# Lowrance Vs. Garmin GPS



## msagro1 (Oct 11, 2007)

I am replacing the electronics on my boat and stopped by Bass Pro yesterday to look at the new Garmins and find out some of the differences. I am wanting to stay around that $700ish price range. The man working there told me that the Lowrance Elite-5 ($549.00) has way better maps than the Garmin, and simply more bang for your buck. 

Does anybody have experience with this unit and what would you recommend. I want to be able to know when im close to channel markers at night so no more close calls. Thanks for your input.

P.S.
I was thinking about raymarine for my bottom machine.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

> I was thinking about raymarine for my bottom machine.


Why? Think Furuno. 620 or 585


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## 20simmons sea skiff (Aug 20, 2010)

ill second that, just got a furuno fcv585


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## KPTN (May 21, 2009)

everyone has an opinion on this but i like Garmin GPS, i have both and the lowrance much more complicated than most garmin units. Like X-Shark i like the furuno 585 for a depth finder.


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## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

Garmin for GPS/Chartplotter, Furuno for Bottom Machine...


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## Patriot (Jun 4, 2009)

+1 Garman for GPS/Chart and Radar. Great network capability also. Unmatched parts support.

Lowrance video is great, but I prefer Garmin tools/software updates. 

Furuno for bottom machine. Built to last. 585 has been around for 20+ years. That says something.

Ratheon is great equipment but price is high and part support is just not there. They come out with new models every couple of years and do not keep old model parts in inventory. 

Great stuff is you are sponsored or rich and want the latest equipment on your boat every 2-3 years.


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## msagro1 (Oct 11, 2007)

Thanks for the information. Any particular Garmin? I do like the looks of the Furuno 585, just might take another pay day or two. Anybody able to get a great deal on these to save some $$$.


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

I have had both Garmin and Lowrance in different units over the years. Garmin is much better and more user friendly that Lowrance. I now have Raymarine for everything except the autopilot which is Garmin.


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## Scout800 (Mar 22, 2010)

I enjoyed our Lowrance until the gps antennae quit working. Trying to order parts from them or get tech support was so bad I ended up buying a new Garmin. Support is big in my mind and unless something has changed Lowrance could be the worst company I have ever dealt with.


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## Hydro Therapy 2 (Sep 11, 2008)

Ok, this may just be my aproach but you should try it. Start off by asking the sales person where they like to fish at...then you'll get a better picture of what your dealing with.

Have to buy the maps to make the Lowrance Elite-5 worth having on the boat..
I looked at the same unit before I went with a Garmin again....very happy.


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

*You can find these at bass pros on sale in the range your looking and they are awesome. Google earth layover and high def sonar. Nice.*

http://www.meijer.com/s/lowrance-hd...C.instance01?CAWELAID=895421131&cmpid=goobase


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## KPTN (May 21, 2009)

boatersland.com and boemarine.com seem to have the best reatil prices i have seen.


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## Aqua Uno (Dec 6, 2010)

I have Lowrance now but only because it was on the boat when I purchased it. By far the Garmin is more user friendly out of the box but I quess its all in what you get use to. Me personally I want to try something with side imaging on next boat or upgrade!!


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## snapperfan (Aug 30, 2009)

another vote for Garmin and Furuno


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## Gamefish27 (Nov 13, 2009)

Capt. Jon Pinney said:


> Garmin for GPS/Chartplotter, Furuno for Bottom Machine...


2ed that... love my garmin... they are behind a little on the bottom machine


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Not a big fan of Lowrance since mine has been giving me trouble since almost day one....

"GPS Module Not Responding" &*%$ (turn off, turn back on)

"GPS Module Not Responding"  (turn off, fiddle with cables, turn back on)

"GPS Module Not Responding" :furious::cursing: (wave appologetically to woman in next boat slip clutching her children and covering their ears, turn off, disconnect and reconnect GPS antenna cable, turn back on)

etc, etc, etc...finally give up and start heading toward the pass hoping it will acquire before I make it into the gulf.


I'd like to explore the Furuno/Garmin units as some of ya'll have recommended. As far as the transducer type...my current Lowrance unit has a 600W tilted element thru-hull type, which despite all the other issues with the system, I've never had a problem or complaint about it's performance. I was wondering, how do those in-hull type with the propylene glycol tanks compare in quality to the thru-hull type?


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

> 585 has been around for 20+ years.


Actually Tom that's not quite right.

The 582 has...It's the predecessor of the 585. I have 2- 582's. One on each boat. But the 620 & 585 are direct decedents form the 582.
They have "Knobs" and no one else's unit does. You have to jump thru menus on other units.


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## Scout800 (Mar 22, 2010)

Play'N Hooky said:


> Not a big fan of Lowrance since mine has been giving me trouble since almost day one....
> 
> "GPS Module Not Responding" &*%$ (turn off, turn back on)
> 
> ...



FYI its not your cables. The antennae is going out. Call Lowrance with your Serial #s and they will replace it at a discount vs the $200+ they sale for on Ebay. This is the reason I will never own a Lowrance again. I spent a lot of money and time to fix this problem, on the advice from their "tech idiots" that "work" for them. :thumbdown:


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## msagro1 (Oct 11, 2007)

Thanks for all the great information. Garmin and Furuno it is!


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## SteveFL (Aug 2, 2010)

msagro1 said:


> Thanks for all the great information. Garmin and Furuno it is!


It's pretty surprising at the few Lowrance users on here. I've been using 2 HDS-8's and am impressed. As I understand, their customer service was pretty bad for several years but from what I've experienced they've turned a corner. I've heard and read that Garmin has the best Navigation attributes, Lowrance has great Sonar and Furuno's 585 is incredibly accurate for Sonar.

Having not used Furuno or Garmin, I can only offer what I've experienced with the HDS-8. It's linked with Structure Scan, Radar and Auto Pilot. To date, I couldn't be happier; I can literally see fishing lines going into structure and tell the guys to be ready right as their baits drop in on fish. On occasion, I can even see their bait is gone at 100'. Can it get better than that? Probably but the HDS units aren't bad at all.

Whichever way you go, I would suggest getting units that can be expanded via ethernet, NMEA 183 AND NMEA 2000.


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## birdsnest (Oct 2, 2007)

+1 for Garmin GPS. I've chartered 3 sailboats that had Lowrance GPS. Never could figure them out. Wound up using my little handheld Garmin for plotting courses and using the big screen Lowrance for avoiding coral heads and such in the immediate vicinity. They just aren't user friendly.


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

what ever you decide, depending on the size of the boat, id get two units so you'll have a spare when the first one goes in for repair.


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

Do NOT BUT A lorance, GARMIN GPS for sure, bottom machine depends. For a bottom machine how much you wanting to spend, what are you looking for, and what size boat is it going on also what type of fishing are you wanting to do. What ever you do get a GARMIN for your gps.


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## msagro1 (Oct 11, 2007)

The electronics will be going on my Aquasport 245 cuddy. I would like to take my son out and just bottom fish if anything is in season. I would love to see him hook up on an AJ sometime. 
Now there are so many model types out there its got me confused on what my best option would be. I don't have alot of money to spend but if I need to save a little extra to get something that's going to serve me better I will. Trying to stay around 5-7 hundred on the GPS, and looks like the Furuno 585 sells for about 1250.00. I hate paying retail tho.....


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

See if you can play with some of the units you are interested in. I see people don't like Lowrance, but I've had an LCX-15 for almost 10 years and never had a problem. The Everglades I fish on has twin Garmin 5012's. They're easy to use, but one has already gone out.


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

Im sure garmin sent them a new one too


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

Garmin's customer service is TOP OF THE LINE. I got a second boat for a bay boat, called Garmin told them i had the 2006c and that i bought another boat and i wanted to use the gps on both he asked me my address and what i needed, i said mounting satation, powerwire with antena, alright you should have it in a few days. NO CHARGE NOTHING. Couldnt believe it Westmarine wanted 90 dollars for just the anteana.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

My point is, the first one went out when it was the only unit and we were in the middle of fishing 40 miles out. Hard to bottom fish without a machine. Went and got the second one the next day from West Marine and installed it to fish. Sent the other one back, when it came back we installed them tandem. The whole point is, my Lowrance has never had a hiccup to be sent back and the Garmin ruined a day of fishing. This is just my opinion, but people used to rate products on how they performed, not how well they were fixed when they broke.


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