No need for yearly check up. I had a co out 3 years ago and they said there was a part that would be needed eventually if not now for $500. A month ago I had another co out and he said everything was in tip top shape - be aware that they might be upselling - who knows? But once a year is needless in my opinion

I no longer attempt to work on my A/C outside unit after turning the wrong breaker off and taking a large 'bite' out of my favorite screwdriver. My most important lesson that day: let professionals work around high voltage stuff. :-)

There is no need to turn off the breaker. Just pull the quick disconnect.

I am convinced that a technician working on a brand new system would find the capacitor or fan motor or coolant or relay needs to be replaced. Every single time I've asked for maintenance on any home system I've ever owned, something critical is on its last leg. I've begun to tell them no. I'll wait until I perceive system degradation or go into actual outage before allowing repairs. It's my own, small act of resistance.

The problem with this story is the story. How much did said neighbor pay for the yearly check up? If it was $19.95, that isn't much to put toward the cost of replacing the capacitor. If it was $199.95, then you have a point. But at this point, you only have a story.

I have a contract with Sunshine twice a year service. Last visit noticed the capacitor needed changing and he changed no charge. He even changed out my filter I bought and had in my garage, no charge. He Took the time to describe everything he was doing. I tipped him generously. We both left happy.

My experience:
Woke up very early one morning to an unexpectedly warm house. Thermostat said cooling was on, air handler was moving air, but outside unit wasn't running. Checked the float in the drain tube to find it was full of water - drain tube was plugged. A few minutes outside trying different things to clear the drain got things working again.

After that I started running a gallon of hot water through the line on the first of the month. While I am working in that closet, I also look for leaks around the hot water heater and tap on the expansion tank to make sure it still has air in it. Simple enough to remember to do on the first of the month and haven't had a drain problem since.

Signed up for a maintenance plan to check the system. Tech came and cleared out the line, cleaned the coils, and confirmed it was working properly. Two or three visits later the tech advised that the capacitor was reading low and should be replaced. He offered to do it for somewhere between $80 and $150 (don't remember exactly but was less than $200). I declined the offer then changed it myself (being very careful) for about $30.

On the next visit the capacitor tested good. This seemed to surprise the tech which makes me think they might refer to their past records before they arrive.

Observations:
1. It is far easier to pour a gallon of hot water down the drain tube than to try to unplug it at 3AM.
2. The technicians don't always find something wrong on every visit
3. These technicians appear to be fairly honest - they didn't try convince me to pay them to replace the capacitor the first time and they acknowledged it was working properly the next time (after I had replaced it myself)
4. The annual checkups are not absolutely necessary if you keep up with regular maintenance.
5. If you don't have annual checkups or don't pay to have the capacitor replaced then it would be wise to have a spare on hand - Amazon delivers quickly but a house becomes uncomfortable even faster

Yes, it would be nice if a maintenance plan included replacing the capacitor every couple of years - the part is inexpensive and the cabinet is already open. Unfortunately, I have not heard of a plan that includes this.

After shutting down power, do you leave the terminals attached to the capacitor while jumping to discharge? Or should they be disconnected first?

Chuck Farrell AC replaced a capacitor on a unit they installed for $120, which I thought was reasonable.
I'm thinking of DIY next time as it's out of warranty now.

You should discharge the capacitor and then disconnect the terminals. A lot of posters recommend replacing the capacitor as a DIY project. However, I doubt that many homeowners will actually do this. I am pretty handy around the house, but I leave HVAC repair to the technicians. I have watched the YouTube videos on this, but I still let a technician replace the capacitor. But, I don't think it is worth paying a company for 6 month or even annual maintenance of the HVAC system. If it is not broken, don't fix it. You do need to maintain the condensate drain and replace the filter. These are easy and important DIY projects.

These are my thoughts as well.

Since the concern is with you accidentally touching something and getting a shock, I would discharge the capacitor before attempting to do anything else.

I agree 100%. These $20 capacitors you get on Amazon are Chinese knock-offs and don't last as long as the "good" american made ones. These cost about $60-$70 and is what the HVAC company installs. Even so, with labor, you shouldn't be paying any more than $125 ish to have it replaced. True, it's a DIY project but not easy enough for just anyone to do.

As someone mentioned, you can read the capacitor and know when it's starting to go bad and although the A/C might still run, it's putting more strain on the compressor which will shorten it's life. So waiting for the A/C to fail due to the capacitor is counter productive.

Capacitor
 

I had M&S come for the semi annual checkup. I was told I probably should get a new system. In the end, I was charged $264.00 after a $40.00 discount.

For those who believe that a yearly HVAC check-up and service is not needed are foolish. Why? Because the tech can find components such as the capacitor going out of spec which will put more strain on the compressor and shorten the life of your system. Also, cleanig the coils, inside and out, will make the system run more efficiently saving you money over time. They also measure the current the inside and outside fan motors are drawing, and test to make sure your Auxillary heat coils, which most have, are working properly. Also testing the coolant will let you know if you have a leak. Typically, you A/C should never need coolant unless there is a leak somewhere. Again, running your A/C with low coolant eventhough it's still cooling in your opinion will shorten the life of your system. There is no way to know unless you test the various items. Your HVAC system is not an item you should forget and don't do any maintenance untill it fails. In the long run you will be spending more money.

All this said, you need to find a company such as Sunshine, Munns, and other larger companies that don't need to resort to these scams to stay in business. And if you are one of those who are able to change the capacitor yourself, all you need to do is when the tech says it needs replacement, tell them you will do it next time around and do it yourself after he or she leaves. Just remember get the US brand capacitor such as this brand from Amazon which is what your HVAC company uses and not the cheap Chinese knock-offs. Make sure you check the rating you need for your machine. The cheap Chinese capacitors are less reliable and wear out faster especially in our hot Florida weather so in the long run it's not worth the savings. You get what you pay for.

Amazon.com

Capacitor
 

That charge was just for the capacitor.