Editorial Standards

By Chris Terry, Founder & Editor

This is the plain answer to three questions a reader might reasonably ask about a site that quotes AC compressor prices: where do the numbers come from, how often do we check them, and what happens if one is wrong?

Where the pricing comes from

The numbers behind the calculator and the guides are built from published auto labor-rate guides, aftermarket and OEM parts pricing across the major suppliers, and shop rate data covering a range of US markets. Nobody on this team is calling shops for a survey; we pull from sources that already track this at scale, then check the output against reader-reported quotes whenever something looks out of line.

Why the ZIP code changes the answer

A single US-wide average would flatten a real and large difference in what shops charge. The calculator applies a regional multiplier drawn from metro-level labor cost data, so the same repair prices higher in an expensive market than a cheaper one. Even adjusted, it stays an estimate rather than a specific shop's quote.

How often the numbers get touched

The pricing model is reviewed on a rolling basis, not a fixed calendar, and updates when parts costs, refrigerant pricing, or labor data move enough to matter. Every page shows a "last updated" date reflecting the last time it was checked. A refrigerant rule change or a parts shortage gets its own update within weeks rather than sitting until the next scheduled pass.

Who is responsible for what

Jessica Martinez researches, writes, and keeps the guides and articles on this site current; her background is on the authors page. I do not write the repair content. My job is setting the sourcing rules above, reviewing pages before they go live, and handling corrections myself.

How a correction happens

Spot a number that looks wrong, a shop rate that has clearly shifted, or a claim worth a second look? Route it through the contact page. Every correction request lands with me directly. Once an error is confirmed, the fix goes live and the page's update date moves with it; nothing gets quietly edited without that date changing.

Where we draw the line

We do not take payment to publish a particular price range, we do not let a shop or a parts supplier review or edit a guide before or after it runs, and any sponsored placement gets labeled as such rather than passed off as independent editorial content.