GPS mount possibilities

[GasSavers_maximilian]

I'm trying to come up with good places to mount mt new TomTom. Originally I was going to place it over the tachometer, since I know my car well enough now not to need it for shifting. The problem is that the cover plate for the gauges is angled sharply so that the TomTom can sit very far back. This means that I can't simply leave it in the car, unnoticeable from the outside, as I'd hoped. Besides, the power button would be inaccessible and there doesn't appear to be a way to have it turn on either automatically or with a press of the touch screen. Reaching through or around the steering wheel wasn't a huge deal, but wasn't desirable either, although it being right with my other gauges is nice.

If stealth for anti-theft is out, I'm now considering mounting it on my steering wheel. In the void that's above the center and beneath the top ring (perhaps slightly behind the plane of the top ring). It would be left shifted slightly so the speedometer wouldn't be obstructed. I think I've got all the mounting and power routing issues covered, but wanted to sanity check that the unit will actually be out of the way in the event of an airbag deployment! Seems like it would, but the potential of getting a face full of consumer electronics isn't very appealing. I need to do some trial runs to make sure it being so close isn't annoying, not to mention it rotating when you steer, although that effect isn't significant generally.

[theholycow]

You live in Vermont, the state with the lowest crime rate in the country. I wouldn't make too much effort to worry about theft.

So you're saying you'd mount it on the steering wheel itself? That sounds like you'd have to take your eyes too far off the road to see it. You would know better than anyone else if the way you want to mount it would affect the airbag. Have you considered the GPS antenna? It needs a good view of the sky to get a good signal; that means you don't want it turning upside-down, and you want it under the windshield. Also, if it's upside-down when you're turning and you need to glance at it...

The reason people suction-cup them to the windshield or plant them on the dash top is because it's really the most practical place to use it. Mine is centered on top of my dash and I don't have to take my eyes off the road to get a good look at it.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Hadn't considered the antenna, be curious to see what that does. I did a little testing and it is sort of close on the steering wheel. I like the tachometer mount, though, so I'll probably just stick with that. It being right next to the gauges I'm already glancing at is nice and it's shielded from glare. An L bracket with some velcro will be a lot easier than the suction cup mount I've been using. Already have the cable run behind the dash (very easy to do on the Accent). I'll get a cigarette lighter socket and conceal the adapter as well. Most of the time I won't use it, so it'll just be the cable resting there - basically invisible.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I use a ProClip for my HTC Tilt... Here's pics of it in action in my truck...

[GasSavers_maximilian]

I'm destined to have some sort of Google Android device in the future so I'll probably wind up with something like that.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Well, its a 2 part system. The vehicle mount, and the device specific mount are screwed togeather. The part the clips onto the dash was $30, and the charging cradle was about $60. After shipping I paid right about $100 for it, but well worth it. At the time it was the only charging cradle available for the HTC Tilt. I don't know if anything else is available now or not. I've been pleased with the ProClip though.

[GasSavers_EasyDriver]

No matter where you live a gps in plain view is a temptation for a break in. I bought a bean bag dash mount that I really like. I can move it to the optimum viewing location on the dash, and relocate it out of view easily. I just feel better having the gps out of sight!

[Jay2TheRescue]

My dad has the bean bag mount, and he loves it. My mount is clipped to the dashboard, but I don't see it as a temptation for theft because my GPS is my phone as well, so it gets removed when I leave the vehicle.