Replace the unit? or Replace the compressor? Split AC or Heat Pump

I had this fellow ask why he couldn't find any thing about id model number for buying a replacement out door ac unit. The answer I game him is part historical and all true. I give my customers a choice of 2 options

All we have in the USA is 13 + SEER efficiency. No 13 seer equipment will work properly (from what Ive been told) if matched with one of the older coils. And the manufacturer (some of them) will not give full warranty if you don't change out the indoor coil to match the out door unit.

1 Way around this for a short time could be this (especially if its hot where you are). Purchase both the indoor and out door pieces you will need for full warranty. Tell the contractor, that will do your jobl that you would not mind if he waited to change out the indoor section till fall or winter when he is less busy. Go ahead and have him price it all together but have him cut out his labor on the indoor coil until he comes back to install it later. This way all your bases are covered from the manufacturers point of view and I personally have no problem waiting to get paid to complete a job like this and I cant understand why anyone would have a problem with it. (Now this may not be a good idea if you have an older capillary or piston type expansion device on the indoor coil, if its a Therm o Expansion Valve it would be OK for a little while if its still working properly). Any models made after 2006 will all be different now. If you happen to find a new unit that doesnt require the indoor coil to be changed do somemore home work and check with the manufacturer to be sure the warranty is still from date of purchase /. installation not date of manufacturer.

Another option would be to purchase an AC Compressor and replace the Compressor. If you take this option I always install a new over sized Liquid line drier, a new suction line drier especially if the old compressor is burned out, some acid killer, possibly the run capacitor which may be out of range or incompatible with the new compressor, and maybe a contactor. After this the outdoor fan motor and its run capacitor and the out door coil are about all that's left of the old unit to give any trouble. I may suggest a high pressure switch with a manual reset if your fan motor has some age (4 years or more). Oh yes and if you opt to do this you may have the option of an extended limited warranty.

Here is the history behind the manufacturer deleting the 10 - 12 SEER Efficiency:
Our illustriousness government officials decided that because some of us cant turn out a LIGHT BULB, that we have to be more efficient on our AC and Heat pumps. Now almost no manufacturer has any 10 -12 seer equipment there hasn't been any made here in the states since 2006. This Washington mandated but if you go to a 3rd world country they may have them there. And yes it was AL GORE and his bunch that headed this up. But I bet you know Al Gore gives all his money made from the environmental movement he has to charity (of which he is the CEO) So don't blame it on the ex-president. Last time I looked Al GORE was in the "other party".

Now that the politics are out of the way you have 2 choices. Change the outdoor unit change the indoor coil to match it or rebuild what you have. Be sure to thank the ole boys in congress for this. They are sure handing bigger folks that you and me with a bailout (and no one can stop them).