Questions:

1. Age of the unit + it uses R22. (Equipment doesn't last forever) Is R22 valuable? It is against the law to take freon from one unit and sell it somewhere else, it must be cleaned and certified to be so. (if this system's reason for not working is a burn out compressor, the refrigerant is worthless 9 times out of 10)

Replacements for R22 assume the equipment is worthy of such. Due to age of this equipment it would be a waste of money in my opinion. The con in repair is knowing when something is worth fixing vs replacing. Some markets in HVAC are different than others due to use. Your climate is at best 2-3 months of use per year. That's the reason most likely that it has lasted as long as it has.

In Katy, Texas I haven't seen anything this old in probably over 20 years.

2. Bids are bids that are primarily based upon cost of equipment, cost of labor, cost of materials for extra things associated with the installation, 1st year labor warranty provided by who is installing it in the event something goes wrong.

Cut your labor rate then you cut the pay of everyone working for you. If those people are skilled they leave and go to make more money somewhere else. You get the tail light special, as soon as the tail lights go out of the sevice van you never hear from them again.

So arguing over price of what someone charges vs the skill of people on their staff? They aren't selling you a pizza. If this new machine breaks you better hope they can fix it. Just hiring an installer is a risk you will bear when the machine breaks again. It will. Prices vary by market no two markets are the same.

3. Brands. There is no perfect brand. There is the skill of those doing the work, in some instances the problems you have could be a direct result of the skill who put the system in or in some rare instances could be defects of the equipment. All brands can and do have defects don't kid yourself. Although they are quite rare maybe 2 pieces out of 100.

The refrigerant problem you're dealing with now is on the cusp of changing for the stuff you are likely changing to. 2025 is likely to be the equipment cut off for R410a. Maybe worse for places that like to follow in the footsteps of California and their style of restrictions on what you can and can't do.

No manufacturer covers the cost of refrigerant should your new AC spring a leak. (read the fine print of the warranty litterature that you should receive when the job is complete)

2.5 hours in video embedded below telling you how, what, why, where and when all this is happening. It won't end in 2025. About 10 years after that the process of phasing out and banning is likely to begin anew. (this will effect every refrigerant currently in use, not just R410a)

Brand will matter very little, if the refrigerant it uses is phased out / banned / restricted etc.

4. Not sure what you mean by this

5. HVAC is slow to change, but when changes come they come at a price.

I service the Katy, Texas area,

This AC is very old and has not been operating for several years. Most HVAC contractors are not going to attempt a repair and then return during whatever warranty period they provide if the AC is operating poorly. R22 is very expensive and they want to use this as the reason for not doing the repair. You can keep trying to find someone who is willing to repair it. If your friend plans to live in the condo for several more years and has the funds I recommend to the AC replaced.

The estimates need to list all the model numbers of the new equipment and a description of what work will be done. If Colorado Springs requires a permit for the installation, then the estimate should state the cost of the permit. Normally the contractor will be responsible to apply for the permit and make any changes if the inspection fails. I recommend only working with a licensed contractor. In an AC replacement, everything that is to be replaced is usually visible. The estimate provided should be the final price. It is possible some additional work was not anticipated at the time of the estimate. Your friend should discuss how this situation will be handled with the contractor.

I would not be too concerned with the brand name. It is more important to find a reputable contractor who will do a correct installation and stand by his work in case of problems. Your friend needs a basic 2 ton or smaller AC condenser and coil. Has the contractor who installed the Goodman furnace provided a quote? If not that then would be a good place to start. A rating of SEER 14, which starting in 2023 is now changed to a SEER2 13.4 is fine for this installation. The current thermostat may be able to be reused. If not a basic programmable thermostat is not expensive.

Pricing is very location-dependent but the estimates you give seem high for what are probably "builder grade" (ie bottom of the line) systems. Get more estimates - for only occasional use, you don't need a high-SEER, fancy system, Bottom of the line 2 ton systems sell on the internet for ~$2000-$2500, labor is usually about the same, so you should be looking at about $5000 for an AC condenser, coil and installation.

If the compressor is shot or the refrigerant charge has been breached (leak) it would be wise to replace the unit. If a simple component has failed such as a capacitor, electrical contactor, or some other control component it would be a simple and inexpensive fix.

But the A/C companies refused look at it to see so this is the problem as I see it. If you can find a knowledgeable individual to trouble shoot the electrical components it may be a cheap way out for your friend. The capacitors a A/C compressor uses are a common failure often found in older units and usually cost less than $50.