Looks like Minn Kota redesigned their Terrova – any reviews yet?

Minn Kota redesigned their Terrova per their website. Not sure if I like the new “retro” looking design though.

Looks like they added some new features including list assist, jog feature (thanks Motorguide), and newly redesigned hand held controls. I’m sure there are other new features but those were the big ones I noticed.

My question to Johnson Outdoors is how accurate is the spotlock now? The old design was about 20 ft. Will it compete with the xi5 which is considerably better than the old Terrova? Also, did they fix the issue I currently have… when I first turn on the unit I have to bang the iPilot control on the side of the boat to get it to turn on.

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If its anything like my Terrova, Ill review it in three letters: P.O.S.
Two brain boxes
Two foot pedals
Numerous break downs
Undependable
Expensive to maintain
Built by a company that wont admit they built a lemon or make things right.
And I have owned Minkota for over 30 years and never had an issue with any of there products

If anyone wants a free terrova its sitting in my garage, not working again. Free. It might make a good boat anchor

bigpike wrote:

If its anything like my Terrova, Ill review it in three letters: P.O.S.
Two brain boxes
Two foot pedals
Numerous break downs
Undependable
Expensive to maintain
Built by a company that wont admit they built a lemon or make things right.
And I have owned Minkota for over 30 years and never had an issue with any of there products

This is the new release product or an old version you are speaking of? My guess is old, I think the question pertains to the new release design.

The new version’s spotlock is best in the business now, many videos online showing how it holds it’s spot within a few feet. Sucks for those of us who have an older models who’s spotlock goes all over the place…

I think i’ll wait a few years for Humminbird and Minnkota to come up with a completely wireless system using bluetooth…

bigpike – PM sent

djshannon wrote:

Also, did they fix the issue I currently have… when I first turn on the unit I have to bang the iPilot control on the side of the boat to get it to turn on.

Be careful about the having to bang the controller to turn it on…. I knocked the screen (chip) loose on mine doing it, and had to buy a new controller.

Other than that, I love my current model. Yes the spot lock could be better – but compared to the anchor and 100′ of rope…. well, I like it.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

completely wireless system using bluetooth…

Their website says it uses a bluetooth system, is there a next step this one isn’t using? The older ones like I have, was that a different, like radio wave type of technology?

The trolling motor bluetooth connection is just for the remote control functions and software updates.

I’m taking about the ability for the trolling motor and a Humminbird fish finder (Helix or Solix) going wireless vs the network hub & cables required right now…

Going wireless eliminates the huge $$ markups they currently make on all of the wired parts, so I’m guessing they want to keep that revenue stream going as long as possible…the newer bluetooth specs can easily handle the data amounts being transferred so they are purposely not implementing it yet…

Based on hardware alone though, they should be able to go wireless (bluetooth) right now, so perhaps a future software update will allow it, although I suspect they’ll wait a few years and offer wireless in a completely new product release, forcing those who want wireless with the newer terrova/ulterra/ultrex to upgrade…

On my terrova I continue to get an error that says “motor error” on the controller. Sometimes it corrects itself. Other times I need to use the foot pedal which does not allow for spot lock. Anyone else have this? Beating the controller on the side of the boat hasn’t fixed it. Maybe kicking it would?

Never had the error.

I picked up the new 80lb terrova with link right away from cabelas in December. Things awesome. Have had it out in extreme winds and current already on the river next to a deadhead and it stayed right in the same spot.
The jog 5ft feature is nice too for dissecting wingdams. It is Bluetooth as well.

So let me get this straight. Minn Kota won’t fix the old motors and now has significantly decreased the value of our 3 year old POS terrovas?

Minn Kota

The day of thinking that taking care of your customers and the money will follow is all but over I’m afraid. Not just large companies but smaller ones as well.

Oh how I would like to come back 100 years from now…well, maybe not.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Going wireless eliminates the huge $$ markups they currently make on all of the wired parts

You do realize they’ll just put that markup on the units themselves? My guess is they’ll have standard non-Bluetooth versions for the budget conscious and Bluetooth versions for “just $500 more”!

biggill wrote:

So let me get this straight. Minn Kota won’t fix the old motors and now has significantly decreased the value of our 3 year old POS terrovas?

Minn Kota

no company does this. old customers aren’t entitled to new technology because they are unhappy with old technology. New technology decreases the value of old technology all the time. it literally how its supposed to work.

These new ones come with a rock solid 30 day warranty, correct?

I got to see the new terrova on the water last fall at the ranger ride and drive in garrison during the bass masters tournament it was very impressive the spot lock seemed to hold with in 5 ft in the boat wakes coming and going from the harbor the jog mode would be nice when trying to stay on top of a school of fish but for the $ i think i will wait a year or two to see how they hold up

I upgraded to the ipilot a couple of years ago on my powerdrive v2. The anchor feature is nice but it does swing back and forth quite a bit to the point if I’m buy myself it’s nearly impossible to have deadsticks in also. My question is can I upgrade to the spot lock? Or do I need to buy a whole new trolling motor??

hnd wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>biggill wrote:</div>
So let me get this straight. Minn Kota won’t fix the old motors and now has significantly decreased the value of our 3 year old POS terrovas?

Minn Kota

no company does this. old customers aren’t entitled to new technology because they are unhappy with old technology. New technology decreases the value of old technology all the time. it literally how its supposed to work.

I certainly understand I’m not entitled to new technology, but what baffles me is how my original IPilot was stellar, and my 2014 IPilot Link is junk on spot lock. They regressed the accuracy in almost everyone’s opinion that has had both. I’ve pretty much held off saying anything negative about this for3 years thinking that there’s no way MinnKota will not make this correct with a simple software update. They have they ability. But now , with the 17 models out, and no update available, I’m being more vocal about the disservice they dealt. Spot Lock was an accurate description of my original IPilot. Area Lock, or Cove Lock more accurately describes my Link. I’ve been thinking about biting the bullet and upgrading hardware,but instead, I bought a original IPilot (no Link) to try before I make the move.

The old units can’t be upgraded because the technology is changing too fast. Mechanical, hardware, blue tooth, internal compass, etc changes, it’s not just updating software.

I’m not trying to defend the OEM. But this whole anchor/spot-lock technology didn’t even exist 6-7 years ago. Now Minnkota, Motorguide are in a race as to who can perfect it first/better. (Which in the long run, the competition is good for us). If either manufacturer falls behind they lose all market share.

So, here we are already on 3rd generation of some of these products in relatively few years. And when we buy, in part you just have to resign yourself that whatever you have will be at least partially obsolete within 2 years… and either upgrade then, or live with what you have as best you can which can be tough..

I just bought a new Ultrex and can’t wait to use it. But watch – in 3 years I’ll be full of envy watching the guy in the boat next to me who has the new integrated product from Yeti/Hoover/Ginsu/MotorGuide that holds the motor on spot while a long arm goes to the bottom and vacuums up fish to the livewell, where they are automatically cleaned, vacuum-sealed and thrown in a cooler on ice that lasts for 7 days or until you get home