Comprehensive mapping

It's nice to be able to move in Europe with updated maps. Of course, the update maps, the first time took me a couple of hours, but it is done in one click with Garmin Express. This update contains 4 updates software and 1 update to the map (as long to download). Everything is done automatically (Windows 8.1): you plug the USB cord with GPS, Garmin recognizes the Express, downloads the updates and installs them. No brainer ... I had taken the precaution of adding a micro-SD card, as recommended by Garmin, if this update would have exceeded the available space on the GPS.

I found that the initialization of the satellite reception was faster than my previous Garmin GPS ... when we leave again from where we left off. But in any case, the display is much more powerful, with a screen that remains legible even with the sun.
Navigation is better managed than before. In any case, it shows good readability and reactivity.

Even with a current map, bugs exist (hypermarkets Carrefour and Leclerc, near my home, are stored in the "groceries", some changes in direction have not been updated and sometimes it indicates a path that is accessible only to pedestrians) but you can report mapping errors on the Garmin website. Of course, one plague against bugs, especially if you know the area.

The instructions available on the Garmin website refers to models close ... but not this model (describing the devices for which the traffic information is not free ... so that this function is included in the offer ). So much for the documentation of defects.

Traffic information for France is V-Traffic and you can see the indoor mapping v-traffic.com on the site.
This allows to see that only treats the main roads outside the major cities.
Personally, I did not see this traffic info function in the Paris region. It is not perfect either; it happened to me to remain blocked while the GPS announcement "flowing traffic." As for the rest of GPS, you have to be tolerant.
If choosing the fastest route works, the "economic" course is disappointing: it does not distinguish between pay and free highways, and makes you go through a town when there was a ring road (take still consider the ring roads in 4 lanes). I thought the "economy" program took into account the consumption city / highway entries ... but no.

The positive thing is that I will be able to travel from Sweden to Portugal via the UK, with updated maps. This is the great advantage of this model which maps cover 45 countries (see link in "comments").

Finally, if you buy a Garmin GPS maps where updating is guaranteed for life ... this guarantee has the following limitations (indicated on the Garmin website): "you will receive map updates when such updates will be available on the website of Garmin and that, during the lifetime of a product that is compatible Garmin or Garmin receives map data of a third party vendor (the shortest period being retained). The life of a product is the period during which the product (a) has sufficient memory and other technical capacity to use current map data and (b) is capable of operating in the intended use without major repairs. A product will be considered off and its life as ended if no updates have been downloaded for the said product for a period of 24 months or more "...