Back in the day I had a carrier system and it was top notch. I don't have any recent experience, so I couldn't say today. This part of the country runs A/C an average of 2600 hours a year, so it is the acid test for A/C systems.
Really, I'd trust Hoagie's opinion more than mine, he has a great deal of experience. I may have just got the unlucky lemon, though the A/C Company I use is a big one, and they stopped recommending Trane. It used to be their primary brand. (If you read this Hoagie, I'm talking about Coastal Cooling)