bryce_stevens
New member
I'm in a tough spot. My wife's 2014 Countryman just had the AC compressor seize up. I heard a loud screech and then a burning smell, and now the AC doesn't work at all. The car has 105k kilometers on it. I took it to a Mini specialist in Dubai and they quoted me 7,500 dirhams to replace the compressor, receiver dryer, expansion valve, and flush the system. They said because the compressor seized, there could be metal debris in the system. I can't afford that right now. A friend told me to check out shops in Sharjah because labor is much cheaper. I decided to check it out on a few forums and found that some people have had good experiences with independent shops for Mini AC work. Has anyone here had an AC compressor replaced on a Mini in Sharjah? How much did it cost and was the quality good? I'm worried about getting a cheap aftermarket compressor that fails again in a year, but 7.5k is just not possible for me. Also, is it really necessary to replace the condenser and expansion valve if the compressor seized, or is the shop being overly cautious? If you know a trustworthy AC specialist in Sharjah for Minis or BMWs, please share. Thanks for any advice.