Finding an Electrocooler installer

[SurlySurdi]

Hi Chaps,

I'm on the verge of buying Jonny's Electrocooler, I've reached out to most of the installers listed on his website near me asking for a quote to fit it.

So far the grand total of 1 installer has graced me with a response and they have quoted me over £4,500 to install a system that costs £4,100 to buy, GULP!!

So my question is has anyone got a recommendation for an installer in the south east that I could use where I don't have to remortgage the house?

My thanks,

SS

[Nige]

£4.5k!  Isn't the kit supposed to be DIY-able and pretty straightforward install?

 

Maybe try messaging Jevvy on here for a quote, might be up his street.

 

https://www.impactbumpers.com/forum/index.php?/profile/37-jevvy/

Edited February 29, 2024 by Nige

[rich73]

That must be the 'I don't want the work price' . Hourly rate can't be more that £100 and surely cant be 45 hours to fit. 

[Phill]

As Nige says, I thought it was DIY?

[Ian Comerford]

Or ask Jonny….

[Lesworth]

I noticed a 993 up for sale at Virgin 911 that has "Electric Climate Controlled air conditioning installed in 2022 at a cost of circa £8000." Sounds in the same ball park.

[Phill]

30 minutes ago, Ian Comerford said:

Or ask Jonny….

If he fits it or if it’s DIY?

[Chris_911]

Hmmm....senses business opportunity here.....🤔

[SurlySurdi]

Thanks for the replies gents. I tend to agree the price quoted was based on not wanting to do it. I think it is potentially a DIY job with a (for me) large scope to get it wrong and make expensive mistakes.

I've asked a local automotive electrician if he can do it, he seems keen but he's never done one before. I would prefer someone with experience of installing the Electrocooler to be honest. What surprised me was out of 6 installers linked to on the website only 1 has responded 4 days later.

SS

[Jon Miller]

Having installed a few, I can confirm it is time consuming to do a tidy job, between installing the various components, fixing the inevitable faults and deterioration of the existing components and linkages, installing the wiring, gassing and testing, I wouldn't commit to doing it in less than 3 days and inevitably it takes longer.

[Ian Comerford]

2 hours ago, Phill said:

If he fits it or if it’s DIY?

Either…or both

[World Citizen]

34 minutes ago, SurlySurdi said:

Thanks for the replies gents. I tend to agree the price quoted was based on not wanting to do it. I think it is potentially a DIY job with a (for me) large scope to get it wrong and make expensive mistakes.

I've asked a local automotive electrician if he can do it, he seems keen but he's never done one before. I would prefer someone with experience of installing the Electrocooler to be honest. What surprised me was out of 6 installers linked to on the website only 1 has responded 4 days later.

SS

You could do all the mechanical work ie fitting

Leave the electrical work for your local guy as you should still be able to drivev it to him with the installation half finished

For that sort of money I'd buy another sporty car with aircon

[Phill]

Wow, three days! Even so that is still only 24 hours and even at a ridiculous £100 ph (inc vat) that's £2400. By the time you add an alternator that's a lot of money to stay cool for the 6 hot days of the year in the UK.

5 minutes ago, World Citizen said:

For that sort of money I'd buy another sporty car with aircon

Or a hot hatch or one and a half holidays in CR  even a complete 911 engine rebuild (sadly not a BMW one though!!! )

Edited February 29, 2024 by Phill

[SurlySurdi]

Joking aside (and I did chuckle) some useful info there so thank you. However, I'd be quite happy to pay someone between £1500 and £2000 to fit this, I think that's a reasonable amount IF I can find someone who's already done this.

SS

[PeterK]

The hardest part of my instal was getting the flexible air tubing on.  The rest, including the electrical is really basic stuff.  Jonny has spent a lot of time thinking the instal through.

It can look scary, but just crack on.

 

I’d do it 

[sopor]

The install is quite fiddly, there are some gaps in the documentation and some problems to be solved for which solutions are not documented by CR. There's a long pelican thread that's worth reading.

I suspect most Porsche Indies will have more than enough work to do without adding one of these installs onto their list and as different era cars have variations plus who knows what has been changed since it was built it's difficult to impossible to quote a firm price before starting the job. So either they add plenty of risk or they just turn it away unless you're a long-standing customer.

[SurlySurdi]

Thanks Peter, however I know my limits. Sopor it's good to have the feedback on the install instructions. I'll do more research including PP.

From what I've heard I'll work with my guy and should be able to do it, I'll let you all know how it goes. Thanks all.

SS

[SurlySurdi]

A couple of updates for you:

2 more installers have now provided quotes. Both of them say it will take circa 40 hours to fit, both of them say the estimates on the classic retrofit website are way off the mark. Both of them have quoted me 4 to 5 thousand pounds!

So that's 3 quotes all within the same ballpark figure, what on earth is going on here??!!

SS

[Phill]

That’s crazy. Probably best not to bother, is it really worth the expense for the benefit?

[World Citizen]

SS I'd be happy to swap my Toyota FJ Cruiser for your IB on scorchio 🌞 days

Has Gulf Region AC for summers in the desert, temp guage is in Kelvin, goes down to 0K

Bring your thermals as frostbite 🥶 in the gentleman's region isn't funny 😬

Edited March 1, 2024 by World Citizen

[SurlySurdi]

1 hour ago, World Citizen said:

SS I'd be happy to swap my Toyota FJ Cruiser for your IB on scorchio 🌞 days

Has Gulf Region AC for summers in the desert, temp guage is in Kelvin, goes down to 0K

Bring your thermals as frostbite 🥶 in the gentleman's region isn't funny 😬

You're on! Love the FJ 😆 🤣 

1 hour ago, Phill said:

That’s crazy. Probably best not to bother, is it really worth the expense for the benefit?

Not at that price!! If any of you have fitted it yourselves and are willing to help me fit mine I'd cross your palms with silver?!

SS

[sopor]

1 hour ago, Phill said:

That’s crazy. Probably best not to bother, is it really worth the expense for the benefit?

Like many things automotive it's a personal judgement.

Plus we're all different. I'm not a hot weather person. I grew up  a cold climate in a drafty house that was heated to 14 deg in the winter and no more. Cold weather doesn't really bother me. And perhaps my pre-conditioning to the cold is why I'm not a fan of hot weather.

I really wish my install was working properly last year in central France at 37 C with blazing sunshine!

[Phill]

6 hours ago, SurlySurdi said:

You're on! Love the FJ 😆 🤣 

Not at that price!! If any of you have fitted it yourselves and are willing to help me fit mine I'd cross your palms with silver?!

SS

Where do you live SS, I’ve forgotten? I’ve not fitted one but it cannot be too difficult.

6 hours ago, sopor said:

Like many things automotive it's a personal judgement.

Plus we're all different. I'm not a hot weather person. I grew up  a cold climate in a drafty house that was heated to 14 deg in the winter and no more. Cold weather doesn't really bother me. And perhaps my pre-conditioning to the cold is why I'm not a fan of hot weather.

I really wish my install was working properly last year in central France at 37 C with blazing sunshine!

Oh yes, the olden days, I regularly woke up to find ice on the inside of my bedroom window, heating only in the living room and we never had a car growing up so walkedto school in the snow every day  Doesn’t mean I’d be happy with that now, nor would I have inflicted it on my children. 
Same can be said for cars, why would you buy a modern car without all the mod cons, indeed, do any modern cars come without air con etc etc.           

However, we love our classic cars because they don’t have all mod cons, they have foibles and sometimes they are uncomfortable to drive. Spending nearly £10k on some air con is no more than trying to drag an old car into the modern age and we all know that doesn’t always work well (as you seem to have found). How many times have people “upgraded” or “modified” their car only to find it is worse. Much better spent on something more useful (like another car with air con).

Its all relative I suppose, if £10k is burning a hole in your pocket then happy days but as a well known Porsche engineer said to me once, these are Porsche owners and you can charge what you like (I paraphrase slightly ).

[Nige]

Sladey is installing the kit on his on DDK, he has come across a few obstacles but that's mainly his car being a bit different from the norm.

https://www.ddk-online.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6932&hilit=sladey&start=2190

[PeterK]

7 hours ago, SurlySurdi said:

You're on! Love the FJ 😆 🤣 

Not at that price!! If any of you have fitted it yourselves and are willing to help me fit mine I'd cross your palms with silver?!

SS

Where are you ?.

f not too far (& I’m not dicking about on the sea) , or you bring it to Fleet ……