Rand mcnally tnd 700 or corbra 7700 pro gps???

I received my RM TND700 as a gift from a lovely man I hardly knew. I had just started at FFE and Art, a sweet man, gifted me this and asked that I just pass on kindness to others on my path of life. Swear to you. He is 70+, been driving for years and that was his gift to me. I love my 700. I am 52 and need glasses for close up and have some hearing lose from working at an airport for several years so I love the screen and I love that I can really hear "Tom's" voice (Samantha's voice is easy to hear also). My boyfriend and I like:

*Different vehicles you can choose for Icon (my Harley Hog boyfriend likes this)
*3-D view
*Close up of upcoming change of Interstate, Hwy, etc
*POI (Wal-Marts, Hotels, Truck Stops, etc)
*Warnings (MPH, Weigh Stations, state borders, restrictions, etc)
*Size of screen
*Quick to recalculate
*Loud enough to hear over road noise

Things we don't like:
*USB connector is not hardy (our 3rd unit now is being sent back for replacement)
*Battery life is basically non-existent, 1.5 hours maybe, have to keep plugged in
*Construction warnings sound when you are already in construction
*Can't input business name, only address. When address isn't jiving it is tough to get it input. Have to go to Internet, Google Maps etc to figure out how address is noted. As the co-navigator I find that frustrating.
*Route line indicator is "pink" and my big burly boyfriend wishes it was "green"

I got my first unit in January and within three weeks I started getting a message that battery was low and it would shut off. After struggling with it I found that the USB port was loose inside. RM told me to ship it back with proof of purchase (luckily Art kept his receipt so he scanned and emailed it to them with a note that he had given it to me as a gift) For the record Art is not my boyfriend, just the sweet man who gave me the unit as a gift. So, I had to package up the unit by itself, print off the RMA number and email (being a truck driver you understand this is not easy to do when you are on the road, finding a place to print and then to ship, gez). They sent me another brand new RM TND 700 in the box. By this time I am team driving with my boyfriend. We program our new unit excited to have it back. It lasted one month and then one day it started to flicker like when lights go on and off real quick, and then it just went dead. We called RM, tried to reset it but it would just die right away. This happened, for the record when it was plugged in and we were driving. It just gave up the ghost. So, I pack it up, print off RMA, resend email showing original proof of purchase, find a #### place to ship (UPS) and off it goes. So now replacement comes but this time it isn't a new unit it is a refurbished one. I kid you not..................first day we have it, we just come off of time off, program the unit, roll and we are not on the road an hour or so and the unit says battery is low. We didn't realize until then that same #### thing, USB port is loose. I call RM tell them I want my money back, can't keep figuring out how to ship these things back to them and then wait until we get home to pick up the NEXT replacement. Want my money back so we can buy something else. Answer is NO. They will replace with a new one (again) this time, series E is suppose to have worked out some bugs. I asked if we could go down to the 500 or to the 710 since obviously this loose USB port is an issue. Answer NO. And the USB is not an issue, he shows no record of this being an issue with others. I call bull-crap on that. But what can you do. The RM representative was very difficult to understand, but he was also very nice, very thorough, professional and patient with me. When I complained about the shipping cost to me to return these he offered to send me a shipping label and did. So, now, when we get stopped somewhere I am going to be packing up my TND, printing off the RMA and label and shipping it back. Then when we get back home first part of August we are going to put the new in the box unit up for sale so we can buy something else.

I really do LOVE the TND....................if it worked. I am frustrated as my boyfriend wants to try PCMiler or ??? but I think I want to try again in case it was just pure poor luck.

What say you all out there? (We probably missed listing some things we like and things we don't like but you get the idea)

 

I was lucky for my first unit only lasted less then a week(power supply issue), and I took it into a pilot and they replaced it for me, I was on my way home 3 1/2 weeks later, and had major problems with it freezing up. I arrived home and made a huge mistake in judgement...

I put this in the hands of Mark, who to his credit did a great job of getting me the updates that I needed which I think may have fixed the units freezing problems.

I went back to work 12 days later, and made it 8 hours down the road and noticed the flickering screen... by the middle of the next day the second unit was dead...

Now of course I have surpassed the allowable 30 days in which to take it back to Flying J/Pilot for replacement (which happened during my time off), I am now trying to deal with C/S # Rand who is not horribly helpful at best.

Its a shame that a product that I think is fantastic, when it works, is constantly failing!

Now while I have been very Impressed with Marks help here, however he had sent this up to customer support on 06/15/2011, and I have yet to hear from them.

I took it upon myself to call them today, and dont seem to be getting anywhere with them either, the guy I spoke with earlier told me he would get my receipt from Mark, and 6 hours later when I called back I was told that they were waiting for "ME" to sent them my receipt, also that they had lost my Email address....

At this time I WOULD NOT! Recommend buying a RAND MCNALLY GPS...

It appears that their construction just does not stand up to life in a moving vehicle....

I sure wish I would have bought a DEZL....

 

My Audio quit working on my 700. The voice started breaking up and then just quit all together. Any suggestions or anyone else had this happen?

 

Contact Customer support for an RMA exchange.

Thanks,
Mark

 

Check out Sportsterbobs post on these problems. I drive for the same company as he does and I know he went through a bunch of the 710s until he gave up on them. I know he was all over this forum trying to get the word out but He thinks Rand had him banned for hanging out too much dirty laundry on their stuff. So watch what you say on here! Just saw him last week at a Pilot trying to turn one back in but it was over 30 days. Said he would try to send it in to Rand when he got home. I think he told me he was going to try out the Cobra. He did make a very good point though. If you read the forms on the Rand it is full of people having problems with the units themselves. Hardware. If you check out the other forums on GPS units and makes,it is mostly problems about Mapping. I run the PC miler myself and have my own Mapping problems but the unit itself has never broken down. 2 years! I am in the yard right now and had some time so I checked a few post for myself. Do your homework people. From what I see he was hitting the nail right on the head. Well that is my 2 cents worth. Better run out of here before I get banned to. :>)

 

Rand has no control over this forum. He was banned for some insulting comments he made on a post.

I have asked sportersbob many time for details, but all he posts is general information. He has only returned one 710 to Rand McNally for warranty. If he returned to stores, I have asked for those store numbers. He says he has the receipts, so the info is there.

Only one other Navigation company is on this website. I am here a lot so of course drivers have a voice and many are helped. I am sure that if PCM decided to show up and make themselves available to the drivers that their posts would increase.

And as it has been mentioned many many times, drivers do not really post if the product is working. Human nature is to find fault with anything and let the world know.

Again, I am willing to hear details. He posted one Pilot had 25 returns on the 710 and they will not sale them. Again, heresay. Give me the store number or location. He does not work for Pilot so what is the harm for Rand to verify what he has posted? If they had this many returns I am sure DAS would have let Rand know.

Oh yes, let's not forget the salesgirl that knows what is happening at Rand McNally over a non-existent recall. Again, I asked for the Loves Store number... she sees a thin translucent screen protector and it has some air under it, so POOF, it must be a screen delamination. Guess her cell phone never comes with the same thin translucent screen protector and our "friend" just so happened to be in line right behind someone buying the TND. So her repeating it twice now makes it official? Again - what is the Loves location or store number so we may verify???????

Again, details.

Thanks,
Mark