IMHO .. I usually buy the "good" parts, but there are cases where I buy Harbor Freight (for example). Depends on your personal situation. It's a quite aged Expy - how long do you want it to last? Do you plan to sell it soon? How much risk do you like to take? You're not in Florida, so you don't need a/c all year. Are you tight for cash so saving a few bucks is important? Stuff like that. My own 2003 I'm just trying to keep on the road for the next <6 months?> at a time and I put as little ca$h into it as I can get away with. I have no personal knowledge about a/c parts so this is just a generic answer. If I'm going to go to all the time and expense of refurbing a complex system like a/c ... I wouldn't want to be penny wise and pound foolish. If that applies here.
Reminds me of that tire sidewall gash from last week.
Of course that was safety so I ALWAYS err on the side of safety with that kind of question.