lid wrote:
snip
I was in this situation 1.5 years ago. My Apollo GPS820 (anyone remember
that one?) broke. I decided to buy a Garmin 295, which cost about $1200.
I thought that an approach GPS would be far more expensive than the $1200
for the 295. About a week after I got the 295, I found a really good deal
for an approach-certified GPS - for $1200 (well, $1600 installed).

: Or, I could start saving for an IFR panel-mount, maybe a used King
: 89b---I believe the last discussion I heard put the unit plus
: installation at around $4500, which is coincidentally about 10x the cost
: of the handheld, for a unit similar in speed and function to my old 195
: but with a smaller screen. But, I could use it for approaches.

Whatever you do, DON'T get the 89B. The KLN94 is only a bit more $$, color,
and a much better UI. Even better, get a Garmin 300XL GPS/COMM, toss your
#2 NAV/COMM (perhaps sell it as well?), and have a decent panel mount
approach GPS and a very good COMM as well.

Do keep in mind that the database updates are supposedly required for
IFR approaches[*], and are a non-trivial cost. I just mailed Jepp $360 for
another year of updates.
[*] Yes, I know that it is possible to verify each & every waypoint and
continue to use an out-of-date database, but my POH supplement requires
"an updated database".

--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)