Motoring Discussion > Handy gadget. Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Old Navy Replies: 24

 Handy gadget. - Old Navy
For fellow forum members who do not have prestige German luxo barges fitted with every gadget under the sun, I have found a satnav holder that fits into the CD slot. It costs about a tenner, the CD player can still be used, and it works well without the satnav vibrating. As I do not like sticking things on my windscreen and Mrs ON likes to be able to see the satnav a central location is ideal for us.

I have no interest in this outfit other than as a user of their device (I purchased it elsewhere).

cdslotmount.com/
 Handy gadget. - CGNorwich
Not keen on having to look down to see a SATNAV. I find the standard stick-on windscreen mount near the bottom right of the windscreen works perfectly fine for me. Don't have to take my eyes off the road.

 Handy gadget. - Westpig
I got one from this mob...fits tightly into the central air vent...really good bit of kit and the air vent is high enough for you to see it at not far off eye level.

tinyurl.com/kelkjuo
 Handy gadget. - Old Navy
I have used Brodit clips on previous cars, and have one for the Ceed. I have not had problems with them on other cars but the Ceed Brodit fits to a curved trim joint above the center vent and is not totally secure. Also I do not like leaving a satnav mount in sight, some scrote might break a window just to check if there is anything worth stealing and the CD mount is instantly removed or fitted and not car specific.
 Handy gadget. - Roger.
I have one of these:- tinyurl.com/l3jqegh Bought as part of a pack which included a case for the Garmin. Cost less than the price shown, for the lot!

Lives behind the passenger seat when not in use. Leaves no trace and sticks down well.
Last edited by: Roger on Mon 16 Dec 13 at 17:25
 Handy gadget. - Armel Coussine
I wouldn't trust myself with a satnav. Even if it's properly placed just off my normal sightline, my eye focus doesn't snap back and forth as promptly as it once did. In any case I'm used to paper maps, a-z, AA, Michelin, etc.

I've still never used a satnav actually. But I would get a passenger to monitor it if there was one. If there wasn't a passenger then I would use a satnav myself and risk it. No problem really, but the device is after my time.

 Handy gadget. - Haywain
"Not keen on having to look down to see a SATNAV. I find the standard stick-on windscreen mount near the bottom right of the windscreen works perfectly fine for me. Don't have to take my eyes off the road."

Same here though, if the passenger is keen to see the satnav as well, I can cope with it being at the bottom of the centre of the screen.
 Handy gadget. - Robbie34
I bought one of these and it stays on the top of the dashboard without a movement. I leave it permanently attached to the sat nav and is easy to remove from the car. Also, no tell-tale marks on the windscreen.

tinyurl.com/qz987jt
 Handy gadget. - RattleandSmoke
I don't use my satnav very often, but as I often have to drive to addresses I have not been to before I find it very handy once I arrive into the town I am visiting.

For example I had a job in Woodley in Stockport which is well out of my usual coverage area (is about 12 miles away) I ignored the sat nav for the first 7 miles of the journey but the rest of it was great.

I find with the sat nav I don't need to panic so much about missing a junction but the 90% of the journeys I do my local knowledge is better than a computer.

My windscreen is very large, and a bit of the centre console sticks up, so my 6" sat nav barely takes up any visible view.
 Handy gadget. - Armel Coussine
Sheikha, have you quietly become a minicab driver or courier without telling us?

I do hope so. If so you will soon learn to love driving. YEEE-hah!
 Handy gadget. - madf
I use a Garmin mounted on the windscreen above the instrument binnacle in the centre, The voice instructions are very clear and you need only glance at the screen infrequently when near the turns.

Far less hassle than a map reader who gets it wrong, loses the page etc.

But then I can multi-task - a feat few men can achieve - so says swmbo...
 Handy gadget. - RattleandSmoke
Too me 45 minutes to get from Cheadle (Stockport) to Levenshulme (Manchester - Stockport border) this afternoon. All driving does it drive me insane.

There is no fun waiting at traffic lights expect for on hot summer days :p.

My confidence was bumped by my recent bump but I have learnt my lesson to be more careful when reversing.

The traffic is so bad at the moment I am barely getting more than 35mpg, I kind of wish it was another recession but then I would be skint again but I do miss the those days when the roads were half empty.

To keep on topic I use the suction pad that came with the sat nav, it is a bit fiddly but doesn't seem to leave any marks but I am tempted by something like ON has suggested would be easier to mount but then I use it like 2 or 3 times a month.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 27 Dec 13 at 00:53
 Handy gadget. - Robin O'Reliant
Anyone else still rely on a map?
 Handy gadget. - RattleandSmoke
I use maps far more frequently than my sat nav. I usually just print the page off from google, and then have a look on streetview to familiarise my self with what an important junction looks like (perhaps there is a pub I for a landmark etc).

Sometimes though if the street is off a minor tooked away street that is also tooked away the sat nav is very useful. E.g on modern housing estates.

 Handy gadget. - Robin O'Reliant
So, is something like this worth buying, or should one stick to the mainstream brands?

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Car-GPS-SAT-NAV-Navigation-MP3-Cheaper-than-Tomtom-Garmin-Navman-dose-more/121198679418?_trksid=p5197.m2280&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D312%26meid%3D3446751459831155767%26pid%3D100068%26prg%3D1171%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D121198679418&_trksid=e100084.m1843
 Handy gadget. - sherlock47
>>>So, is something like this worth buying, or should one stick to the mainstream brands?<<<

You have to mount it on the rear parcel shelf?

(Scroll down for the details and demo picture).
 Handy gadget. - bathtub tom
>>So, is something like this worth buying, or should one stick to the mainstream brands?<<<

My daughter bought me something like that, I call it 'Miss guided'.
It tells you to 'keep right' at motorway junctions you don't want, drives her up the wall. If she's in the car, I use it out of spite.
I do have to say, it's brilliant at finding addresses in places I've never been before.
 Handy gadget. - Old Navy
>> So, is something like this worth buying, or should one stick to the mainstream brands?
>>

In China there are huge multi floored department stores which only sell copied (fake) products.

Your choice.
 Handy gadget. - RattleandSmoke
Cheap tablets are mostly crap. I have one myself and it is just awful. The processors and RAM are standard of the shelf parts, but the touch screens are very poor quality and have very slow response rates.
 Handy gadget. - Slidingpillar
Anyone else still rely on a map?
Me - don't own a sat nav, but I do have a very good sense of direction.
 Handy gadget. - Ted

Me too...never used a satnav. If I go anywhere I don't know, I plot a course on Google Maps or use my A to Z if it's around the city. After 40odd years of working on the city streets, I know the little cut-throughs. Rat's Cheadle trip would take me 15 mins at the most.

I enjoy maps, I have a big box of OS 1 inch maps and A2Zs of various cities and towns.

Ted
 Handy gadget. - RattleandSmoke
Ted this was more towards Cheadle Hulme (well near Bruntwood Park) and I left at 3:20 just in time for all the rush hour traffic. It took me 10 minutes just to get down Scholes (spelling?) Lane.
 Handy gadget. - Boxsterboy
In Germany recently I was admiring the latest Tom Tom Go 6000 and 5000 models. Very good graphics, amongst other features.

I mainly use my Tom Tom for traffic advice driving around London (I know my way). It's not perfect, but it is very useful. I stick it to the centre of my windscreen next to the rear view mirror on the van.
 Handy gadget. - Dog
>>never used a satnav. If I go anywhere I don't know, I plot a course on Google Maps

Same ere.
 Handy gadget. - Alanovich
>> I am barely getting more than 35mpg,

Blimey. I'm getting near that out of a 2.0 petrol TC auto Mazda 6 estate! Mix of urban and motorway.
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