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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | I will be purchasing an lcx series this winter b/c want to upsize my bow display size. I was looking at the 27, but am now looking at the 110 have seen them used on ebay for around $1000 w/o ducer or gps module.
1. Is the 110 the same as the 27 only larger screen size?
2. How is the 112 different from the 110?
Edited by Cowboyhannah 9/2/2009 10:22 PM
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Location: Twin Cities | I wouldn't spend your hard earned money on a lowrance, it will give you headaches, let alone a used unit... |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Cowboy, as you know, I run the 27's. The 27's are indeed very similar to the 110's. The main difference is the screen size and the pixel count. The LCX-110 has 600 x 800 pixel count where as the 27 is only 480 x 640.
The 112 is the newest unit prior to the HDS units. The main difference between the 110 and the 112 is the 112 uses the LGC-3000 gps module, where as the 110 still uses the older LGC-2000 gps module.
The LCX units are great units when set correctly. |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Does the 3000 offer better performance than the 2000 module? |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Yes! It'll be faster, have quicker lock on times and will be much more compatible with networking with other units. If I were you, I'd strongly look at the LCX-37. Doesn't have the 10.4 inch screen, but it still has a 8.4 inch screen. |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Thanks--TJ---you da' man. |
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Posts: 1270
| i like Lowrance units and have a 113 on my boat now but there is no way that I would buy a 110 or 27 now unless they were darn near giving it away. Even a 112 or 113 better be pretty cheap to consider it. THese are electronics that get outdated pretty quick and are not repairable. Ask yourself how much you would pay for a 5 year old computer even if it was brand new it would still be slow and outdated before you even plugged it in. |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | I know they are outdated, but they appear to do what I need them to do....display pro-map chips accurately and indicate depth. I have read way too many posts about the bugs that are being worked out with the HDs and am not comfortable feeling they have these HD units bug-free yet. I've found these units for 1100 to 1500.
l
Reelman, are you saying Lowrance will not repair/refurbish these out of production units? I just sent my Garmins in to be refurbished over the winter and none of them have been in production for some time, I would assume Lowrance would do likewise if needed....maybe I shouldn't assume.
Okay--regarding their of non-production units, here is what their website says:
"However, due to the rapid advancements in technology of consumer electronics, components can quickly become obsolete and unavailable. This affects our ability to repair our units. For current repair rates please contact us by calling Customer Service"
I'll give them a all tomorrow.
Edited by Cowboyhannah 9/3/2009 9:55 PM
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Posts: 1270
| Don't assume! They only service products for a couple years after they discontinue them. |
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | I would spend a little more money and get a new HDS, newer supported system and 2 year warranty. |
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Posts: 1938
Location: Black Creek, WI | Hmmm.... so the pair of new LCX 27's I just rigged onto my boat this week was a mistake?
Two 7" color screens for the price of one HDS seemed like a good idea at the time 
Regardless.... LCX or HDS.... both are an upgrade from what I was running.
Interesting opinions here though. |
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Location: Twin Cities | Cowboyhannah - 9/3/2009 9:38 PM
I have read way too many posts about the bugs that are being worked out with the HDs and am not comfortable feeling they have these HD units bug-free yet. I've found these units for 1100 to 1500.
That's the thing, they never worked out the bugs on the LCX units until they had been released for 2-3 years and they still have lots of problems. Why are they doing product testing on their customers?? Those units you're looking to buy are just as likely to have big problems and need fixes as the new HDS units your avoiding and they won't be supported soon...IMO your money is much better spent somewhere else. |
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | I am not saying don't buy older units, but if your worries are getting them repaired or covered under a warranty, then buy the new supported units.
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Just got off the phone with Garmin. They service out-of-production units for 7-10 years after they drop from production. Their guy suggested the 3010c (new at $2500) or the 4208c (new at $2300--includes GSD 22)---the difference with these Garmin units is that the sonar is not built-in. The sonar box is the GSD 22, and is available for $350. Garmin offers flat-rate refurbishing of units during that time period and there is a drop down menu to find what it costs to have your specific unit refurbished---the 3010c is $390 after it is out of warranty.
Hmmmm......what to do.... |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Okay--for anyone who is interested, I spoke with lowrance today and the guy indicated 6-7 years is average time span for servicing units once they go out of production. He also said he knew of an independent repair shop that does repairs longer than that. Lowrance, too, has a flat rate for refurbishing units that is comparable to Garmin.
He said the HDS units had a water leaking issue that has long since been rectified. The software update for Navionics he admitted was a bit late in coming out. He went on to cite that the HDS series won an award at some show and he feels they are absolutely not 'buggy' units. He warns strongly against drawing purchasing conclusions based on a handful of internet postings from unhappy customers.
Regarding the GPS modules he said there is no performance difference between the 2000 and 3000. There is, he said, a difference between the 3000 and the 4000, with the 4000 being better of the two.
Edited by Cowboyhannah 9/4/2009 1:33 PM
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | Well done. |
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Posts: 27
| Every single person I know (15 or so) that has runs a lowrance lcx has had problems. I wouldn't consider that a handful of internet postings. As soon as I can afford it Humminbird will have another customer. I'm not sure what happened to Lowrance about 3-4 years ago, everything I ever owned before that seemed bullet proof. I've had zero luck with their customer service, once it took me 3 weeks to get an emailed returned. I have no affiliation, if anything I would always prefer to have what I own work instead of having to rerig the boat.
I would save my pennies and look to other options besides the lcx units. |
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Posts: 1749
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | Beware of brands other than lowrance. Talk to some serious spoonpluggers. Other brands, which I will refrain from "bashing" have a longer delay from the transducer to the screen. I have talked with 3 different guys who have beached their boats on very shallow points because of this delay. With the boat on the point, one guys fish finder still said 18 ft. He said he could clearly tell it was about 2 once he hit it (below the transducer). Beware of all brands and use what you prefer. Each brand will have its flaws/benefits. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | I've got an X25 that came with my boat, and an X27 that I put on last year. I'm on the fence with alot of issues.
First of all the big Lowrance, or Brand X issue....I like Lowrance. I think you hear the most negative about them because more people use them than any other single brand out there. Humminbird is popular and I'd say Garmin brings up the rear by a long way. You've got way way more Lowrance on the water, you're going to hear way way more issues with them. And you're going to hear the negative stuff because that's what we like to talk about and troubleshoot and deal with. You won't hear a guy get on and say, "wow, my Lowrance stuff works great! Never had an issue and I love it!" That'd be a short thead! Me for example, in my two units I have yet to have the first issue...and I have yet to get on here or on BBC and talk about it. You hear the bad, not the good.
To the guy who every single person he knows who runs Lowrance has had issues...I must be the counter to that, because I don't know a person (personally) that's had an issue. I know guys who've had to call Lowrance and get help adjusting their ping speed or noise reduction to get a good picture, but I don't know anyone personally who's had a unit fail them or break. If making adjustments is what you call an issue, then that's just a part of life with marine electronics and is to be expected.....
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | ....and that brings me to my second point. These things are not the flashers we saw on boats 20 years ago. These are little desktop computers and need to be seen as such. There will be upgrades, adjustments and quirks in them.
To the original poster, if you're a basic usage guy like me, I'd consider it. I use mine for depth, location and seeing weeds. (LSC really doesn't have much in the way of structure, so I'm not even looking for bottom contour, just if I'm over weeds or not!) A buddy of mine is a semi-pro bass guy who fishes tx's every weekend, knows the big name pros and is a Lowrance guy. He's the kind of guy who knows every single tiny function on the unit and does use them as such. Well he's on my boat one day and starts messing with my console unit and showing me all the stuff you can do and see and so forth. I just kinda looked at him with a dumb look on my face and I was like, "John, man, as long as I know it's 10' with weeds and where I'm at, I'm fishing." The point is he uses his units to the max extent and I use mine for the most basic of functions. Units from 5-10 years ago would serve me.
So if you're a basic kind of guy, I'd not sweat the "outdated" technology of them LCX units. It's still more than we used to use, and still more than the guys I see at the boat ramp using hand-held units.
I will say though, that I'm prepared for the "end" and I know that one may fail any day and I don't even plan to mess with it. I'll buy a new one and move on and deal with fixing it later. I can't be without a unit for two months while Lowrance answers emails, repairs and returns my broken unit, etc. I see any unit as a life-limited component and as something I'll probably be swapping or replacing in a few years. So if you buy used, be ready for how you're going to deal with them messing up on you...are you going to repair and reinstall, or are you going to replace? Hate to see you spend $1700 on a used unit and you're not ready for the quirks and hiccups. If you're ready for them...then it could be a helluva deal.
I'm still kinda waiting to see about the HDS units. I'm interested in the SI, but with that still be an "upgrade" and not even part of the unit from the store...I'm kinda waiting to see what happens and let these things settle out a bit before I pull the trigger. And hell, I may still switch to Humminbird when the time comes. I like Lowrance but I don't have "Lowrance" tattooed on my butt.
Edited by esoxfly 9/8/2009 10:16 AM
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Posts: 1086
| Well said esoxfly.
Everyone has to remember, these are electronic devices.
That alone will say that at any point, no matter the brand, high-end unit or low-end unit, how old, at some point they'll get quirky. As esoxfly said, these things are mini-computers on board a BOAT, of all places. Which means, these things will be exposed to a lot of moisture and exposure to different temps and a lot of vibrations while the boat is running and bashing into waves. Which over time, when exposed to heat and then exposed to extreme cold, throw some rain and snow on them, high speed runs in big waves, etc, etc, tolerances in the manufacturing of the unit will start to widen and loosen through expansion and contraction and mother-nature will have her way with the electronic devices. Moisture and water will find it's way into the tightest of places. We all know that water and electrical devices don't mix well. That's the simple fact of what these things are. These things are put into an environment where electronics will always suffer at some point. These things aren't sitting still in an environmentally controlled and temperature controlled location like home computers are and even then, those home computers, are electronic devices as well, and we all know how those things will always have problems at some point as well. Nothing is perfect.
We're light years ahead of where we were just a generation or so ago in regards to technology within the fishing industry. Embrace it. It's another tool to help you do what you want. Some get by with the simple basic stuff, some feel they need every gadget, bell and whistle. To each their own. A lot of this stuff tends to fall to the side of the "chest thumping" within the fishing community as well in regards to who has the latest and greatest and the biggest screen. Who cares? Get what works best for your needs and for you budget. Nevermind everyone else. What works for one, doesn't necessarily work for all.
Edited by MACK 9/10/2009 10:29 AM
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| I have a lcx27 and a lcx112. I had a problem with the 112 flashing and locking up in shallow water, but a software update solved that problem and it has been flawless since. The last month the 27 was not reading depth and locking up, but sporadically, I had purchased it this spring and was told the latest and greatest software was installed. This weekend I went on lowrances website, read some info on their "support" page where you can type in the problem and they offer solutions. It turns out that I had it in "auto sensitivity and I did a "soft restart". I had the boat out yesterday and it worked great the whole time. I guess my point is that sometimes with issues on these locators it is easy to put off reading the manual or searching out a answer to the problem. I know I have been putting it off for awhile, I think some of these issues are minor, if you take the time to do some research.
PMV |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Great input everyone.. Thanks.
Edited by Cowboyhannah 9/15/2009 9:52 PM
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lcx series units