Looking for a practical way to mount my phone

[benrichi]

Hi everyone,

I am a new Z4 owner and the car that I purchased has a BMW connector behind the glove box that comes into the glove box with an old 30-pin connector for an iPhone or iPod. I current am using a 30-pin to lightning adapter and have to put my phone in the glove box to play music. If I want to use the phone for sat-nav I then can't connect it to the connection in the glove box.

I was wondering if any of you have some creative and good looking ways to mount your phone in your car and have it connect to the radio still?

[heavymetalthunder]

I fitted a USB charging port in the glovebox (with a piggyback fuse holder) and routed the cable so it comes out in between the panel under the dash just below the A/C controls are. I also have a Brodit holder mounted next to the A/C controls so I can keep my phone safely mounted and charging when using as a sat nav.

The panel under the dash should pop out with a screwdriver, and if you remove the glovebox you should be able to pass the cable through. Hopefully you understand what I mean, if not I will try and take a photo. Hope this helps!

[benrichi]

Would you be able to show me some pictures of what you have described so that I can see how it all looks in the end? I had a look into the Brodit holder they look good but can the internal one pass though audio and also charge?
Thanks for your reply!

[eyup]

I use a CD slot mounted phone holder. USB Cable (from grom for audio and charging) routed up through cig lighter compartment. When not required holder goes in glove box and cable fits nicely in the cig lighter compartment.

When in use short cable run and good position for satnav and don't need CD player as use the phone.

[ah-]

I'm using one of these to hold my phone plus a grom bluetooth box to stream audio. Works pretty well.
Cable is entirely optional, only used for charging.

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[Ducklakeview]

I have a genuine Samsung wireless charging cradle fixed to the screen to the right of the wheel. Positions the phone just above the light switch. Charges phone as soon as it's placed into it, no messing with cables and plugs.

I have it hard wired to a 12v to 5v USB twin output 5amp inverter wired into the fuse box and tucked behind the glove box. The cable to the cradle is hidden under the dash. Another cable is run from it up inside the passenger a pillar and to my dash cam.

No messing and no cables on show.

Mike

[Nictrix]

I have a genuine Samsung wireless charging cradle fixed to the screen to the right of the wheel. Positions the phone just above the light switch. Charges phone as soon as it's placed into it, no messing with cables and plugs.

I have it hard wired to a 12v to 5v USB twin output 5amp inverter wired into the fuse box and tucked behind the glove box. The cable to the cradle is hidden under the dash. Another cable is run from it up inside the passenger a pillar and to my dash cam.

No messing and no cables on show.

Mike

I think they should change the name of their "wireless charging cradle"

[heavymetalthunder]

Would you be able to show me some pictures of what you have described so that I can see how it all looks in the end? I had a look into the Brodit holder they look good but can the internal one pass though audio and also charge?
Thanks for your reply!

I shall take some photos later when I go out in my car. The Brodit holder I have is just a holder, it does not have any built in connections. I just have a separate lightning cable which I manually plug in.

[heavymetalthunder]

Photos as promised:

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IMG_5538.jpg (204.13 KiB) Viewed 1221 times

[benrichi]

Photos as promised:

IMG_5532.jpgIMG_5533.jpgIMG_5538.jpg

Brilliant that clears thing up very much, do you feel comfortable having the phone so far away from you when driving?

[benrichi]

I have a genuine Samsung wireless charging cradle fixed to the screen to the right of the wheel. Positions the phone just above the light switch. Charges phone as soon as it's placed into it, no messing with cables and plugs.

I have it hard wired to a 12v to 5v USB twin output 5amp inverter wired into the fuse box and tucked behind the glove box. The cable to the cradle is hidden under the dash. Another cable is run from it up inside the passenger a pillar and to my dash cam.

No messing and no cables on show.

Mike

Mike, do you happen to have a picture of this in order for me just to get an idea of what it looks like?

[heavymetalthunder]

Brilliant that clears thing up very much, do you feel comfortable having the phone so far away from you when driving?

It's not really that far away, pretty much the same distance as the volume knob of the head unit! But to be honest I rarely need to interact with the phone, I use it as a sat nav occasionally when travelling somewhere new/unfamiliar and it's just a quick glance down to see the directions. I don't take phone calls when I'm driving, it's mainly just somewhere to put the phone to charge whilst in the car!

[kis]

Mike, do you happen to have a picture of this in order for me just to get an idea of what it looks like?

I think I have something similar to Mike. Originally I didn't want to fit anything to the screen as I feel this gives it a clean look. I wanted something very much dash mounted and not windscreen. TBH not much out there that is good quality and built to last. You get the magnetic stuff but I've found you get a lot of swivel, so obviously the heaviest part will rotate eventually, gravity seeing to that. The vent mounted stuff gets too hot, well in winter with the vent fully open. Almost killed a phone once doing that in the e46, so avoided that this time round. Figured windscreen is the way to go, fixes just to the fight hand side (almost lowest point of the bottom right corner of the windscreen). Keeps it looking tidy but unfortunately no charging due to a 4 year old phone without wireless charging capability!!

[Ducklakeview]

I have a genuine Samsung wireless charging cradle fixed to the screen to the right of the wheel. Positions the phone just above the light switch. Charges phone as soon as it's placed into it, no messing with cables and plugs.

I have it hard wired to a 12v to 5v USB twin output 5amp inverter wired into the fuse box and tucked behind the glove box. The cable to the cradle is hidden under the dash. Another cable is run from it up inside the passenger a pillar and to my dash cam.

No messing and no cables on show.

Mike

Mike, do you happen to have a picture of this in order for me just to get an idea of what it looks like?

This is the holder, it's in my hand as on a train down south to pick another zed up..

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And this is in the car, spare holder fitted last night as was out in the car. This is a generic eBay rip off, but works perfectly and is almost identical to the Samsung one but a quarter of the cost..

20171015_195218.jpg (166.03 KiB) Viewed 1120 times

Mike

[Magicarcher]

but unfortunately no charging due to a 4 year old phone without wireless charging capability!!

You can fit wireless charging to most phones even if not built in. You just need a QI pad that pugs into your USB charging port. something along the lines of this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Charg ... +mat&psc=1. Note it doesn't have to be this particular one as there are loads of them around.

I have used quite a few because I prefer to slow charge phones. The only thing to be careful of, is make sure you do not have a metal plate for a magnetic phone holder on the back of the phone else your phone could be damaged (gets very very hot), but that is true for all QI charging..