Lowrance IWAY 500C - REVIEW and my experience

[hackenfort]

Ordered it on Apr6 from Buy.com - price $599 - with a $100 rebate offer. It was shipped and delivered on Apr 10th. I also used the economy shipping which was included.

First off, I'm impressed with the features, and the fact that I now would have only one unit on my bike for GPS and MP3.
I open the box to find a very nice looking unit, easy to use. And what a plus, it includes a RAM mount for the car and the bike - nice touch. When I start transferring my MP3 the first thing I notice, this is very slow, I'm thinking their USB port must be 1.1 not 2.0? I can't find any info on it with the unit. Once I down load my music, I'm off for a ride in the car. It works perfect, and sounds good too. Coming from a Garmin 2610, I'm really enjoying the bigger screen and it seems to have more details. So I try it on the bike, love the cleaner look with only one unit mounted now. Sound is good.

Then on Wed Apr12 one of the two audio channels starts humming. I perform a reset on the unit, the humming is diminished, but still present. Next day Thru Apr13, I start using it, within a couple of minutes both audio channels stop, one is humming lower than ever and the other is dead. I try calling Lowrance all afternoon, but am unable to reach anyone. Not even voice mail! So first thing this morning I call - they are closed for the day.

I like the unit, many people have written me telling me how trouble some and buggy they are. But everyone reassured me Lowrance customer support is great and I shouldn't be concerned - I'd be taken care of.

To date I'm not impressed! I want my Garmin back :-)

If I could do it again, I would not buy a LOWRANCE product!


Kevin

[x-beast]

I could not live without my iWay. It is awesome. I've had one for four months - no problems. Music plays pretty well but I need a line noise filter. Just for the heck of it you should try one per the manual to see if it works.

[motoman]

Kevin,

I would suggest giving Lowrence a chance to make things right for you. Their customer support group is excellent. I worked with them on getting a SW upgrade and they were very responsive. They answered all my emails promptly and even followed up with a phone call. They sent me the SW upgrade for free, paid the shipping and it arrived promptly.

I am happy I bought the Iway500 and have not been disappointed.

Hope everything works out for you.

- Motoman

[hackenfort]

I could not live without my iWay. It is awesome. I've had one for four months - no problems. Music plays pretty well but I need a line noise filter. Just for the heck of it you should try one per the manual to see if it works.

I have one (noise filter) on the bike, yes they do work great. But in this case, it's the IWAY that's not putting any sound out except hum. I checked it out in the car and in the house too.

I hope they can make it right, the features look great. But so far I'm very disapointed with it!

Thanks

Kevin

[Lamonster]

I could not live without my iWay. It is awesome. I've had one for four months - no problems. Music plays pretty well but I need a line noise filter. Just for the heck of it you should try one per the manual to see if it works.

I have one (noise filter) on the bike, yes they do work great. But in this case, it's the IWAY that's not putting any sound out except hum. I checked it out in the car and in the house too.

I hope they can make it right, the features look great. But so far I'm very disapointed with it!

Thanks

Kevin

You need to sell it now because it sounds like you don't have the patients to deal with problems and there is a good chance that you are going to have problems. I'm on unit number 8 but I'm very happy with the customer service and the unit when it works. Right now I don't see anything out there that is any better. Sell it now and get a Garmin.

[RayJay]

I could not live without my iWay. It is awesome. I've had one for four months - no problems. Music plays pretty well but I need a line noise filter. Just for the heck of it you should try one per the manual to see if it works.

I have one (noise filter) on the bike, yes they do work great. But in this case, it's the IWAY that's not putting any sound out except hum. I checked it out in the car and in the house too.

I hope they can make it right, the features look great. But so far I'm very disapointed with it!

Thanks

Kevin

You need to sell it now because it sounds like you don't have the patients to deal with problems and there is a good chance that you are going to have problems. I'm on unit number 8 but I'm very happy with the customer service and the unit when it works. Right now I don't see anything out there that is any better. Sell it now and get a Garmin.


Ya know Lamont I do agree to a point,,,, But I do get so tired of spending my hard earned money then having to go through the hassle of working through problems on a brand new unit, (of anything) and it isn't only iway, but it seems like the list is never ending,,,,,


The cost of the iway unit itself probably only cost a tenth of the overall retail cost of the unit, while the rest of the cost is the software and the R&D,,, I wish companys would spend a little more on the units themselves and get the bugs worked out before they hit the comsumer,,,,

[Lamonster]

In a perfect world everything would work right the first time. When you find that world let me know so I can move there. ;)

[hackenfort]

You need to sell it now because it sounds like you don't have the patients to deal with problems and there is a good chance that you are going to have problems. I'm on unit number 8 but I'm very happy with the customer service and the unit when it works. Right now I don't see anything out there that is any better. Sell it now and get a Garmin.

I guess I could take it back and get a refund - it's less than 10 days old. I know on internet forums, problems are often magnified and over stated. And I'm not happy with Lowrance at all right now, my Garmin worked right out of the box for two years with no problems, but I'm sure some people did have problems - that's electronics!

I have spent the last 24 years working in computer/electronic and know all to well problems do occur. But most issues are discovered and corrected within months or even days of introduction a product, not after a year plus of production. Problem / return rates should be minimal at this point. But again, I have never worked with and electronic product made in Mexico!

It does look like a great unit, and I hoping Lowrance can fix the problem in a reasonable time. But if your on your 8 th unit, I am not sure I would call that patients!


Kevin

[x-beast]

... I'm on unit number 8 but I'm very happy with the customer service and the unit when it works. Right now I don't see anything out there that is any better...

As long as they stand behind it when it fails I'm good to go. Its benefits far outweigh any problems. From what I've read across several forums the owners of this device are very glad they own it. Problems? A few - but overall it smokes the competition.

[Mad Cow]

Ya know Lamont I do agree to a point,,,, But I do get so tired of spending my hard earned money then having to go through the hassle of working through problems on a brand new unit, (of anything) and it isn't only iway, but it seems like the list is never ending,,,,,


The cost of the iway unit itself probably only cost a tenth of the overall retail cost of the unit, while the rest of the cost is the software and the R&D,,, I wish companys would spend a little more on the units themselves and get the bugs worked out before they hit the comsumer,,,,


Bingo, rush to market.

I believe if I had anything fail eigth times I would be considering something else.

[RRT1]

I got my Iway 500c today. I went around a few blocks "in my truck". This unit froze on the startup screen. It was turned on for no more than 15 minutes. I am very afraid I made the wrong purchase. I really like the looks and features and hope I can get this exchanged. I bought this from redtagsavings.com. Has anyone had any expierience with these people? Should I try to return it to them or go straight to Lowrance? I was really looking forward to taking this on vacation this weekend!!!

[x-beast]

Remember - it takes it a couple of minutes to aquire the satellites and begin working. It may appear to be locked up during that time but it's not. I love my iWay for sure. I've got about 4,000 hard-ass miles on it and had zero problems. They have a guarantee if yours is toast. Although I'd just return it and buy another one somewhere else.

Hey Lamont! Are the Gold Wing guys complaining about their iWays? All the reviews I read over there a few months ago they loved 'em! Are problems cropping up with this thing?

[Lamonster]

I got to tell you that there have been way too many failures on this product. I wish I would have never bought it because now anything less than a 5" screen and the detail I have now would be a real let down. I hate to hear when folks have trouble with their new units, I would think they would have had all the bugs worked out by now. Like I said before it's a great unit when it works but it's has the worst history of failures of any GPS I can think of. :roll:

[Lamonster]

I got my Iway 500c today. I went around a few blocks "in my truck". This unit froze on the startup screen. It was turned on for no more than 15 minutes. I am very afraid I made the wrong purchase. I really like the looks and features and hope I can get this exchanged. I bought this from redtagsavings.com. Has anyone had any expierience with these people? Should I try to return it to them or go straight to Lowrance? I was really looking forward to taking this on vacation this weekend!!!

Just deal with Lowrance. I've got them on speed dial. Heck I got a personal extention of one of the head techs. :roll:

[x-beast]

What kind of failures are they seeing on these units?

[RRT1]

Thanks hal can you give me the "numbers"?

[RRT1]

I wish I had seen more negative reviews before buying this unit.

[wildabouthorses]

Sorry to hear you guys are having problems with the 1way 500c, so far so good for ours and I think we've had ours 6 months and its gotten alot of usage. We bought ours off the internet even though we could have bought it right here in town at their headquarters.

[RRT1]

I called Lowrance. They assured me that I just had a bad unit and are sending me another. Man I really hope this thing works. I really like the unit but am kinda gun-shy now!!

[hackenfort]

When my new one failed last week, and I couldn't get thru to anyone at Lowrance I wasn't a happy camper.

I must say, this week I have been on the tele with Lowrance three times, and I'm impressed. Their Customer Service appears to be really good!

'm feeling better now about purchasing the IWAY 500C and looking forward to getting a working unit back soon.

But I do think the Mexican factory producing these really needs to review it's QC and Testing procedures. It's a great design, but new units failing right out of the box is not acceptable!

Good luck with yours.

Kevin

[hackenfort]

Today IWAY 500C number two arrived.

Just finished trying it out, the screen sometime freezes and the Left audio channel is not working, and I did get a new unit with the 1.5 version of their software.

So on Monday I'll call Lawrance for several hours until I can get thru, then after being on hold for 20 or so minutes, I'll get a RA number and send this one back at the cost of $31 out of my pocket again. With any luck I can convice them to test the replacement unit before they ship it out!

I'm sure hoping someone is having better luck than I am with them

Kevin

[x-beast]

Wow. I got mine in the first week or so of January and I haven't had a lick of trouble with it. I use the darn thing every day too - either in my truck or on the bike. I just finished putting a Radio Shack inline noise filter in and wiring it directly to the battery so I can use it when the key is off. I have another friend with one and his works well too. I am sure Lowrance will make good on it. It's just a PITA waiting for it I am sure! I feel for ya bro!

[hackenfort]

I hope the third time is a charm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just got off 20 minutes of Lowrance hold. Looks like number three will be heading my way soon.

Once I get a working unit, I think I'll buy the extended warranty. I normally don't go for the warranty's but I think I may need it.

Thanks & Have a great day!

Kevin

[x-beast]

This is almost getting comical. Keep the faith dude. If the 3rd one tanks .... then it ain't meant to be ... :(

I HAVE HAD MINE FOR OVER 1 YEAR NO PROBLEMS / WORKS GREAT
SOUND GREAT / I HAVE 7 G OF MUSIC AND IT PLAYS AND CHANGES FINE, GPS WORKS NICE, HELPS ME FIND GAS AND FOOD WERE EVER I GO I LOVE IT ON TRIPS WERE I DONT KNOW THE TOWN /

[hackenfort]

Wed 5/3 number 3 arrived, seemed to be working, but a couple of concerns.

Maps and position were off - I'd be several hundred yards past a street, and the IWAY would show it coming up on the map. When I checked GPS Status, it appeared to have either 4 or 5 sat, and claimed to be accurate to 40~200 ft.

Then the screen started becoming un-responsive, at first I thought it was freezing or locking up, but it's just the touch points miss-aligned. I tried re- calibrating, and a hard reset with no luck, and then the audio died again.

Called Lawrance and was speaking to a great tech within a couple of minutes, number 4 is on the way! The tech I spoke said she's would be sending a new unit, not a re-furbished one, and even offered to ship it overnight, which I told her wasn't necessary.

I must say for the few minutes I was able to use the IWAY 500C, I liked it. It sounded great and the big display was awesome on the bike. I don't know if I would want to go back to small screen ones again.

Kevin

[wildabouthorses]

Glad to hear they are finally sending you a new one! Keeping my fingers crossed its a good unit too. Still no problem with ours yet!