Best place to mount a tomtom

[kit]

And i dont mean in a dirty seedy dogging kinda way!!!....But where is the best place to fix a tomtom in a FL RS? Bearing in mind it needs to be near the power source!! I wouldve liked it mounted in the middle of the dash but the poxy useless rattly cupboard thing is right in the way!!...Where does everyone have theres?

Cheers

Kit

[Wardy]

I have an active mount (powered) with a Brodit mount located just to the left of the heater controls. Is ideal for me, but some may find it's too low down.

Main obstacle is your power I think. Quite a few people have run separate power to theirs, by using a cigarette lighter extension and then providing power to that via a suitable spare fuse. The cabling can then be kept out of sight and I've seen people with the satnav then located either in the top cubby hole, or a mount to the right of the instrument binnacle.

There's a few threads around the place with the various options covered. I see if I can come up with some links for you.

[kit]

Cheers Wardy:) I normally have it mounted on the windscreen by the drivers side, which is a great postion for me as its not in the way but a cant get the cable to the power socket!!

K:)

[Cpt. Sweatpants]

I've got mine on the lower left* corner of the windscreen, which keeps it nicely within reach of my left hand and doesn't disturb the view out in front. Of course, there's the issue of having to run the power cable all the way from the center console, but some things just can't be helped, I guess.

If your cable's too short, you could always get an extension for a few quid.

*) Naturally, my car has the steering wheel on the left.

Edited 16 January, 2012 by Cpt. Sweatpants

[thejames]

Brodit ProClip center mount £16.

They do tomtom mounts too. They just screw on.

Easy to see, out the reach of people walking past your window, and close to the 12v.

www.dsldevelopments.com

[rob_e]

Mine's a GARMIN, mounted in the dash-top box, drilled one hole, ran a cable to the fusebox on a switched live.

Full write up here (and on my blog):

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/202243-garmin-nuvi-3760t-in-the-dash-top-box/page__p__2397769__

HTH.

[Wardy]

Rob's was one of the deployments I was thinking of

And the issue with a satnav and the centre mount suggested is that it's a fair way from the power outlet by the handbrake. And can easily get in the way of radio, heater controls and the gearstick unless you route and fix the cable. Which then looks odd and you might not want to leave the cable on view when parked either.

[kit]

Am sure i read somewhere that someone took the rubber mat out of the dash cubby and put one of the tomtom dash mounts in there! But i cant seem to see how to do that and get the screen at the right angle to view!!

K:)

[Wardy]

Rob's Garmin one is pretty similar to that. Problem will be with the height of the mount, as to whether the box will shut when you don't require use of satnav.

The only other thing I can think of is that you could put one of those beanbag mounts in the cubby hole when required....

[rob_e]

I took out the rubber liner for the box and stuck the self adhesive shiny "disc" that comes with the garmin down on the bottom of the box.

The windscreen mount suckers on to the disk and on the garmin at least, its at the right angle to view, no problems. When I'm not using it I can just un-plug the power, un-sucker the mount from the disc & chuck this in the glove box, then close the lid on the dash-top box as normal leaving nothing on show.

[Evening Star]

After the last TomTom and it's abysmal mapping there's only one place to mount it...

The bin!

[FIBAMAN]

Good to see so many people doing this sensibly and safely.

I see so many with the sat nav mounted in direct line of sight I am surprised that there are not more accidents.

[Evening Star]

We should follow the Californians in that nothing is allowed to be attached to the windscreen other than the rear view mirror!.

[PhilP1903]

I stuck the disc that came with mygarmin to the underside of the dash box lid, GPS mount fixes to this and i just tuck the power lead down the side of the glove box.

[ruffday]

I put mine on the screen just to the left hand side of the rear view mirror and the power lead just drops straight down to the power socket.

[dunc69]

Or just go for a Columbus! New is pricey, but 2nd hand might be worth it!

No mounts, wires, obstructed view etc...

[Wardy]

After the last TomTom and it's abysmal mapping there's only one place to mount it...

Abysmal? Why, where we you trying to go?! :S

[RainbowFire]

When I fitted my Nokia car kit, it came with a power cable. This is run behind the instrument cluster and through a small hole I drilled in the side of the top touch-box. Have seen an install with a hidden power socket in the back of the fuse-box location, running off one of the unused switched pwer sources in the fusebox.

All out of sight, relatively painless install.

[gregoir]

I stuck the disc that came with my garmin nuvi1340 to the underside of the dash box lid, GPS mount fixes to this and i just tuck the power lead down the side of the glove box.

Me too

[zeffania]

Mine is like the Brodit buts it's the 4 peg thingy so I can swap between the tomtom and my phone. I have it over the passenger and run the wires down that side. I put the slack behind the passenger seat so it doesn't get in the way of the stereo, works great for me. Will fish out a picture

[JayTee]

And i dont mean in a dirty seedy dogging kinda way!!!....But where is the best place to fix a tomtom in a FL RS? Bearing in mind it needs to be near the power source!! I wouldve liked it mounted in the middle of the dash but the poxy useless rattly cupboard thing is right in the way!!...Where does everyone have theres?

Cheers

Kit

This is how I have my TomTom installed - permanently fitted active mount in the dash top box, then the sat nav unit can be attached when required.

This is for a GO750 Live and I have used the accessory "installed" mount, fitted to a custom fabricated bracket, that is designed to fit in the top box housing. Of course, the lid always stays open, but that doesn't worry me as the other unit (2 way radio control head) is always there.

Power is derived from the a switched supply from CAN Bus adaptor, so unit stays alive until ign key is removed - the lighter plug (which contains the 12v>5v regulated supply) is plugged into a wired socket located under the top box. I have modified the lid, so that it is no longer spring operated.

Incidentally, if anyone has a GOx40 or x50 series TomTom and is interested in this kind of set up, I have another top box, modified to be "lidless" with an active mount installed centrally - this is surplus to my requirements and apart from power, would be a "fit & play" solution. I would be interested in selling this if anyone could use it.

John.

By the way, I originally took this picture to capture an image of the "tasteful" rear skirt mod on the silver Vectra in front of me.

Edited 18 January, 2012 by JayTee

[zeffania]

Here's mine and its not permanent although the extra power supply in the glove box is

[greatdane]

I bought one of the mountings which fit onto your air vent then turn the vent down to stabalise it and its been fine

plus it does not put the tell tale ring marks on your windscreen for the scum to break in your car

[Wardy]

Power is derived from the a switched supply from CAN Bus adaptor, so unit stays alive until ign key is removed - the lighter plug (which contains the 12v>5v regulated supply) is plugged into a wired socket located under the top box. I have modified the lid, so that it is no longer spring operated.

Interesting approach. Which CANBus adaptor - the main gateway located behind the glovebox?

[JayTee]

Interesting approach. Which CANBus adaptor - the main gateway located behind the glovebox?

I used a CanM8 product which gives a switched 1A supply decoded from the CANBus - I connected it to the CAN twisted pair behind and slighly below the fuse box and above the pedals(from memory).

The adaptor basically switches a 12 volt + supply which I derived from the fuse box and holds it for 30mins when the ign is switched off but "key in position".

I use this feed to drive a relay, which then switches a 15A rated +ve supply that I use for TomTom and a roof mounted 8" DVD player/drop down screen.

The advantage of this is that when you switch off the engine and leave the key in, these accessories remain powered up - great with the children in the car still able to watch a DVD whilst refuelling!

John.