I think I can decipher the typos in the above quote. -
Your friend is correct: Buying the Trio or TruTrak will cost about $1K more than going the "autopilot-built-into-the-EFIS" route, and that's because you're buying redundant electronics, attitude and altitude sensors, etc. that you already own, inside the EFIS. And what you get are redundant electronics, sensors, etc. - the ability to let the autopilot fly the plane after a complete EFIS failure. (If you install a TT or Trio, you will want an external switch to switch the autopilot's ARINC lines from the EFIS to the GPS.) Only you can decide what that redundancy is worth. Another reason I prefer the Trio over the TT is that it has a simple display of a turn coordinator which functions whether the servos are engaged or not. If my GRT EFIS and backup Dynon D6 disagree, the Trio display will tell me if I'm wings level or not.
BTW, connecting a GRT HX or HXr to a Trio gets you all the functions and controls that the GRT autopilot has. You're buying redundancy.