I recently purchased a 2006 R53 with HK Sound. It does not have the iPod adaptor fitted and at present my plan is to just add an AUX IN to the stereo.

I would like to mount my iphone somewhere within line of sight and plan to use it for phone calls, Pandora playback, and as a GPS when needed. I have a Garmin GPS but was impressed with the GPS software on a friends iPhone and like the idea of an all in one device (I have not yet picked the GPS app). I would like to be able to orient it in either portrait or lanscape as desired. I don't want to have to take my incase case off the phone every time I get in the car (incase snap case).

I can see two ways of going with this.

1) Buy any mount a like. Buy a cable to plug into the dock connector that allows me to power the iphone and get audio out (Kensington 2-in-1 cable).

2) Buy something like the TomTom car kit (similar kits made by Magellan, Navigon and Pioneer).

In theory the advantage of something like the TomTom car kit is that it has an improved microphone built in and also has a GPS signal booster built in which may be useful especially in cities.

If I mount the iPhone just behind the steering wheel with something like the Craven Speed arm will the built in microphone in the iPhone be good enough for phone calls? Will the GPS receiver built into the phone be good enough?

Does anyone have a setup they like? onefish2 combined the TomTom kit with the Craven arm which looks interesting but expensive.

Thanks in advance.
Rupert

 

I just installed an AUX in my my R53 yesterday. Pretty quick if you follow Greatbear's (fellow NAM member) amazing instructions. Don't know about the iPhone 4, but I have a 3G (waiting for the iPhone 5) and I wouldn't use a speaker to make calls with in my Mini. I bought a $20 Jabra SP200 bluetooth speaker phone that slips onto the visor. Works really well for hands/hassle free calling.

 

Here is what I used at first with much success.

I purchased the Sendstation PocketDock Line Out Mini USB http://www.sendstation.com/us/produc...t-miniusb.html which gives me digital line-out signal for input into the Aux-In cable you are looking at. It also features a mini-usb port for charging at the same time. All of this is sitting in a Proclip mount attached to the center stack downtube (the CravenSpeed is a great option as well and a little closer to the windshield for gps signal). I then run the GPS Drive software by MotionX and it works superbly in any environment, even amongst tall buildings in cities. The software has a setting for high accuracy gps mode and I have not had a single hiccup with this. It is definitely worth a look.

The visor bluetooth handsfree is a valid option and probably equal sound quality as the TomTom, Magellan, etc car kits that are out there. If you are looking for a more fully intergrated approach you can purchase a unit like the one I just installed and do everything wirelessly (phone/gps navigation/and pandora all at the same time). Here is a link to my post here on NAM. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-pictures.html

My 2 cent but I hope it helps out.

Jason

 

Here is another great mounting base by Kuda, I like the one which is up by the speedo. http://www.kudausa.com/kuda_mount_an...6-34-314.html#

 

Thanks guys. I will check out some of these options.
Rupert