Lowrance GPS AIrmap 300 surprise

[John Recine]

After not flying too much I decided its about time to get my GPS card updated for my Lowrance Airmap 300 GPS. A unit I had purchased a couple of years ago for nearly 600.00. I found out today that Lowrance/LEI no longer supports that unit and the Jep database cards are no longer available.

I can opt to upgrade the unit and trace it in for a whopping 100.00 rebate towards a new Lowrance Airmap unit. Wow, how how fortunate for me! Only a 500.00 loss to replace it with a unit that I am sure will become subject to the same shady marketing program in a few years.

I asked if there was anything that can be done or someone else I could speak to? Receiving a resounding no to that question. Apparently that's the order of the day by Lowrance is to issue a unit, sell it till the launch a new unit, stop supporting older products and give the consumer a good screwing!

For all contemplating the purchase of a GPS, and considering products by Lowrance, I suggest you look into the support issue carefully. You may be wasting your money on a unit that will not be well supported by the manufacturer. Simply stated I would suggest you avoid products by Lowrance specifically. I am not certain if anyone does a better job at updating the database and supporting the units but I know Lowrance and LEI does a poor job.

FYI

John

 

[waldo]

I don't know where you are getting your prices from but the comparable unit would be the Airmap 500 and the current price for it is only $399 with free shipping.

http://www.flightessentials.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=325

You will also save over time because the updates are only $35 each. I am almost in the same boat with the Airmap 100. My updates cost $75 each. I only update twice a year so it would take a few years to pay for itself. Good luck!

 

[John Recine]

LEI/Lowrance was willing to give me a $100.00 credit towards a new unit, pricing cam directly from LEI. The point is why should I be forced to buy a new unit when there is nothing wrong with my present unit with the exception of Lowarance decided to not support it anymore. Which I believe to be nothing short of a consumer screwjob.

With that type experience with Lowrance, I doubt I will consider doing business with them again as the state of the art support network of database updates is really not reliable. After that experience why would I even be tempted to purchase anything else from them? Using the present state of affair its like asking to be taken advantage again.

That's the point! Anyone considering the purchase of a GPS may be better served to investigate the purchase carefully and select a company with a long standing reputation of supporting what they sell.

John

 

[sere]

Sorry to see you took such a beating. I have Garmin's and so far not a problem with updates for them. Makes me wonder for how long they will support there products too.

 

[Ken Ibold]

Sorry to see you took such a beating. I have Garmin's and so far not a problem with updates for them. Makes me wonder for how long they will support there products too.

I asked them that with respect to Apollo products when Garmin bought UPSAT. Their response was that they routinely support databases and parts for handhelds for seven years after the item is discontinued.

 

[sere]

I asked them that with respect to Apollo products when Garmin bought UPSAT. Their response was that they routinely support databases and parts for handhelds for seven years after the item is discontinued.

Only seven year. Well that is better than nothing but sure would be nice if it was longer than that. I have both a Garmin 250 XL and a Pilot III. Guess I better figure out when they drop off and start the count down.

 

[Ken Ibold]

Only seven year. Well that is better than nothing but sure would be nice if it was longer than that. I have both a Garmin 250 XL and a Pilot III. Guess I better figure out when they drop off and start the count down.

When they told me that, I immediately bought a new antenna and battery for my Precedus, vintage 1996. I am now living on borrowed time with it...

 

[mdreger]

FWIW, I had an AirMap300 as well. At one point, after I had purchased the data cable, an extra 1M and 4M memory chip, it ceased working. When I talked to the reps at OSH, they said to send it in for a $99 repair. They also added that they didn't really repair the unit, they simply replaced it with a new one. I sent it in and then found out that they no longer support the unit. Pretty much the same story, they couldn't repair the unit, and since they are no longer manufactured they cannot support the product. I traded mine in and got the AirMap1000. When I found out that a newly purchased SD card wouldn't work (because of a design/manufacturing flaw in the AirMap) they had me send it in and replaced it with a new unit.

I feel that I was treated fairly. Since there seemed to be a problem with the '300 it wouldn't make sense to keep manufacturing them. Modern electronics mostly can't be repaired because they are molded into one unit. Besides the 4M chip in the '300 cost somewhere around $100, the 512M chip for my '1000 was about $40. All in all I am happier with the 1000, than the 300.

Know anyone that wants misc. AirMap300 stuff?

 

[Ghery]

When they told me that, I immediately bought a new antenna and battery for my Precedus, vintage 1996. I am now living on borrowed time with it...

Well, my Garmin 45 that we bought for the boat in 1994 is still perking right along. Doesn't work worth a darn on the plane, but that's not what it was purchased for.

Heard an interesting story about Garmin from someone at the Cessna display at Fun 'n Sun in April. Seems that Garmin has all of 8 people to perform warranty repairs on all of their products. Aviation products only account for about 20% of their sales. They guarantee a maximum of a 3 day turn around and typically provide 1 day turnaround. Says something for the quality of the product if 8 people can do that. Or, it doesn't take long to drop a new unit in the box and ship it back without even trying to repair the old one...

 

[waldo]

I know how you feel and like I mentioned, I'm in the same boat with the Airmap 100, eventually it will make a good boat achor. It's not just Lowrance though. All electronics are being updated faster than consumers can buy the products. It's doesn't matter who makes the GPS, one day it will no longer be supported. The Airmap 300 was introduced in January 1998. We think NOTHING of updating that personal computer (several times) in the same time frame, at $1,500 a pop! Why would we think that our GPS should last forever

 

[Ken Ibold]

The Airmap 300 was introduced in January 1998. We think NOTHING of updating that personal computer (several times) in the same time frame, at $1,500 a pop! Why would we think that our GPS should last forever

That's the truth. I called Sony for a desktop docking port for my Vaio laptop 14 months after buying the computer. Sorry. No longer produced. Now if I wanted to buy one with a new Vaio, they would be happy to charge me retail for it and the computer.

Last year I threw away a laptop that was going strong ... had Windows 3.1, 40 MB hard drive and no CD drive, because it had lost usefulness. I don't expect that to happen for a while with the Precedus, which is going strong.

 

[AdamZ]

That's the truth. I called Sony for a desktop docking port for my Vaio laptop 14 months after buying the computer. Sorry. No longer produced. Now if I wanted to buy one with a new Vaio, they would be happy to charge me retail for it and the computer.

Last year I threw away a laptop that was going strong ... had Windows 3.1, 40 MB hard drive and no CD drive, because it had lost usefulness. I don't expect that to happen for a while with the Precedus, which is going strong.

But Ken you don't depend on the computer manufacturer to sell you annual upgrades to the computer to make it "Safe" to use like you may for a GPS. I own an Airmap 300 and it works GREAT! I could continue to use it until it died but for the chips no longer being manufactured. I guess I can still use it for "back up guidance" but I like to be up to date.
John I too called LEI-Extras to the updated chips. I was told that Lowrance never made the chips but rather they were made by Jepp and that Jepp stopped making them not Lowrance. I guess they had some sort of joint venture. They also offered me $100 off an Airmap 500 and varying amounts off other Lowerance Aviation products and Non aviation products. They also offered me a rebate certificate to use if I wanted to go directly to a retailer. Yes, I too am angry about not being able to get a chip for a perfectly good GPS. But since it is apparently JEPP that stopped making them I'm not sure who I should be angry at.

 

[John Recine]

Thanks all for your comments and ideas. I suppose I 'll have to keep an eye out for the the unit that offers the most for the best price, at this point confusion has set in on which to look at. I suppose I can use my airmap 300 on my motorcycle for any type of directional travel, just for the fun of it, however after following the story of the two inn the DC airspace closely. I want something I can really depend on to keep me off the f16 radar screen in addition to all the other navigational devices aboard. As a renter it seems nav systems come in a variety of shapes, sizes and configurations ranging from single VOR to the latest garman. The thought of having my own system is more a piece of mind issue in any aircraft I am flying.

Being greased by an F16 is no way to grease a landing!

Thanks again for again your help

John

 

[Ken Ibold]

But Ken you don't depend on the computer manufacturer to sell you annual upgrades to the computer to make it "Safe" to use like you may for a GPS. I own an Airmap 300 and it works GREAT! I could continue to use it until it died but for the chips no longer being manufactured. I guess I can still use it for "back up guidance" but I like to be up to date.

I understand your point, Adam, and I am suffering the same fate with my handheld GPS, which is now 8 years old. It works great, even though at some point the database will be hopelessly outdated.

But my point is that it's unrealistic to expect a manufacturer to support these things forever, particularly if it involves external chips rather than a data download. It's one thing to keep a database, quite another to keep an inventory of obsolete chips for a few hundred (?) users. Look at what has happened to technology over the past 7 years. At some point, you just have to say "well, that cost me $80 a year" and retire it for something better, knowing you got your money's worth while it lasted.

 

[SkySpy]

Know anyone that wants misc. AirMap300 stuff?[/QUOTE]

Hi MD.... I am still using my Airmap 300.. holding on before I go for a color gps with approaches and terrain,, but, I would love to get a replacement rechargeable battery and / or a snap on that takes AA batteries, if it was made... even a spare external antenna,,
Not every plane has a usable cigarette lighter

Can you help??
Thank you,
Jerry