It has finally hit the 80's here, but my A/C seems to be temperamental. Instead of cold air, I am getting cool air that seems to take forever to get to. I switch the blower to heat and get hot air with no problems, but the A/C does not really seem to be there. Any ideas before I have to shill out a ton of cash?

 

I would make sure the A/C drive pulley clutch is engaging when you turn the system on. Look at the drive pulley while the engine is running and have someone switch the A/C. The outer ring of the pulley will turn constantly with the engine, but the center hub of the pulley will only turn when the system is on, engaging an electromagnetic clutch. I would check the drive belt condition and tension. Since you are getting some cooling action, I suspect the system is low on Freon refrigerant. They make DIY recharge kits, in fact, you can get them at Walmart. The problem with these kits is figuring out how much to add. If you try this, adding too little is better than adding too much. One can of refrigerant may adequately restore the cooling capacity of a small system. Also, the first can you load should be one that contains compressor oil. If Freon is leaking, the lubricant in the compressor is likely leaking some as well.

Most mechanics have the tools to determine more precisely what the problem is, add the right amount of Freon and then check for major leaks. That may be the best way to go.