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Heating & Air Conditioning

Thinking about buying a used condenser unit

10 years ago

So I thought to help me save some money I would buy a used ac unit. They seem really cheap and I understand that buying something used is buying someone elses headaches but..... some of them are so cheap that it seems to be a better choice. Any opinions?

Featured Answer

lazy_gardens

10 years ago

Only if you can buy it from a good HVAC installer who knows its history.

My HVAC installer sometimes has "low mileage" units ... typically they were under or oversized for the house and replaced soon after installation.

But they aren't "cheap" ... they are 50-75% of the price of the new units, because he totally checks them out before he resells them.

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Comments (7)

weedmeister
10 years ago
Think of it like buying a used car engine with 100,000 miles on it and someone poured sand in the oil and sugar in the gas. And it can't be rebuilt.
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cbielich
Original Author
10 years ago
Well of course I wouldn't buy something without a warranty or something. I was looking at http://www.usedacwarehouse.com/product-category/condenser-unit/ and was thinking of buying something from them.
mike_home
10 years ago
I think after you pay for shipping, installation, materials, and R22 refrigerant you will find you will not have saved much compared to a new unit. In the end you will have an old condenser (10+ years old) with a 90 day warranty that has a highly probably of having problems. In my opinion it is not worth the risk and aggravation.
fsq4cw
10 years ago
I agree with Mike. Some things are not worth buying second hand.

Caveat Emptor!

SR
Tinmantu
10 years ago
I've known many companies that charge double labor, hoping they don't get the job and won't warranty the install. Better off looking at new unless you have a good friend that has a reputable company that has done a salvage on a known good unit.
energy_rater_la
10 years ago
double the labor charge or higher isn't uncommon.

I never recommend used units, by the time you
pay for start up...solve the problems, the unit's
useful life is over.

investing in a new unit is a better option.
used hvac is too much of a crap shoot IMO.

that said...I know a couple who has a 25 year
old Rudd...it works... but the cost of operation is
astronomical.

you either pay upfront...or in service charges,
changing parts or in utility costs.

best of luck.

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