How old is your vex?

[A- bomb]

Well we might get ice next week...finally! So i have some friends coming up to fish. So off to the back room, dig out the FL-8, dust it off, toss in a battery and just like every time before!!  Bam, spnnney, flashy lights!!!It just got me thinking...i bought this thing used..150.00  Before my son was on the ice.  Its been fished hard, drug around, bounced around, dropped ( a lot), sat for a few seasons and this thing is bullet proof.  Ya, its the guest model now and the newer versions get the call in season. My son is 24.
Electronics now are about disposable or just don't last.  No new parts,  version revisions 2.5 , down loads....
 Just add power and these things and they just last.... and still get you on fish.. 
So how old is your VEX?

[SLAYERFISH]

My LX-5 is 12 years old.

[Splattypus]

Well mine is brand new, but from what I've been told, I could easily still be using it in 15 or 20 years.
Basically everything we buy now isn't designed to last. We live in a disposable world and it sucks. Some time a few decades ago, manufacturers realized that it's not profitable to build products that last, it's better to make them last just long enough, then fail and make the consumer buy a new one. Heck, everything is subscription based now, up to and including the heated seats in your $80k BMW.  Nickel and diming the consumer for every last cent is the backbone of our economy, and it gives me a  bleak outlook for the future, both on a personal financial view and a larger ecological view

[wolverine]

Just talked with youngest son last week about the age of my clam scout and vexilar which I now know I bought 19 yrs ago when he worked at gander mountain and I got great deals on both back then. Both are still being used and  never any issues.

[Fishing_Machine]

My FL-8 was new late 1990's.  Had a Sitex FL-8 before that.  The first flasher I used was the old Green box Lowrance flasher.
My current FL-8 has been taken apart several times to clean/free up the brushes.  It starts blinking out when the brushes start hanging
up and I clean it up when I get tired of giving it a bump to get going again.  I couldn't tell anyone how many batteries I've gone through. 
Tough units! FM

[hardwater diehard]

2003 ...gave it a lil up grade to the Ultra case ..TriBeam transducer and a Trophy Angler carry bag ...it recently took a 20mph tumble out of my SUV ..was in a 7 gal bucket ...and kept on ticking.

[DR.SPECKLER]

Not sure on the years but i got a old fl3 and fl5.

[Doeslayer]

My fl20 was bought new in 2007 from a friends grandpa,i acquired it when he passed away 6 years ago ish.... Still runs strong, i have replaced the battery though

[skifisher]

I still have my Cabelas VX-1, which I believe was an early model made by Vexilar. I have replaced it with a Marcum M-5, but I know the VX-1 is still available as a backup. My guess is it’s going on 30+ years old. No bells and whistles, but I can find the fish if I need to.
Just like me…a “relic”!

[spoofhoundicefisher]

i bought a used fl8 back in 1996 and is still in use to this day as a 2nd or 3ed option.  on ponds its used more than anything else.  don't know how old it was when i bought it but was well broken in when i acquired it.

[Nitz]

I bought my FL-18 the year they came out (2001/2002 ice season, I believe) in an Ultra Pack setup w/ the dual beam (9/19 deg) Ice-Ducer.  I have used it every season since.  Zero issues, still love it.

It is on its second battery, the first one somehow lasted until a couple winters ago.  I plan to acquire a lithium battery for it next season.

I have some interest in running an LCD unit w/ GPS [perhaps the Humminbird ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G4], but I would definitely still hold on to my Vexilar.

[whiteymalone]

Bought my FL-18 deep water with dual beam(9/19) transducer in 2005. Used it a ton ice fishing and out of the boat. I had to replace the dual beam this winter with a Pro-View when the 9 degree stopped working. 18 years, two replaced batteries, and one transducer. I'll take that kind of reliability any time.

[Nitro_372]

I bought my FL-18 the year they came out (2001/2002 ice season, I believe) in an Ultra Pack setup w/ the dual beam (9/19 deg) Ice-Ducer.  I have used it every season since.  Zero issues, still love it.

It is on its second battery, the first one somehow lasted until a couple winters ago.  I plan to acquire a lithium battery for it next season.

I have some interest in running an LCD unit w/ GPS [perhaps the Humminbird ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G4], but I would definitely still hold on to my Vexilar.

same here bought my fl-18 first year they came out and she's still going strong, also on second battery. I did upgrade to livescope last year. 

[ice dawg]

Bought my FL18 the year they came out. I had a Micronar FL8 before that. My son has and uses both now.

[Hillsfisher]

I bought my FL8 around 2002-2004.  It is stilling chugging along! 

[AGC]

Have had first FL8 for 25 years. I use it when I take a newbie. I let them use the second FL8 I bought 5 years ago. Old one fits in a 5 gal bucket and new one fits in a plastic Craftsman square bucket.

[Raquettedacker]

Pretty old.. . I bring this one for other’s to use.. . I use my Marcum   

[Finnt]

FL8 Got it in 95 still works good cleaned brushes and slip rings a couple times. Replaced brushes once. It's been dropped and rolled off atvs and snowmobile many times. And I had to replace the tranducer, and that was me being stupid leaving  it in the hole and driving off while the head unit was in sled.

[jrjach75]

I'm running a vintage FL8-SLT that I found earlier this summer, brand new in the box. It's got to be close to 20 years old. I already had a blue box shuttle, an extra transducer, and charger/battery, just needed a head unit. Saw this one listed on Ebay, it was a set up for a boat with a high speed transducer and a really long power cable, otherwise same as an ice unit. It had a "best offer" option so I low-balled an offer to see what they'd counter with, but they took it. I sold the boat transducer back on Ebay to cut my costs even more. I planned on keeping it as a back up but kind of like running it some days even though I have a FLX28. I've been keeping my 3D printer busy coming up with accessories for the Genz box, some work pretty well like the transducer arm, some not so much. The rod holder on the side needs some work but it's close.

[frnak001]

Bought my FL8 in 2001, bought a showdown the next year. Both still working fine.

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

Bought my FL-8 I think in 2013 or 2014.  I am pretty sure it was at least ten years old when I bought it.  Still works great used as a backup or an extra for wife or son.

[trophytaker1]

Bought my FL8 in 1995. Still works.

[MJS]

FL-8, the one that you could set an alarm, must have been late 80's early 90's
Still works, since then I have added an FL-18, FL-20 and my current one a FLX-28

[thinblueline]

I wonder if there will be any difference in longevity in the newer vexilars with the brushless technology? I don’t know anything about the mechanics of these devices.

[A- bomb]

IT would sad if a tried and true gave into to that mentality.
I have built my reputation on lasting, longevity and quality.... the results are far exceeding my abilities.
I know its not mainstream but growth from satisfaction is so much better than growth from obsoleteism....is that a word lol???
Well its mine now!

[Shoe]

We bought one of the original Vex'es when I was a kid for open water boat fishing.  I'm 64.  It ran on C batteries.  It had a big knob in the center to set a depth alarm.  My brother asked me a few months ago if he could sell it.  I said, heck yes.  I have a FLX-28 that I bought last year.  He may still have it because there isn't much of a market for such a thing from 1960's. 

s 

[A- bomb]

60's... got mine beat lol!

[eriksat1]

I have 2 LX-5 flashers still working great bought new in around 2001.
only problem I have had to buy 2 new ice ducers other than that still fish catching machines.

[dogfish]

Still got and use my Zircom Clearwater Classic from 1994. 

[eriksat1]

I have a really old Humminbird super 60 flasher maybe 1970's but it really wasn't made for ice fishing.