Electronics : Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for Nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550 and C580)

Rating: - Fabulous
I have a Garmin C550 but the windshield suction mount kept failing and the Garmin kept falling to the car floor. I was very concerned that falling would permanently damage this piece of equipment. I had been driving with the machine in my lap which didn't work well when I was told about this dashboard mount. It's not a mount really, in the way I would consider it a mount. It's more of a weight. It moves easily from one car to another and holds the computer securely for normal driving. I am extremely happy with it and find that it's sitting on the dashboard is less intrusive in my field of vision than being attached to the windshield. Now if we can get Garmin to make a vehicle power cable that doesn't unscrew over time and end up without the fuse, silver tip and end piece in the cord.

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Rating: - Garmin Friction Mount For Nuvi and StreetPilot - Great Performance, Somewhat Large
The Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for Nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550 and C580)gives you great performance if you need a dashboard mount for your Nuvi or StreetPilot C500 series GPS.

For several years, I have gotten by with the window mounts included with my Garmin Nuvi GPS units. But there are many reasons to consider this unit. Leaving your window mount attached when you park is like advertising to thieves that you have a GPS unit *somewhere* in your car. And some states have passed laws against window mounts. So I eventually gave in, and after a very long time using this mount I am very surprised and pleased with the performance.

Pros:
+ Great performing unit, and seems durable after several years use
+ Very stable during driving, grips the dash very well
+ Fit's Garmin nuvi and streetpilot models
+ Easy to remove from and replace on your dash
+ Easy to swap between GPS units

Cons:
- Somewhat large, though acceptable considering the performance
- List price is somewhat high, but average price is now better

For starters, attaching your GPS unit is very simple. The ball end fits into the same back piece that the window mount goes into. I've tried this unit out with the Garmin StreetPilot c580 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator, Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator, Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator and the Garmin nüvi 200 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator. So it's easy to use them interchangeably. It's also pretty easy to adjust or movie this guy.

Of course the other benefit with this friction mount is being able to quickly remove it from you dash and conceal the unit when you are driving.

But the absolute biggest surprise about this mount has to be how stable it is. Even sitting on the front of the dash, it has yet to budge on me while I'm driving. The four sides of the mount are filled with sand or pellets of some kind that really add a lot of weight. While the bottom is soft it somehow grips the dash very well.

But the stability is also the source of a small con. This thing is not what one would consider compact. I didn't really deduct for that alone, because it's well worth the trade off considering how stable it is. But if you have a small dash, you might want to see this in person before you order it.

The other con is that the list price is somewhat high, but the average price here has come down to earth over time. So ultimately, it's the only option you have in friction mounts that I am aware of. So if you need a window mount for your Nuvi or Streetpilot, this is the one.

Enjoy.

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Rating: - Fabulous Device!
Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for Nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550 and C580)

We recently bought our Garmin GPS unit; I didn't want a windshield mount (too tempting for thieves). Ideally, I wanted something for the dashboard but didn't know anything like that existed, so when I saw this, hubby and I decided to get it. We were on a 1400-mile journey and had never used a GPS unit before.

This dashboard mount is fantastic. Once we placed it on the dashboard, it never moved, even around sharp turns. It was easy to adjust so that both of us could see our GPS unit. The entire unit was easy to hide if we were going to be out of the car for just a couple of minutes; it was also easy to remove our GPS unit from the dashboard mount when we wanted to take everything out of the car. When we left the car, there was NO evidence that we even had a GPS unit, which is exactly what we wanted.

We couldn't be more pleased. This mount enabled us to have our GPS unit exactly where I (the driver) wanted it without obstructing my vision in any way. And hubby could make slight changes if necessary so that he could see the unit as well. In addition, if hubby wanted to program in a new destination or check for gas prices, etc, he could easily take the unit off the dashboard to do so. This made for a pleasant driving experience all the way around.

We also got (locally) a carrying case for our GPS, and the dashboard mount fits into it too.

Highly recommended!

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Rating: - This Thing Is Huge
Buyer beware that this mount is a lot bigger than it looks and IMHO it's too big if you're working with tight spaces for mounting and you need a small footprint. The GPS unit also shakes using it which I hate.

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Rating: - Awesome product
I am very happy with this Garmin Portable Friction Mount. I would highly recommend this product to you if you are looking for something other than the suction cup mount. Our suction cup kept falling off the window and my Nuvi would in turn fall off and make me so mad! I needed something else! This works great, stays in place, wherever you put it on your dash. You can leave your Garmin attached to it and take the entire thing and remove it from your dash too, so thieves don't see it. Excellent product!