For more than a year, I've been using my iPhone as a navigation device in my 2006 R53 MCS.

The Cravenspeed Scissor mount for most smartphones places the phone right where I need it. Way Motor Works has them.

But it was always inconvenient to answer a call, or place one while WAZE was pointing a finger at the police and warning of traffic jams...or navigating.

In Costco the other day, I picked up Motorola's "Roadster Pro" - a Bluetooth speakerphone that mounts to your visor. It has 4 microphones and 2 2-watt speakers that make phone calls clearer on both ends. Moreover, it amplifies the driving directions from WAZE, making that easier. There are volume buttons that can adjust the speech to your liking.



The Roadmaster Pro relies on your phone's built in speech apps. So far, this is the clearest, most convenient solution I've found. It will handle 2 phones (not at the same time.)

It's outlooked at 13 hours of 'talk time' although my first experience resulted in much, much less than that. I recharged it and this time around it seems to be working much better...so the jury's still out on this one. Motorola claims it automatically shuts down when the phone moves away from the vehicle.

NOTE: I ran a USB power cable from under the console up around the steering column to provide power to the iPhone. WAZE uses up the battery pretty quickly. I used a standard A-B USB cable. Then, I can connect a very short USB-to-phone cable and swap out the iPhone for a Samsung or whatever device I'm using. You can find those short USB cables (some only 4") on eBay.

 

What was the cost of the Roadmaster Pro at Costco?

 

I was trying to remember...I think around $60-70. It was much less than the $129 I saw advertised elsewhere.

But, as you may know, Costco sometimes gets versions of products that are different, or downgraded from others. There is a "Roadster 2" and other models out there, as well.

Here's the product link at Motorola:

http://www.motorola.com/us/Motorola-...akerphone.html

 

Did you attach the Roadster Pro to your sun visor? If so, did it interfere with the vanity mirror? Would it work on the visor above the drivers door window?

 

Just used hobo iClever aux in BT adapter for less than $20....wireless music & calls!!!!

 

Been a while, but I'll reply that yes, I attached it to the visor. If you have a vanity mirror it will definitely prevent you from using it while attached. It's been quite reliable. Works much better with iPhone than Verizon simple feature phone which never understands what I ask it to do! ;-)

 

Sounds good...and cheap! The Roadmaster is convenient because you simply press the mic button on the visor and the iPhone asks for your command. When my daughter is playing her tunes in the car, she just plugs the aux cord in. I don't want to fiddle with the phone while driving...and listen to either news on the radio or the sound of the engine. ;-)

The downside of my cheaper feature phone is that it doesn't recognize commands or names very well. (Ask it to call someone and it will offer to send a text message to someone else! ;-)