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You ask...
Option two they take the kick panel off the center console and cut a hole in whatever is behind it (big plastic something) take the motor out and replace it and labor is like $55. If I go the cheap route what is it that they will be cutting?
See if you can imagine this -
Inside the space behind the center control panel is a large box, like 2 shoe boxes back to front, three boxes high, almost a cube. That is the air box.
Inside it are the a/c evaporator coil, the heater core and the blower motor. Air comes in at the front of the top (from the grille in front of the windshield), goes through the evaporator and heater core, and goes out through the turbines at each end.
The turbines are inside housings that look like giant hockey pucks, 12 inches diameter and two inches thick. They are mounted vertically on each end of the air box, sorta like huge ears. Hollow, of course, made with two halves held together with clips around the outside perimeter.
The motor,pimted across the car, has a shaft out each end which stick into the turbine wheels, which are inside inside the housings. When spinning they blow air out through a bunch of ductwork that is controlled by the three square buttons on the control panel. There are many little vacuum actuators, the square buttons are vacuum valves.
The BIG LABOR method removes the clips to open up the two turbine housings so as to get at the turbines to pull them off the motor shafts. This requires dismantling the dash board and glove box, moving the control panel, removing the side kick panels and removing all the duct work.
The ICKY QUICKY method is to remove the side kick panels and cut a large hole in the outer face of the turbine housing to get at the turbine wheels and remove them, and then to then remove/replace the motor and resistor.
Done properly and carefully, the icky quicky method works fine. The challenge is to replace the cut out pieces so as to re-seal the turbine housings. The savings is that the ductwork and dash are not removed.
DO NOT do this job without replacing the resistor, too. It gets hot, and must be inside the air box for cooling. It is what gives the various speeds to the blower. It is actually three resistors in a thick ceramic coating.
Ask the guy who proposes the icky quicky method to walk you through it, showing you pictures in the process. Especially how he proposes to re-seal the turbine housings. Be not afraid, your common sense will do you well. In your shoes, I would go for it. And watch him do it (and be silent while watching). Ask if you can take pictures.
Good Luck,
Bob
:>)
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