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the suction-based windshield mount that comes with my Garmin is finally gone, like won't stick for more than 5 minutes, so what other mounts i can use? is suction mount the only kind available?
The windshield mount is illegal. Generally, the 5-0 won't do anything, but if you get a real stickler, they can fine you $250. That's what a cop told me anyway. Your best bet in every aspect is to have the unit hardwired. You'll get a custom mount, and the unit will always have power when the car is on. Mp3 Interface in Maplewood did mine and it's fantastic. It's much cleaner.. no wires hanging.
2) I can easily adjust its positioning -- not just the swivel angle but where the whole unit is physically located -- with no fuss.
3) On my Saab, the windshield is so raked that if I were using the suction mount I'd have to mount the unit up in my field of vision of the road just to be able to reach it; using the beanbag mount resolves this issue.
What I don't like about it:
1) It moves around too much when I hit bumps. This is especially true in my Volkswagen which has a modified and VERY taut suspension. It migrates too much for my liking when I use it in the VW.
2) It costs too much for what is essentially a bean bag with a plastic neck sticking out of it. Amazon has it right now for $24, which is a little more reasonable than the $30 they were charging when I bought mine.
so the beanbag mounts do move, that's what i was worried about, how does mere friction between the bottom of the mounts and dashboard hold everything in place, that's just impossible, thanks for your info
so the beanbag mounts do move, that's what i was worried about, how does mere friction between the bottom of the mounts and dashboard hold everything in place, that's just impossible, thanks for your info
The friction surface actually works quite well, well enough that the unit stays put even during aggressive cornering. And believe me, my Volkswagen can corner very aggressively. But the tradeoff for that aggressive cornering ability is a suspension tuned so tautly that the car absolutely crashes over even small bumps, causing the mount to physically jump up off the dash and sometimes shift a tiny bit. The cumulative effect is such that I have to reposition it about every 20 minutes or so. You may not experience this problem if your car absorbs road imperfections better than mine does. And about 98.4% of cars on the road do in fact absorb road imperfections better than mine does.
are there any special adhesive material on the bottom of the mounts? if yes, does it wear off over time?
i know the answer is probably no, the beanbag is just using weight/friction, but i want to confirm, thanks!
No adhesive. I've heard people complain about the friction material wearing off of "generic" friction mounts over a number of years, but haven't heard any such complaints about the Garmin-brand mount. Maybe that's why it costs so much more than the generics. It has a 5-star rating on Amazon with over 3,400 reviews. That's pretty impressive.
By the way, in the intervening 2 hours since my first post, the price has dropped to 18 bucks. I'd jump on it if I were you.
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