Hello -

I have been trying to make heads/tails of recommendations I've received on fixing my broken Carrier A/C. The unit is 10 years old -- I believe it's a 5-ton model CD5AXA0600024AAAA. The unit's been leaking for 2+ years and finally diganosed leak in coil. We have a 4500 sf split level -- with some inefficiencies in a couple rooms (e.g., bedroom converted from attic space and addition)

-Should I have another coil-only installed -- just replace same model coil, leave condenser? Have bids b/w 1600 and 2500 to do this. One comes with a 2 year parts and labor warranty; not sure about others. Still freeon; not ideal, but buys us some time (maybe).

-Alternatively, should I go with a update/ replacement of both coil, condenser and pipes? To R410 Refrigerant. Have bids for

**Bryant Puron Plus SEER 14 for $5,800 (one year labor; 10 year parts)

**Carrier 17 Infinity for $7100 (single stage) and $7400 (two speed) with 10 year parts and labor. They also offered a basic model for about $5300 but called it "builder grade"

Alternatively again, two people gave me recs to replace the AC AND the furnace to gain efficiencies in room temps, etc. for b/w 11K and 14K but this really seems like overkill.

Q: If we simply replace the coil are we throwing good money after bad? What if a leak develops in condenser (10 years old)?

Q: If we replace and upgrade the A/C -- should we go more "top of the line" with variable speed that we can have in the future when we eventually replace furnace? Or is this a waste too?

Any advice anyone can offer from experience would be great--just looking for some ways to make sense of it all.

Thanks!