Rand McNally TND 700/710 junk?

ebsprintin

Veteran Expediter
I sent them an e-mail with my criticisms of the 465, including the time issue, when I got it. Their response was basically "that's how it is, too bad". They didn't seem to care for their product being criticized.
That is the same impression I got. If anything gets fixed, it will be something they will fix in future models, not what's out here now.

eb
 

cc194217

Seasoned Expediter
Have not been on this site for a little while

All, Usually I am on another forum and run a few threads there. I do have several Beta Testers that help monitor threads like this for me. I am the Lead Beta Tester and Yes I work for Rand. I work in R&D, not customer support, but I am here to help in any way shape or form.

On the 710 - do you see this issue on a AC source? If you are on DC and it must be the supplied DC cord. The reason is that the supplied cord has a 2amp out. This provides enough to charge the battery and run the High Def Screen. If you use a DC cord that has 1Amp out then it will run for awhile, but as the power gets to a minimum internal the screen will shut down. Even though you are plugged into 12vdc, the 1Amp is just not providing enough power to run the 710.

If the DC cord feels a little loose on the 710 USB port, gently squeeze the USB end of the DC cord to provide a tighter fit.

You can E-Mail me also if you have questions or concerns about your Rand TND.

[email protected]

Thanks,
Mark
 

bobwg

Expert Expediter
Re: Have not been on this site for a little while

All, Usually I am on another forum and run a few threads there. I do have several Beta Testers that help monitor threads like this for me. I am the Lead Beta Tester and Yes I work for Rand. I work in R&D, not customer support, but I am here to help in any way shape or form.

On the 710 - do you see this issue on a AC source? If you are on DC and it must be the supplied DC cord. The reason is that the supplied cord has a 2amp out. This provides enough to charge the battery and run the High Def Screen. If you use a DC cord that has 1Amp out then it will run for awhile, but as the power gets to a minimum internal the screen will shut down. Even though you are plugged into 12vdc, the 1Amp is just not providing enough power to run the 710.

If the DC cord feels a little loose on the 710 USB port, gently squeeze the USB end of the DC cord to provide a tighter fit.

You can E-Mail me also if you have questions or concerns about your Rand TND.

[email protected]

Thanks,
Mark
Really so the DC power cord is the problem??? so when is Rand going to send everyone a new DC power cord? and as for customer service score they get 1 out of possible 10
 

cc194217

Seasoned Expediter
Re: Have not been on this site for a little while

Really so the DC power cord is the problem??? so when is Rand going to send everyone a new DC power cord? and as for customer service score they get 1 out of possible 10

Said if the cord is a little loose gently squeeze the USB end of the DC cord. DC cords are not the issue. You can also wrap the DC cord around the bracket to take the strain of the Torriod off the cord.

Customer Service - If you have an issue or needing help contact me. I do not issue, nor can I replace your TND. I am in R&D and I can support with issues, but unit replacements have to go through Customer support.

thanks,
Mark
 

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
It's garmins fault? Really. Really? Think about how many units they produce worldwide and a handful of Americans have an issue with eta?

Solve the problem yourself. Change the eta button to time until arrival. There is no perfect gps like there is no perfect company. Stop complaining over things you have no control over. Build a bridge or find a ladder and get over it.
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
It's garmins fault? Really. Really? Think about how many units they produce worldwide and a handful of Americans have an issue with eta?

Solve the problem yourself. Change the eta button to time until arrival. There is no perfect gps like there is no perfect company. Stop complaining over things you have no control over. Build a bridge or find a ladder and get over it.

There's no way that I can find to change the ETA. How do you do that?

Of course, I realize there's no perfect GPS. Duh... I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, dude... But, in the case of the truck specific 465, I believe they dropped the ball on that. I know many drivers agree with me on that. The handful of Americans we're talking about here are the users this product was designed for.

So, yes, I complained to them about it. Maybe others have as well. If enough of us complain, maybe they'll change it. It would almost be like we had some "control"... Nah, that's just crazy. What's wrong with me.
 

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
I can speak of my nuvi only. On the right side of the screen are several options, eta, dist to dest, time to dest, direction of travel, elevation and time of day. We used dist to dest, time to dest, direction and speed.

The 465 must work for garmin. They don't care. Get a ladder.

Back to the rand McNally.
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I can speak of my nuvi only. On the right side of the screen are several options, eta, dist to dest, time to dest, direction of travel, elevation and time of day. We used dist to dest, time to dest, direction and speed.

The 465 must work for garmin. They don't care. Get a ladder.

Back to the rand McNally.

The speed display on mine displays some info when touched, but nothing with the arrival time. I do carry a ladder in my box, but I can't see where it's going to help with this. When you say Garmin doesn't care, that is the vibe I got from them when they e-mailed me back. Not much warm and fuzzy there. As someone that provides a service for a living, my first concern is that the service I provides meets the customers needs. If I were in the business of producing a product, customer satisfaction would be first and foremost as well.
 

Monty

Expert Expediter
Well, since the Rand R&D guy is here, I would like to state for the record.

It is a piece of junk! And I was even so stupid as to buy the RVND for my travels.

Other than the database of facilities, it also is junk!

Why in the hell, for example, would Rand route you from Torrance, Ca to El Paso, Tx via San Diego?

The fact one can NOT say go via Palm Springs and simply have that route displayed IN TOTAL is just silly!

Oh sure, I could route myself "via", but then the via becomes the place I am going, and not El Paso.

I am VERY pleased with my DeLorme mapping program on my laptop.

And yes, customer service from Rand has already told me, "It's not mapping software sir, please use something else if that's what you desire." So I do. :rolleyes:
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
I think the "discussion" that we had in the past should have been read by the execs at Rand McNally to show them what the problem is.

I have a couple TND7x0 sitting in the parts boxes now and the chinese made generic Nav unit I have right now works so much better and is more accurate than the any TND7x0 ever was - and for a third of the price.
 

Rocketman

Veteran Expediter
Well, since the Rand R&D guy is here, I would like to state for the record.

It is a piece of junk! And I was even so stupid as to buy the RVND for my travels.

Other than the database of facilities, it also is junk!

Why in the hell, for example, would Rand route you from Torrance, Ca to El Paso, Tx via San Diego?

The fact one can NOT say go via Palm Springs and simply have that route displayed IN TOTAL is just silly!

Oh sure, I could route myself "via", but then the via becomes the place I am going, and not El Paso.

I am VERY pleased with my DeLorme mapping program on my laptop.

And yes, customer service from Rand has already told me, "It's not mapping software sir, please use something else if that's what you desire." So I do. :rolleyes:

But...but....according to Jack, you can't complain about such a thing. Get a ladder! :D
 

bobwg

Expert Expediter
Well after my 6 th Rand 700/710 which just quit working after only 3 weeks, I now believe they are junk and a rip off. When you send your unit back to Rand they do not send you a new one and they do not fix yours, they send you a unit that someone else returned and they claim to have fixed. Trucker tested sounds like they paid off those drivers. Product score 1, customer service/tech support 1, Product price 1. I thought Rand was a good company but this seems to show they are not with a louzy product like this. Any one know a good lawyer???????????? I think i will try the Cobra next
 

cc194217

Seasoned Expediter
I routed from

Torrance, CA to El Paso, TX and it picks the route - I-405, I-5, I-805, I-8, I-10, TX-20 for 853 miles

I then went to the map screen and on the right side you will see (3) arrows with lines. This is the turn by turn list. Click on this and at the bottom you will see route display options, click on highway view. now click on I-405 and at the top hit detour. Detour entire leg,

now the route is CA-91, CA-60, I-10, TX-20 for 812 miles.

Under the main screen/preferences/route/freeways - how you pick here will determine how it will route.

++++++++++++

if you put in a via such as Palm Springs if you go to Turn-by-turn list and hit summary map view you will see the entire route. If you click on trip summary you will see each leg and the miles on each leg.

++++++++++++++++++++

You can click on the map, zoom out and move the green cross hairs to anywhere you want on the map, then zoom in till you see the highway details and at the bottom you can add any point as a via in your current route.

Thanks,
Mark
 

bobwg

Expert Expediter
If you wish to send me your TND so I can look at I will be more than happy to look at it.

Thanks,
mark
NO thanks I am done wasting my time with Rand. You should have the Mangement read these posts here and the other thread. Would be interested to see what the actual number is of people who are satisfied with the rand compared to how many have had problems and gone to other GPS companies ,seems some of the truck stops have stopped carrying the Rand
 

cc194217

Seasoned Expediter
They still carrry them. Just out of stock. Some people I agree have hardware issues and Rand is addressing them. Maps are not perfect either, but Rand daily verifies truck attributes and works with NavTeq to correct road issues. If you have an issue with customer support then by all means let me know. I am part of the management team here dedicated to resolve the hardware issues that some have.

My E-Mail again -

[email protected]

Thanks,
Mark
 
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bobwg

Expert Expediter
They still carrry them. Just out of stock. Some people I agree have hardware issues and Rand is addressing them. Maps are not perfect either, but Rand daily verifies truck attributes and works with NavTeq to correct road issues. If you have an issue with customer support then by all means let me know. I am part of the management team here dedicated to resolve the hardware issues that some have.

My E-Mail again -

[email protected]

Thanks,
Mark
Hardware issues that some have? lol probably more than just some and the last TA i was at said they are not carrying the Rand anymore
 

lugnut1

Seasoned Expediter
We purchased a TND710 at the last Mid America truck show. It failed within the first 7 days of use. Got a return authorization, sent it back and received a new unit at the office within 10 days. There have been several “freeze ups”, but no real problems with the unit since its return.

We bought the TND as a comparison to our current GPS navigation system. There are some great features on the TND and they go like this. The navigator voice is very distinctive and easy to hear in the truck cab. The voice information as to exiting, and the maneuvers necessary as, and after you exit are very good. Speed information for trucks as to posted speed limits are excellent and the verbal warnings provide you an amount of security that you should never receive a speeding ticket. Screen resolution is above average. The TND’s ability to allow you to enter latitude and longitude numbers makes using Google Earth in combination with the TND a huge plus over many other GPS units.

Now for the room for improvement on the TND; the unit’s recalculation speed is to slow and a missed turn can become a bigger problem because the units processor is to slow to perform the recalculate of the new route quickly. The two choices for routing, fastest and shortest, are too deep in the device menu and needs a quick link on the Map screen. The power connection should be placed on the rear of the unit and needs a power connector as you would find on a laptop computer, the current power cord connects to the side of the unit and is too fragile for long term service. The unit needs the capacity to create “route profiles” and then offer quick access to those custom profiles for the driver. This lack of having multiply custom route profiles pre-determined by the driver is the most contributing factor, in our view, why drivers are often not pleased with the TND’s choice of routing. We use approximately 6 different route profiles with our other navigation unit with quick access to secondary route choices of; quickest, shortest, allow tolls, and avoid tolls if possible and no tolls.

We use the TND and like many of the route choices it does make, but there is room for improvement.

Our biggest wish for the Rand TND710, we would like a laptop version of the software. Windows7 64bit compatible please and just in time for Christmas.
 
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