bh2004
12-29-2006, 07:20 PM
Hi,
First off, let me thank all of you experts who post to this forum regularly. I feel like I can meet the sales reps on a somewhat more equal playing field having now read so many informative posts. I want my contractor to make a healthy profit (a healthy profit usually equals good service), but I don't want to be taken either. Your site makes that possible.
I live in an 1100 sq foot, one story, wood contemporary house built around 1982. We're adding a 360 square foot addition right where the 14 year old Amana - loud as a freight train, but still kicking - sits. Rather than moving it to the other side of the house, we're going to retire it and replace with a new high-end system.
Now, I hate to pose the Trane vs. Lennox question again, because from what I can tell, I'll do fine with either one. I'm leaning toward the Trane simply because the Trane rep told me "I sell Tranes, but can't say anything bad about the Lennox." While he pointed out some advantages of the Trane (warranty, parts and service availability, and name recognition - not bad when selling the house), the Lennox rep just swore by his product. Trane Rep +1 . The Trane rep was also a lot more thorough, spent over an hour with me, and gave me a slightly - but not significant, we're talking a couple hundred dollars - better deal on the XL14i system (although it's a wash, because I will need to do some electrical prep [move the wire] for the Trane that the Lennox people would do as part of their service). He also explained to me that "up to 15 SEER" can mean a lot of different things, but then worked out the parts (AHU: 4TEE3F40 and HP: 4TWX4030) and got me to 14.75, 24000 SEN, 38000 BTU and said that's the best he could do with that unit. He'd do better with an XL16i, but didn't want to do 3 tons in my house, 2.5 being ideal, and the XL16i diidn't come in the 2.5 tons. Rather than sell me a 3 ton XL16i, he said the XL14i was best for me. Another point for the Trane guy, although this was not an issue for the Lennux guy, who had the XP15 in 2.5 tons and also insisted on that tonnage.
Anyway, does that sound right to you guys? He pulled up a special Trane website (even gave me his password) that helped him to calculate these numbers (different AHUs and different HPs). Still, that doesn't quite get me to the IRS tax credit (not that big a deal). The Lennox rep was a bit less specific, but the XP15 is a good deal quieter than the Trane XL14i, it has won some awards for design, and is about the same price, and will likely yield the tax credit. Even though I was less impressed with the Lennox rep, it's probably because he was younger and still learning the ropes. I also thought his overemphasizing the quiteness of his unit complete with sound effects on the webpage was a bit much. Compared with my 13 year-old Amana freight train, any new high-end system will be fine. Still, his company is a good one, local, and I'd feel comfortable with one or the other (it seems that all you have to go on in terms of "comfort level" is the salesman who is working on commission - kind of tough for the homeowner.
So, instead of asking which is better, Trane or Lennox, (they're both very good), what intangibles - in addition to the sales rep - should I consider when making my choice? The price is going to be roughly the same, both companies are reputable (one has a sales rep with a few more years under his belt, but no reason to penalize the other), and I think I'd do well with either one.
Second, and more important, are the Trane XL14i and the Lennox XP15 really in the same class, like a Lexus vs. Infinity, and it's the superficial things that matter, or are they in fact in different classes? Apples and apples or apples and oranges? (The extra 2 year labor on the Trane seems like a difference, but really, what are the chances either one will fail in two years?) My research has led me to believe that they are in the same class, and hence I'm willing to pay the same for each one. I'm about to flip a coin, but if someone can offer some insight into why one might be better for me (1980s contemporary house whose insulation is mediocre and we'll likely be selling it in 8-10 years), please do.
Again, thanks for all your input. I think I did better with the Trane rep because I met with him only after I had educated myself here. I hadn't done that with the Lennox guy, which may have created an entirely different experience.
BH
First off, let me thank all of you experts who post to this forum regularly. I feel like I can meet the sales reps on a somewhat more equal playing field having now read so many informative posts. I want my contractor to make a healthy profit (a healthy profit usually equals good service), but I don't want to be taken either. Your site makes that possible.
I live in an 1100 sq foot, one story, wood contemporary house built around 1982. We're adding a 360 square foot addition right where the 14 year old Amana - loud as a freight train, but still kicking - sits. Rather than moving it to the other side of the house, we're going to retire it and replace with a new high-end system.
Now, I hate to pose the Trane vs. Lennox question again, because from what I can tell, I'll do fine with either one. I'm leaning toward the Trane simply because the Trane rep told me "I sell Tranes, but can't say anything bad about the Lennox." While he pointed out some advantages of the Trane (warranty, parts and service availability, and name recognition - not bad when selling the house), the Lennox rep just swore by his product. Trane Rep +1 . The Trane rep was also a lot more thorough, spent over an hour with me, and gave me a slightly - but not significant, we're talking a couple hundred dollars - better deal on the XL14i system (although it's a wash, because I will need to do some electrical prep [move the wire] for the Trane that the Lennox people would do as part of their service). He also explained to me that "up to 15 SEER" can mean a lot of different things, but then worked out the parts (AHU: 4TEE3F40 and HP: 4TWX4030) and got me to 14.75, 24000 SEN, 38000 BTU and said that's the best he could do with that unit. He'd do better with an XL16i, but didn't want to do 3 tons in my house, 2.5 being ideal, and the XL16i diidn't come in the 2.5 tons. Rather than sell me a 3 ton XL16i, he said the XL14i was best for me. Another point for the Trane guy, although this was not an issue for the Lennux guy, who had the XP15 in 2.5 tons and also insisted on that tonnage.
Anyway, does that sound right to you guys? He pulled up a special Trane website (even gave me his password) that helped him to calculate these numbers (different AHUs and different HPs). Still, that doesn't quite get me to the IRS tax credit (not that big a deal). The Lennox rep was a bit less specific, but the XP15 is a good deal quieter than the Trane XL14i, it has won some awards for design, and is about the same price, and will likely yield the tax credit. Even though I was less impressed with the Lennox rep, it's probably because he was younger and still learning the ropes. I also thought his overemphasizing the quiteness of his unit complete with sound effects on the webpage was a bit much. Compared with my 13 year-old Amana freight train, any new high-end system will be fine. Still, his company is a good one, local, and I'd feel comfortable with one or the other (it seems that all you have to go on in terms of "comfort level" is the salesman who is working on commission - kind of tough for the homeowner.
So, instead of asking which is better, Trane or Lennox, (they're both very good), what intangibles - in addition to the sales rep - should I consider when making my choice? The price is going to be roughly the same, both companies are reputable (one has a sales rep with a few more years under his belt, but no reason to penalize the other), and I think I'd do well with either one.
Second, and more important, are the Trane XL14i and the Lennox XP15 really in the same class, like a Lexus vs. Infinity, and it's the superficial things that matter, or are they in fact in different classes? Apples and apples or apples and oranges? (The extra 2 year labor on the Trane seems like a difference, but really, what are the chances either one will fail in two years?) My research has led me to believe that they are in the same class, and hence I'm willing to pay the same for each one. I'm about to flip a coin, but if someone can offer some insight into why one might be better for me (1980s contemporary house whose insulation is mediocre and we'll likely be selling it in 8-10 years), please do.
Again, thanks for all your input. I think I did better with the Trane rep because I met with him only after I had educated myself here. I hadn't done that with the Lennox guy, which may have created an entirely different experience.
BH