You are way of base, i have owned my own a/c company for 36 years and i have never heard such nonsense.
a compressor are not all the same and certainly not one from 20 years ago are completely different from today!

Notwithstanding variable speed, dual speed piston or scroll there is no discernible difference in compressors from 20 years ago or 50 years ago. Semi-hermetics are semi-hermetics, hermetics are hermetics, scrolls are scrolls etc. I could take a 5 ton new old stock r22 compressor that is 30 years old and install it into a dry filled R22 new condenser and it will work with 0% decrease in efficiency and no effect on longevity. That is a fact.

That's cool.

Nonsence is OK with me. But I know the basic theory of how a AC unit works has not changed. I have a brother who will argue with almost anyone who expresses an opinion so I am accustomed to such dialogs..

Would ypou pass along your opinion to Chellybean ???

AC out again
 

With all respect I'm not here to argue, only to pass along the knowledge of my craft to those who wish to listen and learn.

Do you have a recommendation for a good brand of AC/heat pump.
I currently have a 20 year old Rheem that still works, but will need replacing. I thought I would go with another Rheem, however the newer models are not getting very good reviews.

Reviews are nonsense. ASHRE standards apply to all units manufactured in the United States. Go with the unit that has the highest efficiency ratio and longest warranty. A contractor that will back up that warranty and a technician that has at least 10 years of experience to install it correctly.

OK, Thanks!

No problem...

We have found that the ACs they installed in homes tend to fail in less than the 10 years. Almost everyone around me has replaced theirs this year. We are at the 10 year point. Apparently they bought cheap ones.

AC out again
 

I don't know who you are referring to but cheaper units do exist that will fail sooner than one would expect. It's not that the units themselves are built any differently than a more expensive one, rather it is the protection control devices that are added onto the unit which will lengthen its life.
A residential central A/C unit is listed as a major appliance and as such has a certain life of 14 years...

We have a new home and they installed Carrier "Comfort" series - essentially their lowest cost system. Our previous home had a top-of-the-line Bryant Evolution system (rebranded Carrier Inifinity). While the system performed great, it wasn't exactly reliable. Over the course of 9 years, the following failed

-2 compressors
- condenser fan motor
- weld in condenser coil - was repairable but all R-410a was lost
- evaporator coil
- 2 defrost boards
- start capacitor
- 2 User Interfaces (the "thermostat" is called the User Inteface and it is really a computer)

Fortunately it had a 10-year parts and labor warranty. The Carrier "Comfort" series in our new home can not be any worse. So far, we have had an out-of-balance condenser fan replaced.