My mother-in-law got me a neat present for Christmas...a Garmin mobile navigation device. The standard installation is to use a suction cup device attached to your windhsield. Well, I didn't want to have it so high for safety while driving plus for security from theft. An optional installation is stick/glue a metal disc to the dash that the suction cup attaches to. Well, I didn't want any residue or potential dash damage plus I have bad luck with suction cup use anyway, and I didn't want to drill into the dash so I used a mirror bracket. $1.23 at lowes it's a j-shaped (a square 'j') so I drilled thru the suction cup frame and screwed that to the mirror bracket then "hung" the bracket on the center dash insert right above the hazard switch and a/c vent. I ran the power cord which plugs into cig lighter behind the center dash insert too. A real clean looking install and yet still mobile as necessary. Check it out:

 

I think you're mother in law just told you were to go! LOL!

That is a better mount than most I see. Just make sure to stash it away when you park or you will have a broken window.

 

Windshield mounts are not legal in California, unless its in the lower right or lower left corner, and neither are good places IMO. I also have a garmin, which I have setup so it will velcro into the front of the top dash storage compartment and the lid velco's right down on the top of the GPS. I could hardwire it in, but I do move it from car to car. When I'm not using it, IE: car is parked at a shopping center or???? nothing shows, nothing. Has worked well for me, for a couple of years.

 

The storage compartment works pretty well, and then you can just flip it down and close the lid. Remove the compartment, bore a hole in one corner, and there is plenty of room to route the cables behind the dash for a clean install.

 

i just got a gps today for a killer price the garmin nuvi 205 and its a smaller one so i just stick it up behind the gauge bezel towards the middle but so i can stilll open the center up very easy to see and doesnt obstruct the veiw idk how it would work for larger units though

 

I suction cup my Garmin to the windshield just above the guage cluster. I can keep an eye on it while driving without really taking my eyes off the road. I use it in a couple of other cars I have. Right now it is sitting on the seat as I use it when I take trips.

 

The 205 was is a nice unit. I had mine mounted on the flat disk it comes with. The disk was flush with the apex of the HazardLight button. Perfect for me as far as visiblity.

 

I used the same spot, but used the self adhesive disk. I have never had it fall off in over a year...
I love having it wired into the ignition circuit so I never forget to turn it off.

 

I only had mine on for a year, but I had no problems with it falling off even though it went through 2 summers in SC, GA, FL.

 

My wonderful big-screen web-enabled DASH express has been made defunct.

I loved the up-to-the-minute traffic, loved the Google shortcuts & Google searches, and especially I loved the "SEND TO CAR" capability since I could send any address to the car and never have to program it with my shaky fingers.

Okay, support has ended, it died.

Now I need some serious suggestions because I want a separate unit and so many companies are just not even trying any more - they know everyone is using their phones.

1. But with a phone, can you really see the map well enough?
---One touch zoom?
---Send addresses to it from the internet?

2. Anyone know of comparable separate units?

3. Are people getting away from just chucking their stock stereos and replacing them with nav head units?

I'd appreciate your help, thank you, as I don't want to have this one become outmoded and unsupported again!