After reading many posts and threads here I have come to the conclusion that most AC units are "good" depending on the grade level and that the most important part of the quality and operating factors are based on the quality of the installation. Having said that,
Do you think one of these brands is "better " than another if the warranty on the equipment is the same?
Day & Night vs Heil vs Bryant vs Trane vs Coleman
Anyone you ask will tell you something different. ask a lennox deal which is best, he'll tell you lennox, ask a carrier dealer which is best, he'll say carrier. in my experiences, most of the time, you get what you pay for. we've installed a concord condenser (customers request), a factory solder join blew, leaked the refer and blew the compressor (as it didn't have a low limit) warranty process was a pain in the ass, labor wasn't covered. etc... things you should look out for are, warranty how long is it, what does it cover, and do they hassle you. parts availability and tech support. sure the part may be under warranty but if it takes 3-4 weeks to get it "cough york" what good is that.
carrier/bryant/payne have a good warranty and decent parts/tech support. if people are looking for a base line, good quality furnace or ac, i steer them to Payne. may not have all the bells and whistles as a high end carrier but it will last. if they want to spend the extra money, i suggest trane/american standard. i find them easier to work on, and better build quality (i'm talking mostly rooftops here, i don't see a lot of resi stuff"
what do i have in my house, an american standard. why, because i find trane rtu's easier to work on, better quality units, and i'm friends with the guy at the wholesale house and he got me a good deal on a scratch and dent
