Might be late to the party, but here it goes.
2 years ago I installed a LCX-113HD, a LCX-37C and a H-bird 1197SI. Since then, the 113 has been replaced not once, but two times, once for an internal connection from the transducer that failed, leaving me with no sonar functions at all. Second failure was when something inside broke or fell apart or an extra screw was left inside. Anyways, something was loose and rattling around inside and all I could think of a screw shorting out the board inside. That took a call to Linda Colt, who I remind everyone is no longer there. (What happened to all the hand washing of Lowrance after that I wonder?)
The 37C gave up the ghost late last summer, worked fine the previous weekend, after launching the boat I fired up the electronics and was greeted by a horrible screeching noise and no screen activity at all. When I contacted Lowrance, I asked and was denied an upgrade to an HDS AND they charged me $300 some bucks to send it in out of warranty and get it replaced. I got it so late in the fall I still have not had it on the boat and fired up, it is already out of warranty and has not been turned on yet. 
The Humminbird during this?? Just been Hummin along pretty as you please, no issues at all. Again all three units installed at the same time.
Fed up with quality of Lowrance products I have purchased.
Fed up with customer service, or lack of at Lowrance.
The “roll the dice” on who you may talk to when you do make a call, will they know more or less then you about the problem? Will they offer you an upgrade for your broken unit or will you get the person having a bad day who will do nothing to help you out.
Am tired of canned “they are on back order for 3 months” each time I have needed a unit replaced. The one Linda helped me with showed up in 3 weeks, I was told 3 months so I had a pleasant suprise there.
The no turning back, and hang everyone out to dry that has purchased last years models, buy a LCX-110? out luck the next year when they added the network port, buy a 113? outta luck using the 4000 series gps puck to it’s full potential. (or am I mistaken here?) Your also out of luck with the side imaging. Seems to me the box bolted outside of the head unit is what generates the signal, the screen would simply display what is fed to it. Software can be upgraded, see humminbirds addition, at no charge I might add, of the down-scan a few months ago. Be nice if they could toss a bone to owners of previous models on occasion. or leave some backwards compatability in new units.
Buy one of those hot broad band black boxes for $600? Anyone miffed like I was that they were included inside the units the following year?
My guess, the same thing happens with the side-imaging next year and will somehow not be compatable with previous models. At least without spending more money.
Replacing transducers almost yearly or when ever anything happens with the sonar, seems that was always Lowrance’s first suggestion to me was to replace the transducer. Those things aren’t cheap!
Am I bitter? 
You bet! I have $5k in electronics that cannot seem to make it more then one season without dying on me. I am not a guide, I probably make it out for a total of 30 days a season at max. I remove all the electronics and place them in padded cases from Cabela’s everytime I take the boat out of the water. Treat em like fine china and still they break. Too soon in my opinion.
When these die, and I don’t think it will take long. Humminbird will take it’s place.
), but I was pretty much set on an SI ‘bird. But now I’m wondering if I should give Lowrance’s structure scan a harder look, after seeing them in person recently. 
Please… don’t believe everything you hear. I pay cost with Jolly Ann or Skeeter Boat Center on all my electronics… and I own the place. There isn’t a company anywhere that is handing out “nearly free” units in exchange for personal endorsement from guys on a website. How people get this impression is beyond me.
