People gripe about a/c but it's really a subject that is, well, subjective.
Some people require the a/c to be 65 degrees in the cabin within 10 seconds of starting the engine. They're the same people who keep the house at 70 or lower. Then you've got folks who are happy at 78-80 degrees, like me. And my electric bill is dirt cheap which allows us to do other things. The good thing is, with the a/c at 78 or 79 when you go out in 90+ degree heat, it doesn't shock you nearly as bad. Then when you've been outside for 30 minutes 1 hour 5 hours whatever, then go back in, you don't want to go back out, period.
....anyway, we have to remember what powers the a/c compressor. The engine. It takes horsepower to run the compressor. The manufacturer could easily put a larger compressor on it, which then requires a larger condenser and possibly larger evaporator with more airflow capability (larger fan). This all takes up space, weight, and as importantly, horsepower. So now you have folks griping about their 70hp tractor with excellent a/c not having enough power with the a/c on.
I've been through it with the RTV1100. Constant complaints for a while. You can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time, it's simply impossible.
yes the older systems were a little more maintenance intensive and sensitive to lack of maintenance. When the condenser gets plugged on the older systems, it taxes the compressor, the compressor being a piston type doesn't like that and self-destructs slowly over time, and people don't remember when it worked good, only when it works bad--so the complaint was "it ain't worked right since the day I got it".