a 2-year guarantee either

If you plan to keep the car then it works out at £330 + VAT a year over 5 years. Personally I'd pay £330 a year to keep cool

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

Will it do another 75000 miles? probably if I keep ring fencing 20p per mile of my chargeout rate to maintenance.

Will I keep it 5 years?

With aircon why not.

Stimulating discussion as alway.

Thanks

Tony
 

mikestrivens

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,715
Reaction score
147
Location
Stockport
Your Mercedes
1995 W124 320TE, 1998 R129 SL500, 2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx
I would think that the bulk of the cost would be the labour, particularly to install the evaporator. This labour cost would apply whether you went for new or scrap parts. Personally I never regretted spending £2k for my 280TE and would go for new every time. It went for 10 years before I even regassed it. Just imagine that you install a scrap evaporator and then find it has a leak. You can only tell when the system is pressurised which would mean having to incurr another massive cost to replace the evaporator. The £1650 + VAT quoted by Reader Air is fantastic value. It would cost you that just to replace the evaporator.

You would probably be better off paying a bit more and buying a W124 that already has aircon installed, but please get it checked for leaks as they can be very expensive to repair, especially as mentioned above the evaporator. Most common problems are the condenser (aircon radiator at the front) get stone chips and leak. These are about £280 from Merc and about 3 hours to replace. The compressors are also about £700 though plenty cheaper available from other suppliers.
 
Last edited:
OP
The Crooner

The Crooner

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
665
Reaction score
62
Location
Woodhall Spa Lincolnshire
Your Mercedes
2006 R320 cdi
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
You would probably be better off paying a bit more and buying a W124 that already has aircon installed

That's the dilemma.

I keep looking at others, but at the price I would want to pay they are always very well used and rough.

Mine has issues on both front wings, the front of the bonnet, and round the fuel filler, which if I keep it I plan to have sorted this Autumn, I'll probably replace the NSF wing and have the OSF repaired, then some grinding, welding filling and paint.

Apart from that it looks like a five year old car outside, and a two year old inside.

What I should do is spend as little as possible and drive it into the ground, but for some reason I like the car to much for that.

Contemplation time.

Car will probably fetch £600ish

£2000 for aircon

£1000 for body work.

Cant get a car off Nick or CCB for that with the spec, so probably should invest in mine.

Tony
 

mikestrivens

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,715
Reaction score
147
Location
Stockport
Your Mercedes
1995 W124 320TE, 1998 R129 SL500, 2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx
These also have several in stock:

http://www.bucklow.co.uk/
http://www.avantgardecars.co.uk/home.asp

Also speak to Peter at http://www.ccbenz.co.uk/4436.html as he took my 280TE in part exchange for the 320TE I bought of him in March. He said he was going to keep it for a while as he had some stuff to move. It had the usual wing problem and needed a new goal post seal on the engine, probably also head gasket, but was otherwise a very clean car with 148,000 miles on the clock. The aircon was in perfect condition and also had 4 new tyres.
 

AIB understand your special Mercedes deserves a special insurance policy. We have a refreshing attitude to insuring high performance, modified, imported or classic and vintage cars and deal with the UK’s leading insurers. We offer discounts for length of ownership, where the vehicle is kept overnight and limiting the mileage and can also cater for those clients who need higher mileage and business use. To obtain a quotation please call the team on 02380 268351 or visit us atAIB Insurance
Top Bottom