Garmin 350 install?
- Thread starter Flycaster
- Start date
'07 models got the aux input (Oct/06 build and after)155MPH said:
I have the Nuvi 350, and I've used it in my ashtray with no problems with reception. Even with the top up the reception is fine. I thought about going with the Proclip, but I was afraid it would damage the dash/aluminum, and decided against it. I use it in different cars anyways, so it's easier to just prop it in the ashtray when I need it.
takedown8 said:
You can see it there and as I'll mostly be listening to it rather than watching it, it may work fine. Anyway, if it doesn't work then I can go back to my original ruminations about how to install. As for "ghetto," why not live on the rough side sometimes?
Looking down to see your gps is neither convenient nor safe. I'd say 70% of the usefulness of having the gps is the map and the distance to the next turn.
If you know where you're going (in which case you don't need a gps) or are in a city with big, clearly visible street signs, listening is just fine. But when you're in a strange city, that's crowded or has small signs or no signs at all, that's when you need to see the map to know exactly where and when you should be turning.
If you know where you're going (in which case you don't need a gps) or are in a city with big, clearly visible street signs, listening is just fine. But when you're in a strange city, that's crowded or has small signs or no signs at all, that's when you need to see the map to know exactly where and when you should be turning.
Flycaster, I just finished installing my Garmin 660 on the dashboard and besides that I had some trouble removing the *** air vents it wasn’t hard to do it. I ordered the mounting bracket (for the r/h drive model) from dahsmount in the UK, the audio aux input from BMW and minijack ground loop noise isolator (PAC SNI-1) from Crutchfield. I’m very happy with the results, now I have Bluetooth, traffic info and mp3 (and of course the GPS) here some pictures how it looks (Sorry for the bad quality, my camera is a POS)
Thork said:
Great job, looks really neat. I'm thinking that if I just use the the ProClip mount (lower right of the radio, somewhat below the dash) and velcro the gps to the moun, I could easily run a hot wire under the dash directly (won't show) into the fuse box. Whaddya think?
How did you get the wires to fit behind the alum panel without drilling a hole. The fit between the alum and vinyl panels seems to be awfully tight...too tight for a thickish looking wire to fit in between (IMHO).
Also, why the ground loop noise isolator?
Running a wire from the fuse box was one of my original intentions, but since the traffic receiver is integrated into the charger (I didn't want to mess with)I opted for the easy route and installed an additional cigarette lighter socket inside the center console using the factory cigarette lighter wires (still operational)
Is a small gap hardly noticeable between the rubber dashboard and the aluminum trim where the wires are located, but this is a small concession that I can live with, specially since I didn't want drill any holes on the dash. I have to add that I was concerned about creating yet another rattle, but to my surprise :!: it actually eliminated a very annoying one from inside the center dashboard.
Every time that I connected the GPS to the audio aux and the charger at the same time I had this awful noise coming out of the car speakers, that's why I had to use the ground noise isolator, it was easier than checking the entire wiring harness for the defective ground. Now I can hear my mp3's crystal clear thorough the car speakers
Is a small gap hardly noticeable between the rubber dashboard and the aluminum trim where the wires are located, but this is a small concession that I can live with, specially since I didn't want drill any holes on the dash. I have to add that I was concerned about creating yet another rattle, but to my surprise :!: it actually eliminated a very annoying one from inside the center dashboard.
Every time that I connected the GPS to the audio aux and the charger at the same time I had this awful noise coming out of the car speakers, that's why I had to use the ground noise isolator, it was easier than checking the entire wiring harness for the defective ground. Now I can hear my mp3's crystal clear thorough the car speakers
Hey Thork, as you seem to really know what you are talking about, how about another question. If I do opt to run a hotwire from the garmin 350 directly to t he fuse box, aside from keeping the garmin's inline fuse in place, will cutting the wire just before the jack cause a problem. That is, is there anything in the jack that is needed? Also, where in the fuse box would to recommend I hook up? BTW, if I can use this wire (minus the jack part), I'll just buy another one for portability into my other car.
This install (http://www.drumart.com/nuvi/) has only one problem as far as I can see, you need to wire into the 350's holding bracket for it to work properly. I'd prefer to hook directly into the 350.
Now, as I've been mucking around with this install, I think that getting a lighter recepticle, installing it in the, or under the, glove box should do the trick easily. I'd use the mounting bracket fromproclip (should mount just to the right and a little below the radio. The wire could run from the gb or under the gb directly to the 350 and one would hardly see it except for its entrance into the 350. I just don't want to use any kind of bulky mounting brackets or the windshield bracket.
Now, as I've been mucking around with this install, I think that getting a lighter recepticle, installing it in the, or under the, glove box should do the trick easily. I'd use the mounting bracket fromproclip (should mount just to the right and a little below the radio. The wire could run from the gb or under the gb directly to the 350 and one would hardly see it except for its entrance into the 350. I just don't want to use any kind of bulky mounting brackets or the windshield bracket.
Thork said:Flycaster said:
I think that is the easier way to gobut dont forget to get the ground isolator(around $20) if you are intending to plug your gps into the audio aux.
My model doesn't have an aux (I'll hook directly into the the fuse box), so I guess I don't have to get the ground isolator, eh?