There are a few states that have laws against mounting anything (GPS and related) to the front windshield.

I need some ideas please...

I'm thinking of using my suction cup mount on the upper right hand portion of my speedo. It only covers up an "unusable" area of the gauge.

What are you doing/using?

 

Suction cup to the speedo face is what I use; keeps it fairly readable at a glance. (Using an Exomount)

I tried some cupholder-mount solutions (too low) and tach-mounted also (I thought these were too wobbly).

I use ProClip on my Mazda 5 and they have MINI solutions. The one for my R56 clips over the color line dash pad near the glovebox; I'd try it, except that I have that MINI Yours leather dash so I don't want to clip things on / over it.

I also tried that clamps-in-the-CD-slot device mount, but found that its "jaws" that hold the device wouldn't stay clamped (on my Razr Maxx smartphone). I ditched the device holder and adapted a RAM-mount ball so I could use a normal holder, but that put the device too close / out too far.

HTH.

 

I've been using a Kuda mount in my previous MINI (Clubman 08) and now in my Roadster. Everyone that sees it thinks it's stock. Perfect viewing angle as well. Not the cheapest solution but certainly looks and performs! Also, they don't list the R59 specifically but the R55 is what I have installed and it is a perfect fit.

http://www.kudausa.com/kuda-custom-l...mini-k479.html

 

just helped a guy hang one of these

attaches to back of the tach by replacing the screws already there with longer

http://www.cravenspeed.com/mini-gps-mounting-kits/

 

I purchase a $3.99. Vent mount and it works awesome

 

I have a Proclip but I might swap for one of these. Can you post a picture of it in your car? How easy was it to install in the Roadster?

 

I'll weigh in on the Craven speed and the Kuda mount. The Kuda mount was my mount for my garmin and the Craven for my Sat radio. The Kuda mount is very stable and looks stock. It is in the perfect poistion and I will reuse it for my Roadster when I get one. The Craven is also a good prodcut but I had a lot of issues with vibbbrations. I talked to them at Craven and they said it could be due to loose screws on the tach but I tightened and stil had the vibration.

If you go with the Kuda mountm SAve yourself the hassle and DO NOT follow the directions and take your speedo bezel off. Here is the 90 second solution.
1. Using sticky back velcro, attach the cloth side to the metal tabs that come in contact the dash. This will protect it from marring.
2. Use a plastic trim tool [or a credit card] to create a small gap big enoug to insert the top tab under the speedo bezel.
3. Slide it into position and you are done. Bend the tabs if it does not sit snug. I repeat again. Do not take the speedo bezel off. I took mine off to put guage overlays on the speedo face and was never able to get the speeedo in place corretly until the day my it died. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions

I attched the best pics I could find of mine. If you open the picture you can see the Kuda mount and Craven mount. I had already taken off the devices the night before. This was after being hit on the highway and rolling it twice on the highway. Devices stayed on and he mounts stayed in place. Again, my recomendation is for the Kuda.

 

Here are the photos of the Kuda mount in the Roadster. Yep, I have Navigation option in the Roadster (spec'd by the Dealer) and I tried using it the first couple of weeks, but was so accustomed to my Garmin and how I can upgrade/load POI, etc on it) so I have both.

Anyway, here are the photos. Some of them include the GPS mounted, the others, I removed it so you can see how the mount attaches. Hope this helps!

 

One more photo

 

https://www.proclipusa.com/

 

WHY does anyone need the GPS directly in front of their face??? Unless you're blind (and shouldn't be driving), it really doesn't need to be there. Just my opinion (slanted I guess). You're not playing a video game; you're driving a car. Look at the road, not the little unit taking up a portion of your real view of the road. I can see why some of the laws are there prohibiting mounting them on the windscreen. Mine's there but way out of the range of the view of the road. Hope I don't come across too harshly... if so, my apologies.
Rant out.

 

Wearlaz, thanks for sharing pics of the Kuda mounts - btw, nice install (wiring etc)
I went the Craven route which ok, but I like the looks of the Kuda set up...
Thanks!

 

i also highly recommend the kuda mount over the cravenspeed mount. i've used both but didn't care for the craven mount after about a month of use.

the cravenspeed mount is simple to install and looks good, but the biggest problem with the mount is that your gps unit will bounce. you just can't stick a gps unit on the end of a 5" extended arm and expect it to not move. physics don't work like that.

the kuda mount is a bit more difficult to install, but it's solid, nothing moves, and it looks really good.

here are the instructions i pieced together from a few install write-ups i've seen. don't bother with the kuda instructions. these are for a 2012 R56, but i'd imagine they aren't very different from other models.

1. remove the tach
2. remove the dash trim (it should pop right out with a good tug)
3. remove the 2 screws around the vent near the speedometer, one is to the bottom right and the other is on the upper left of the vent (T-20 screws)
4. there should now be enough give to lift the speedo housing up a bit and expose a little bit of a gap near the front of the dash.
5. put the kuda mount on its side so you can slide the tab on right side under the gap in speedo housing near the front of the dash.
6. after sliding the tab under the housing, rotate the mount counterclockwise so the tab is "locked" under the speedo housing and slide the mount back (towards the windshield)
7. push down on the a/c vent to create a small gap and slide the second tab under the dash
8. put the screws back around the air vent, snap the dash trim back on, reinstall the tach


here it is. gps stays close enough to your line of sight, but does not obstruct any of the windshield.
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If you're handy with the tools, here's something...

Both the passenger and the driver can see it very easily!

Photo 1:
The mount was machined from a piece of solid aluminum to match the contour of the Mini's speedometer. A ball was made to fit a typical Garmin mount.

Photo 2:
The mount painted and then installed with double sided tape.

Photo 3:
GPS Unit installed.





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Panavise has a nice mount that can have various device holders bolted to it. This is the one i think ill be using for my phone with a Proclip on it. It mounts here:

 

 

I want the GPS to be right in front of me so that I can minimize the distance I need to look away from the road in order to look at the GPS unit. This makes it quicker to look at the unit and maintains some peripheral view of the road while I'm focused on the GPS. With my CravenSpeed mount, the GPS does not block any portion of the real view of the road - the only thing it blocks is a view of a portion of my dash.

 

One thing GREAT about having a GPS unit in your mini is that it'll give you a third speedometer! One never knows when the OTHER TWO will quit!

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It doesn't have to be right in front of me - however I want mine within arm's reach. When I use my GPS I may not have a co-pilot and mounting the GPS on the opposide side of the car from me would be extremely frustrating to me. I don't/can't program my GPS while driving - but being able to reach the unit to tell it to re-route me due to traffic, or to just stop guidance is important to me...

 

I made my own, I liked the Cravenspeed mount but thought it was too flexy, so I made an extra support for it.



Back side where it attaches to the tach with three screws.....



This puts the Garmin right where it's easy to reach, so it doesn't block the view ahead and right at the right height.

 

Nice!

 

do you have a autocad drawing or the measurements of the mount?

 

I use a suction mount on the speedo. It covers the clock and half the fuel gauge.

 

Stellar! Do you have dwg or pdf or any kind of drawings?

 

This is exactly what I do. I don't like the more permanent mounts because I use my phone as a GPS, and only occasionally. Most of the other mounts look stupid when the device isn't actually present, but a suction cup mount can easily be removed and shoved in the glove box.