i paid $521 out the door for replacing a compressor and some other parts and recharging the system and stuff. Did i get ripped off? i kinda feel like i did since labor was $150

Nope, sounds like you got a good deal.

Compressor: ~$275
Receiver/Drier: ~$60
Oil and Freon: ~$50

Labor to R&R Compressor: 1.5hrs($135 at my shop)
Labor to R&R Drier: 0.5hr($45)
Labor to Recover/Flush/Evacuate/Recharge and test: 1.5hrs($135)

Total: $700+tax

That's what we would charge to do a complete service and retrofit to R134a. So it sounds like you got a good deal. A/C is definitly the most expensive creature comfort to fix.

dam only 50$ for freon??? thats cheap compared to what u would pay around me.
most of the time its cheaper to convert to the new stuff instead of getting a freon system recharged

my car seems so much more sluggish when the a/c is on now, oh well. i need a turbo sssssssssssooooooooooooooooooo bad

and on another note, is it possible to stop a compressor from rattleing. I just got home and noticed the crompressor rattleng, gh3y

Is it loose?

My friend that owns a repair shop puts freeze12 in my cars for $20/can. I saved him $3000 on his roof after the bad hurricanes we had 2yrs ago, so usually hooks me up for cost (unless my cars are taking up a lift and mechanic ).
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You better bring it back to them, don't touch anything or you could be voiding your labor warranty. Most guys around here will give you 1yr labor and however long the mfgr warranty is for parts (just hope the parts warrantied for 2yrs doesn't break in 13 mos, )

Yeah, we still use the term freon to refer to R134a because the general public is ignorant and hates change, so that was just from habit.

The A/C compressor is a HUGE draw on power and that's one of the things a lot of people notice, but there's always some kind of trade-off for comfort.

I just redid my whole system and I still have a compressor rattle at idle. It sounds like something's about to come apart, but as soon as you get off idle, it goes away. I've tried replacing the compressor 3 times, discharging and flushing and putting in new oil and everything else under the sun, to no avail. I've just learned to live with it. You can't hear it anyway with the windows up and the radio on.