I have a 1997 E320. I dropped it off at the local Mercedes dealer and the cost to replace the leaking condenser is $1235.

Does this sound right? Is that repair that I could make myself?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

condenser and always a new accumulator drier are about $300 at www.autohausaz.com then you need to add in the cost of the flush and vac of the system and the refill of proper oil and r134a to spec weight.
You could do it but you need access to the a/c manifold or purchase one from harborfreight and also need a vac to pull the system down.
Suggestion. Find an indie mb shop that will install the parts you supply from www.autohausaz.com or find an mb indie shop that will meet their price.
Lots of good indie shops looking for work, you should be able to do a lot better than dealer cost.
Has anyone looked into repairing the leak?
Depending on its location.

 

The dealer didn't mention anything about repairing the leak, but then again, I didn't ask. I went ahead and gave the dealer the green light since they could get me the car back but the end of the day.

Thanks for the quick response. I'm sure I could have saved some $$$$ with an indie but I will pay for the convenience.

 

I'm curious, how would one test the condensor for failures, other than a leak? For example, if there was a blockage in the condensor, is there a way to diagnose it?