Lowrance vs Garmin

[B-Faithful]

I am looking for advice. I personally am used to the garmin but lowrance is currently offering a good rebate. I am down to the Garmin 3210c with the new digital gsd22 sounder box and the Lowrance LCX-113C HD . I was all set on the garmin but am being teased by the lowrance due to ability to hook up the unit to the LMF200 for full fuel readings. I also know that that the lowrance probably still has a slighly better fishfinder than garmin despite it coming a long way with their new digital gsd22 (I previously ran a gsd20). However I still think the Garmin potter is a lot better. The lowrance does offer higher resolution but adding radar in the future is a lot more expensive with the lowrance. I have also ready of poor service from lowrance but not sure if they are isolated problems. The cost difference after the rebate is minimal as I would go with the more accurate flo scan fuel meter if I go garmin and do without all the mpgs already calculated etc.

Has anyone run both units and what are you more impressed by Anyone running the lowrance unit and want to offer insight please speak up. As noted before I have experience with the Garmin 3000 series and liked it.

It would be cool to go with the new Garmin 4210 but it isnt worth the extra $600+ for features that I find not necessary for fishing and slow the unit down... Just my opinion.

 

[pelagic2530]

my personal experience with Lowrance, although not with the unit you speak of, has been solidly negative. the summer i worked on a charterboat that had Lowrance electronics, by the end of the season we had replaced the radar, and chartplotter, and the fishfinder had died. capt. had nothing good to say about the customer service, the quality of the product, or the savings. i believe his exact words were, "i should have spent the extra money and gotten the good stuff to begin with." all electronics replaced with Furuno. similar experience aboard our boat, we had a black and white fishfinder unit that despite how much i played with it, would never show a freakin' fish. finally thie thing inexplicably died, and after recieving zero help from the factory, replaced it with a Furuno unit that performs a million times better. personally, i would go with the garmin unit you know you like and which had a rock solid reputation rather than the price point of the Lowrance. those savings feel pretty insignificant when the final product is subpar. just my 2 cents, im sure theres guys who love their Lowrances. i am not one of them :wink:

 

[Megabyte]

Garmin makes excellent chartplotters, but when it comes to fish finders, I prefer Furuno.

 

[B-Faithful]

I agree on the furuno fish finder. i loved my 667 but i couldnt see it in the sunlight..

According to BOE the gsd22 digital module is a HUGE step up for the Garmin in fishfinders. I am going to place the order for a Garmin today.

 

[ryanc2]

don't mean to hijack this thread, but is upgrading from a GSD21 to a GSD22 simply plug and play, or do you have to run new cables. I've got a 2210 so I can only go CANet.

I also 2nd the Garmin plotters and Furuno FF's. Loved my 582.

 

[B-Faithful]

Call boe marine and ask. I am not sure if you will need a new transducer or not. I am pretty sure you can use the same cables to the unit though. The GSD 21 is an anolog unit just with "ultra scroll" over the gsd 20. The GSD22 is a digital unit.

 

[Megabyte]

The phone number for BOE Marine is toll free.
866-735-5926

 

[ryanc2]

The phone number for BOE Marine is toll free.
866-735-5926

:shock:

 

[synthnut]

Garmin makes the best chartplotters and Furuno for F. F. .....My next electronics order will be Garmin 545 and sitting next to it will be the Furuno FCV-620 ..... A weather/music antenna can be hooked up for Xm weather and Music to the 545 ...$50 a month for service for both ....The antenna is a bit over $200.....Still a lot cheaper and better than radar with continuously fast updates .... The Furuno F.F. speak for themselves ... You can fish for blues and watch your diamond jig on the screen !!!.....VERY nice resolution on both units .... Cheaper than the others you mentioned even with the Rebates on them . .....Jim