I've finally come to the decision to get rid of my compass and maps and invest in a GPS. Problem is, I don't want a built-in unit because they are way to expensive and a decent one would cost around $1k; besides, I like my stock headunit (which I cannot remove easily anyway because the pins are bent). However, I don't quite like the idea of having a standalone GPS hanging from suction cups on the windshield with wires running all over the place. So basically I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I want to keep my car looking stock, but I don't want to opt for the ghetto suction cups either. I was thinking about running a power cord to the little crevice between the dash and the windshield when the weather gets nicer, but that still leaves me with trying to figure out how to mount this thing so that it looks as stock as possible (and it has to be easily removable because I don't want my car to become eyecandy for thieves - if she wasn't one already that is). If anyone can suggest anything, I would appreciate it. Make it fast by the way, because my compass insists that every direction I turn is East haha. I'm never gonna stop driving around in circles at this rate.

 

somebody bought a tiny GPS standalone unit and stuck it in place of one of the vents. that's about as OE looking as i've seen for cheap

 

i had mine mounted right above that shity cup holder and it looked alright i also tried the air vent thing but couldn't get it to look right when it was angled so i could see it

 

I have a TomTom mounted in the very bottom left corner of my windshield. The power cable is running up along the inside of the door jam, next to the cover for the fuse box. I've bought everything necessary to hardwire the power for it into the car to complete the install, just need to get around to it.

Heres an old picture of my interior, but the GPS is in the same location. I'm also using a custom skin that is as close to the rest of the red lighting as I could find.

 

im sure with fiberglass or a related material you could make something like the podi center steering wheel gauges and if felt like needed, wrap it with some textured/suede material. my .02

 

Yea, That's somewhat what I was thinking, I guess I'll be experimenting with that since I've never used fiberglass to make anything before. Then again, I have to find a navy blue suede, I'm not sure how easy that is to come by though, maybe I'll stop off at home depot on the way back from school and see what I can do with the fiberglass.

 

That's a nice way of doing it; the angle seems perfect judging from the picture. I like the red background too. Now if I can make some sort of contraption to hold it out of fiberglass and place it right there, it would be perfect. I just have to figure out how to hardwire it, considering I've never done that before either; but I'll learn soon enough; either through the robotics club at school or my computer engineering class. Then again, there's always Youtube

 

Just be cautious about where you put it. Based on your sig pic, looks like you've got 99.5+, which means you have A-pillar air bags. If you build a fiberglass pod and stick a GPS in it in front of the airbag, you're liable to catch a TomTom in the face if you get in an accident

Also, be mindful of the location of the antenna on the particular GPS you pick. I know the Garmin Nuvi, for example, has a little fold-out antenna on the back and it won't work worth a **** without it folded out.

 

Hard wiring it is very straight forward on these. Basically I'd buy a cigarette lighter socket with wires on it. Then put 2 little eye's on the wires and bolt it to the key on power under the dash as well as the ground to the body. It can be wired up that way in about 20 min and only takes 6 bolts!

The nice thing about wiring to key on power is that even though the GPS will have a battery, it will usually have the option to shut down automatically when the cars power is shut off.
For example you park the car shut it off and forgot to shut the GPS off. It'll shut off on it's own after like 10-20 seconds.

 

My 99.5 does not have side pillar air bags. And mines a 2.8 fully loaded so I don't think they had them.