Jumped headfirst into that same trap myself a few years back. Spent almost two hours tracking down a bad capacitor on an ice machine because I was dead set on the compressor being the culprit. The thing is, most guys don't realize that capacitors on these old units can fail for all sorts of weird reasons, not just age. I had one die because of a tiny spider web bridging the terminals (weird, I know) and another from a power surge that didn't trip any breakers. Checking capacitors first is solid advice, but I'd also say keep an eye out for moisture or corrosion around the terminals, especially on older units that might have had a leak at some point. Little stuff like that can kill a capacitor way faster than just normal wear and tear.

I read somewhere that Old Town's actually got better rent prices, @rosek44.

Man I got burned on a marketplace chainsaw last year. Guy said it was barely used, ran like a dream, got it home and the carb was shot plus the chain was binding on the bar. Ended up spending more fixing it than I would have if I just bought a new one from Home Depot. The worst part is I drove like an hour each way for it too. Facebook marketplace is basically a gamble every time.