Isn't the car still under Honda warranty? If so, take it in, tell them what's wrong, and what the mechanic said about having too much freon in the system. Don't back down, they usually try to stiff you a few times, then when they see you mean business, they'll do something.

 

No one can tell you how long an A/C clutch and coil will last. If the Freon is low the compressor will cycle very frequent causing wear. Too much Freon can cause the compressor to lock up (freeze), it will also cause the compressor to be very hard to turn putting a major load on the clutch causing it to wear. Unless the input shaft to the A/C compressor is bent, you will have a huge hill to climb convincing the body shop/Insurance people it was accident related.

Replacing the A/C clutch and coil is not hard at all and can be done without opening the system, getting to them is another story. AutoZone will have the tools required to remove and replace the assembly which you can borrow from them for free.

 

First of all, if you don't know much about A/C, why do u wanna install an A/C? First you should learn how A/Cs work then try and install one. An A/C has a lot of parts, which one do u want to install or do u want to install an A/C on a car without an A/C?