Garmin 496 Upgrades

I've got nearly 5 years and 650 hours on my trusty Garmin 496 mounted in the panel with a Gizmo device. Maybe it's the Christmas season find ways to spend money thing, but over the weekend I got the urge to investigate upgrading the 496 to something else. I'm clueless as to what the best something else might be. Spent many, many hours determining initial avionics configuration - which has proven to be very successful. Will spend a lot more time analyzing upgrade options.

However, sloth, laziness, awareness of VAF opinionated expertise, just because I can - drives me to ask the question: Anyone have opinions/comments/experience/lessons learned moving up from a 496 to a current panel-mounted GPS? Realize I'll have to cut the panel - but have almost a phobia about doing so.

796

Get a Garmin 796 and mount the bare wire mount to the panel. That's what i did.
Unless you want to get into the whole efis thing.

picture of it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cgc4i4gacp9czu0/2015-01-30 15.56.42.jpg?dl=0

Why not keep the 496 and upgrade to a more modern EFIS unit that will give you better functionality, while interfacing with the 496? I share your reticence to start whacking on a perfectly fine panel!

EFIS

I've already got an AFS 4500 that is amazing. Fly with the 3-view screen. 496 interface also works well.

I'm upgrading from the 496 to a 696. Should arrive this week.

What functionality are you looking to add by removing the 496?
ADS-b wx?, traffic?, backup ahars display?

The 496 is a great unit. I just wish it ran FIS-b.

Do you run a tablet? How much panel space do you have? Just the space from the 496 or is there more space available?

Might consider an iFly 740 which I love and is just to the left of my Garmin 495 for screen size comparison.

+1 for 796

I replaced my 496 with the 796, mounted a bare wire mount inside the 496 gizmo angle mount that I had. Everything works well and with a GDL39 I get weather and traffic (as long as the system is lit up). The 796 can be installed horizontally which worked for me as my 496 was below my Dynon D-100. The last couple of pictures in my blog (in signature link below) show the installed 796.

If you decide to sell your 496, let me know. I'm in the market for one.
chuckgant3 at gmail.com