Used VW Aircon Compressors For Sale in South Africa
Typically R1 500 – R6 500
Prices
Indicative South African prices for used units. Final price depends on condition, mileage and availability — send your VIN and we’ll confirm.
| Part | Condition | Price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compressor — Polo 9N, Polo Vivo, Citi | Used, tested | R1 500 - R3 200 | Cheapest VW compressor. Local used stock starts around R1 850. |
| Compressor — Golf 5/6, Jetta, Caddy (Sanden PXE16) | Used, tested | R1 850 - R3 800 | The highest-volume VW compressor in South Africa. |
| Compressor — 2.0 TDI (Denso 7SEU17C) | Used, tested | R2 000 - R4 000 | Check the outlet port for debris from the previous failure. |
| Compressor — Tiguan, Passat, CC, Sharan | Used, tested | R2 000 - R4 200 | Electronically controlled valve. Inspect the connector. |
| Compressor — Golf 7, Polo 6C, T-Roc, T-Cross | Used, tested | R2 500 - R5 500 | Confirm R134a versus R1234yf before ordering. |
| Compressor — Transporter T5 / T6, Caravelle | Used, tested | R2 500 - R5 500 | Higher duty cycle where a rear evaporator is fitted. |
| Compressor — Amarok | Used, tested | R2 800 - R6 000 | Check the condenser for stone damage at the same time. |
| Compressor — Touareg | Used, tested | R2 800 - R6 500 | Front-end service position often required. Budget the labour. |
| Compressor, reconditioned on exchange | Reconditioned | R2 950 - R5 500 | Exchange price assumes your old unit is returned as the core. |
| Compressor, new aftermarket | New | R4 950 - R9 500 | New units start around R4 950 for the common Polo and Golf fitments. |
| Receiver drier / accumulator | New | R450 - R1 400 | Must be replaced whenever the system is opened. Not optional. |
| Expansion valve or orifice tube | New | R400 - R1 200 | Replace after any internal compressor failure — it traps debris. |
| System flush, regas and vacuum test | Workshop service | R850 - R2 400 | R1234yf systems cost more to service than R134a. |
| Fitment labour | 2-4 hours | R900 - R2 800 | Touareg and V6 fitments sit at the top of this range. |
Used VW aircon compressor prices in South Africa start at about R1 500 for a Polo or Polo Vivo unit and R1 850 for the Sanden PXE16 fitted to most Golfs, Jettas and Caddys. Tiguan, Passat and Transporter compressors run R2 000 to R5 500, and Amarok and Touareg units R2 800 to R6 500. Reconditioned compressors on exchange start around R2 950 and new aftermarket units near R4 950, so a tested used part remains the cheapest way back to cold air. The part price is only half the job. Whenever an aircon system is opened, the receiver drier has to be replaced — it saturates with moisture the moment it meets air, and refitting an old one puts water back in to form acid with the refrigerant oil. If your old compressor seized or failed internally, the system also has to be flushed and the expansion valve replaced, because metal debris travels through the whole circuit and will kill the replacement within weeks. Check which refrigerant your car uses before ordering: most VWs up to about 2017 run R134a, while later Golf 7, Polo 6C, T-Roc and T-Cross builds may use R1234yf, which needs different equipment and costs more to service. Budget R850 to R2 400 for the flush, vacuum and regas on top of the part.
Units we commonly carry
Sanden PXE16 Compressor — Golf 5/6, Jetta
Code: 1K0 820 859
R1 850 - R3 800
- Type
- Sanden PXE16, externally controlled variable
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Golf 5/6, Jetta 5/6, Caddy, Touran, Scirocco
- Check
- Clutch gap and free rotation by hand
Fits: Golf, Jetta, Caddy, Touran, Scirocco
Sanden SD7V16 Compressor — Polo 9N
Code: 6Q0 820 803
R1 500 - R3 200
- Type
- Sanden SD7V16, variable displacement
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Polo 9N, Polo Classic, Polo Vivo
- Check
- Oil weep at the shaft seal behind the pulley
Fits: Polo, Polo Vivo
Aircon Compressor — Polo Vivo / Citi
Code: 6Q0 820 808
R1 500 - R3 000
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Polo Vivo 1.4 and 1.6, Citi Golf with factory aircon
- Drive
- Magnetic clutch, single serpentine belt
- Check
- Clutch coil resistance and pulley bearing noise
Fits: Polo Vivo, Citi Golf, Polo
Denso 7SEU17C Compressor — 2.0 TDI
Code: 1K0 820 803
R2 000 - R4 000
- Type
- Denso 7SEU17C, variable displacement
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Golf 5/6 TDI, Jetta, Passat B6, Touran
- Check
- Debris in the outlet port — a sign the old one grenaded
Fits: Golf, Jetta, Passat, Touran, Caddy
Sanden PXE16 Compressor — Tiguan / Passat
Code: 5N0 820 803
R2 000 - R4 200
- Type
- Sanden PXE16, externally controlled
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Tiguan 5N, Passat B7, CC, Sharan
- Control
- Electronically controlled valve — not a simple on/off clutch
Fits: Tiguan, Passat, CC, Sharan
Aircon Compressor — Golf 7 / Polo 6C
Code: 5Q0 816 803
R2 500 - R5 500
- Type
- Variable displacement, externally controlled
- Refrigerant
- R134a or R1234yf depending on build year
- Fitment
- Golf 7, Polo 6C/AW, T-Roc, T-Cross, Tiguan 2
- Warning
- Check which refrigerant your car uses before ordering
Fits: Golf, Polo, T-Roc, T-Cross, Tiguan
Aircon Compressor — Caddy 1.6 TDI
Code: 1K0 820 859 T
R1 800 - R3 800
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Caddy 1.6 and 2.0 TDI, Golf 6 TDI
- Check
- Belt alignment — a misaligned pulley kills bearings
- Note
- High-mileage delivery vehicles wear these out fastest
Fits: Caddy, Golf, Jetta
Aircon Compressor — Transporter T5 / T6
Code: 7E0 820 803
R2 500 - R5 500
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Transporter T5 and T6, Caravelle 2.0 TDI
- Load
- Often paired with a rear evaporator — higher duty cycle
- Check
- Rear circuit lines for blockage before fitting
Fits: Transporter, Caravelle
Aircon Compressor — Amarok
Code: 2H0 820 803
R2 800 - R6 000
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Amarok 2.0 TDI, BiTDI and 3.0 V6
- Check
- Dust and mud ingress at the clutch on off-road vehicles
- Note
- Condenser damage from stone chips is common on bakkies
Fits: Amarok
Aircon Compressor — Touareg
Code: 7L6 820 803
R2 800 - R6 500
- Refrigerant
- R134a
- Fitment
- Touareg 7L and 7P, V6 and V8
- Access
- Front-end service position often needed
- Note
- Highest-value aircon compressor in the VW range
Fits: Touareg
Common questions
How much is a used VW aircon compressor in South Africa?
Used compressors start at about R1 500 for a Polo or Polo Vivo and R1 850 for the common Golf and Jetta Sanden unit. Tiguan, Passat and Transporter compressors run R2 000 to R5 500, and Amarok and Touareg units R2 800 to R6 500. Reconditioned units on exchange are around R2 950 upwards, and new aftermarket compressors start near R4 950.
Should I buy used, reconditioned or new?
A used compressor is the cheapest route and fine on an older car where the rest of the system is healthy. A reconditioned unit on exchange, from about R2 950, gives you new seals and bearings and a proper warranty. New aftermarket from around R4 950 makes sense on a newer car where you do not want to repeat the labour. All three need the same drier and regas work.
Do I have to replace the receiver drier as well?
Yes, every time the system is opened. The drier absorbs moisture and is saturated the moment it is exposed to air. Refitting an old one puts water back into the system, which forms acid with the refrigerant oil and destroys the new compressor. At R450 to R1 400 it is the cheapest insurance in the whole job.
My compressor seized — what else needs doing?
When a compressor fails internally it sends metal debris right through the system. You must flush the lines and condenser, replace the receiver drier and replace the expansion valve or orifice tube, which traps that debris. Fitting a new compressor into a contaminated system is the single most common reason a replacement fails within weeks.
Does my car use R134a or R1234yf?
Most VWs sold in South Africa up to roughly 2017 use R134a. Later Golf 7, Polo 6C and AW, T-Roc and T-Cross builds may use R1234yf. There is a label under the bonnet stating which. The two are not interchangeable, need different service equipment and different oils, and R1234yf costs noticeably more to regas.
Why is my aircon blowing warm if the compressor is fine?
Low refrigerant from a slow leak is the most common cause, and simply regassing without finding the leak means you will be back within months. Other culprits are a stone-damaged condenser, a blocked cabin filter, a failed clutch coil or a faulty pressure switch. A proper diagnosis with gauges costs far less than a compressor you did not need.
What warranty comes with a used aircon compressor?
Three to six months on the compressor itself. Cover is void if the system was not flushed after a previous internal failure, if the receiver drier and expansion valve were not replaced, or if the system was charged without a vacuum and leak test first. Keep the workshop invoice showing that work was done.
Can I fit a compressor myself?
You can do the mechanical swap, but you cannot legally or safely discharge and recharge the refrigerant at home. The old gas has to be recovered by a licensed workshop, the system pulled into vacuum to boil off moisture, and then charged by mass. Budget R850 to R2 400 for the flush, vacuum and regas on top of the part.
Get a firm price today
Send us your VW model, year and VIN. We’ll confirm what we have and what it costs, delivered.