Tim wrote:

You use words like "a little more." You also state if it was you you
would hold out. But you are also in the same post trying to suggest my
comments are off base?

This makes sense if the marginal cost difference was a couple grand, but
we're talking 5 to 7 times the cost to replace it - not just a little
bit of money! A delta of 10% to even 100% is reasonable, but come on, 5
to 7 times the amount? That's ludicrous. When the plane MAY be sold
later on, that piece of avionics that cost 12k or more to put in, will
net negative dollars and will not be the latest and greatest thing that
everyone is looking for.

People look for those radios already in the plane because they know they
are getting a bargain on the installation. So, you are advocating the
owner in this case to be a sucker so all those shopping for his plane in
the future can take advantage of his already spending waaay too much
money and giving him zip in return.

This is the part that I have trouble with. It is plain old bad advice.
Now, if the OP said he was looking to get a GPS in the first place,
then I think the advic is right. But he did not say that.

Jay Honeck and a few others had good advice. Replacement slide in.
Going with a 12k radio just because other people like it is ridiculous.


I didn't say your comments were off base, and I didn't mean to imply
that either. I was just pointing out that the best time to consider
adding capability is when you have a radio(s) that is no longer
economically repairable, as some of the cost is sunk cost either way
then. A KX155, assuming you do not have one now, is going to run you
close to 4K by the time you get it installed. Yes, a 430 is going to
run you close to 12K for an IFR install (the quote I had was just under
11K). If I could spend a third less, then it may make sense. My other
point, is that right now I'm not sure any upgrade is sensible until we
have a better picture of what the FAA is going to mandate with NGATS.
I'll continue with my existing radios for the foreseable future (KX155
in #1, MX11 + NAV122 in #2, Foster LRN501 and a handheld GPS).

Oh, and I agree that the slide ins are good candidates too, provided
your installation is still sound. While the radio is new, the wiring,
trays and antenna are not with a slide-in replacement. TKM told me
several years ago that most of the problems with their radios is not the
radio, rather it is the old installation. Indeed, the money I've spend
on my MX11 has been outside of the radio.

The bottom line is that everyones situation is different and there are
many things to consider before repairing, replacing or upgrading a
radio. This includes factors like future mandatory requirements,
budget, your mission profile and future sales potential. It would be
foolish to install a radio just for a sale or even for an anticipated
sale. On the other hand, it also doesn't make sense to sink a third of
the price of a new radio into an install of a used 15 year old KX155
when you consider the life-cycle cost. Like it or not, the life-cycle
cost includes any increase in the value of the airframe regardless of
whether you plan to sell or not.