Mike Spera wrote:
The (very) good:
...I CAN ACTUALLY SEE
THE RAIN!!!! Oh yeah, that's what it is supposed to do.

Oh yeah. Two weeks ago I flew with my 396 from Durham NC to New
Orleans basically because the weather was so favorable. But within 50
miles of Lakefront, the ceilings were 1900MSL with build-ups and haze.
Is there a cell over Lakefront? How do I best plot a course in?
There's little visibility underneath on such a day. The 396 pays for
itself everytime it lights that picture up. Not a drop hit me coming or
going despite much requiired zigging and zagging. It was clear on
several occassions that my eyeballs not only couldn't pick the right
path, but rather would have picked the wrong the one.

When you think about it, I just bought RADAR for under $2500! Yes, it is
not airborne, tactical, real-time, weather penetration radar. But, it is
a pretty good WEATHER AVOIDANCE radar. Ground based, high power, 5
minute delay, with no attenuation like the on-board units. When you
think of it that way, the price may be easier to digest.

Often it seems better than on-board. It was clear on one of my first
flights that I had a better picture of conditions than the jets when
circumnavigating a complicated cell cluster. The controller was telling
them what I could already see. But I'm guessing that most of those guys
carry one around with them by this time if they don't have panel mounted
equivalents.

The bad:

...I was NOT going to like the yoke mount. I hated
every other mounting system (except my old Quik-Clamp) I have seen or
used. Yes, I especially dislike the RAM system.

The Garmin yoke mount and my Maule hate each other. I fabricated a
small bracket to hang it below the panel but finally used a RAM mount
which was perfect

About the connectors. There are now 3 of them (power, external GPS
antenna, and XM radio/antenna).
4 of them if you plug in the music - music is a wonderful side bene
Unless you have a hangar and want to
leave the unit in the plane, that means you have to plug and unplug 6
times for a typical journey away from the tiedown. Unplug the beast at
the restaurant or overnight destination and you double it.
Mine is parked in my backyard but I end up taking it out each time
anyway just because I want to use it in the car at at my desk.

Remember my
earlier comment about how difficult it it to do the plug/unplug
operation AND the mount/dismount because of the misplaced power
connector. This thing clearly needs a single multipin plug accessory
harness.
3 of my 4 wires go in different directions right at the unit. Too many
plugs but it's not clear a single plug and harness would be optimal in
my setup. Bluetooth?
While we are at it, the power plug is VERY tight. I swear I am
bunging the thing up putting it in an taking it out. I hope this gets
easier with time.

It sucks and it doesnt' get better.

Another nit is the power cable. IT IS NOT LONG ENOUGH!!! $2300 for a GPS
and I have to go to Rat Shack for a 12v extension. HELLLLOOOOOO!!?? Even
Lowrance (the "value" leader) figured out how much distance there is
across the Piper panel.
They got it right for mine but 3 more inches and *##$%. 12 more inches
and I would have $$%#@ too.

Nitting away, Where is the COVER???? I expect a cover to snap on to keep
the sun off the screen when parked and to protect the screen while in
the flight bag. Again, even Lowrance figured this one out. $.18 worth of
plastic is surely in the retail price somewhere. Yes, they do include a
small bag, but I find those things to be useless. Lets's trade the bag
for a snap-on cover.

Great idea. The bag sucks.
Final nit, it has a PROPRIETARY RECHARGEABLE BATTERY! It needs the
special charger to juice up. Opinions vary, but I prefer standard double
A's. I don't want to get fleeced for $200+ in a year or so when the
rechargeable craps out. Yes, I know it stays charged while on external
power, but I still don't like it. On the plus side, the battery will
last 6+ hours with a fairly high backlight on. Something like 16 hours
with the backlight off, but the unit is almost impossible to see with
the light off.

I like it. It's light weight makes the entire unit pleasant to handle,
less subject to trauma, and it runs forever (i.e. so I don't have to
think about it.

My problem is the hum I get when listening to XM Music while the unit is
plugged in. I end up keeping it unplugged for most of most flights.
O.K. I promised that the last comment was the final nit. I lied. It
appears I now have to spend ANOTHER $300 FOR THE AUTO KIT!!!!!! For the
price, I should have received the car kit AND a year's subscription to
the full bore "Aviator" weather package. Competitors, Garmin, anyone
listening?

Sounds like they stopped the free autokit promotion concurrent with the
$300 price drop. Nothing for nothing, price is the same it seems. I
feel better.
I must admit, if the price were around $1400 (where it belongs), these
shortfalls would be a LOT easier to take. It just grinds salt into a
pretty deep wound that the unit is not closer to perfection right out of
the box. But, as I said, it is RADAR! (At this point, I will tell myself
any lie to justify the cost).

It strikes me as so good I want to slap myself! Imperfections, yes. But
it's just an outstanding product. My honeymoon will be over when a
better, cheaper product is available....