Navigon 7100

Pros: Pretty, lots of money spent on hype

Cons: Insane routing. False advertising on features

Summary: The 7100 came out with several novel, unfortuewnaly it totally ailes in the basics of GPS.

1) Main problem -- not for the US: The unit was developed for Europe and it doesn't look like they spent a red nickel to do anything to set it up for the US market other than add the maps and hype the product here.
a) Routing:It has completely insane routing. I don't mean foibles, I mean extremely bad.
b) Interest points (POI): Hey navigon 7100, thanks for letting me know wither the 5 star Spa which that pays Zagat to advertise is, but I can;t find my Best Buy, Circuit City, McDonalds, Duncan Donuts, or a 7-11! It doesn't use where you are according to the GPS to find these nearby. You have to have to tell the 7100 where it is. I can do this on my Treo, the 7100 is a GPS and supposed to know where I am.
c) Text to Speech: Falsely advertised plain and simple. It won't speak the names of the normal to small streets, which are what Text to Speech is for. I can see the big interstate sign! it is the small or nonexistant street signs one cant see at night that created the reason for TTS!

2) The worst support bar none!
If you call US suppott number before you buy they are very nice. They will tell you where you can buy it etc. Call after you own it and they refer you to the email support. Email support is handled through the German headquarters and translated. They tell you you need support from the US "company." The German company 100% owns the US company.

3) Outright fraud and false advertising:
When I went to load additional POI material I was suprised to find I had been provided with a 2GB card instead of the 4GB card that was in all the advertsing, promotional material and officials psecs of Navigon fo rthe US model of the 7100. I also reread reviews and revwiers had been given 7100's with the lager and more advacned 4GB cards.
I called to find out what happened. First they said it was a mix up and that a few units with 2GB had been shipped. Then they told me it was no mix up and to email a request. The emails go to Germany which said the Germany they would look into it. Then Navigon (today) sen tme an email saying I was wrong in my reading of the Specification sheet and it said 2GB. They thought they could pull a fast one. I HAVE the Specification advertising sheet. They modigied the PDF to remove the proimised included "4GB SDHC" card and then were syaing I was imagining it.

That is fraud. The car has an intrinsic value. When I put the 4GB SDHC card from camera and us it instead it improves the already very slow 7100 speeds for start up and recalculation.

There was a rumor they would be replacing the cards. I got my "drop dead" email today, Sept 12.