I have an A1 GT Pedal set which I'm rapt with so far. They're made in Australia, so shipping might be expensive to The States but I think they're licensed out to a manufacturer in China, so there may be an American distributer somewhere.
I've got an Act Labs shifter which does the job, but I suspect it's not going to be all that durable.
My wheel is a Logitech Momo which I'll use untill it breaks, then get something more hardcore and industrial strength.
My philosophy is that it's definitely worth paying more if you can for strong and durable equipment. Consumer grade stuff generally malfunctions after 2-3 years depending on usage, and doesn't feel as good anyway.