I know I can get a newer, better Garmin for way less than the $399. However, what I find appealing is that the mount already comes with the car and all the wiring is already done as well. This in itself is worth quite a bit of money and time. I've seen some of the kuda mounts, and even though it looks easy to install, I'm not sure hiding all the wiring is so easy. What are your thoughts and experience on this? Is the $399 worth spending since it comes prewired and mounted?

 

It is absolutely worth it. Additionally, the unit has hands free bluetooth (that mutes the stereo when calls come in), and can be removed from car and used with other cars (battery). It also has little touches like a selection of MINI’s for the nav screen, and a choice of British accented voices for spoken nav directions. Plus, the maps and software is updateable on the Garmin site, and the unit is covered under the MINI warranty. I think for these reasons it is a bargain and would do it again.

 

when i purchased my mini, i believe it was a $600 option. so i didnt go for it. the garmin unit was about 200 from amazon and the bracket and install was like 175, so it wasnt worth it.

but at 399, i think its worth it.

i havent had mine mounted yet, but can someone confirm, when mounted and wired, does it mute the music? also, does the voice commands come from the stereo speakers or the garmin speaker?

i was under the impression that it muted the stereo and voice commands came from the stereo speakers. but then i read another post that said it does not come from the stereo speakers, so I havent rushed out to do the oem mount as yet. can someone clarify?

 

What model Garmin is it, the 360 still? It was $600-700 at one time, so 4 bucks isn't bad at all mounted IMO. I think the 2 mounting pieces are $50/ea. Add $100 labor and the thing is $200, cheap.

 

A huge thank you to the OP!! I hadn't even considered this option and now I think this is how I will order!! The Nav for 2000 was just not an option for me...this 399 choice could be a great alternative. One question--- do they mount it to the left of the steering wheel? When looking in a brochure it sure looked like it was and that really scared me off.

 

HHmmm, did some searching and I see that it DOES mount on the left......

 

cabwy - yup, i'm pretty sure it does mount on the left, which, for a lefty, is not necessarily a bad thing

anyone with a picture of one that they can share?

 

Here is one directly from the Garmin website which happens to be installed in a Mini Cooper

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us

 

They do mount on the left. From the cover page of the owners manual (this is precisely how they mount):

 

Okay guys,, here is what I found out today at Otto's:
The listed price of 399 doesn't include installation, that will bring the total amount to roughly 700-750 dollars.

I still opted to get it... they happened to have a car ready to deliver that had it installed and it looked great. The left sided location was totally fine, I could reach it and see everything that I felt I would need to see. A very neat, compact set up.

Sooo, I have officially placed my order !! Woo hooo!!
Pepper white, silver/silver Clubman S auto/convenience/cold weather/leatherette/checkered side scuttles, w/ portable nav.

Of course it won't go into production until December but I am officially on the list!!

 

cabwy, thanks for the update. otto's = your local mini dealership? sorry, not catching onto the lingo.

if the $399 does not include the mount and wiring, that really changes things for me. so the $399 is just for the navi, mount, and wiring to ship loosely with the car? and you have to pay your dealership additional fees to get it installed?

 

Andrew, yes, Otto's is my dealership. And you are correct, the 399 is getting the goods,, each dealership will charge a certain amount to install, which involves removing the dash = some chargeable time.
I am waiting for my car to arrive and then will purchase the Navi and install from them, same price and will keep it off of my monthly payment, so even the dealership can provide you with the portable nav. at that price.

I still really like the features and after seeing one mounted on a car it really sold me.....

 

I never rain on person's Happy Place. Personally, I still think it is WAY too much. For me the KUDA was perfect solution. Wiring was not difficult at all and it doesnt lock me into to a particulat brand or size. The one MINI sells is a 350 with a much smaller screen and does not have MPS capabilities. Plus i did not like the position. But the important thing is taht you are happy with it.

 

Hi callahan00!! but are you talking about removing the dash yourself? to install the wiring to use the kuda mount??
I am formerly from Ohio,, I miss "the valley" so much.... it is waaay too crwded here on the east coast!

 

You don't have to remove the dash at all to mount it. The one that mounts next to the speedo just slips in place contrary to the instructions. The wiring was pretty easy too. All I took off was the panel around the steering wheel and fished the wires over to the center stack. It is only a pressure fit so it is easy to take on and off. I had a ligter socket wired at Best Buy for 20 bucks into the existing for power and tucked it away and the aux cable is fished over the center stack for MP3 player use. If you are interested in more details PM me and I can go into greater detail.

Cincinnati is pretty underraterd. The cost of living is good, it is not over crowded and the area offers a lot. I lived in Florida for 14 years and came back here. It was too crowded and got to be too expensive.

 

callahan00, that is great feedback and thank you for sharing. can you show us exactly which mount you got? were the instructions pretty clear on how to run the wires, etc?

for the record and as cabwy as confirmed, the portable nav from mini does not come mounted. it appears to based on the config site, which can be a bit misleading. im considering taking the route callahan00 did now provided the instructions are easy to follow from a wiring perspective.

 

When installed via the hard wiring process, does it turn on/off with the car or do you still have to charge it from another source?

 

Yes, it turns off with the car(with an option to continue to run on battery if the car is off), and when the car is running, it charges.

Steve

 

Other issues to consider: Most / some of the newer Garmin products (ie the 7xx series and others) have the traffic control receiver in the power cord. This make the power source a little harder to hard wire. If you do not hard wire install then you use the One cockpit 12v plug in the console. Have a phone charger, or radar detector to run? Sorry no vacancy. The possition of the 12volt plug eliminates most hard cased power spliters because of hight limitations. Also review the Kuda mount and verify that it requires two parts for the system, the base (dash or console), and the ball adapter to snap the GPS into. It gets expensive. If you buy a Garmin GPS newer / larger than the OEM 3xx series you will have to sacarifice the provided Traffic receiver cable for a hard mount solution and have to buy a second 'Traffic receiver' cable for mobility to other cars. There are good threads in this NAM forum about hard wiring a Garmin/Kuda solution.

 

Advance Auto Parts (or would expect any store that carry's BUSS Fuses) has "Mini Add-A-Circuit" that plugs into the fuse panel.

'Sticky' at top of Electrical Board titled "Hot or Not" will tell you circuits to select which are on with ignition, or on for thirty minutes after ign is off, or on all the time.

For my XM-Radio, I took its Cig/Plug into the fuse panel area and soldered the Add-A-Circuit and ground wire directly to it, as it had a voltage 'step-down' built in for 6 Volts. You could get a one to three 'female' Jack Set to hide anywhere from your Add-A-Circuit and plug into.

 

Repsonding to a couple of you points. All Valid, too!

Wire in a second lighter socket. DO NOT CUT THE POWER WIRE ON YOUR GARMIN. In one of the threads, somebody fried the Garmin because they direct wired it without the socket. The Garmin power supply steps the power down as needed. It also provides the antenna for MSN direct and traffic updates.

Yes the Kuda requres two seperate pieces for the mount. this si so you can pair any device mount to the base mount. Yes, it is a little expensive. but the look also is much more OEM than the Proclips or the Craven mount.

Yes, if you take you power wires behind the dash you will need a second power cable for other vehicles. A minor cost but one i am willing to accept

 

The OP was that the price of the dealer installed Garmin 35xx was only $399 now, which excited many. I guess not huh? It's $800 no ganga and the thread is another GPS thread now. Don't a lot of people just put the thing in a beanbag mount on the dash and plug into the lighter like a radar detector? For occasional users that makes the most sense. I know where I'm going most of the time, I'd just use the thing when in a foreign territory.

 

Well for most the beanbag/suction cup is fine. I use my Garmin as an MP3 player alos so it is always out. Oh and don't take the twisties too agressively with the beanbag and your windows open or you may launch it right out the passenger window.

 

I have the portable Garmin Nav unit in my car. Someone mentioned that they thought it is wired into the stereo. Unfortunately it isn't so unless you turn your stereo down when using it it can be hard to hear. The unit itself is awesome and reads out street names plus it does a lot of other things. The good thing is that it is hardwired into the car and goes on and off with the ignition. It looks really great and I have no problem seeing the screen.

I also installed it myself for free. Took me about an hour. The directions aren't great but they make sense. Installation requires a couple of Torx bits to remove the tachometer which the bracket mounts to and you also have to remove the dash cover below the steering wheel to get to the wire harness that it is connected into.

 

The factory Garmin NUVI 360 does mute the stereo when a call comes in, at least on mine it does. I also have the Dice iPod unit wired in.

Steve