Sat nav location

Jeff Sutcliffe said:
www.ebay.co.uk

In Car GPS Dashboard Mount Holder SAT Nav Dash Mat For Satnav TomTom Navman Thin | eBay

Baby Stroller Storage Bag. Convert your windscreen mounted sat-nav into a convenient dashboard mount. Sticks to your dashboard and stays firmly in place while you drive. Simply lay flat and attach your windscreen mount onto it.
www.ebay.co.uk

This is the simple solution that I use.
Click to expand...
I'm gonna have to go around the accessory shops to see what I like .. . It has to be with in arms reach and easily accessible or it will drive me around the twist mate
 
Alan_uk said:
Whilst the RNSE installations look very good I always felt that the sat nav display was far too low down and meant taking the eyes off the road for too long. Maybe those that have it can comment.

Meanwhile I have my Garmin sat nav in a cradle that goes in the central air vent. Not very elegant but I find it at the right height and easy to tap if need be. Also has a BT link to my phone though I rarely use it, preferring calls to go to voice mail when I'm driving.
Click to expand...
I agree with this, I felt like the RNS-E was set too low and feel that mobile phone satnav is better than RNS-E. I also have a modern merc with a massive 12.3” satnav screen which is brilliant so found RNS-E a but underwhelming for the cost (just my personal opinion). I then chose to use my phone with a vent mounted cradle (mounted on the left of the two centre vents) and since the cradle can be angled towards the driver and and be mounted on any one of the horizontal slats it’s within perfect reach at the perfect height.

this is the one I bought.
B73F1303-556A-451A-9854-138CE87CAA3D.jpeg
 
I am ideally looking at fitting the sat nav in this area
 

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As I said get a head up display and place it in front of the binnacle. Display then would be straight in front of you. Do not think you would like a vent phone holder as not much good for the sat nav. There was even a Garmin head up display unit.
 
audifan said:
As I said get a head up display and place it in front of the binnacle. Display then would be straight in front of you. Do not think you would like a vent phone holder as not much good for the sat nav. There was even a Garmin head up display unit.
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Nah mate I prefer to see the nav even just for every day running around especially since I have been out of my area for 11 years so like to see what new developments have been going on etc . New estates blah blah
 
Jeetesh said:
I agree with this, I felt like the RNS-E was set too low and feel that mobile phone satnav is better than RNS-E. I also have a modern merc with a massive 12.3” satnav screen which is brilliant so found RNS-E a but underwhelming for the cost (just my personal opinion). I then chose to use my phone with a vent mounted cradle (mounted on the left of the two centre vents) and since the cradle can be angled towards the driver and and be mounted on any one of the horizontal slats it’s within perfect reach at the perfect height.
Click to expand...
I used to use a vent cradle for my iPhone with TomTom Go software.
I now use the RNS-E with 2020 maps on SD card, overspeed warning from the RNS-E too in preference to the phone, but each to their own.
 
4markowen said:
https://www.belkin.com/uk/p/P-F8J168/
I've only just replaced my cup holder so not actually popped this in the A2 yet, but I used it in my A4 (B7).

Other option I grabbed from amazon was a CD slot mount for the TT and it's aux port. Obv. depends on having a cd stereo.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/cd-phone-mount/s?k=cd+phone+mount

There's also a Pioneer after market stereo that has a phone mount built into it at the much more expensive but possibly more flexible end.
https://www.halfords.com/technology...neer-sph-10bt-smartphone-receiver-737373.html
Click to expand...

I like the cup holder mount! That should place the phone in the ideal position: i.e. in your line of sight but not obstructing the view, easily to hand and in a place whereby the charging cable won’t drape over your knee etc. - when you try it in the A2, perhaps you could report back on whether this is the case?
 
Bargepower said:
I used to use a vent cradle for my iPhone with TomTom Go software.
I now use the RNS-E with 2020 maps on SD card, overspeed warning from the RNS-E too in preference to the phone, but each to their own.
Click to expand...
I used to do exactly the same, TomTom Go software until they stopped supporting it.

The RNS-E I tried had outdated software so that’s was probably the issue. I love the look of the RNS-E however need double DIN dash as well as the unit. I’ve only used satnav on my phone once in my A2 and that was to get to Tom and never needed it since as longer journeys I take my other car. I therefore couldn’t justify the spend for how little it would be used. I didn’t want to butcher my immaculate climate unit either as then there’s no going back.
 
dj_efk said:
when you try it in the A2, perhaps you could report back on whether this is the case?
Click to expand...

Having only just replaced the cup holder and knowing the phone mount has a bit of heft to it, I'm a little reluctant to give it a go :)
 
WayneoA2 said:
Any chance you post up a pic of how you have yours mounted please mate .. and from the drivers seat a picture of the pod that houses the speedo binnacle .? I am thinking of mounting mine to the left hand side of the pod so it will be central in the car and at a proper height that's quickly visible
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Just seen your post. Will take some photos tomorrow (Saturday)
 
4markowen said:
Having only just replaced the cup holder and knowing the phone mount has a bit of heft to it, I'm a little reluctant to give it a go :)
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Hmm how much does the mount weigh then? My thermos flask weighs the best part of 1+kg when almost full and my cup holder didn’t seem to have an issue with that.
 
stevec said:
To connect my phone, so that might sort the dab issue if i can play audio via it?
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The genuine Audi Bluetooth system is for telephone integration only. It’s a superb bit of kit, but it will not allow audio streaming.

Cheers,

Tom
 
dj_efk said:
Hmm how much does the mount weigh then? My thermos flask weighs the best part of 1+kg when almost full and my cup holder didn’t seem to have an issue with that.
Click to expand...

Probably nowhere near that much. It's just my nerves, also I haven't needed to drive it any distance to warrant a satnav since March

The other thing it does is expand with three pads/feet to wedge itself in and that can put extra pressure in places that don't normally need to deal with force.

The weight also remains higher up unlike a drink which at least goes down and wants to maintain momentum during driving so that also puts pressure on the joints of the cupholder.

I mean it's all the usual things you'd expect a cupholder to handle and it does the job.
 
Here are some photos.

1. The cradle side view. Note the crocodile clips. These sometimes come loose when setting it up in the A2.

Cradle side view.JPG


2. The cradle in the A2. I put black PVC insulation tape over the top air vent flap to stop them getting scratch by the crocodile teeth.

SatNav Cradle in A2.JPG


3. SatNav in position. Camera close to my eyes.

SatNav in A2.JPG


4. Touching the SatNav screen. The cradle could go in the right-hand vent but will be a bit blocked when the hands are on the streering wheel.

SatNav touching screen.JPG



Sometimes takes one or two goes to make the clips fully engage and not pop out but once set up I've not had any problems with it falling off.

Have you seen the thread where one chap cut out the square "recess" in the top of the dash and made it hinge up to show a satnav? It did involve adapting the air vents that are underneath. And of course you only get one go cutting it out - make a bodge and it's a new dash with all that entrails replacing the bodged one. Such a set up brings the satnav up higher but also further away.
 
Alan_uk said:
Here are some photos.

1. The cradle side view. Note the crocodile clips. These sometimes come loose when setting it up in the A2.

View attachment 74699

2. The cradle in the A2. I put black PVC insulation tape over the top air vent flap to stop them getting scratch by the crocodile teeth.

View attachment 74700

3. SatNav in position. Camera close to my eyes.

View attachment 74701

4. Touching the SatNav screen. The cradle could go in the right-hand vent but will be a bit blocked when the hands are on the streering wheel.

View attachment 74702


Sometimes takes one or two goes to make the clips fully engage and not pop out but once set up I've not had any problems with it falling off.

Have you seen the thread where one chap cut out the square "recess" in the top of the dash and made it hinge up to show a satnav? It did involve adapting the air vents that are underneath. And of course you only get one go cutting it out - make a bodge and it's a new dash with all that entrails replacing the bodged one. Such a set up brings the satnav up higher but also further away.
Click to expand...
Hmmmmmm . I went to view an A2 today and took my assorted nav mounts with me so I could get an idea of what I would want and how it would look etc.. . I would be running a cable from the fuse box and would maybe dremel a little hole in the dash depending where i decide to finally fit the nav .. i dare say it's going to be a day of driving around car accessory shops and trying different mounts until i find something that I am totally happy with .. . I'm a bit of a fussy b****r when it comes to things like this .
 
Alan_uk said:
Here are some photos.

1. The cradle side view. Note the crocodile clips. These sometimes come loose when setting it up in the A2.

View attachment 74699

2. The cradle in the A2. I put black PVC insulation tape over the top air vent flap to stop them getting scratch by the crocodile teeth.

View attachment 74700

3. SatNav in position. Camera close to my eyes.

View attachment 74701

4. Touching the SatNav screen. The cradle could go in the right-hand vent but will be a bit blocked when the hands are on the streering wheel.

View attachment 74702


Sometimes takes one or two goes to make the clips fully engage and not pop out but once set up I've not had any problems with it falling off.

Have you seen the thread where one chap cut out the square "recess" in the top of the dash and made it hinge up to show a satnav? It did involve adapting the air vents that are underneath. And of course you only get one go cutting it out - make a bodge and it's a new dash with all that entrails replacing the bodged one. Such a set up brings the satnav up higher but also further away.
Click to expand...
Exactly same location where I’ve mounted my phone and my cradle works in portrait or landscape. For visibility and ease of use I find this is the best location.

I had @timmus fit a Bluetooth kit which streams music, hands free phone and satnav audio comes through the cars speakers and results in an invisible installation if I remove the cradle.

is that a solar panel you have on the dash or something else?

My charging cable comes through the cubby under the climate unit (single din) so this is invisible too.
 
When you get to drive one you'll find the A-pillar is rather large in your forward/side vision. So a satnav to the right hand side sitting inline with the bottom of the A-pillar in your view would be well in your vision but not obscure anything else.
 
Proghound said:
When you get to drive one you'll find the A-pillar is rather large in your forward/side vision. So a satnav to the right hand side sitting inline with the bottom of the A-pillar in your view would be well in your vision but not obscure anything else.
Click to expand...
Just next to the little window at the bottom of the A post .. yes I have also considered that position as well .
 
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