I just had my second X-135 unit go out. Does anyone have or know anyone that has a 510C. I was thinking of getting a color this time and would like to know what they think about the 510.

ttt

stratus dont make the same mistake 3 times go humminbird their customer service is 100% better. besides h-bird has the latest technology out there... side imaging..if your gonna pay 600 you might as well buy the best for 400 more ..i've had some major problems with lowrance and talked to the bps guy's and they said lowrance has gone downhill for the last 2 yrs since being sold......goodluck

510C is a very good unit and very clear images and user friendly. Price range will vary with the size of the screen and options.

Lowrance, even with slower response times on the phone, still has a better product line top to bottom than Humminbird. Website downloads are far above HB and will always be.99% of the calls to Lowrance and humminbird are user problems and not unit problems.


The only thing that HB has going for it right now is the SideImaging. What happens when Lowrance comes out with their unit? Dec?

A BPS electronics salesperson bad mouthing Lowrance-- bet that salesperson can't even run the units right in front of them and that's even if you can get one to wait one you.

Here are a couple of pics to compare. The top picture is from a Lowrance 25C the second from the HB 997C

I have been a lowrance fan ever since the paper graph x-15 and that was years ago. Right now I have a lcx-25c and the humminbird 997 on my console. each unit has their advantage. On my trolling motor, I have a lowrance LMS-522. Again each unit has it advantages.

I've owned nothing but Lowrance since they came out with the "little green box" decades ago. Over the last 6 months, I've had trouble with both units I now own, and had the worst experience with their customer "service" that I've ever had with a high end product. It's time for a change.

Keenen. which model Cat do you have. thats a sharp looking console!

I agree with mrppl2. I have a 997SI right next my LMS332C. The Lowrance is much better for regular sonar. Not even a close race.

But I have two of the LMS332C and they have both broken down. Keyboard problems. Lowrance has fixed them free, but it's still a pain.

I think Lowrance has pretty good customer service, but they should work harder to make their product more reliable.

Never had anything but fast and good customer service from Lowrance/Eagle (Navico). I always email Linda Colt if I have a question/problem and she is right there to help any way she can----above & beyond. If you have a Lowrance problem/question, give her a shot, she will do you right:

Linda Colt
Customer Service Department
12000 East Skelly Drive
Tulsa, Ok 74128
1-800-324-1356 #8747
Direct line 918-438-8747
Fax 918-234-1745
Email: linda.colt@navico.com

Thanks for the heads up Just Old Fisherman. I'm currently having problems with an X125 so I'll get in touch with her. A while back, I had a LMS 480 go out at 14 months, and they charged me around 250 to fix it and I had to deal with 2 of the most obnoxious people that I've ever dealt with. It was a really tough decision to go ahead and spend the money and stay with that unit or change brands.

Linda really helped me out with my LMS 332C. If it is within her control to make it right, she will do it.

I have had problems with my X125 in the past, what sort of problems are you having?

Well the first 1 the sreen went out somewhere right before the warrenty expired and i sent it in and they sent me a replacement 1. But I guess they didnt register it to me because they are telling me that my warrenty expired in 2007, and I bought my boat brand new 2006. So that is aproximately 1 year, but when they sent my replacement it should have come with another 1 year warrenty for a total of around 2 years. But for some reason it has expired.

Now the 1 they sent me for replacement is going out. It has a bad spot on the screen and it is not graphing. It is flashing 280ft with nothing else on the screen. And should be less than a year old, but they are telling me that my warrenty is out.

Alan
On my X125 the sensitivity setting won't stay set. If I set it to auto, it doesn't show the detail I want, and if I set it manually, it does fine for about 5 minutes and then the screen goes black like the sensitivity is turned all the way up.
Ben

I had a different issue. I would give Linda a chance before writing off Lowrance.

Ben,

I will be fishing this weekend, in between working on my honey-do list, if I see you on your dock I will stop by for a chat.

...Alan

i hate to say this, because Lowrance makes the best 2d graph out there: but Linda has her hands full. She keeps that company in check as much as she can. Shes very nice. I had problems with an old unit and we couldnt come to a compromise- I switched all my business to Humminbird.... i have spent over $4K with Johnson outdoors in the last year.....

Alan
Stop by, I'll be here.
Skeeter Ronnie,
The X125 of mine is on my TM. I'm thinking of biting the bullet and putting a Humminbird SI on the TM. Is that a good idea? Is the tranducer about the same size as the Lowrance? Do you think there will be an issue with the pounding that the front of the boat takes with the electronics on the SI? Thanks for any info.
Ben

no, side imaging needs to stay in one direction or the images skew. side imaging belongs on the console. unless you get the 997 or larger, you probably wont be happy with the screen size. or run it next to the Lowrance unit.

Thanks Ronnie I didn't think about the transducer having to stay in a straight line. What Humminbird would you recommend for the TM. We have a lot of company here at the lake and I take a lot of people out slabbing for whites so I need a pretty good unit on the TM.

i use a 957c up front. its the larger size 900 series of units. i see brush and also see my lure on it when I fish deep.

Thanks Ronnie. I'll check it out. I didn't want to hijack anyone's thread here, but that's good information.
Ben

My name is Eddie Kendrick and I am a Product Specialist for Hummminbird. I visit about a dozen forums each day in support of our products. I think the biggest misconception on one-to-one comparisons is not knowing the real capabilites of the units. The picture you show is not what I see on a day to day comparison. I run Lowrance and Garmin units almost as much as I run ours. If you want to see the bait balls as pictured on the Lowrance, I can show them. Is this picture of exactly the same place, time, depth etc? The biggest thing about Sonar is that you have to realize Lowrance has one beam. It's a wide beam. We have the narrow beam and a wide beam that blended together give you exceptional detail and broader coverage. Take for example a call from a Lowrance pro on a recent trip he made. His friend uses Humminbird. And, not just for it's Side Imaging Capability. They found fish hanging in the holes in rock formations. They used the Humminbird to find and catch these fish. He said he went back to the same location with his Lowrance and because of the wide Lowrance beam he could not see the holes and fish at all. Our narrow beams gets down in the small areas to find fish and structure. The wider beam then gives you the ability to see out to the sides of the narrow beam. Try using our 200kHz for fine detail and then try our 200/83kHZ beam to see the detail and what you've been missing around that beam.
I can adjust my Humminbird and get tremendous detail just like the Lowrance you have pictured. I can raise the sensitivity up and get a real crappy picture on a Lowrance or Garmin anytime I want to compare their products to ours.
I'm not here to bash Lowrance, Garmin or any of our competitors. I'm here to answer any question or concerns on our products.
Eddie@Humminbird

Actually, I and many Pros run and love their Side Imaging units (especially the 997 and 1197) on their trolling motors.
You get a skewed effect when you turn abruptly but it resets itself very quickly. Imaging going down the side of an old road bed or submerged bridge and being able to actually see the edge and any brush piles, rocks, cuts, debris etc as you fish it. Try and find a buddy that is running one on the trolling motor before you write it off. I think you will be amazed at the things you can do with it on the trolling motor.
Eddie@Humminbird

Next time you're in Dallas.. how about a class on it then???? I will get the meeting room set up, if you will help us learn more about the units??????

Get me some details on where you guys are or a dealer that we can set something up. Our reps go out to dealers and tournaments and setup and train on a regular basis.

Bass Pro SHops in Garland, Tx.