Garmin Portable Friction Mount
by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $17.69 You Save: $22.30 (56%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $17.68 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin Portable Friction Mount
Customer Review: When the suction mount fails, this is the best alternative
Summary: 5 Stars
Like so many other who have written reviews for this product, the suction mount that came with the Nuvi failed miserably leaving black goo all over my windshield and never sticking properly again. Realizing that it was a widespread problem, I looked for other mounting methods and found this one.
I am pleased with the effectiveness of this product. The friction between the mount and the dashboard holds quite well in standard driving -- turns don't seem to make it shift at all. I did notice that going over potholes and train tracks, that the mount does shift a little, but I found it easy to slide it back into place. I find that I like the flexibility of positioning this mount. With the windshield mount, the unit was always at a specified distance from me, but with this moveable mount I found that I could position the Nuvi closer to me to make it easier to see and easier to use. (An unexpected bonus) I also like that I can move it so that it isn't obvious to thieves that I have a GPS unit in the car.
The only thing that I was a little disappointed with was the physical size of the mount. It is about 8 inches by 6 inches and takes up a large section of my small dashboard. Also its size makes storing it in the car difficult as it doesn't fit in the glove box.
The positives definitely outweigh the negatives, but I still wish that Garmin didn't have problems with the suction cups that made buying this a necessity.
Customer Review: Works Great
Summary: 5 Stars
Besides it staying put on my dash, one of the first things I noticed was its ultra low profile. Naturally some people like to sit lower than others while they drive. This is not a problem if you are one of those people! With the mount either in the middle of the dash, or tucked in the drivers side corner, it does not block my view and is very easy to quickly glance down at without completely removing your eyes from the road. As others have said, if your GPS came with the window mount, you do not need any other accessories other than this item. The cradle of your window mount will pop off and connect to the friction mount.
This is great for theft protection as well. While you should always take your GPS with you when you leave the car, you can also easily toss this is your center console (fits fine in a 97 Accord) along with your GPS so you leave absolutely no trace of you having a GPS.
If you are a stickler for looks, its probably not the most appealing item to have sitting on your dashboard, but IMO neither is a suctioncup on your windshield. The wires from the car charger are easily tucked into the glove box as well to minimize the visual impact if you so please.
As a final point, if you plan on using this between multiple cars, it is very useful. Whenever you want to take a different car, you can just grab this from your car's dash, simply toss it on the dashboard of the other car and drive away!
Customer Review: Works Great With nuvi 255W
Summary: 4 Stars
I recently purchased a nuvi 255W and didn't want to use the window mount or the dashboard mount. Didn't want to use either because I wanted to leave no trace of having a GPS in my car. I did some research on dashboard mounts and found other mounts to big, bulky and ugly. I found this mount to be the best available for a number of reasons.
First it was not to big or bulky. Other mounts were big and downright ugly. This looks better. Weight is distributed evenly among the four (4) beanbags and the center of the mount is weighted as well.
Another thing I like about this mount is that the GPS mounting bracket can be locked into place. A lot sturdier than the suction cup. I don't have to worry about the bracket falling off or having to clean it.
I also like the fact I can remove it anytime and store it somewhere else. I do not mind it does not fit in my glove compartment or center console. I normally store it under my seat and it is still not visible if someone walks by my car.
Finally the price on Amazon is to good to pass up. Normally retailing for $39.99, the money you save here makes this procut a wise investment. I've read the reviews complaining the mount tends to slide across the dashboard. I have not encountered this problem even after cleaning my dashboard. I waited about three to four (3-4) hours after cleaning my dashboard to put it back on and have not had a problem with it sliding.
Customer Review: Shopping for dashmount for Garmin Nuvi vs. iPhone
Summary: 5 Stars
We own a Garmin Nuvi 660 and bought it at Costco when GPS were not as reasonably priced as they are now... I love the 660. It's got a nice screen and it's the most user friendly. The problem was the suction cup kept falling off everywhere, even after I superglued the mount on my dashboard. Then the clip on the suction cup broke. Many months went by before I was sick and tired and looked for a replacement that worked. That's when I considered just using my iPhone as a GPS but the technology is not quite there yet.
The iPhone is fine if you have a passenger who reads the directions to you or if you study them ahead of time. If you want to drive safely, nothing beats the comfort of a GPS. I looked into a dash mount at the AT&T store and it was about $50. It looks just like the one the Nuvi came with, except your iPhone is much ligther, so it won't fall off easily. But you really have to squint to see, it doesn't update your location fast enough, you can't tell it to avoid a specific route if you hit a lot of traffic, and it won't recalculate if you miss a turn--not safe! (You're better off printing directions from MapQuest/GoogleMaps before you hit the road.)
So if you have a GPS get this dashboard mount. THIS IS IT!! Get it, you won't regret it. It won't fall off unless you tilt the car at a 45 degree angle, in which case, you have bigger problems than the GPS falling off your dash...
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Customer Review: Much better than the window mount included with my Nuvi 650!
Summary: 4 Stars
It is simple to use and stays on the dash amazingly well. It is easy to move from car to car and, regardless (at least from my experience) of the slope of the dashboard, the mounting stand does not budge from where you place it even at relatively high speed turns.
The Friction Dashboard Mount is well constructed and fairly sturdy, although it would probably be better named if it was called the "on dashboard gps mount stand." The stand contains iron-based metal chunks in the base to give supporting weight (I tested this with a magnet).
Why I didn't give it 5 stars is this: although the plastic gps mount can be removed from the on-dash base, it's a bit annoying and I would have preferred a collapsible stand instead of removable. There are 2 clasps where the plastic mount seats into the on-dash base that can be used to rotate or angle the stand a bit, but once I had set mind, I do not feel a need to adjust it any more. A collapsible unit would have been much easier to just pop into the glove or under the seat.
One last note, the Friction Dashboard Mount works in conjunction with the Nuvi car-charging unit and will not work without one (I suppose you can just lay it on top, but it will probably slip off the base. I had, for some reason, thought that it was a pillow-y base that I could just lay the GPS on, but the unit works great in any case - much better than the window mount that came with my Nuvi 650.