I would like to get an honest contractor's opinion on a new central air unit and new furnace?

I currently have a Trane furnace and central A/C that is 19 yrs old. I would like to replace them, but I'm not sure where to start. My townhouse (upstairs and down) is 1100 sq ft. I'm the type of person that likes the lowest cost for the best product (maximized value) with few repairs over the years. Whether it uses freon or puron, I don't really care. Just the best value. And if you could quote a price range I should expect to pay a contractor that would be good also. Thank you very much in advance!!

I would like to get an honest contractor's opinion on a new central air unit and new furnace?
Replace it with a Armstrong of the same tonage as the old. they are very quiet. The higher the seer number the more energy efficient it is and the higher the cost to buy it is
Reply:2 or3000$ is what you can expect
Reply:19 years old is pretty old. We suggest to our customers that 20 years is about the life of a A/C system for a rule of thumb. You will save on utility costs and comfort in the home with a new system! We sell Lennox systems, but HVAC dealers are like car guys, every one has their preference! There are Lennox guys, Carrier guys, etc. There are cheaper units also, so be wary. Just do your homework and you will see the difference between the cheapies and good stuff! Hope this helps.
Reply:I have been an HVAC contractor for 20 years and believe me 19 years old is definitely old. The energy savings alone due to new units being so much more efficient should be about a 3 to 6 years pay back on the unit cost depending on your utility rates. Cost depends on a bunch of factors from where you live to how much work is required to replace the unit to how high of efficiency unit you choose. I am in California so in the range of $6,000 to $9,000 installed is about right here.
Reply:well, im not a contractor but i just got a new central air unit and im loving it!

pulling teeth