Need better mount for Garmin Nuvi Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:17 pm
Its too bad Garmin can't provide something other than a bean bag rug matt for its Nuvi GPS. Can't use windscreen suction thing in Minnesota. What else is there? Please help![/b]
The beanbag is an excellent and convenient solution for many users. Not sure what you dislike about it, but perhaps a vent mount would work for you. ProClips has a solution, as well a a few others. A web search for Garmin Vent Mount should yield some results.
Come on - vent mount? I spent over $800 dollars for the Nuvi - you are suggesting I hang it on my air conditioning vent, I don't think so.
I want some that is robust and professional. Any other suggestions?
Dislike? Everything. They are ugly, unsafe and grossly over priced for a pile of beans. The Nuvi is so cool and works so well, there must be better options other than beans or cheezie vent mounts.
Other ideas?
It seems I've read there are a few auto mfg.'s who offer the 760 as a pseudo "built-in" on some new vehicles. Ford may be one, Nissan may be another. You could try checking with the after-market dept. at your auto dealer to see if parts could be ordered to adapt yours. Only suggestion I could offer other than what Tim already mentioned. Biggest advantages of the beanbag for me is custom placement and quick "hiding" of the entire mount without necessarily removing the nuvi itself. Great for quick stops. Contrary to what you may suppose, it stays where you put it. Fast stops, hard turns, little seems to move it.
Come on - vent mount? I spent over $800 dollars for the Nuvi - you are suggesting I hang it on my air conditioning vent, I don't think so.
I want some that is robust and professional. Any other suggestions?
I use a vent mount for both a TomTom 920 and Garmin 260, both work fine. The vents in our vehicles can be turned off individually, so excessively hot or cold air isn't blowing on the unit.
Joined: 15 Dec 2007 Posts: 939 Location: Central PA (FN10) - USA
Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:27 am
pcooper08 - If you have not already checked out RAM mounting systems, you should. You might like the RAM RAM-A-CAN II™ Cup Holder Mount. Not sure where your Bud Light roadie could go. though.
Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 128 Location: Connecticut, USA
Tue Jul 22, 2008 5:35 am
pcooper08 wrote:
Come on - vent mount? I spent over $800 dollars for the Nuvi - you are suggesting I hang it on my air conditioning vent, I don't think so.
I want some that is robust and professional. Any other suggestions?
I appreciate all of your ideas. I found something that puts all of them to shame. Bean Bags are pathetic, vent mounts & pro clip are cheap & the Ram products look like they are built for a German tank. After lots of searching here is what I finally found. There are a handful of pictures in the photo gallery - maybe you guys want to check out. Has anyone out there tried these?
Expensive, and it appears they are permanently mounted - no hiding the fact from potential thieves there may be something worth busting a window for. From my perspective, there's nothing about this solution that puts anything else 'to shame'. What works for you may not be desireable to someone else, and vice-versa.
I have to challenge you on 'what is expensive'. In many places you will pay $35 to $40 for a bean bag. This is $50 and its custom for my car. It really is appealing cause there is nothing that looks like it came from ToysRus on the dash and nothin hanging from the vents. If its as good as it looks seems to be a pretty good deal in my book.
The websit information says you can take your electronics off the little ball. Seems pretty easy if you are concerned about theft.
I also like the idea that you can use the mount for something other than the Nuvi. Photos show an iPhone on the mount - now that is awesome.
Still - has any one used a Pro.Fit G3? Would like to hear more before I spend the $50
I have to challenge you on 'what is expensive'. In many places you will pay $35 to $40 for a bean bag. This is $50 and its custom for my car. It really is appealing cause there is nothing that looks like it came from ToysRus on the dash and nothin hanging from the vents. If its as good as it looks seems to be a pretty good deal in my book.
The websit information says you can take your electronics off the little ball. Seems pretty easy if you are concerned about theft.
My point is that the mount is permanent. Thieves look for something like this - cars with rings on the windshield from window mounts are getting broken into, regardless of whether there's a gps visible or not. The ring gives them the idea the gps may be hidden somewhere in the car.
Glad it works for you, but that's exactly why I have no interest in a mount like this. I have two vehicles, plus I put my GPS to it's best use when I'm driving a rental car in an unfamiliar city. I love being able to move my cheap, inferior beanbag mount between cars with no more effort than moving a coffee cup. And of course, a permanent mount isn't even an option in a rental car.
pcooper08 wrote:
The websit information says you can take your electronics off the little ball. Seems pretty easy if you are concerned about theft.
Thieves need nothing more than the faint outline of a suction cup mount on the windshield to break into a car. A permanent mount, empty or not, is an open invitation.
Perhaps I live in a wonderland with very little crime - but why the preoccupation with theft. We are talking about how to mount a Nuvi with something other than carnival toys. Solving theft problems could be a different forum altogether.
I rarely am in a rental car - so probably a good place for a cheap ($40) bean bag. And if you loose it or forget it - whats another $40?
I keep going back to the photo gallery and am really impressed with how small the g3 mount is. Curious about how sturdy it is and how difficult it is to put in. I will probably buy a mount and will report back. If anyone has experience with these would like to know.
Perhaps I live in a wonderland with very little crime - but why the preoccupation with theft.
Ummm, maybe because I prefer not to have my car broken into? The repair cost on a broken window or forced lock will be at least as much as the cost of the gps.
pcooper08 wrote:
We are talking about how to mount a Nuvi with something other than carnival toys.
Your preoccupation with equating mounts other than one you like with toys is, well, childish. They work just as well as your custom solution. It's one thing to express an opinion, but to keep denigrating another solution makes you seem like some sort of elitist. You like the Pro-fit, that's great. Others are fine with beanbag, window, and vent mounts.
pcooper08 wrote:
Solving theft problems could be a different forum altogether.
Not really, gps theft is on topic and specifically been the topic of news articles.
Bianchi said that car windows have been smashed on the North Haven street where he lives, too, for the same reason: thieves grabbing GPS devices. He’d been warned not to leave his on the dashboard. He wishes he’d heeded the advice. Now he’s giving it: “I’m warning people: Take them off the dashboard.”
Joined: 22 Jun 2008 Posts: 123 Location: Chandler, AZ
Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:32 pm
If I didn't know any better I would suspect pcooper08 is a shill for pro-fit.
But since I don't have proof, I will offer advice.
I use the beanbag mount for my 760 and it works great. It's not stealth, integrated nor does it look hi-tech. But it does the job and doesn't move - ever. It's very easy to move between vehicles. What will you do if your car is totaled or is in the shop and you are in someone elses car? With the bean bag, you just pick it up and move it - easy. And as others have said - what about when you fly on vacation and rent a car or use someone elses car?
And I agree, the way you put down every helpful suggestion is very childish. You need to take a different approach if you want more advice from the forum. Unless, of course, you really don't want advice and just want to push your company's product.
If I didn't know any better I would suspect pcooper08 is a shill for pro-fit. But since I don't have proof, I will offer advice.
He is, and I have proof. I've banned the account-- actually both of them. It is too bad so many people wasted their time replying to a dishonest inquiry.
If I didn't know any better I would suspect pcooper08 is a shill for pro-fit. But since I don't have proof, I will offer advice.
He is, and I have proof. I've banned the account-- actually both of them. It is too bad so many people wasted their time replying to a dishonest inquiry.
That is too bad. It doesn't speak too highly of the company either.
Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:39 pm
Hi. I've ordered a vent mount for my Garmin 350 which hasn't come yet.
Of course, before ordering it, I didn't check all the details. It's for vents with horizontal louvres. Well I see mine are vertical but there are horizontal ones just inside. Depending on how long the clips are, I could manage to attach them. If not, no big deal, I'm only out 10 bucks.
Just wanted to know if any of you have had a similar situation and have you been able to use the vent mount by finding another way to attach the mount?
Don't know if it helps or not but I drive a 2005 Hyundai Elantra.
Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 22 Location: PG BC Canada
Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:47 am
I use the plastic disc glued to my truck dash with the stock suction cup mount on the 760. This puts it in reach and has excellent FM trans. power.
I try mounting to windsheild of wife's Honda Pilot and it is too far to reach and crappy FM trans. reception. The unit gets interfrence from certain peoples bodies when they are in certain seats. A plastic disc to the dash is not practical as I cannot find a decent spot close enough that works with FM. I know I upset radio reception with radios at work and in my house by moving closer or farther.
I must be part alien, so before I go on my long trip next week, I will be off to the store this weekend to purchase a BEANBAG mount that I can position the 760 ANYWHERE in the Pilot to solve my problems. Never considered one before this but now it has turned on a bulb in my head.
This thread was not a waste of time, I am going to be pleased with my purchase, and you exposed a phony to the world. Good work.
Update: Got a bean bag friction mount and drove it home. Pretty nifty piece and I can see me getting used to it. However it did skid an inch on a bounce over our northern potholes in a 1 ton pickup. gravity will still affect it when airbourne!
Last edited by dcnuvi on Sun Jul 27, 2008 5:20 am; edited 1 time in total
designed my own mounting bracket Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:40 am
i used a 1/16" stainless steel plate about 2" wide and bent it to an L-shape.
one part of the L-bracket i inserted into the vertical seam between the dash and Air vent. On the other end of the L-bracket (inside surface) i glued a self-stick velcro, to secure to the dashboard.
on the (outside surface of the L-bracket ) i glued the garmin quick release bracket Garmin Automotive Mount for Nuvi 660 (010-10823-02)
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Its too bad Garmin can't provide something other than a bean bag rug matt for its Nuvi GPS. Can't use windscreen suction thing in Minnesota. What else is there? Please help![/b]
