guys,

my A/C went bad and I need to replace it....currently it is a 10SEER,
4-ton, Rheem unit (10 years old). I've narrowed it down to:

$2990 for a Carrier, 12SEER
$2690 for a Rheem, 12SEER

most places I called have the Rheem at $2999, and the Carrier at $3400,
but this one installer got me a Carrier at the same price as most
people install Rheems. I have a couple of question:

1. Is Carrier that much better than Rheem? (most dealers says so, but
reading this forum says otherwise)

2. Should I buy the Carrier for the same price as most Rheems, or
should I save the $300 and go Rheem?

3. Is it worth it to pay the extra $$ to go to a 13.5 SEER?

I gotta make a decision by monday....thanks in advance!!

alt.home.repair wrote:
I gotta make a decision by monday....thanks in advance!!

The quality of the installation is much more important that the brand of
equipment.

Which of the contractors performed a heat gain calculation to tell you
what size A/C you needed?

the guy is one of the few "5 Star rated" authorized Carrier installers
in south florida.....whatever that means.

he seemed pretty profesional, but you never know. I said to replace it
with a similar unit, and he recommended I go up to 12 SEER instead of
10 SEER which is what I have.

also, should I go with the 13 SEER because of them stopping production
of 12SEER as the poster above said? perhaps prices will drop given
that, so I dont know....

alt.home.repair wrote:
the guy is one of the few "5 Star rated" authorized Carrier installers
in south florida.....whatever that means.

If you belive what you read in the various newsgroups, not much.

he seemed pretty profesional, but you never know. I said to replace
it with a similar unit, and he recommended I go up to 12 SEER instead
of 10 SEER which is what I have.

Here in Florida I'd suggest 13.0 SEER system with a variable speed air
handler. The payback period is too long for anything above this.

PLEASE have your contractor do a "Manual J" or equivalent heat gain
calculation before you specify the size of the system. Most systems are
oversized.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/bldg/pubs/ACsize/index.htm

Travis Jordan wrote:
PLEASE have your contractor do a "Manual J" or equivalent heat gain
calculation before you specify the size of the system. Most systems
are oversized.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/bldg/pubs/ACsize/index.htm

I should also have said that in my personal experience the Trane XR12
(in R22) paired with Trane's VS air handler makes for a great system.
The Trane spine fin coils are much less prone to corrosion in our salt
air laden atmosphere than are the other manufacturers. Check cabinet
construction, too. I've noticed that many of the new Carrier systems
that are installed here on the west coast are rusting out after only
seven or eight years!

I can tell you that my neighbor installed a top-of-the-line Carrier last
year and has problems, not with the actual unit, but with the installation.
It was not done properly and there has been many problems with his AC. The
installer was an authorized Carrier dealer; cost over $9000. My neighbor is
still having problems.

So it was basically the installers fault. However, the Carrier Corp. has
refused to intervene and assist the customer. IMHO, a corporation that
doesn't stand behind its products, especially a high cost item such as this,
is not worth doing business with.

Also keep in mind that after December 2005, units less that 13 SEER will not
be manufactured and the cost will rise for these units.
"alt.home.repair" wrote in message
oups.com...
guys,

my A/C went bad and I need to replace it....currently it is a 10SEER,
4-ton, Rheem unit (10 years old). I've narrowed it down to:

$2990 for a Carrier, 12SEER
$2690 for a Rheem, 12SEER

most places I called have the Rheem at $2999, and the Carrier at $3400,
but this one installer got me a Carrier at the same price as most
people install Rheems. I have a couple of question:

1. Is Carrier that much better than Rheem? (most dealers says so, but
reading this forum says otherwise)

2. Should I buy the Carrier for the same price as most Rheems, or
should I save the $300 and go Rheem?

3. Is it worth it to pay the extra $$ to go to a 13.5 SEER?

I gotta make a decision by monday....thanks in advance!!

stevie wrote:
Also keep in mind that after December 2005, units less that 13 SEER
will not be manufactured and the cost will rise for these units.

You are speculating that the price will rise for 13 SEER units.

I'm speculating that the price will decrease because of increased
competition for entry level systems.

"alt.home.repair" wrote in message
oups.com...
guys,

my A/C went bad and I need to replace it....currently it is a 10SEER,
4-ton, Rheem unit (10 years old). I've narrowed it down to:

$2990 for a Carrier, 12SEER
$2690 for a Rheem, 12SEER

And that includes a matching evap coil on the inside too???
IF not, you are getting a royal scewing.


most places I called have the Rheem at $2999, and the Carrier at $3400,
but this one installer got me a Carrier at the same price as most
people install Rheems. I have a couple of question:

1. Is Carrier that much better than Rheem? (most dealers says so, but
reading this forum says otherwise)

Nope...ALL are junk till the installers install them correctly.


2. Should I buy the Carrier for the same price as most Rheems, or
should I save the $300 and go Rheem?

I think all those prices you gave for that equipment is too much
installed...period.


3. Is it worth it to pay the extra $$ to go to a 13.5 SEER?

Why? For those prices they can install you a 14SEER.


I gotta make a decision by monday....thanks in advance!!


Its your money.

The price is for the entire system, the handler inside and the
compressor unit outside....

I've called at least 15 different A/C places in south Florida, and all
of those are in the same price range ($2999 being the lowest I've
found....some as much as $4000) for a 4-ton, 12SEER unit.

if this is too much, do any of you know of anyone here that may have a
better deal? I've called a buncha folks, from RHeem/Ruud installers, to
Carrier, To Goodman, to Trane....same story on all.

"alt.home.repair" wrote in message
oups.com...
The price is for the entire system, the handler inside and the
compressor unit outside....

I've called at least 15 different A/C places in south Florida, and all
of those are in the same price range ($2999 being the lowest I've
found....some as much as $4000) for a 4-ton, 12SEER unit.

if this is too much, do any of you know of anyone here that may have a
better deal? I've called a buncha folks, from RHeem/Ruud installers, to
Carrier, To Goodman, to Trane....same story on all.

O.K.

Well, like others have said, go with a good installer. Also (not sure who
else mentioned it) I would go with at least a 13 SEER and get a variable
speed air handler. Trust me. They are nice!

I did a google search, so this site has nothing to do with me, but at least
it tells a little about it (plus it's the model I have):


http://tinyurl.com/bm6u5

Guys,

how about Trane? I just went to Home Depot this morning, and a Trane
consultant said they will come out to the house tomorrow to gimme an
estimate.....I don't much about Trane and their parts....I know Travis
Jordan mentioned that Trane units are pretty good and recommended
one......any opinions?

thanks again....

One more thing I forgot to ask......is it important that I consider the
new "sufron" type units, or stick with the Frion type units of past?
Carrier guy said the Sufron units are better, but more $

alt.home.repair wrote:

how about Trane? I just went to Home Depot this morning, and a Trane
consultant said they will come out to the house tomorrow to gimme an

Also get estimates from your local Trane dealers....they may be cheaper
than going through HD.

"alt.home.repair" wrote in message
oups.com...
Guys,

how about Trane? I just went to Home Depot this morning, and a Trane
consultant said they will come out to the house tomorrow to gimme an
estimate.....I don't much about Trane and their parts....I know Travis
Jordan mentioned that Trane units are pretty good and recommended
one......any opinions?

thanks again....

Tranes fine...overpriced, but then, the company went belly up in the 80s and
was saved by American Standard..the toilet bowl company........think about
it..

Also, in a nutshell, **** home depot....period....they are NOTHING but a
middleman that is costing you more money....
Tell ya what...I can get a York guy out there, and hes only gonna charge you
what *I* tell him to.....think about that..see..Home Depot is doing nothin
but taking money from you for doing nothing that you cant do...they will
call the same Trane dealers you can...charge you more for doing nothing more
than making a phone call.....now..I dont know about you, but a $1500 phone
calls kinda high..

"alt.home.repair" wrote in message
oups.com...
guys,

my A/C went bad and I need to replace it....currently it is a 10SEER,
4-ton, Rheem unit (10 years old). I've narrowed it down to:

$2990 for a Carrier, 12SEER
$2690 for a Rheem, 12SEER

most places I called have the Rheem at $2999, and the Carrier at $3400,
but this one installer got me a Carrier at the same price as most
people install Rheems. I have a couple of question:

1. Is Carrier that much better than Rheem? (most dealers says so, but
reading this forum says otherwise)

2. Should I buy the Carrier for the same price as most Rheems, or
should I save the $300 and go Rheem?

3. Is it worth it to pay the extra $$ to go to a 13.5 SEER?

I gotta make a decision by monday....thanks in advance!!

I hope he is changing the coil inside too. I'm guessing that if he isn't,
you aren't going to get 12 SEER out of a 12 SEER unit......