Hidden wiring on GPS

[James Bond]

Is it possible to hardwire a GPS unit into my car so I don't have to have the cord hanging over my dash all the time?

I just picked up the Garmin 760, seen: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2190449&enterthread=y

It was something like $305.00 out the door. The woman gave me an extra $15 off for some reason and I didn't bother asking why.

I would read the manual... but it is in French... I think.

Edit: The woman who helped me said that this GPS unit also has "free setup through Best Buy" - was she talking about hidden wiring, or them plugging it into my light jack for me?

 

[Throckmorton]

Yes, you can run a cable through your firewall and into the engine compartment, and then possibly tap the fuse box somewhere, or wire directly to the battery. You'll need to use the DC adapter as part of the circuit because it regulates voltage to whatever the GPS takes.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Yes, you can run a cable through your firewall and into the engine compartment, and then possibly tap the fuse box somewhere, or wire directly to the battery. You'll need to use the DC adapter as part of the circuit because it regulates voltage to whatever the GPS takes.

How much does this usually cost?

I've also got a Sirius radio which I will be having hardwired soon... Would I be able to lower costs if I did both at the same time?

 

[LS21]

you can "hardwire" anything. either splice the current power cord, or buy a generic cord and splice that. check what voltage the unit takes in. then you can route the cable through firewall to battery...

in my car, for my radar detector, i have a fusebox with open accessory port. so i crimped the cable into a termination (2-pronged spade type thing) that fits in the accessory fusebox slot and plugged it in there.

 

[James Bond]

Well now I'm thinking about having my GPS, Sirius, AND Radar Detector all hooked up at once...

How much should this cost?

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Yes, you can run a cable through your firewall and into the engine compartment, and then possibly tap the fuse box somewhere, or wire directly to the battery. You'll need to use the DC adapter as part of the circuit because it regulates voltage to whatever the GPS takes.

How much does this usually cost?

I've also got a Sirius radio which I will be having hardwired soon... Would I be able to lower costs if I did both at the same time?

Ask them if they'll hardwire the cable for you.

 

[Pepsi90919]

what do you mean you 'think' it's in french. it's either in french or it's not.

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Well now I'm thinking about having my GPS, Sirius, AND Radar Detector all hooked up at once...

How much should this cost?

do it yourself for 50$ in parts (MAX)

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
what do you mean you 'think' it's in french. it's either in french or it's not.

I glanced and recognized it wasn't English. All that matters to me.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: LS21

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Well now I'm thinking about having my GPS, Sirius, AND Radar Detector all hooked up at once...

How much should this cost?

do it yourself for 50$ in parts (MAX)

I just called a "recommended" shop nearby. The guy was quoting something like $500....

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: LS21

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Well now I'm thinking about having my GPS, Sirius, AND Radar Detector all hooked up at once...

How much should this cost?

do it yourself for 50$ in parts (MAX)

I just called a "recommended" shop nearby. The guy was quoting something like $500....

Yeah, the labor costs are what will kill you. I would imagine that it would be at least a few hours of work even for someone that knows what they are doing. Depends on how your car is configured, but you have to consider that most cars don't have easy access for running wires under the dash and that they might have to remove a lot of it before they can even begin wiring it.

You probably can do better than $500, though.

 

[James Bond]

Best Buy said they would do it for around $200, after parts AND labor.

 

[finite automaton]

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Best Buy said they would do it for around $200, after parts AND labor.

Make sure there is some kind of warranty behind that. Check the wiring THOROUGHLY.

 

[lokiju]

Take apart the dash. Cut open the power cord for the Garmin, get some vampire taps and splice into the positive and negative of the 12v power outlet.

That's the quick version. I'd recommend a inline fuse also.


I'm better at doing this sort of thing versus telling someone how to

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Best Buy said they would do it for around $200, after parts AND labor.

I wouldn't trust Best Buy to do ANY wiring in my car. They used scotch tape to cover wire splices on my sister's car stereo install.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Best Buy said they would do it for around $200, after parts AND labor.

I wouldn't trust Best Buy to do ANY wiring in my car. They used scotch tape to cover wire splices on my sister's car stereo install.

Wow, really?

 

[Maximus96]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
what do you mean you 'think' it's in french. it's either in french or it's not.

I glanced and recognized it wasn't English. All that matters to me.

you must have read the back side of the book, usually printed in spanish...

 

[Maximus96]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Best Buy said they would do it for around $200, after parts AND labor.

I wouldn't trust Best Buy to do ANY wiring in my car. They used scotch tape to cover wire splices on my sister's car stereo install.

Wow, really?

most of the "installers" i see at bestbuy, circuit city, and good guys were high school kids that are on the verge of dropping out of school.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Best Buy said they would do it for around $200, after parts AND labor.

I wouldn't trust Best Buy to do ANY wiring in my car. They used scotch tape to cover wire splices on my sister's car stereo install.

Wow, really?

There was a thread on another forum where they were unable to get a GPS unit to fit in someone's new Civic SI (it was too deep), so they cut out a huge part of the AC vent tubing and patched the hole with duct tape.

edit: My bad, it was Circuit City (not that there is much of a difference). Anyway here are the pics: http://www.autoblog.com/photos...ty-catastrophe/724200/

 

[MotionMan]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Best Buy said they would do it for around $200, after parts AND labor.

I wouldn't trust Best Buy to do ANY wiring in my car. They used scotch tape to cover wire splices on my sister's car stereo install.

Wow, really?

There was a thread on another forum where they were unable to get a GPS unit to fit in someone's new Civic SI (it was too deep), so they cut out a huge part of the AC vent tubing and patched the hole with duct tape.

edit: My bad, it was Circuit City (not that there is much of a difference). Anyway here are the pics: http://www.autoblog.com/photos...ty-catastrophe/724200/

Beat me to it.

MotionMan