Jonathan,

I just got a Lowrance Airmap 500 about 2 months ago. I am extremely happy
with the unit. Small in size, rich in features. It has an easy to read
screen. It's easy to navigate. I found it at Marv Golden,
www.marvgolden.com for $425.00. I had narrowed it down to the Lowrance
Airmap 500 and the Garmin GPS Pilot III. The lowest price I could find on
the Garmin was $499.00. The Lowrance also comes with: a yoke mount, an
external antenna and a DC cigarette lighter adapter. All of those "extras"
were extra for the Garmin and would therefore add about $100.00 to the
price. But the new Garmin GPS 96 is now selling for $469.00 and comes with
the extras.

But for what it's worth, I do not regret buying the Lowrance one bit!
--
Chris Ehlbeck, PP-ASEL
"It's a license to learn, have fun and buy really expensive hamburgers."

"Jonathan Sorger" wrote in message
...
Thanks to advice from several people, I sold the Garmin Streetpilot that
was given to me as a gift and now wish to 'convert' it into an aviation
GPS.

I'm debating a Lowrance Airmap 1000 (or possibly a 500) and am curious
to hear opinions of happy/sad pilots who own it...

I have read as many online reviews as I can find and am curious to hear
from those on this list.

I feel as though it's prudent to get one with long-ish battery life (I
rent planes and find that cigarette lighters don't always work). Also
backup in case of power failure...

Yes, I'd like a Garmin 296 but don't have the extra grand...

Thanks,