HI BRUIN
IT realy depend your need,,,,,,,,what deepth your fishing,your budget,,etc etc...
there some good use one,,,,,,,,,if sombody dont want to spend a fortune,,,,and try it to see if they do like it,,,,,,,,and after you try it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you scratch your head,and ask yourself,,,,,,,,HOW did i fish all those year without one,,,,,,,,,

,you wont regret it,i am sher off this.....its like an nintendo or an x box,,but its for fisherman,,,,nice toys............
i hown a vex 18 pro pack and i do like it,,,,,,,like the zoom,,,,its nice to have for walleye fishing and you want to zoom the last 5 feet off the bottom,,,so then 1/2 my screen its the last 5 feet or so,,,,,and the other 1/2 off my screen is the full colon off water......
both fish finder are great the model 8 and the 18,,,,,,
but i went fishing wit iceman once, he got an marcum lx5,,,,,,,and i love it,,,,,,it got more power,,,,,,,like 4 time the power off an vexilar,,,,,,the colors are the true colors on it,,,,,,,the soft case come wit it,,,,its not extra money like vexilar,,,,,,,and the zoom is flexable,,,,,,you can put it anywhere in the water colon,so you could zone right in the middle,,,ex for some whitefish that are in suspension,,or crappies etc,,,,very nice feature to have,,,,,,,,SO FOR the monney,i do thing a marcum lx5 have more feature then a vexilar 18,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
you have more for your monney wit a marcum lax5 then a vexialr 18,,,,,,,you even have one extra year off warenty then the vex....
but your best bet,,,,,is to take a test drive,,,,,,,,,,,,,go try some,,,,or see some in action,,,,,,,,,there always sombody on ice ,,,that will show is unit.....if you ever come where i fish,,,,,i could let you try a bit,,,,my unit no probleme,,,,,,,,the probleme its after,you wont let go,,,,,
take crae and have great shoping ........always fun looking for new toys.......
for a marcum,,,,,,,,,call ED frome paddletell i will hook you up,,,,
joco,