Things to consider when changing transducers...

[icejunky]

I have had a Vex FL18 for about 3-4 years now, i love it and see no reason to change or upgrade to the FL20. The only thing I wanted to do was to purchase a dual bean transducer, so this year I splurged, spent the extra $120 and upgraded to a dual beam

When it came in the mail I was excited, and quickly pulled off the old transducer and put on the new one....after hooking it all up, i noticed that it did not come with the mouting screws to add the switch to my older model propak, after asking a few questions on here i got the answers i was looking for and headed out to home depot to spend a couple bucks on screws.

So now the toggle switch is in place and im ready to go...Nope, the new transducer will not fit in the foam of my propak...so again I ask some questions and fins that for $5 (and $15 shipping) i can but the foam that will fit my transducer...the only problem is, it does not fit in my model propack...

So I decide what the hell, I will upgrade and spend $30 on a ProPak2 that comes with a foam that fits all the transducers. I think im good now...nope

The Propak 2 is taller then my propak so now my soft case does not fit...back onto the Vexilar site and spend another $30 on the new softcase that will fit both my propak and transducer...

So when all was said and done, I spend $120 on a new transducer, $60 on new gear to carry it all in, and about $50 in shipping charges...to beat that, UPS the great guys in brown hit me with a $60 brokerage fee when shipping it....My first order was $140 and they wanted $60 COD when i picked it up...I asked the guy to do the math on what percent they where charging for brokerage and I see his eyes pop as he figures out it was over 40%...so much for a stronge Canadian dollar..so yes your math is correct...to upgrade my transducer it cost me...

$290  (that includes the propak, a mag sheild, a soft case and a toque)

[jimmygunns]

I'm sorry, that's just funny.  Man, what a joke!  I just changed out mine on my FL-20 last year, but I had an Ultra pack.  In mounted just fine.  I wished I never cheaped out on a single beam duecer.  I swear all the time that I'll just go all out & just get what I want from the start, but sometimes you just want to try to save money, then it comes back later to drive you nuts!

[Woodsman]

One lesson which you learned the expensive way is to ensure anything being shipped from the US to Canada is never to be shipped UPS or any other courier. Brokerage fee's will kill you. Request US Postal ground. If they won't ship that way don't buy.

Rick

[icejunky]

Yep, I knew I was taking a chance with UPS as I have been bit before. The problem is you don't always get hit with the brokerage fee but when you do it is painfull.

[Irish Jigger]

I ordered some Ice Blue rods from the Canadian Outdoor Store and they didn't pull that crap with me. I would have reached across the desk and choked the guy. 40% of a size 15 in his a$$ is all he would have got out of me. If you already paid for shipping how could they possibly hold your item hostage till you pay more?

[Tainterslayer]

Wow that really sucks dude!!

[icejunky]

My understanding is that, UPS stops the package to charge me duty and taxes on my purchase, that was $18 or so, but their fee do stop and do that was 38$ that brings my total to  close to $60

[jimmygunns]

Man, I can't get over the extra fees you guys get sh@fted with.  That's nuts.  I never knew anything about that until reading other posts on here from your fellow Canuks.  Is that new or something?  I know they tax your beer up there to pay for the healthcare, but where does that money go & why is it only sometimes you have to pay it?  That is not fair at all!  I'd tar & feather that UPS guy!

[mntransplant]

Along the same lines as Canadian shipping charges...  I was going to order a new Nils ice auger and here's what they wanted,
   -$522 for the auger
   -$80 Canada/Alaska power auger handling fee
   -$49.95 Shipping and handling
for a grand total of
   -$651.96 (shipped from MN)
not to mention the UPS guy claims he cant find my house so i always have to go pick it up in Fairbanks before they send it back (12 miles)
So i emailed Nils directly asking for help and they told me to try Cabelas. Well as the story goes I picked one up on Cabelas for $542 and got free shipping to AK. WOOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!  only to be told they are out of stock and will be backordered till who knows when... At least i get the price locked in and the free shipping included.  That's over $100 savings. 

 It really chaps my A$$ when companies price gouge just because you like up north a few miles. I don't mind paying for the normal shipping fees but a "handling fee" is stupid!

[icejunky]

As a Canadian who buys from alot of US on-line retailers, I will say Cabelas is one of the smarter ones. I had the same problem in the past when I ordered from Cabelas and the brokerage fee was huge..so I stopped buying from them....so must have a lot of other Canadians as a few years ago they opened a Warehouse in the Toronto area, so now when I order from Cabelas they ship it to there Canadian Warehouse who then ships it to me...no customs or brokerage fees...very smart

[jascpa099]

Well, at least you got the dual transducer now.... I upgraded this year and am excited to use the dual beams...

[TIBS]

You could have got a Humminbird ice 35 for all that cash, and they come with a dual cone......

Couldn't resist a little jab.   

I had a dual cone on my fl-8, and that transducer head is about twice as wide as the standard 12 degree I believe.  Couldn't you just cut out the foam to make it fit?  Didn't your dual cone ducer come with any hardware to mount the switch?  If I remember correctly, mine was just mounted with plastic push rivets into 2 little holes in my propack carrier.

[icejunky]

Couldn't you just cut out the foam to make it fit?  Didn't your dual cone ducer come with any hardware to mount the switch?  If I remember correctly, mine was just mounted with plastic push rivets into 2 little holes in my propack carrier

nope, no hardware, and I know the foam would not fit, as I removed the foam form the propack and I cant even drop the transducer in the hole where the foam use to be.

[TIBS]

nope, no hardware, and I know the foam would not fit, as I removed the foam form the propack and I cant even drop the transducer in the hole where the foam use to be.

So, your foam didn't extend above the top of the battery?  That would probably be the difference then, on my old propack, the foam extended up and over the battery so there was plenty of room to hold the transducer.

[dkfry]

Heres a link to the original propack foams.
http://vexilar.com/pages/support/support_parts.html

Icejunky if you need something from Vexilar or some other US stores let me know, I can get it and send it USPS. Don't think USPS gets hit with brokerage too often. Its a shame how people north of the border and in AK get hosed.

[ICE KID]

you'd think vexilar would make everything compatible between units so you wouldn't have to buy all that extra bull CR@P, maybe they just wanted some extra $, all I know is that I became angry just reading your story, so I can't imagine how you feel

[TIBS]

you'd think vexilar would make everything compatible between units so you wouldn't have to buy all that extra bull CR@P, maybe they just wanted some extra $, all I know is that I became angry just reading your story, so I can't imagine how you feel

I think the problem is that the old pro-pack cases were probably designed before the dual-cone transducer.  The ducer is about twice the size as the original one, so it doesn't fit where the original one does, so they put a bandaid on it and made the styrofoam taller and hangs over the battery to make it work.  If he couldn't find the foam piece, he might have been able to make one, but I can see why this became a really expensive transition.  It would be nice if all the transducers were the same size....... would eliminate the problem, or just make the dual cone standard equipment.

[greenbackhunter]

I put a dual beam on my fl-20 ultra pack, and a quick e-mail to vexilar and they sent me the plastic push pins to mount the switch. Don't know why they don't include them with the new transducer??

[dkfry]

you'd think vexilar would make everything compatible between units so you wouldn't have to buy all that extra bull CR@P, maybe they just wanted some extra $, all I know is that I became angry just reading your story, so I can't imagine how you feel

Vexilars stuff is a lot more compatible than most others. Shure their packs have changed over the years but the accessories and ducers are all interchangable. I can use my Vex ice ducers on my Edge 2 open water unit and vise versa. At least you have the option of upgrading to a dual beam ducer with Vexilar. If you have a Marcum unit (Other than LX-5) and you want to upgrade to a dual beam ducer you have to buy an LX-5 to get it.