I need a new trolling motor and originally was looking at Minnkota. however, I have all Lowrance electronics and their motors do no work with Lowrance DI. So I am looking at the Motorguide Xi5. It says it has built in sonar but I cant find anything written that defines what type of sonar. I dont want to give up DI but I also want to get the gps and anchor system that these new trolling motors have.
Anyone have this unit and does it work with the Lowrance Elite series with DI? I want to use this new technology but dont want to give up other technologies to use it.
Thanks

From what I understand it only has normal 2d sonar.

Neither brand will do anything but traditional sonar on the built in transducers. You have to choose if you want DI or the gps system.

IMO the Xi5 sucks compared to the old tour models, I have an old tour and am not getting rid of it, if buying a new TM go with a MK.

Well, I was afraid of that. I guess if I want the Minnkota I guess I can get that one and not have DI. Or I guess that I can manufacture a bow mount type of small retractable pole for just the transducer to the fish finder.

Last month a guy posted how he had addressed this problem. You might be able to find it using Search. Basically he used the stock 2d/di transom tranducer with a Lowrance trolling motor mount and ran the cable on the Xi5 shaft in a coiled airhose he got at Home Depot. Project finish pics looked pretty good, thinking about doing the same on mine to get 2d and di.

I have an Xi5 and a Minn Kota. The Xi5 works leaps and bounds better than the MK no matter what anyone says, again I have both currently installed on different crafts

Neither will give you DI with the transducers that are installed
I am about to do as the last post states to get DI back on the trolling motor

you say you have an old tour yet say the Xi5 sucks. How do you know if you have never had one?

I have an xi5 and elite 7 chirp. I mounted the hdi transducer on the TM and ran the cable inside the shaft. Very clean look and no issues whatsoever. Just cut the end off the cable, drill a hole in the shaft just big enough for the cable to fit through, run it up the shaft and out the head then reconnect the end. Seal up all holes and you're good to go. I've had it this way for about a year.

PM sent

I was think of that but did not know how or if you could splice the transducer cable. How did you splice it and maintain good signal path?

Solder the connections and then use adhesive/Marine grade shrink wrap tube to seal.

Search on the crappie forum. Some of those guys have figured out how to have DI on the Xi5. I've had one for a year. Like anything it has pluses and minuses. All I do is crappie fish but I love it on brushpiles and docks. Not as much on timber and bridges. The electric steering is kinda slow for that Ideally I would have 2 TMs on the front of the boat. The Xi5 and a MK fourtrex.

I have a Terrova and have an Elite 7 ducer attached to the bottom for 2D/DI. Check out YouTube videos and they will show you how to run the cable through the head and down the slot in the shaft w/o having to cut or splicing anything.

I also have the adapter cable that connects the Elite 7 to Terrova's built in ducer and it provides clear images, but you loose the DI.

Thanks, I checked out some nice videos on there. I am just not getting the clean install with the cables that I am looking for. While I really wanted the things that these electric ones offer, it looks like I am going to go back with a new cable steer. I just don't like a messy walking or fishing area in the front of the boat. One would think that DI has been around long enough that the trolling motor companies would get on board. Looks like both companies fired their R&D teams and settled for what they had when it comes to fish finding electronics. It seems to me to be such a simple upgrade to the built in transducer but what do I know.