Vent Mounting for Sat Nav

[Expatman]

Anyone any experience of the Garmin vent mounting for Sat Navs? My Yeti doesn't have a built in sat nav but I have a Garmin 2569 that I am happy with, however, don't like the suction cup windscreen mount. I have traced a Garmin vent mounting that looks ideal but would welcome anyone else's experience with the mount before buying it.

[bigjohn]

I have a Tomtom Go 5000 and use the BRODIT system that clips above and below an air-vent on my Superb II and is great (doesn't clip onto vent vanes) - highly recommended 

 

 

Brodit  also have systems for Gramin satnavs

Edited 6 February, 2016 by bigjohn

[Ryeman]

My TomTom GO6100 sits on the 'Beanbag' mount on the Pug's 'accommodating' dash and can be lifted holusbolus and put on the floor if needs dictate.

[VAGCF]

I didn't want a suction type mount either as they leave a ring on the windscreen which some scumbag might see as an invitation.

 

Like Ryman I have a beanbag type mount for a Garmin which can be lifted off in a jiffy and put in the boot when parked up. I find it blocks the view out of the windscreen less as well as it is nearer to you.

 

Haven't used it in the Yeti though as it has a built in satnav.

Edited 7 February, 2016 by VAGCF

[Guest]

I stuck one of these;

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=165561&productId=1077711&storeId=10001

under the rubber liner in the central lidded dash cubby on my Octy Scout and attach my Tomtom to that.

[thingy]

Hi Expat, I've got my TomTom with the mount in the top box in front of the screen.

Drilled a small hole in the bottom of the t/box for the power lead.

I just unclip the tomtom when I park up anywhere.

I prefer the TomTom to the fitted/installed one in my Yeti.

[GeoffH]

I tried a vent mount for my phone to use for navigation on my Tiguan..... I was very careful but it still broke the vent! Fortunately the dealer fixed it FOC at the first service! I have used, as suggested, the bean bag and it worked well.

If you have a CD player there is a fitment which slots in to the unit and it works very well... I'll try to fina a link to it for you.

The one I had is obsolete..however the following might help:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Car-CD-Slot-GPS-Sat-Nav-Stand-Holder-Mount-Cradle-iPhone-10-Tablet-UK-/401006677818?hash=item5d5ddc4f3a

Edited 7 February, 2016 by GeoffH

[Ryeman]

The other thing Geoff is that in our heat we want all the vents working as vents and also I wouldn't hang anything off the relatively flimsy plastic bits.

[Expatman]

I tried a vent mount for my phone to use for navigation on my Tiguan..... I was very careful but it still broke the vent! Fortunately the dealer fixed it FOC at the first service! I have used, as suggested, the bean bag and it worked well.

If you have a CD player there is a fitment which slots in to the unit and it works very well... I'll try to fina a link to it for you.

The one I had is obsolete..however the following might help:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Car-CD-Slot-GPS-Sat-Nav-Stand-Holder-Mount-Cradle-iPhone-10-Tablet-UK-/401006677818?hash=item5d5ddc4f3a

Was your vent mount the actual Garmin version? It is supposed to be a better design by putting the weight onto the base of the vent and not the slats?

[GeoffH]

The vent mount wasn't Garmin.... I bought it at Halfords. I binned it after one use. The CD slot one I had went into the CD slot and had a large reusable "sticky pad" to attach the screen mount to. I liked it because it didn't obscure any air vents... BUT I had a CD played!

 

This was the one I had and it was great! Sadly unavailable.

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slot-Mount-Organiser-featured-Telegraph/dp/B004VQQSYQ

Edited 7 February, 2016 by GeoffH

[Urrell]

In my previous car we used a vent mounting for the phone to be used as a sat-nav.

It was Ideal and so easy to use but there were lots of negative reviews on-line that stated they broke the vents or could not remove them easily.
As stated above the weight is taken by feet that are below the vent so the vent clip only holds it in position vertically.
If the instructions are followed it's a piece of cake and they are very adjustable, If I needed one now I would not have a seconds hesitation in ordering one.

[graham47]

I have the Garmin vent mount in my Yeti.

I find it works fine as long as you make sure it's tightened properly when you first attach.

I leave it in all the time even when the satnav is not in use.

Like Urrell I also have a generic one which I can use if I want to use my phone as satnav.

It too works fine but can sometimes not grip the phone properly but that's more down to the phone design.

For what I paid, I'm happy.

Edited 7 February, 2016 by graham47

[wibble]

 

I use my Brodit to hold my phone but you can use it for loads of other stuff as well.

Doesn't really block the vents and as its a quality item its doesn't damage them.  When I get a new phone I just replace the front part and carry on as normal.

[Expatman]

I have the Garmin vent mount in my Yeti.

I find it works fine as long as you make sure it's tightened properly when you first attach.

I leave it in all the time even when the satnav is not in use.

Like Urrell I also have a generic one which I can use if I want to use my phone as satnav.

It too works fine but can sometimes not grip the phone properly but that's more down to the phone design.

For what I paid, I'm happy.

I take it that the Garmin vent mount works for you and holds the Sat Nav securely, have you had any concerns/problems with where it tightens on the vanes? That is my only concern as I don't want to damage the vanes.

[Guest]

Doesn't really block the vents

It's not the holder blocking the Vent I'd be concerned about, more your ability to activate your Hazard Lights in an emergency situation! Edited 7 February, 2016 by Guest

[Brijo]

Another one with the Brodit mount, although mine is to the driver's side of the hazard button.  A round plate to take the Garmin suction thingie.  I don't like anything up in the window area. 

 

The Brodit is to stiff, to my mind, and could damage the edges of the vent moulding if routinely fitted and removed.  Mine lives there (not the Garmin), but the stiffness is eased by carefully and evenly reducing the thickness of the moulding at the upper bend (as seen in Wibble's pic) - I found that a second-cut 1/4" round file produced a good profile. 

[Expatman]

Thanks for everyone's comments and help. I am going to try the Garmin vent mount and see how it goes, it will keep the Sat Nav below windscreen level and so not obscure my vision and being closer at hand should allow easier use of the touchscreen for entering any data etc. I will let you know how I get on with it once I have tried it for a bit.

[g6zru]

I have used the "beanbag" mount with two satnavs in three cars. You just throw it where you want it and it stays put!

It's never moved out of place and doesn't leave anything behind when not in use, just chuck it into the glove box!

 

Fred

[Falmouthboy]

I have the Garmin vent mount in my Yeti.

I find it works fine as long as you make sure it's tightened properly when you first attach.

I leave it in all the time even when the satnav is not in use.

Like Urrell I also have a generic one which I can use if I want to use my phone as satnav.

It too works fine but can sometimes not grip the phone properly but that's more down to the phone design.

For what I paid, I'm happy.

I too have a Garmin vent mount and having previously tried the suction mount and one of the weighted non slip bag affairs. It's the best compromise solution I have found, but you still have hateful wires trailing unless you are on a short enough trip to use the charge in the sat Nav.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[skoda1982]

I stick my satnav on the radio screen with the sucker

[Expatman]

I too have a Garmin vent mount and having previously tried the suction mount and one of the weighted non slip bag affairs. It's the best compromise solution I have found, but you still have hateful wires trailing unless you are on a short enough trip to use the charge in the sat Nav.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I agree about the trailing wires BUT the Garmin I have uses the wire from the 12V outlet as an aerial to get traffic info over DAB and display it on the Sat Nav, it then proposes alternative routes to avoid the traffic. Can be very, very useful.

[Llanigraham]

I stick my satnav on the radio screen with the sucker

 

Which is very bad for the screen!!

I think there has been one member on here who did that and the screen failed, resulting in a very expensive repair.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

My Garmin is fitted in the bottom right hand corner of the windscreen, plugged into a flying lead direct from a piggy-back connector in the fuse box, and with the traffic aerial fitted inside the pillar cover. Results in hardly any wires over the dash.

Edited 8 February, 2016 by Llanigraham

[Ryeman]

I have used the "beanbag" mount with two satnavs in three cars. You just throw it where you want it and it stays put!

It's never moved out of place and doesn't leave anything behind when not in use, just chuck it into the glove box!

 

Fred

I'm with Fred.

Worked a treat with all our UK B&B destinations pre installed (free world maps) - sat on the C4 dash and when parked upended into the centre box.

My priority is function over looks these days and being in line-of-sight (properly located with no blind spot) beats taking my eyes of the road .......(the focussing mechanism in my eyes must be slowing down I suspect)

[g6zru]

I stick my satnav on the radio screen with the sucker

I would be a bit wary of doing that as it is a touch screen on the radio. Sometime ago I was checking out a satnav against a tracking program on my PC. Without thinking I attached the satnav sucker onto my PC screen. I still have a circular mark on my PC screen.

 

Fred