Customer Reviews

GAFM: Portable Mini Friction Mount for Garmin Nuvi

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I own several GPS receivers and several friction dash mounts, including two Garmin models, the NavMat and this model. I really like the small, compact size of the GAFM and in tests that I put it through it stayed put, even when I turned my car so sharply that everything else in the car flew around. It is much smaller that the NavMat (which is a generic unit that works with many GPS units) however, it and the Garmin friction mounts have one advantage for me over this one.

I travel a lot and I store my friction mount in my briefcase. I can take the mounting arms off of the other models but this one is attached and not removable which makes it impossible to store flat. If you're not going to travel with it this will not matter to you, but I will not take it on the road for this reason. However, I will use it instead of my other units when I am at home (I posted photos of this model next to my others on this page for comparison). This is a well designed product and should fit the bill for many users.

Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550, and C580)
Bracketron UFM-100BL Nav-Mat GPS Friction Dash Pad

It came with no product info or instruction. Just the 5 inch diameter mount and a cleaning paper. The ball is a little bigger than that of the nuvi 350 factory suction mount. It cracked the nuvi 350 cradle when I snapped it in.

We purchased this to replace the suction cup mount that came with our Nuvi 350. We like this mount much better because you can easily pick it up and work with the GPS, then set the mount back on the dash. You can also easily position the mount for either the passenger or driver to see.

Bought this for my Garmin 250W and it fits perfectly. It's just the right size. It would be nice if they could somehow make a stable friction mount even smaller but this is small enough to take up the minimal amount of space while maintaining its hold on the GPS plus it's pretty easy to put away for me. It is much smaller than the Garmin friction mount without sacrificing performance. The friction part works well. The whole thing has never tipped over or fallen over, regardless of how hard the stop/acceleration. Definitely recommended.

I got this for my Garmin GPS. It does a great job of holding my GPS in place on the dashboard. I don't have to worry anymore about my GPS falling down. I highly recommend it!

I have a Garmin Nuvi 760 and I use this in my Prius. It's an excellent little friction mount, with only a 5-inch radius. It stays put and fits in smaller places than the usual size friction mount. It fits easily under the seat when you want it out of sight.

First off, let me say that I read a review about this item before I bought it and the reviewer mentioned that this friction mount is so heavy that it may have reduced his fuel economy. I say hogwash. I was a little skeptical about whether it would slide around on my dashboard but was pleasantly suprised that it actually doesn't. It is a good size and the GPS I bought (Garmin nuvi 255W) fits perfectly on it.

Note that some reviewers mention that the ball joint is too large; this is not true, it's just that you have to carefully work the ball joint into the socket of the GPS bracket. If you use too much force, it can break...just apply careful, steady pressure and a slight twisting motion and it will snap in nicely.

I have been using this friction mount for months and I never leave my GPS attached when I'm not using it. I always remove the GPS from the bracket holding it to the friction mount. So far, it's just as tight as the day I bought it and the friction mount does NOT slide around the dashboard at all.

Don't buy this item. It will break or crack Garmin bracket. The ball is TOO BIG for the bracket. You will likely end up returning this item. A waste of time. It looked like a good design, but something is amiss with the ball socket. Maybe Garmin has a patent on the mechanism, but this one stinks.

Unless you flip your car over, this mount will not move. :-) It's heavy and a little sticky on the bottom. We got this thing to replace the sunction mount that wouldn't stay in place.

Note that this unit does not come with the brack that holds the GPS. You can use the one that came with your GPS or you have to buy another one.

We did struggle to get the ball of the mount into the bracket. As another review hinted to, it seems too big. You just have to force it in there without breaking the bracket or anything on the bracket.

I purchased this for a new Garmin Nuvi 760. It does everything it is supposed to do. I like the smaller size. It looks better on the dash than some of the others and doesn't require the use of the suction cup. The friction material holds well, as I tested it with hard braking and a couple of sharp turns.

I don't have any negative comments.