Compressor went out on our Carrier AC unit. Repair quote is $2,800 for the compressor. The unit is 12 years old and the tech said the rest of the system "looks okay." A full replacement would be around $8K. At what point does it make more sense to just replace?
General rule of thumb: if the repair costs more than 1/3 of a new system AND the unit is past the halfway point of its expected life, replace it. Your Carrier at 12 years is past halfway (most AC units last 15-20 years). $2,800 for a compressor on a unit that could need another major repair in 2-3 years is a gamble. A new system gives you a fresh 10-year warranty, better efficiency (lower bills), and peace of mind.
Same situation last summer — 13 year old Trane, compressor died, $3K to fix. We bit the bullet and replaced the whole system for $8,500. New unit is noticeably quieter, cools the house faster, and our electric bill dropped about $40/month. Wish we hadn't waited for it to break.
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