TomTom 510/710/910 windscreen mount

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Having tried other sat nav systems I am completely sold on TomTom, with one major gripe... that wretched windscreen mount!

Not only is it difficult to remove and remount, but the only way of getting the TomTom to stay upright when it's on the mount is to blu tack it to the A pillar! Now I'm finding that when the mount gets to about 9 months old it no longer holds the unit even that well and the contacts can no longer charge the unit when it's in the car

No shops hold stocks of spare mounts for "obsolete" TomToms and they are very hard to come by on the internet and, if I do find one, they are much more than they ever were when they were stocked in retail shops.

Any ideas as to what can be done?

The mount system on my previous TomTom 700 was bulky, but brilliant, the 910 mount is next to useless; is the 920 system any better?

Tigger.

[dlpruk]

My TT510 mount has never been a problem so are you sure you tighten it to the second click? It needs a strong wrist but it does work!

One dealer salesman told me he mounts his TT510 directly to the dash - just under and slightly to the right of the start button - with a bit of Velcro to hold it in place. But I didn't see it and I haven't got my car yet so I can't try it.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Thanks for the post, but I don't have a problems with the way it sticks to the screen. The problems are:

1. The TomTom unit is held to the shoe on the mount by a two pronged clamp. This clamp is released by pressing the button at the top of the display. After about 9 month's regular use, the edges of the holes that the clamp mounts in to on the shoe become worn away and the clamp can no longer grip properly. At this point it doesn't make proper contact with the contacts on the shoe and it simply stops charging.

2. The ball and socket of the mount has too little friction so that, even when it's done up good and tight, the TomTom will keep drooping downwards. It's even worse on a hot day. The cure for this is sticking the unit to the inside of the A pillar with some blu tack!

I use my TomTom probably more than most, engaging and disengaging it from the windscreen mount, in either car, probably 7 or 8 times every day. On this basis, the standard mount simply wares out in around 6 months

[R99]

I have the 910, and I agree, the mount is useless. Even on a smooth motorway the sat nav gradually drops down.

My solution for the MINI is to mount the tomtom above the speedo, in the centre of the windscreen. Right down as far as it will go, that way the bottom of the tomtom unit rests on the dash itself and no more slipping down.

It also means you don’t have wires trailing all over the cabin, which I imagine would be the case for you, mounting it by the a-pillar?

Regards,

James.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

James,

The wiring isn't too much of a problem as I've burried the cables inside the dash and they re-emerge from around the A pillar

I'm even okay with "drooping sat nav syndrome" it's the business of the clamp wearing out in double quick time, with replacements being virtually unobtainable, that's depressing me

[Gristy]

I have used these people before...

http://www.globalpositioningsystems....scription.html

My mount on my Garmin Navi 250 broke at the weekend on the ball and socket joint - thats going to cost me about £16

GPS mounts don't seem to be very robust and turn out to be expensive to replace

[Restyle]

Have you seen my A-Pillar type Mount ?
Any type of device from ipod to Satnav can be easily attached to it by velcro.
Ive been using it for around 2 years with No problems





See >> http://www.mini2.com/forum/interior-...-mounting.html

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gristie (original)

I have used these people before...

http://www.globalpositioningsystems....scription.html

My mount on my Garmin Navi 250 broke at the weekend on the ball and socket joint - thats going to cost me about £16

GPS mounts don't seem to be very robust and turn out to be expensive to replace

Thanks for that. A replacement is out of stock, but I've left my contact details when / if it comes back in to stock.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Restyle (original)

Have you seen my A-Pillar type Mount ?
Any type of device from ipod to Satnav can be easily attached to it by velcro.
Ive been using it for around 2 years with No problems

That's one robust mount! If only TomTom made them from the same stuff

The only problem is that to get the satnav to charge in the car, it's got to have their wretched mount

[dlpruk]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tigger, Eeyore & Roo (original)

Thanks for the post, but I don't have a problems with the way it sticks to the screen. The problems are:

1. The TomTom unit is held to the shoe on the mount by a two pronged clamp. This clamp is released by pressing the button at the top of the display. After about 9 month's regular use, the edges of the holes that the clamp mounts in to on the shoe become worn away and the clamp can no longer grip properly. At this point it doesn't make proper contact with the contacts on the shoe and it simply stops charging.

2. The ball and socket of the mount has too little friction so that, even when it's done up good and tight, the TomTom will keep drooping downwards. It's even worse on a hot day. The cure for this is sticking the unit to the inside of the A pillar with some blu tack!

I use my TomTom probably more than most, engaging and disengaging it from the windscreen mount, in either car, probably 7 or 8 times every day. On this basis, the standard mount simply wares out in around 6 months

From my experience of the TT510 I think you have two problems that may or may not be related but which I think you'll find TT's Support Department will be able to help with FOC - at least they were when one died on me!

1. A fully-tightened 510 mount of the current type doesn't allow the TT to drop in normal use, even over speed bumps, so yours clearly isn't performing as it should and I'd ask and expect TT to replace it under warranty. (But there were problems with some early TT*10 mounts which they rectified and offered free replacements for.)
2. The failure of the locking lugs to hold it firmly on the mount suggests wear on either the lugs or the sockets in the mount, or both, and again this should be a warranty matter.

I never leave the mount on the windscreen when I park the car as this seems too much of an advert to passers-by that it might prove worth breaking in for a rummage. So I use breaks in long journeys as opportunities to top-up the charge by transferring the whole thing, mount and all, to the boot where I can plug in my car charger.

I find that battery mode, which allows over 4 hours use at normal consumption - or more if I select one of the power-saving options - is more than enough between breaks and it avoids any need to provide an awkward and unsightly lead. (The smaller TTs don't run for so long though!)

There isn't a practicable alternative to the TT*10 mount that I know of as Proclip and other aftermarket mount suppliers don't offer a connection. (Apart from the Velcro-to-the-dash idea I want to try.) And I can't see anyone developing one now that TT have moved on to their *20 design with a Proclip option to suit the US market where screen mounts can be unlawful.

[Jon Robson]

I have a TT One mounted above the stop-start button using a 'no holes mount' from Mikey. Not sure if the larger TT units would fit in here though.

[Phoenix]

here's how I did my mount

http://www.mini2.com/forum/interior-...nav-mount.html

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

That's an interesting idea Phoenix! Definitely a good way of keeping the sucker mark off the screen.

Unfortunately, my problem relates to the very limited life expectancy of the contacts between the satnav unit itself and the shoe of the mount