Technicians (79 percent) continue to use trusted brands for A/C compressors. The compressor is the most often replaced A/C system component, according to the Mobile Air Conditioning Society.
Shops responding to Counterman magazine’s 2010 Professional Automotive Repair Technician Survey (P.A.R.T.S.) say they perform approximately four jobs a month requiring A/C compressors, however, only 3 percent keep the part in stock.
Jobbers made gains as the leading primary source for A/C compressors, growing from 38 percent in 2009 to 43 percent in 2010; while WDs took a small dive, dropping from 32 percent in 2009 to 29 percent in 2010. Availability is the key reason (38 percent) shops say they rely on their first call for A/C compressors.
These and other statistics can be found in P.A.R.T.S., produced annually by Counterman magazine. Ten years ago, Counterman
began surveying repair shops annually to determine when, how and why they source specific automotive parts and products. The resulting data, published every fall, offers perspective on how sourcing and brand-loyalty trends have changed.
