I've had the same problem (temp fluctuations and not holding the set temp) as described by the original poster (Avian) with my GE Profile Arctica of about the same age. I believe I have helpful information to offer. I had a couple of service calls by the tech who was recommended by the appliance specialty dealer where we bought the fridge. After several visits without success he diagnosed a bad main board. He ordered a board and replaced it. It worked better for a while, but still would not hold the set temp. Eventually I decided to bring in a genuine GE repair tech despite the $90 travel fee (in addition to any labor and parts charges). My thought was that the "real" GE tech might have specific knowledge about the problem. Well, it turned out he did. I can't say the board did not need to be replaced, but that wasn't the basic problem. It turns out that there's a unit in the top rear of the refrigerator side (against the back wall behind the center light) that is the culprit. This large molded plastic unit has (inside) a small "door" that opens and closes to allow cold air from the freezer unit into the refrigerator side. Basically the fridge works by sending cold air into the freezer, then this door opens and closes to bleed enough cold air from the freezer to the refrigerator side to maintain the fridge temp. That "door" was broken. The GE tech went right to the problem (he seemed to have seen it before), showed me the broken door, and replaced the molded unit containing the door. It was expensive (of course) but the tech showed me the price then cut it in half for me. He also fixed the ice-maker line (which had basically disintegrated) and cleaned out the coils (though they weren't too bad). Total cost was about $400 (but new higher end fridges were about $3K). Now (a few months later) it holds the 0 to 1 degree freezer temp and 38 or so fridge temp. Hope this is helpful.

They think that the car is mechanically sound so I suppose we could spend the rest of our saved money on new tires, brakes, hoses, belts etc. But we would still have a car with less side view mirrors than most, no airbags, large amounts of rust, cracked dash, and plastic pieces that keep falling off(glove box door, side pockets, etc,etc) (my experience has been that kids don't take care of old cars expecially if they want a newer one). What would you do? I'd stick with it, especially if your son is going to continue "learning" how to drive on this car. You can buy third-party replacement mirrors that provide a bigger view. Airbags? Not that big a deal. They have their drawbacks (work only once per crash, can injure smaller passengers, some people have reactions to the inflation gas, they're expensive to fix); frankly, you are better off wearing a three-point belt properly (the main reason we have airbags at all is that numbers of people refused to buckle up). The rust, the broken pieces, ... well, the car won't last forever, but for a runner, it's no big deal. $5,000 isn't going to put you in a great car anyway, especially once you start adding up additional excise tax/registration fees and insurance costs.

Pamella: I am going to tell you the news that you don't want to hear. You are going to need a new 3/8 liquid line if you want your new system to operate properly. Many old Trane systems used 1/4" or 5/16" liquid lines. New systems use 3/8". I had to replace the liquid line when I replaced my 21 year-old Trane heat pump. A quality contractor will not install a system with an undersized liquid line. I would also agree to stay away from the big box stores. Find 3 local, reputable, cooling contractors in your area and get quotes. Goodman will work well if it is installed properly by a professional installer. Many a Goodman has been installed by hacks because anyone can buy a Goodman. If you go with Goodman, upgrade from the 13 SEER to the 14 SEER. The 14 SEER has a Copeland scroll compressor which is industry preferred. Also, get the optional TXV (thermostatic expansion valve) for the indoor coil ($75 option). It does a better job at regulating refrigerant flow to the coil than the flowrater expansion device provided with the coil/air handler. Best to you.

Thanks! If I replace the broken unit with another r22 will I be able to get freon in the future? How much longer will my 3.0 unit keep working? What if R22 isn't available in a year or so when it breaks? Do I bite the bullet now and switch the broken one to 410 and assume the other will last only a few more years and switch that one then. I have paid $8000 since 2005 on this equipment. Do I spend another $2500 on an R22 unit and hope to get 5 years out of it?