If you are putting up new siding, going a full tear out with a nailing flange is certainly an option and preferable if you can afford the added expense of new interior trim, stools, etc. That will get you back some of the glass lost in a typical pocket or insert style replacement and give you the most complete type of installation (assuming your contractor is competent). Look for a window with an integrated J-channel and nailing flange.

Grande - I'm not promoting Pella at all I'm just offering my opinion as someone who has used them and from contractors I've spoken to. To say they are garbage is contrary to what I have experienced and heard, of course there are better windows and there are also personal preferences involved. However I would bet that you are a window salesman and your comments should have that disclosure so people can understand what your motive is. Comparing JW to Pella is laughable...just look at the comments on this thread. I also steer clear of anyone stating something as fact...with no eveidence to support their "facts". "Anyone in windows knows this, it's a fact" is a very adolescent type comment. If you don't like Pella fine, you're entitled to your opinion, but try to state reasons other than obscure comments packed with innuendos. I am not saying Pella are the best windows, I'm saying they are decent and in my opinion I would use them over JW just from a support perspective. I don't know the other windows you suggested but I did say there are many local manufacturers that offer good alternatives...perhaps those are but I personally don't know.

Let me first say, the Andersen 100 is not a terrible product at all. It is a fine choice, particularly if you really like the appearance. That being said, it has no advantages over a premium vinyl product, especially because as mentioned above, it is primarily made up of vinyl. You can get dark exterior colors on a vinyl product just like you can on the Andersen, and while the exterior finish warranty will be the same at 10yrs, the rest of the window will continue to be warrantied on the vinyl option. The 10yr warranty on the fibrex material is a very lackluster warranty, and is extremely telling as to how well that material will hold up IMHO. It just strikes me as ironic that someone would be very concerned about the coated exterior on a vinyl windows which is warrantied for 10 yrs (20 yrs in some cases), yet have no qualms about a product where the unit itself is only warrantied for 10 years!? I'm not trying to be argumentative here, just injecting some facts and a little bit of common sense into this thread. :)

Truly enjoying this conversation, thanks for all the info. I have large windows, a few are 83" and two are 96" high. My options are limited due to that size... I am planning to change all of them, ~18 windows damaged post hurricane Ida. Got multiple quotes, I was between JeldWen V-4500; Simonton 6500, and MI 5200. I am also looking into PGT option. But like many above, the very experienced contractor is recommending MI6200... Will probably not consider it after all above.