Cobra Electronics 7700 PRO GPS

ordered map update Aug 10 contacted customer service Aug 31 was told somebody screwed up it was not processed was promised it would be done that day now Sept 12 still no map update over a month as past since i first placed order
what kind of service is this ( very bad in my opinion )

 

hi Brian i have ordered stuff from the US before and it only takes 4 days the last free map update only took 3 days you do not have a 1800 # i have phoned several times at my expense serial # is B936008336

 

sent you a e-mail with a c s r that was sent to me hopefully this as all the info you need thanks

 

Well I was looking to buy a 77000 but when I found out I will have to spend $89 each time for a map updated kind of turned me off sorry

 

Well, since I posted the below nearly 2 weeks ago with no response from Brian, I can see I'm being ignored.

I've used the new update for a few weeks now. So, here are my thoughts on the update that I purchased for $88 and change for the Cobra GPS model 7700.

The Short Version - It's not worth it. I believe I'm actually worse off than before I installed the "update".

The Longer Version - Here's why I think this way

What I wanted in the update
1) A more accurate map with the errors we have all reported fixed, and
2) Updated travel center locations and names (such as Pilots to Loves) that we've all been asking for.

Here's what I got in my update
1) Installing the update completely wipes out all saved Favorite points - The installation literature that comes with the disc does not warn about this happening. Now I have to revisit all of the 3 dozen or so saved locations all over the country to rebuild this tool. ( I can't enter addresses on most of them because the map doesn't plot the addresses accurately). Thanks a bunch for this little "help", Cobra.

2) The map "update" is contains very few noticable improvements, but still has most of the errors users of this thread have previously reported. For example:

Also, you still can't plot a straight line course on I-70 from Columbus OH to Harrisburg PA through West Virginia.

3) The ability to search for specific travel centers by name has been severely crippled, as I noted in my first quote above. There's no excuse for this. Like most larger companies, my corporation has fueling agreements with specific brands that I'm required to use. Not being able to search for just those names along a route (as was formerly possible) is a major blow to the Cobra GPS model 7700's usefulness to me. I don't understand why you can no longer search for Pilots and Loves by name at all.

Further, on a recent haul from Lakewood NY to Calexico CA the Cobra GPS model 7700 couldn't find a single TA in 2300 miles along the route, although there must be two dozen of them. Disgusting.

4) The Freezing Issue has Returned to some extent - After I discovered that all my Favorites, including Home, had been deleted from the unit, I tried to simply set my home location again using Save Using Current Point. The unit now freezes every time I try to set home. It will also occasionally freeze if you try to scroll through the map too fast or push command buttons in quick succession.

There are other issues, but I'll quit here.

The Bottom Line - I actually wish that I had not "upgraded" my unit. It was more useful to me before the upgrade and less capable now. Although the travel center databases were buggy, at least I could search by brand name, which I can 't now. Plus, I've lost all my Favorite locations that I've saved over the last 12 months.

My advice to those who are thinking of upgrading is to save your money. If you've ordered it but haven't received it yet, maybe you can get a refund.

I've spent nearly $500 in cash, (the original purchase plus the cost of the upgrade), the better part of a week's wages, for a "pro" GPS that is advertised as specifically meeting the needs of truckers. In return, Cobra has managed to take a Cobra fan (me!) who has a Cobra CB and a Cobra 1500 watt inverter on board and turn him into someone who is thoroughly disgusted with Cobra products and their customer service.

For me, I have to have something that works reliably, so I'm going to the Rand McNalley.

Signing off this thread...

 

hi Brian
the address back up program that was released last year --- could we not back up to that and reload address after updating map