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on February 1, 2017
This thing is great. I rely on the voice assist on my GPS to help me avoid looking down while driving, but sometimes it can't be avoided. I've tried many different GPS mounts with different vehicles over the years and this is by far my favorite. It is very well weighted and stays on the top of my dashboard while driving. A quick glance and I can read the GPS.
Another advantage of this is that once the mounting bar is in place, you can either lock it in place (so you would have to move the whole thing around to change the angle) or leave it unlocked and it will turn 360 degrees horizontally as needed. The mounting bar doesn't turn without assistance so I will probably never lock it.
I have one of those dashboard compartments so if it is particularly sunny or I am on a bumpy road, I can place it in there to help shade it and keep it in place.
Another advantage of this is that once the mounting bar is in place, you can either lock it in place (so you would have to move the whole thing around to change the angle) or leave it unlocked and it will turn 360 degrees horizontally as needed. The mounting bar doesn't turn without assistance so I will probably never lock it.
I have one of those dashboard compartments so if it is particularly sunny or I am on a bumpy road, I can place it in there to help shade it and keep it in place.
TOP 1000 REVIEWERon February 21, 2016
I bought this for my garmin gps. I was having issues with the suction cup on my windshield because I couldn't reach the gps. Someone recommend to me I get a dash mount. I was hesitant because my dash is very curvy and I thought there was no way that it would stay in place (especially since I am not the most, lets say, steady driver). Much to my surprise this hasn't moved one inch since I put it in my vehicle. Perfect!
on August 26, 2013
The number one problem that I have had with GPS mounts is that they always fall off the windshield at the most inconvenient times hitting the gear selector and sometimes creating dangerous situations. After having this happen on the highway one day, I decided I wouldn't do this anymore and decided to investigate other options.
Fast-forward and I found this. The Garmin portable friction mount is a great product IF you have a flat dashboard that you can place this on. If you do not, such as some older Jeep Liberty's, this product is worthless and won't be able to be used. I found this out the hard way when I took it out of my car and attempted to use it in my girlfriends Jeep. Luckily we had the windshield mount to fall back on.
The mount is solid and relatively heavy as well. This product stays firmly in place even when taking corners or stopping quickly. The center that the mount itself links too has a solid metal base, but is slightly raised on my product meaning that I do not have to worry about my dashboard getting scratched.
The product itself is a bit larger than I expected, and does have to sit slightly more forward than I would prefer in my car (sloped coupe windshield) but it does not hang off the front either.
Overall this is a quality product that works as expected. Slightly larger than I had expected but having put it through it's paces in terms of trying to get it to move, I can say that the extra size and surface area probably is what is keeping it firmly planted to my dashboard. I'd highly recommend this, but make sure your dashboard can accommodate the size of this product.
Fast-forward and I found this. The Garmin portable friction mount is a great product IF you have a flat dashboard that you can place this on. If you do not, such as some older Jeep Liberty's, this product is worthless and won't be able to be used. I found this out the hard way when I took it out of my car and attempted to use it in my girlfriends Jeep. Luckily we had the windshield mount to fall back on.
The mount is solid and relatively heavy as well. This product stays firmly in place even when taking corners or stopping quickly. The center that the mount itself links too has a solid metal base, but is slightly raised on my product meaning that I do not have to worry about my dashboard getting scratched.
The product itself is a bit larger than I expected, and does have to sit slightly more forward than I would prefer in my car (sloped coupe windshield) but it does not hang off the front either.
Overall this is a quality product that works as expected. Slightly larger than I had expected but having put it through it's paces in terms of trying to get it to move, I can say that the extra size and surface area probably is what is keeping it firmly planted to my dashboard. I'd highly recommend this, but make sure your dashboard can accommodate the size of this product.
on October 25, 2016
What I got was not like what was pictured. It is flat with a rubbery bottom and not the beanbag type showed.
on June 1, 2007
My Prius has a rough dashboard and a windshield that slopes very sharply. Thus, the suction cup mounts are not good solutions. Fortunately, the friction mount is a great solution. It works much better than I expected. Very stable, does not slide, and lets me adjust my Nuvi to a variety of different angles. I can place the GPS anywhere on the dash or even on the center console. Also works great when transferred to my wife's Ford.
Only downside to the device is that it has a rather large footprint, but not prohibitively large. I like the fact that I can easily use this in both of our family vehicles depending on where we need the GPS.
UPDATE: Now that I have used this mount regularly since May, I have to say this is the best mounting solution I've found for a GPS or any other device for my car. It hasn't slid out of place once!! Given the rise in GPS units being stolen from cars, this mount allows you to easily stash your GPS Unit and mount out of sight and then put it back into position with ease.
2009 Update: Still using this in my Prius and my wife has one too. It's held up quite well. It IS a bit bulky to store out of the way when not in use, but still a good solution. I usually remove my GPS from the mount (a simple process) and then place the mount as far under the seat as it will go. Not perfect, but the best solution I've found to date.
Only downside to the device is that it has a rather large footprint, but not prohibitively large. I like the fact that I can easily use this in both of our family vehicles depending on where we need the GPS.
UPDATE: Now that I have used this mount regularly since May, I have to say this is the best mounting solution I've found for a GPS or any other device for my car. It hasn't slid out of place once!! Given the rise in GPS units being stolen from cars, this mount allows you to easily stash your GPS Unit and mount out of sight and then put it back into position with ease.
2009 Update: Still using this in my Prius and my wife has one too. It's held up quite well. It IS a bit bulky to store out of the way when not in use, but still a good solution. I usually remove my GPS from the mount (a simple process) and then place the mount as far under the seat as it will go. Not perfect, but the best solution I've found to date.
TOP 1000 REVIEWERon August 5, 2015
I have been using this for over 3'years and I'm still happy with it. My work requires that I rent cars very frequently and this mount and my GPS come along with me on all trips. This holds the GPS unit securely while the weighted base keeps it fairly stable on the car's dashboard. My personal car has a recessed tray in the dash that works very well to prevent this from sliding off. However, in rental cars, I've had this to pitch forward and hit the passenger side floor with hard braking. Was that a test of durability? No problems whatsoever, except for having to pick it up. Oh, and forgot to mention, no more gooey slickly adhesive circles on the dash while using this mount.
I had been tempted to buy a newer, more sleek-looking GPS mount until I realized that it wouldn't fit the recessed dash tray. So, though this black nylon has faded to more of an OD green from years in the sunshine, it is still 100% intact, works perfectly well! and will continue to be my travel partner as long as I'm renting cars.
If you found anything in this review to be helpful, then please click "yes". Thanks!!
I had been tempted to buy a newer, more sleek-looking GPS mount until I realized that it wouldn't fit the recessed dash tray. So, though this black nylon has faded to more of an OD green from years in the sunshine, it is still 100% intact, works perfectly well! and will continue to be my travel partner as long as I'm renting cars.
If you found anything in this review to be helpful, then please click "yes". Thanks!!
TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICEon December 3, 2009
After I bought my Garmin nüvi 205W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator I found out that the included suction mount wasn't sturdy enough for my car. When I searched for a better mount, every site I looked at recommended this one. The price was right, here on Amazon and once I received it the "Frustration-Free Packaging" was appreciated.
It now sits on the dash of my Chevy Trailblazer and hasn't budged in over 800+ miles. Now while I'm very pleased with this product, it may not work with every vehicle. It's great if you have a flat surface to place it on or even one with a bit of a slope. It also doesn't seem to matter whether the dash is rough or smooth - it stays put either way. The last nice thing about the Garmin Portable Friction Mount is that it's not permanent. If I want I can transfer it to another vehicle quickly and easily.
Overall I think the sheer number of positive reviews make this item a easy purchase, at least it was for me.
It now sits on the dash of my Chevy Trailblazer and hasn't budged in over 800+ miles. Now while I'm very pleased with this product, it may not work with every vehicle. It's great if you have a flat surface to place it on or even one with a bit of a slope. It also doesn't seem to matter whether the dash is rough or smooth - it stays put either way. The last nice thing about the Garmin Portable Friction Mount is that it's not permanent. If I want I can transfer it to another vehicle quickly and easily.
Overall I think the sheer number of positive reviews make this item a easy purchase, at least it was for me.
on January 11, 2017
Works well, but has a somewhat limited life. I placed the friction mount on the dash. After a year, the friction hold began to diminish, and one day the mount and the GPS came sliding down onto the the passenger's lap. Luckily no one was hurt. BTW, I did keep the "friction pads" clean, first with a damp cloth and when that stopped working, with a diluted mixture of methyl alcohol (20%) and water. The friction did not come back and the unit kept sliding off the dash even on regular braking. So, I bought a new one. Perhaps the SOCAL sun was too much for this mount to cope with.
on June 14, 2010
Instead repeating what literally THOUSANDS of people have posted here, let me just say that this kind of mount should be MANDATORY for Nuvi owners, as it absolutely holds like glue on your dash, is easy to put together, and makes it IMPOSSIBLE for thieves to figure out you have a GPS. I have an 07 Mitsubishi Galant, and this fits perfectly at EYE Level in the crook in between the dash and the side wall (see picture posted). When I park someplace, it takes exactly 10 seconds to slip my nuvi off, stash it away in the middle storage box, and slip the base under my seat, and VIOLA - what GPS? Again, if you are buying a nuvi, or already have one, this is MANDATORY!
TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY UPDATE: After almost two years, it still sits like a rock on my dash, with ZERO slippage! I don't even bother to detach my Garmin unit anymore, the whole thing fits in my accessory box in between the front seats.
TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY UPDATE: After almost two years, it still sits like a rock on my dash, with ZERO slippage! I don't even bother to detach my Garmin unit anymore, the whole thing fits in my accessory box in between the front seats.
on September 14, 2016
I ordered this mount to replace the suction cup/adhesive mount that came with my GPS, which fell off my windshield during a 90 degree day two months after I mounted it. I tested this out last week-end during one and a half hour city and highway driving and mount stayed in place for that entire period. Pros: Portable, easy to use and can move around dashboard depending on angle of sunlight. Con: I took the GPS unit off, but drove around with the mount in place to see how well it stayed in place. Yesterday I had to brake suddenly at 25 miles an hour and the mount flew back against the windshield. At that speed it didn't damage windshield, but that is a risk plus it could damage GPS. As dashboard is slanted backward to windshield it is more likely to fly into windshield than passenger, but that risk exists. I was disappointed that Garmin did not include instructions or warnings with this item. A warning of the risk at sudden stops should be included along with a recommendation not to have on dashboard when not using. I'd also liked to have seen instructions for attaching and locking the arm to the bean bag, primarily as I am not sure why the arm is removable in the first place. I would like to have a mount that I can trust to keep the GPS in place. I bought the Square Jellyfish Jelly Grip Car Vent Mount at the same time based on reviews, but haven't yet tested it.
