Is it true they stop making the freon for older AC units?

The phaseout is real but almost certainly exaggerated by your tech. A 14-year-old system most likely runs R-410A, and what actualy happened there is a phasedown, not a ban. Production is being cut back over the years, which means prices will creep up, but it is not disappearing next year. Your neighbor getting topped off with no problem is exactly what I'd expect. R-22 is the one that's truly out of production, and even that stuff is still floating around because guys stockpiled it and reclaimed supply keeps circulating. Plenty of R-22 systems from the 90s and 2000s are still being serviced today, just at higher cost per pound. Here's how to find out for sure: look at the outdoor unit's data plate or sticker. It lists the refrigerant type right on it. If it says R-410A, your tech was stretching the truth. If it says R-22, well, you've got an older situation, but even then replacement isn't mandatory. There are drop-in substitute refrigerants that work in many of those systems, and the unit keeps running regardless. Refrigerant doesn't get used up like gas in a car either. A sealed system that's blowing cold isn't consuming anything. If it needed a top-off, that means there's a leak, and the leak is the actual problem to fix. The realistic timeline for a homeowner: you can keep servicing an R-410A system for many more years. Costs per pound will rise as supply tightens, and some smaller shops may stop carrying it, but supply houses will stock it for a long time. If a repair ever gets expensive because of refrigerant cost, that's when a replacement conversation makes sense, not before. My suggestion is to get a second opinion from an independent contractor, not a big company with sales quotas. Tell them up front you're not replacing anything and just want the system checked over. A 14-year-old unit that's cooling fine has plenty of life left in it. Replacing a working system because of a refrigerant phasedown is like junking a truck because the oil formulation changed. Run it until something actually breaks.

Been doing this since the days we actually vented R-12 out of car systems like it was nothing, and I'll tell you the sales playbook never changes. Back in 2010 when R-22 prices started climbing I had a company tell my sister her 10-year-old unit was 'obsolete'. That same unit ran another eight years on small fixes. Ask the tech to write down the exact refrigerant on your unit and what the law actually says about it. If he hems and haws, that tells you plenty. Also worth asking how many service calls they've actually turned down for lack of refrigerant. I'd bet it's zero. A sealed system that's cooling fine doesn't need anything added anyway, so this whole thing might be a non-issue dressed up as an emergency.

Same deal here, my old unit ran for years on top-offs and I just asked the tech to write the refrigerant type on the invoice so I could price it myself later. When a pound got expensive enough I put that money toward a window unit for the bedroom and kept the big one going til the compressor finally quit. Also check your breaker panel situation now if you think a replacement is coming someday, because a new system may need diferent electrical than what's on your wall. Took my electrician two trips to sort mine out and I hadn't budgeted for any of it.

Agree with the advice about the independent contractor. I got the same pushy pitch a couple years back about my system running on stuff that was getting scarce, and instead of replacing it I paid an independent guy to do a leak search. Turned out a schrader valve was weeping, swapped it for pocket change and recharged it, been cold ever since. Also worth asking the company to show you the shortage on the gauge rather than just taking thier word for the charge level.

One thing I'd add from my own swap a couple years back: when you do finally replace, do it in spring or fall if you can. I waited until my unit died in August and every company was booked out weeks, plus you're choosing whatever's available instead of shopping around. If you know this is coming eventually, getting a few quotes now while you're not desperate gives you way more leverage. Prices varied by thousands between the three companies I called, same equipment basicly. No rush on your end though since yours is still running fine.

Update: I checked the label on my outdoor unit and it does say R-410A, so sounds like the tech was stretching the truth. Took the advice about getting an independent contractor out, and I'm having them do a leak search before I commit to anything. One thing I'm still unsure about, how do you tell a normal top-off price from a ripoff once the refrigerant does get scarce? I don't want to get hosed just because it's pricier.