Garmin anyone?

[rb25drag]

Well Im going to throw some Ideas out there for us who isn't going to use our stock gauge clusters.

I have decided to custom my dash by buying a garmin GPS, Which will give me a road map and most important my MPH on a 4.5 inch display, No wiring required LOL, But here is what I have came up with just off the top of my mind.



Just wondering if anyone else has thought of this?
Modified by rb25drag at 8:16 AM 3/10/2008

[Shocker]

lol, I was planning to buy a GPS this summer for road trips and speedo. Never considered doing that though.

[rb25drag]

Well to me it makes sense to put it in the dash b/c im using my SAFC as a tach and my current stock speedo is way off!! So why not go new school and get a navagation that will monitor speeds without wiring anything? LOL!! Just a wild hair I got. It will be a few months before I actually do it but just seeing what people think.

[240z4u]

I have a C330 and really like it.

Problem is, you may have your GPS drop out in big cities with alot of blockage. Chances you will be going slow at that point is likely anyways.

I give you an A in creativity. Keep in mind, the screen is not very large.

Evan

[rb25drag]

I have a C330 and really like it.

Problem is, you may have your GPS drop out in big cities with alot of blockage. Chances you will be going slow at that point is likely anyways.

I give you an A in creativity. Keep in mind, the screen is not very large.

Evan

Thanks

Ya my biggest concern was the speedo not working correct in the dash. Im not sure how it actually monitors it. The GPS Im not really worried about. To me its just there as a cool factor LOL.

I seen a few of them that had a 4.5 inch flat screen so I would that that is plenty big enough

[Shocker]

GPS speedos are very accurate, I took my cousins to check my gearing. (my speedo isnt hooked up) Anyway, while accelling from 0-90 it was skipping in anywhere from 15-5 mph increments, it just couldn't keep up.

OH yeah the Garmin holds top speed achieved too, that way your GPS verified for sure!

[240z4u]

I gauges speed the same way it gauges location, needs three satellites to track you.

There is an external antenna available that you would need if you mounted it in the dash. reception gets kinda sketchy when you cover up the antenna in the housing. I used to sell these all the time, and swear by them.

lemme know if you have any specific questions about the garmin line.

[rb25drag]

GPS speedos are very accurate, I took my cousins to check my gearing. (my speedo isnt hooked up) Anyway, while accelling from 0-90 it was skipping in anywhere from 15-5 mph increments, it just couldn't keep up.

OH yeah the Garmin holds top speed achieved too, that way your GPS verified for sure!

So are you saying The GPS couldn't keep up with your acceleration?

[rb25drag]

I gauges speed the same way it gauges location, needs three satellites to track you.

There is an external antenna available that you would need if you mounted it in the dash. reception gets kinda sketchy when you cover up the antenna in the housing. I used to sell these all the time, and swear by them.

lemme know if you have any specific questions about the garmin line.

SO do you have to buy a monthly service for this to work?

[240z4u]

The speedo is not smooth and fluid like a factory speedometer.

You don't pay for service.

[gawdzilla]

seems like an ok idea, but also kinda different than a car speedo. car speedos are based on wheel speed, gps is based on vehicle speed. it's probably good for cruising and high speed hwy, but won't be accurate for watching acceleration and stuff as it doesn't refresh all that great. also, what about dynoing and wheel spin?

[rb25drag]

seems like an ok idea, but also kinda different than a car speedo. car speedos are based on wheel speed, gps is based on vehicle speed. it's probably good for cruising and high speed hwy, but won't be accurate for watching acceleration and stuff as it doesn't refresh all that great. also, what about dynoing and wheel spin?

I understand there will be a difference, But honestly how many of your actually watch your speedo when Accelerating fast? I personally never look at it. Maybe glance down to see a estimate, (Which my speedo hasn't been accurate for 4 years) But I mostly would use it as a Hwy Cruise so I don't guestimate and get a ticket.

I guess if your looking at 100% accuracy all the time then its a bad Idea. I just thought it would be something cool and different.

[onepuff]

How about a carpc? I have a 7" screen in my radio spot with a mac mini running consult. You could put the screen in the spot where the tach and speedo are though.

[Shocker]

How about a carpc? I have a 7" screen in my radio spot with a mac mini running consult. You could put the screen in the spot where the tach and speedo are though.

Is it GPS based for the speed?

rb25drag, it refreshed at a decent rate, but it was more or less due to the accel at lower speed. At high speeds IE a 4th gear pull it would only skip like 2-5 mph increments.

[rb25drag]

How about a carpc? I have a 7" screen in my radio spot with a mac mini running consult. You could put the screen in the spot where the tach and speedo are though.

How would the car PC benifit? Couldnt trap speed then?

[neonbomb]

Most digital speedometers skip numbers anyway when you are accelerating or decelerating. I remember my 93' Lincoln towncar had a digital speedo, and she skipped quite a bit. You cant really expect much out of that tho lol.

[onepuff]

How would the car PC benifit? Couldnt trap speed then?

Like i said use consult. Works very well. Shows RPM, speed, timing, water temp, throttle, etc. Here's a little vid. Not driving anywhere but shows rpm's. It keeps up very well. Also using gps to track speed, it will be off when going up and down hills. Not that big of a deal, but.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJXmhgDo71Y

[rb25drag]

Looks like a good Idea, About how much did that unit cost you?

[onepuff]

Looks like a good Idea, About how much did that unit cost you?

Here's the prices for the consult cable and software. Map trace works and everything.

http://www.blazt.biz/prices/prices.php

Intel mac mini was around $500. Look on ebay just make sure it has an intel chip so you can run windows programs on it. I use a program called Parallels to run windows programs in OSX. Screen was about $300. Power supply $100. All together around $1000 but you can probably do it cheaper. I also have GPS navigation and all the music i'll ever need in one little box. I also made a dock for the computer so i can easily remove it to take in the house.

Here's some more pics of my setup.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/o...85546/

I've had it in two cars so far and i love it. Check out the mp3car.com forums for tons more info.

[rb25drag]

Looks like a very nice setup.

So how does it monitor speed and such? Thats really all im looking for, Mp3's mean nothing to me. My car doesn't have a speaker nor speaker wire LOL.

[onepuff]

It monitors everything through the stock sensors. That's what the consult cable is for. Search NICO for Nissan Consult if you don't know what it is.