Thinking about installing nav

[fatbastard]

originally I was going to do a carputer but I realized I needed to make it super simple for the wife and the newer nav units include mp3 and bluetooth and those were the only other things I was going to look into. Since I am now looking at these portable units I keep seeing posts ( in other forums) about which maps are the best but they give no explanation. Does anyone know of a site that explains the differences so I can make a better choice? From the little bit I have read it seems to depend on where you live but I can't find the details. Lastly, I would ike to make this a semi permanent install. All of the units are too large to fit in the stock cubby with the door but can anyone confirm what the dimensions are if you remove the door? What about the stock spec B cubby dims or the AVO cubby? I couldn't find any info in my search, just that a 7" screen fits..

[Paul G.]

The plug-n-play units do a decent job for nav, many can be shoehorned into the cubby for a semi-perm installation.

The stock cubby opening is about 5-1/2 x 2. This is terribly small. The height is limited by the disappearing door feature.

If you remove the door the cubby will accommodate units up to 3-1/4 tall (more or less) by trimming away at the top of the cubby. You still need a unit with no buttons above or below the screen. Removing the door also allows widths up to 6-1/2 with a little grinding.

Others can tell you better about the installable (Pioneer, Kenwood, etc.) units, AVO single DIN cubbys and Spec B cubbys.

Most units use Navteq maps anyway. It's usually not the map that has issues, it's the software.

Good luck

[fatbastard]

Thanks...based on that pretty much every unit I have looked at will fit n the stock cubby without the door.

Right now I am considering the Garmin Nuvi 360...it has MP3 capability, bluetooth and of course nav but the MP3 strage is quite small...I think it is less than a GB. The Magellan units have 10GB for music and pics but from what I have read you can play MP3's and get directions, where the Garmin mutes the music to give you directions then goes back to music.

[Paul G.]

Yeah, the Garmin will fit in easily. You will need to add an external antenna.

If you are doing it yourself, and have only 5 thumbs like me, the whole thing should take no more than a couple of hours.

The cubby pulls right out, you disconnect a couple of connectors (for the light and for the computer thingy).

I also removed the left lower panel (the one above your shins--2 popits and one snap) so the wiring could be run invisibly.

First I modified the cubby: Remove the vents and faceplate with torx and phillips drivers. I also removed the computer and put it aside for safety.

You will need to remove the door. It is almost impossible to do without breaking it. I didn't worry about it.

You will then need to trim back the top front lip of the compartment to allow the unit to sit in there. I made a little bracket out of sheet aluminum, bent and drilled it to screw onto the back of the nav (there were screws for the mount there already) on one end, and screwed into the top of the cubby on the other. It is clean, invisible and solid.

Then I put the vents, computer and faceplate back on.

Power: My unit came with a coily cord. I cut it before the curly part, stripped and spliced two hookup wires to it. My cord was color-coded, but if yours isn't use a continuity tester or ohmmeter to determine polarity.

Take everything back out to the car.

I dropped the hot wire down the back of the dash on the driver's side until I could grab it from below. I pulled it across to the fuse box and crimped it onto an adapter I bought from Pep Boys for a few bucks. These adapters plug into the fuse box but split the circuit in two--one fuse for existing accessory and another connecting to a short cable for your new circuit.

I plugged this into a non-critical circuit (#20-cigarette lighter). For ground I just found a screw inside the dash opening connected to ground (again, I used a continuity tester to find ground) and attached my other wire.

Antenna--I dropped another wire (for fishing) down the same place, taped the business end of antenna wire to it and pulled it up into the dash. I stuck the antenna itself on the far left of the dash, next to the A pillar. If your state has an inspection or registration sticker over that spot you may have to relocate somewhat.

I tucked the cable into the seam between the A pillar and the dash, continuing around towards the door, under the side trim and finally out near the fuse box. My antenna came with 9' of cable, so I pulled the excess into the dash, and wrapped it nice and neat before attaching to my GPS.

Make sure you route your wires so as not to interfere with air ducts when you put everything back together.

Before shoving the cubby back in the dash I checked for power (in ACC position) and antenna signal. All was well so I reinstalled the cubby and lower dash panel with the antenna and power wire inside.

Voila!!!

[Paul G.]

Two things I forgot: Don't forget to reconnect the computer's socket. I didn't reconnect the cubby light, it is now redundant.

A week or so of driving like this made me realize that the cubby door was acting as a shade for the computer, keeping light from the windshield from washing out the display.

I fixed this with the remains of my cubby door. I unscrewed the thick black backing plastic and cut what was the top about 3/4" below the bend. I then fiddled with it until it fit upside down above the display, like an awning. I attached this to the cubby floor with velcro. You may be able to make it out on my photo. When I get home I'll try to take a better picture of my shade.

P.

[fatbastard]

Wow...thanks for the walk through. I just saw the Garmin Nuvi 350 on sale for like 630 bucks...I think it lacks the bluetooth but might be worth a look. I'll have to get my hands on one to make sure the connectors are in places that wouldn't interfere with mounting it and make sure it has the connection for external antenna.

[Paul G.]

Go to Garmin's website, you can download a PDF operators manual which shows cable locations, mounts, dimensions, power usage etc.

Most of the other makers let you look at or download the manual. It may help in your decision.

P.

[Mungo]

Lastly, I would ike to make this a semi permanent install.

What's the motivation for semi-permanent? A great advantage of the Nuvi-size is that you can take it with you on trips, or another car.

I have a pro-clip mount for my Nuvi and its real sharp. If you're picky you could run the power through a vent. The system also operates off of battery for at least 4 hours, so you could even go cordless for most trips.

[fatbastard]

What's the motivation for semi-permanent? A great advantage of the Nuvi-size is that you can take it with you on trips, or another car.

I have a pro-clip mount for my Nuvi and its real sharp. If you're picky you could run the power through a vent. The system also operates off of battery for at least 4 hours, so you could even go cordless for most trips.

I was thinking of semi permanent because I am pretty anal and like things to look as close to OEM as possible. Right now I have the MyFi clipped to a vent and I would prefer not to have anything else "hanging" around. I know some of the pro-clips are damn nice but I don't want it to start looking like my dash has a bunch of growths.

[Mungo]

I'm pretty picky too. I don't let my wife put trash/wrappers in the ashtray. :)

There is a fella named Casopolis who is fabricating custom cubby gauge pods. In time he might be willing to do some custom nav system work as well.

[f1anatic]

i found the lowrance i-way 500 c to be quite good. and it is semi-permanently installed in the cubby. Meaning...you don"t even know there is a mounting mechanism when I am not using it.

[Paul G.]

I know what you mean about the mess. I hate stuff on the dashboard, I feel like I'm in a Bombay taxi.

After a new set of tires, I may replace my Magellan with a Garmin 2730 just to get rid of my XM receiver (hanging off the vent, you can see it in the picture.

It's also nice with GPS to not have to decide "should I mount it/hook it up now, do I need it this trip?" The beauty of GPS nav is it can be there and ready if you need it.

I wouldn't think of parking a car with a GPS sitting on the dash, it's just asking for a broken window. So you unhook it, put it under the seat or in a bin. Of course you leave a mount very visible, so a savvy thief would assume he can reach in a grab some desirable electronics easy.

An in-dash, semi-permanent mount is less likely to attract thieves, because you need tools and time to pull it out. It is always ready if you get lost, or need to locate an address.

My car has AWD, GPS, Fog Lights and I carry a cell phone. It allows me to go anywhere, find anyplace, in any weather, on any (even marginal) road. It's a very good feeling.

P.

[Paul G.]

pictures 1 & 2--Antenna location from the outside--nice wide view of the sky without calling attention to itself.

picture 3--Antenna from the inside--see the cable disappear almost immediately, no interference with defroster vents.

picture 4--fuse box with adapter (lower left) and red wire to power the GPS.

[fatbastard]

I like that fuse adaptor...you got that at Pep boys huh? I guess I'll have to head over there, even if I don't use it for the nav I could use it to power the myfi