How long do vexilar last?

Hello everyone, just purchased a 10 year old vexilar fl-20. Just wondering how long do vexilar units typically last?

22 years on my old fl-8. Replaced the transducer once. I do not treat the unit very well and it keeps plugging along.

Till you run them over with a truck lol. You can always get new motors, brushes, and transducer for them.

My brothers vex is 20 years old and for the first 10 years of its life it spent 6+ hours a day on the ice. (He worked construction and would be laid off all winter.) The unit screams but still works.

They’re like stonehenge, they may fail eventually but no one really knows.

Longer than cockroaches and Cher.

I cant tell you. Never had a issue with the 3 that I’ve owned. My oldest unit is well over 20 years old. I cant say the same for the 1 Marcum that I had.

A long time. I bought an fl-8 when i was in middle school. Felt pretty cutting edge!

I finally sold it a few years back. It must have been 20 years old. Went through 1 transducer change, and I think the lights were a little dimmer than when new. The brushes probably could have been replaced but everything still worked fine.

Thanks for your guys’ input.

I found an old hondex (same as vexilar) in a basement. It still works great! It even has the old push call feature.

I got my FL-18 the first or second year they came out, which has got to be close to 20 years now. It refuses to quit, no matter how many times it hits the ice.

I’m on 15 years.

The FL8 I sold to a buddies kid is still kicking along at 23 years old. That thing has been treated like a 2 dollar hooker and it won’t die. It probably could use new brushes but still works fine as is. He says it’s just always in Night Mode now. My FL-20 is going on like 10+ now and runs like a top. Year 4 of the FLX-28 and no issues. I don’t think you’ll have any issues. You never hear of any problems with them. That’s the one advantage they have over all the digital units. I wouldn’t want to treat a bird or Marcum they way I toss around my Vex. You can always send it in in the spring and have them do a once over after the season for peace of mind.

I’m on 17 years, still going strong..

As long as a 4Runner!

Not sure my oldest one is only 23 or 24 years old.Forever possibly.

Just make sure you download the software updates every year. (NOT!)

I bought an FL-8 right after I got out of the Army in 96. Still going strong

Got fl8 from 1999 still going strong. I wonder how many hours I’ve stared at that thing????

Same here fl8 going strong after 20 plus years.

Josh Runksmeier wrote:

Got fl8 from 1999 still going strong. I wonder how many hours I’ve stared at that thing????

Me too, probably bought my first in 1994. So many hours staring at that for multiple overnight trips in a sleeper house. Late at night in the dark with just the flasher lights coloring the room and my mind…and lot’s of beer consumed, that humming sound becomes all the more mesmerizing. Getting lost in an FL-8 flasher late at night while your life in the world spins in your head.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

Getting lost in an FL-8 flasher late at night while your life in the world spins in your head.

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waldo9190 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:</div>
Getting lost in an FL-8 flasher late at night while your life in the world spins in your head.

You been there before, haven’t you?

And where have I seen this before?
Fishing is not an escape from life, but often a deeper immersion into it.- Harry Middleton

This is how you’ll see me in the “deeper immersion” of late night Vexilar therapy. It’s all about fishing, and how you live.

Oui?

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My FL8 is around 25 years old still running with no issues or parts replaced.

I have a fl8 slt, I think I bought it around 1998 or so. A few years ago I was at the ice fish show looking at the new at that time flx-28 in the vexilar booth. The guy asked if I’m ready to upgrade, I told him I will upgrade when my fl8 dies. He told me “you’ll never be upgrading” with a smile. The dang things are like the GM 3800 V6, they just never die.

24 years, still does the same thing as the day I got it.

Over 15 for my FL8-se.

I have a buddy that still uses a single color FL7. I think it is pre Hondex. 33 years old.

Bought fl-18 the winter of 2005-2006. Put on a new transducer and off/on switch and one new battery. Retired the end of 2001 and gets almost daily use once it gets froze up good.

I fished with a guy that had a Si-tex, about a year later I got an Fl-8, pretty sure they were the same. I bought mine in the mid 80,s. Still runs fine. The colors on the old flashers were kind of weak, if you painted the inside of a 2lb coffee can black and put it over the face of the flasher, it was a lot clearer. DK.