The prices charged by some converters for cab aircon (as fitted by the chassis manufacturer at the factory) is nothing short of a rip off. Others seem to play it straight down the line and don't overcharge. Some offer fabulous value for money with inclusive packages. Others seem to overcharge on some chassis but charge less than list on others.
Ford list the cheapest manual aircon on the Tranny @ £690 (all prices here are inc VAT). Autosleepers charge £690, Horizons Unlimited charge £690, Burstner charge £1,151 (a 66% mark up) although they do offer a package with a few other toys thrown in which might be better value.
Fiat list their cabair @ £960 and Burstner quote £943. Quite why they surcharge Ford by 66% but charge nearly 2% under list for Fiat's I can't fathom. Packages are available with aircon on Burstner Fiat models which may be more economic.
Murvi charge £960 for Fiat air, spot on Fiat list and Autosleepers charge £805 but that's on a Pug and they may charge differently to Fiat for cabair on what is basically the same chassis. Swift offer cabair as part of their packages which do offer excellent value for money. On their Fiat coachbuilts cabair comes with cruise control, reversing camera and satnav for £975, although rather strangely the panel van conversions price list says you only get cruise control with their aircon and the package costs £1,165. Not sure why something with no reversing camera system/satnav should cost an extra £190 on what is really the same van?
My pet hate however is reserved for Adria who charge an extraordinary £1,185 for cabair on their products. All they have to do is tick a box on the Fiat order form and they charge a premium for it! Of course as a volume customer they're probably buying in vans at substantially less than the £960 aircon list price from Fiat. So like Burstner and their Ford aircon they're ripping off customers who don't want to fry in their boxes in the sun.
As a general rule it would appear that UK converters play it straight and either offer value packages or charge the van maker's list price. Continental converters generally seem to view cab aircon as a way of screwing more and more dough out of their customers.
SDA
