I don't work for the airlines. That checked luggage 'Subject' is how this damm site defaults. If I don't remember to change the subject, the 'luggage' message shows up.

Sent the X5 brain back via Priority Mail and got it turned around and back about as fast as I could have hand delivering via flying there myself. An auto pilot is not a set and forget item. It's electrickery and is going to screw up, it's just a matter of when. My self steering vane is set and forget. It's strictly mechanical so I can set and forget and it's performed flawlessly. My problem with the X5 was not a safety issue as it wouldn't come on when it showed the 'No Pilot' error message. The problem was very intermittant. It would give me the error message then turn on fine the next time I tried it. It worked like a yeoman sailing from SF to Hawaii. I used the A/P heading indicator with the A/P in standby 24/7/15 instead of the boats compass. Also powered for a day with the autopilot the first day out of SF and into Hilo the last day. It was only after I got to Hawaii that it became less intermittant and more like a constant.

The problem I had with the 4000+ wheel pilot was self induced. Used the motor as a wheel brake and managed to twist the motor in the housing breaking an electrical connection when I overpowered it steering manually. It's an autopilot, idiot, not a wheel brake.

My other Raymarine instruments have worked just fine. Don't have any scientific study but the other two boats with the X5 that I've come across haven't had any problems with their units. The X5 wheel drive is not a full time heavy duty system, however. It's fine for powering or a boat with a balanced spade rudder that takes very little force to turn under sail. If you want a 24/7/365 auto pilot, you'll need to go with a velow deck actuator. Of course, you'll have to feed the greedy bastard. My boat eats big amounts of electrons to control it's heavy helm under sail, at speed.

Try and get a last generation computer fixed if you have mother board or other chip problem. Electronics get cheaper, more powerfu,l and progress so fast, that even 6 months is a lifetime for them. If Raymarine was asking you to pay 1/2 the cost to replace a broken system with new, wouldn't be such a good deal if you were replacing like for like. In most instances, you are replacing old, outdated technology for the latest state of the art electronics. Otherwise, a significant upgrade.