In a training class yesterday the instructor mentioned an unsolicited E-mail he recieved offering a McQuay 3 ton complete with all the tubing for ground loops etc. for $3,500. This from a company in OH. It struck a chord with me as I recently recieved a similar E-mail from an alleged company in TN.
Further someone on another forum (homeowner I believe) had also mentioned unlikely McQuay pricing.
I researched my guy who's web site is "under construction" and answers his phone with a "hello" vs a company greeting. Curiously McQuay also didn't see fit to mention his outfit on their parts and distributor locator.
Everyone wants the holy grail of cheap geo, but folks, if you get stung by these guys you will be $3,500 further behind.
FYI most folks that will sell geo equipment to DIY's are going to charge you more than I pay not less. Depending on equipment and size, you could more easily pass 10K than approach 3K.
j

A response on another forum suggested that I was too cryptic in this account.
Let me put it another way. Theives and scumbags are going green as well. Don't fall for it.
J

Unfortantely this is becoming all too common, from Ebay to Craigslist there's scammers looking to part your from your money. Most scammers are from foriegn countries since the long arm of the law often doesn't reach into many of these 3rd world countries. There still is some domestic scammers are well, but often you have recourse by contacting local law enforcement. The thing is, it works. Despite al the horror stories and warnings trying to educate people the dangers of the internet, there's a new sucker born every day. If it didn't work, they clowns would give up and get real jobs.

 

  

I recently purchased two heat pumps over the net after very careful consideration, but I have to tell you that I saw dozens of fairly obvious geo heat pump scams on eBay for every legit offer I found.

Check into the reputation of the firm you want to buy from - make sure they have a good track record before you agree to send them any money. And make sure that any payments are done using a credit card or other form of payment that will protect you in the case of fraud.

Besides the scam efforts from the type of phantom vendors that Joe and TechGromit have mentioned above, the most common scams I came across seemed to be:
- attempts to pass off used or "scratch and dent" units as new
- attempts to pass off surplus three-phase commercial units as suitable for residential usage
- attempts to pass off boiler-tower/cooling-tower heat pumps intended for condo units in the deep South as heat pumps suitable for northern residential geo heating apps

But there are also some reasonably decent deals out there for DIY'ers or folks who have a good local geo contractor but no local heat pump supplier.  The basic Trane and McQuay single stage units are the most common ones I've found available from reputable vendors. These brands don't seem to have the same feature set or or reputation as a top-of-the-line Climate Master or Water Furnace, but they do seem like workable products for someone on a budget. There do seem to be some reputable companies with prices in the $6,000 range for a package including a McQuay 3 ton with ground loops and flow center. $3,500 will buy the bare 3 ton McQuay unit with no loops or other accessories. That seems to be about half the cost of the pricey brands. Yes, these basic units do not have features like two-stage compressors and ECM fans, but that may be a reasonable trade off for some people.

There is a strong possibility that by the time the tax code is finally written, you may have to have 2 stage equipment to qualify.
We still don't know. I can tell you that I'm not buying any 2 stage systems for 6K.
Main point is buyer beware.
If you get a quality heat pump for <6K you will win without the tax credit. Just know what you're getting.
J