They sure don't make em' like they used to!

[lordkenmore]

>paying more simply does not get you the increase in build quality, performance, or long life one would reasonably expect.

There is a lot of truth in this comment.

I've been an audio equipment enthusiast for more than 20 years, and that has given me direct observation that there is not necessarily a direct connection between price and either performance or life span. Price also does not guarantee the possibility of being able to repair something when it breaks. There are products that are hard--if not impossible--to repair, due to A) the original company refusing service support, and B) apparently refusing to release service data to third parties.

 

[lordkenmore]

I also admit that I'd probably be more likely to be interested in a cheap air conditioner if buying new. Yes, it probably won't have heirloom quality. But I'm guessing chances are pretty good that it could run for years in my situation. I live in a climate that, historically, hasn't had the heat in summer some places get. Many summers I'd probably only use AC a few times.

 

[askolover]

What I did...

I have a 5200Btu Goldstar (LG now) I bought in 2000 for my daytime sleep room, it's mechanical.  On cooler nights it wouldn't kick the compressor on.  I got mad and installed a 24 volt/120 volt normally open relay connected to a doorbell transformer and hooked it between the power terminals in the AC and a digital central heat/ac thermostat I had that quit working on the heat setting.  Now I can crank it down to whatever I want....even in December if need be!  Has worked like this for about 8 years!  I didn't expect that little Goldstar to still be working 15 years later when I got it new.  Now that I have bragged on it watch it die on me.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I have not had a window AC

in FOREVER! My dad has one, but I'm not sure which type since I hardly ever go to NC to visit....he also has a central AC. I'm not allowed window AC's in my house because of the HOA....the only way they allow them is if your central AC is in the process of being replaced or repaired.......It's sad to hear the ones you buy now pretty much suck! I'm not surprised.

when I was growing up in the 80s, my mom and dad had a small window AC upstairs for their bedroom which was a big bedroom, but this was not a very big AC unit (Kenmore Brand) and that thing would cool the entire room with no problem.

Are central AC's, heat pumps, etc the same in terms of not cooling as well as the older ones did?