Your opinions on GARMIN 5000 series

Me again:

Does any of you experienced traler owners have the new GARMIN GPSMAP 5015/12/08 installed? What is your opinion? Was that a good value for the price? Does it do its job?

Thank you all

Fernando

Fernando:

I don't have a 5015 but one of my passions is going to West Marine and trying all the various chart plotters. I found the 5015 extremely easy to use, a very bright & sharp display and it was highly recommended by the owner of a San Diego electronics shop. At several boat shows I've attended over the past few years, the Ranger Tugs dealer had that model in their boats. I really liked it as do I like most of the Garmin plotters.

Old Stone wrote:
Although I have two large Garmin units, they are not the 5015's. In my personal opinion, anything Garmin makes is a home run. Have never had a bad unit, and they are easy, even for a dummy like me, to use!

Click to expand...

*X2

I just bought a Garmin 700 series plotter and like the 5000 series is touch screen. Touch screen is the future and the only way to go if you can afford it.

I have Garmin chart plotter too 12" screen, not the 5000 series. *Their plotters are the best and only get better with each new model. *They have great maps and all the bells and whistles, more than I can use. *I don't know what I did without one all these years.

You won't be sorry whichever one you buy. *Maybe think about the screen size and where you will mount it at the helm. *A 12" was a little overwhelming at my helm at first. If you are going to have integrated networked systems, radar, with the plotter, then the 12" or larger is desirable.

I think it would not be an overstatement to say that as far as GPS goes, Garmin is the world gold standard...and I don't even have one....

Thank you all guys...You have helped me to take a decision. A 5012 will be.

Thanks

Fernando

When I began searching for options to upgrade my electronics with a budget of $5000, I think I should have posted the question just the way you did here. I'm headed down the pike now to look again at the 5000 series. Sounds like a good way to go....all plug-ins possible, and the Admiral loves the touch screen. *But that price increase from the 12 to 15 inch....wow.


-- Edited by healhustler on Thursday 4th of August 2011 10:35:17 AM

Why have a 15 inch? Heck my GPS is only 5 inch, and although I'd like bigger, it suffices, as a bigger screen is no more accurate, just a bit easier to look at. The huge cost increase for larger screens is a (marine) rip-off, look how cheap an iPad is compared. I would be more than happy with a 7 or 8 inch, so 12 would be more than enough, in my view. Larger is just one-upmanship if money is no object.