If you had the money to buy a combo unit, say 6 or 700. Which one would you go with and why?

I would avoid combo units at all costs, not worth the chance that when you lose something you loose it all.

I agree with Mike. Unless you absolutely have no space for them, get separate units.

spend all the dough on the fishfinder and get a cheapie handheld

Have you ever lost your system? I havn't nock on wood.

What I was figuring was keeping the existing BW Garmin on the boat and buying a color combo, using both GPS units. Using the color GPS when moving from spot to spot, then switch it to sounder, and use the BW to track drifts, and as a backup. I don't know, I am deffinately going for the color FF one way or the other. I also have a backup HH GPS76map. :gu:

Sounds like a wiring cluster puck and muck to me.:(
I am goiing to color fish finder this year as well. I guess for the money you can get a cheap combo in black and white. Might as well have a back up. Makes sence. Wait, I sound like the two old guys on the mupets. "I HATED IT!" "YEAH THAT WAS AWFUL!" "IT REALY WASN'T THAT BAD" "NO NOT AT ALL" "BRAVO, BRAVO!"

Bill over the past few years I have gone from a hand held Garmin and black/white ff to a dash mount portable Garmin 176 b/w with a garmin b/w ff to a color combo Garmin 178c,and I have gone with a new combo unit this year but now a Raymarine C70 with radar/ff/gps. I have never had any of the units I have owned go bad and do not know of anyone with a combo unit that has gone bad. This does not mean it can't happen but then agian any unit can go bad combo or not. With me I like the combo unit much better than a stand alone as in a smaller boat (21') it keeps everything handy and neat. But I will say that I have a hand held gps onboard plus the combo unit so if it should go down I will still have the gps to get home at night or in a fog. This year I will have the C70 and the Garmin 178c side by side and the hand held so if one or the other dies I should still have a working unit. Plus if all else fails as in NO POWER and all units are down there is always the good old compass you guys do remember those don't you?;) Bill also I would go with COLOR trust me there is a differance a big one. Take a look around I bet you can find a good deal on a Garmin combo color that is discontinued my 178c is and I would buy one agian if need be and the price is way down now. If you would like to see what a b/w looks like next to a color unit come on down and I will hook them up side by side so you can see. Better yet if you can wait a month I could take you and Slip fishing for a night to my spring hot spot and then you can make a on hand judgement.

spring [HOT SPOT}} F/U :chatter

Clammer I just got back from a striper hunt with GS my arms hurt:bl2: my thumb is bloody and its cold out but what fish we caught!!!!!!!!!!:kewl:

Greg thanks for the offer. I was thinking of getting a Garmin color gs/chartplotter, and a Lowrance color ff. I have a BW Garmin, and a BW Lowrance now. I wanted updated charts for the gps, but Garmin does'nt make the Micro G cards any more, so thats why I kinda want to get both. Greg if you talk to Bob tell him Steve From Mass is looking t get in touch with him, he may have a space for him to pour rubber..

greg //It may be a 3 weekday fishing week //this week //i left ya a message yesterday ..that the fish were bigger :eyes:

I have the Garmin 178C on my CC and it works great. I bring a handheld GPS backup along w charts/compass. Never had a problem with the unit failing. Great little unit.

Not a thing wrong with combo units for a small CC.I have been running a Garmin 185 for 5 years.
If I had the coin I would love to buy a Raymarine A65:tooth:

I've had no issues with my Garmin GPSMAP 238 over 2 seasons.

If I were shopping today, I would go with one of the smaller color units, like this Garmin 178C (http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap178c/) for $510:

https://byownerelectronics.com/store/cart.php?xid=43ae49b5af364dd19e56c2137605a681

The Garmin BlueChart map chip will run you about an additional $120.

Keep em seperate.
Not worth the pain and hassle and the NIGHTMARE that accompanies things failing.

And esp. stay away from the Raytheon systems, they're total crap and die the moment they get *moist*.

Anybody have suggestion as to where to buy a 178C external Ant with a external transducer? Best Price?
Mounting it on a 2090 Center Console?
Why wouldn't the 172C be a better deal?

Don't get a combo unit. If it goes down you're out 2 electronic tools instead of one. IMHO- the extra money paid for 2 seperate units is worth the peace of mind.

So that said what would be a good HD Color Sounder with a WAAS interface into it.

Anybody have suggestion as to where to buy a 178C external Ant with a external transducer? Best Price?
Mounting it on a 2090 Center Console?
Why wouldn't the 172C be a better deal?

Looks like that link I posted above has expired. Try here:

http://byownerelectronics.com/store/home.php

The 172 C is cheaper, it does not include the fishfinder.