Sat Nav Install Idea..

[gilto]

I am thinking of purchasing one of the new Navman S50's and want to put it in the car permanently. I want to put it where the tissue box holder is...I think it will fit easily...

What would be required to do this??? How would I power it up?? From the power outlet wires?? Would I have to make a custom plastic surround for it to sit in?? How would I match the finish from the ICC??

I know there are a lot of questions. There is probably a lot of work involved but I think it will look awesome....

[TURBOXR]

I am thinking of purchasing one of the new Navman S50's and want to put it in the car permanently. I want to put it where the tissue box holder is...I think it will fit easily...

What would be required to do this??? How would I power it up?? From the power outlet wires?? Would I have to make a custom plastic surround for it to sit in?? How would I match the finish from the ICC??

I know there are a lot of questions. There is probably a lot of work involved but I think it will look awesome....

Hey mate.

I did this with my garmin nuvi for a while but mine was a sort of 'semi' fixed unit. All I did was mount on the upper part of the tissue box its with a dash mounting unit (the windsreen one but with a plastic disc and adhesive rather than a suction cup). It sat flush with the icc and it was just the right size to fill the gap. It could still be removed but from the outside didnt look like it.

I didnt make a fully flush surround for it but I suppose it could be done. I ran its power from a second ciigie lighter I installed behind the tissue box. Totally hidden and the cable attaches to the rear of the mount so cant even see that.

Didnt need to paint it because its already a close enough silver match. But a paint shop can mix a spray can for you for 30 bucks. Sounds cheap and sh*t but I painted all my interior trims in silver and it looks exactly like the fpv surround. Just take them a piece of trim and ask them to match it.

I bought an external gps antenna from dick smith for 60 bucks. Plugs into the back of the gps and ran the cable behind the icc, over steering column, through the fuse box, through the drivers side lower door sils and mounted the antenna (which is a small black dome) on the parcel shelf right in the corner with the rear glass. Gets full reception and looks like ford put it there.

And I also attached it to the aux input so sound would come through the speakers. It was a good setup because it also has a 2gb card in it so the touchscreen mp3 player feature was cool. And because its always plugged in, turn car on... it comes on.

Id get pics.... but I took it out. For a number of reasons.

1. The ford audio whine killed me. Dont know if yours has this problem, but if it does its painfull.

2. The gps talks to much. And when it does it mutes the audio (ie your music). Yes I know I need to turn left. no need to pause the music to tell me every 50 meters.

3. The biggest reason I removed it. You have to take your eyes of the road much more to look at you tissue box.

And that's why mine returned to the windscreen.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

[senna_T]

VDO do a setup like this, its about 700 I think, not bad, but as said already, you have to look down to see it, not good when driving!

[gilto]

Thanks heaps guys, awesome info....

Another question. With it hooked up to the ciggie lighter can you turn it off or is it on ALL the time because I wouldn't want it on all the time.....just when I need to know where I am going...

Do the Navmans have an on/off switch or something or is it when they are powered they are on....?

[gravelrash]

if you have Premo sound and already have a ASL or similar dvd kit installed, by using a rv selector box I would hook this up

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/GPS-Navi-Navigation...1QQcmdZViewItem

[TURBOXR]

Thanks heaps guys, awesome info....

Another question. With it hooked up to the ciggie lighter can you turn it off or is it on ALL the time because I wouldn't want it on all the time.....just when I need to know where I am going...

Do the Navmans have an on/off switch or something or is it when they are powered they are on....?

It would be very easy to wire in a switch for a hidden ciggie outlet when you are fitting it if you are that way inclined. Just need to find a spot to hide a switch (maybe in the glovebox??) or find one that looks good.

Not sure about the navman, but my garmin can be set up so it wont turn on unless you put in a pin number (makes it useless to anyone who steals it) and after a while if you dont touch it it switches inself into sleep mode.