I've seen a lot of posts saying that Lowrance CS has taken care of people. I have not had a problem with Lowrance CS, and I've not had any hassle with my units. No durability issues. I've owned both, but for now I'm sticking with, and adding more Lowrance. I'd love to monitor my Yamaha motor, livewell temp, add music to my rig, and the broadband radar would sure be fun to play with. Only one brand offers this many items on their networked units. Prove me wrong on that, and I'll send you a pair of nail clippers for your boat.
Buy whatever units you think will make you happy. If you like the HDS unit better, but you think customer service is an issue, then you have a strange decision, meaning you might buy the unit you don't want because of customer service.