Good place to put your GPS in a Mondeo?

[RicOz]

Not having owned a portable GPS system before, please forgive me for my lack of tech knowledge of them in this question...

Having got my new Mondeo wagon which comes with the colour HMI display... I always thought how good it would be if it was also a GPS so I could see it nicely infront of me when Im driving. So then I thought, "how about putting a portable GPS system in there and stick it down where the colour display is". Obviously not a large one not to cover up the speedo.

Do you think this would be do-able? I've seen some GPS round stickers you put on your dash, so wondering if this would work. Also the fact that it will not have direct view out the windscreen so it may not be able to pick up the signal. Are there any antennas that plug in to the device for a solution?

[NZ XR6]

Portable GPS devices have a touch screen. You would need to be able to access this easily while driving. Also remember that it's a good idea to be able to easily remove the GPS when you leave the car as they're a bit of a thief magnet.

[me_two]

Hi RicOz

Have a look at Proclipusa.
They have a mounting system for Your car. I have it in my FG Ute and in my wife's Mondeo

[bovva66]

That Proclip USA site looks good, 3 different mounting positions, and no screw fixings to dash. Have to keep in mind for future.

[RicOz]

I just bought a Garmin GPS. After testing first I stuck the disc for the holder to attach on the space between the colour display and the steering wheel. Works a treat! I like it that I can view the map where the current display is at dash level. I have attached some photos.

Down side is that it covers the original display and hard to use while driving (not that I do this! ;-) but I only use GPS on a few occations so it a good solution to the messy window mount solution.

[MOND30]

I've done a bit of googling on this myself, and found a couple of pages on the Kuda Konsole from Germany I think. It's a bracket that sits above the two central face air vents and runs back to clip into the windscreen vent somehow. The GPS then sits straight above the face air vents and is much easier to reach. I'm umming and ahhing, but it would end up close to A$100 incl postage I think.

Cheers
Brenton

[XR5-Boy]

I know the old man puts his in the lower right hand corner of the front windscreen. I use the same approach in my Focus.

I hate when people have it in the middle of their windscreens!!!! That's just ridiculous!

[RicOz]

Problem with having it on the windscreen in a Mondeo, its a lot further back and need a longish arm to reach.

The solution that I posted, infront of the display, will only work for people with the Convers+ colour screen. It may not be the best solution but at least it hides it away from the windscreen, no ring marks. It connects fine to the satellites too despite that its not in direct view of the windscreen.

[apstar]

hmm am I missing something here,my GPS is part of my Nokia mobile phone I just sit it in the cup holder on the centre console and just listen to the voice commands why would you need to see the actual display!! even better when I connect via bluetooth

apstar

[RicOz]

Originally Posted by apstar

hmm am I missing something here,my GPS is part of my Nokia mobile phone I just sit it in the cup holder on the centre console and just listen to the voice commands why would you need to see the actual display!! even better when I connect via bluetooth

apstar

You can do that yes, but then why to GPS navigators come with a map display then?

[wusyc]

Originally Posted by RicOz

You can do that yes, but then why to GPS navigators come with a map display then?

I wish it did that. For Nokia phone, the voice prompt from GPS comes through the car audio when you set the car audio to external bluetooth source. This is actually good and bad. Good - it is very clear voice coming through the car sound system. Bad - I cannot listen to radio/cd/usb while wanting to hear the GPS voice prompts. I am adjusting to that so that I turn to the voice prompt when I get close to destination.

[apstar]

Originally Posted by RicOz

You can do that yes, but then why to GPS navigators come with a map display then?

So that you can see if indeed it has selected the right position and save it as a landmark once you are on the way there's no need to SEE where you are going otherwise you can cause an accident looking towards the GPS much the same as using a mobile phone shortly GPS will be banned anywhere on the windscreen only integrated displays allowed

apstar

[MOND30]

Originally Posted by wusyc

I wish it did that. For Nokia phone, the voice prompt from GPS comes through the car audio when you set the car audio to external bluetooth source. This is actually good and bad. Good - it is very clear voice coming through the car sound system. Bad - I cannot listen to radio/cd/usb while wanting to hear the GPS voice prompts. I am adjusting to that so that I turn to the voice prompt when I get close to destination.

Can you put some mp3s on the memory card in the phone, and play those through the Nokia Media Player? Is the phone smart enough to play the songs and then interrupt with the GPS voice prompts?

Cheers
Brenton

[MOND30]

Here's the "Kuda Konsole" I was talking about... (attached)(I think).

[RicOz]

Originally Posted by apstar

So that you can see if indeed it has selected the right position and save it as a landmark once you are on the way there's no need to SEE where you are going otherwise you can cause an accident looking towards the GPS much the same as using a mobile phone shortly GPS will be banned anywhere on the windscreen only integrated displays allowed

apstar

Thus why I posted photos of my GPS infront of the taco display. Its directly infront of you just for occational glances, like checking your speed or fuel.

Don't know about you but the relying on voice commands only can sometimes harder expecially in the city or at an interesection that you dont know.

[wusyc]

Originally Posted by MOND30

Can you put some mp3s on the memory card in the phone, and play those through the Nokia Media Player? Is the phone smart enough to play the songs and then interrupt with the GPS voice prompts?

Cheers
Brenton

That should work to a certain extent. Based on Victorian law, I cannot touch the phone unless it is mounted on a commercial car mount. Sadly, the Nokia does not allow me to control the music player via Bluebooth.

[scribbly]

Originally Posted by RicOz

I just bought a Garmin GPS. After testing first I stuck the disc for the holder to attach on the space between the colour display and the steering wheel. Works a treat! I like it that I can view the map where the current display is at dash level. I have attached some photos.

Down side is that it covers the original display and hard to use while driving (not that I do this! ;-) but I only use GPS on a few occations so it a good solution to the messy window mount solution.

The best reasons for having my Garmin GPS sitting in the centre of the windscreen down low is:
1/ so the power cord reaches the power outlet without getting in the way of the driver.
2/ it doesn't obscure anything for me except part of the bonnet and
3/ it's more of a heads up arrangement. Just see what aircraft and BMW do for this type of set-up.

I also don't have to listen to the inane english language person and can just look for the next turn or direction as easily as looking at the rear vision mirror.

[apstar]

Originally Posted by scribbly

I also don't have to listen to the inane english language person and can just look for the next turn or direction as easily as looking at the rear vision mirror.

Well I changed mine to a sexy female voice : regarding directions I prefer to hear this
"At the next roundabout take the third exit" on my Nokia mobile phone it will be hard to see while driving [disadvantage small screen]
"At 200m turn left then at the 3rd road turn right.... you have reached your destination"

apstar

[Dusty1]

Scribbly, same place as mine when I use it. I had it over on the A pillar drivers side, but the cable used to ********** me, so I found it easier to have it down on the windscreen.

First time up the Calder on the weekend for a while, the new bypass is excellent. But not on my Dad's new Tom Tom, and certainly not on my Navman with 2008 maps installed.

[scribbly]

It's not on the Garmin yet either and my maps were updated OCT09 (lifetime downloads).