Tell me where to stick it?

[Slotus]

Showing my age here... 🙄

The last time I had an Esprit, Sat-Nav hadn't even been invented... now having just though I'd better stick the Sat-Nav in to wend my way to North Weald in the morning for the breakfast meet, I realise there isn't anywhere to stick it! - anywhere on the windscreen either blocks half the road, or is too far away to reach to use it.

Any cunning plans?

[ChrisJ]

Never stuck the holder on the windscreen in any car. In my Esprit & Excel I usually stick it on the quarter light - but you have to get the right holder as some will take the phone too close to the steering wheel.

I've moved recently to having an adapter to fit into the CD player with a magnet - and a tablet will fit there.

[CarBuff]

I use WAZE in my iPhone for navigation.

 

I have an extendable  magnetic mount from Scosche that I put on the driver's side quarter window. You can also get them in a magsafe charging style.

https://www.scosche.com/mp2wdlhd-mmp2xl-heavy-duty-magnetic-phone-mount

 

If you have long arms you might be able to extend it enough to reach it, even on the Esprit windscreen.

 

[Slotus]

I prefer using dedicated satnav rather than a phone app... bigger screen and not so much faff when calls come in etc.

Driving along I was pondering if the heater controls could be moved down to where the little cubby and lighter socket is, to give space for a double-din size radio/satnav... but then it'd be kind of behind the gear stick and a bit fiddly to use I suspect as controls / screen keyboards tend to be to the bottom of displays, which would be right behind the gearknob.

Maybe a neat custom bracket fixed on the end of the binacle would work... or fix on one of those shiny discs that the normal "sucker" bracket could stick to.

Then I though being super-ambitious it would be possible to make a custom binacle extending further over the centre console to house a decent size screen... the "carbon fibre" on my instrument panels is cracked in a few places and could do with refurbing anyway, so it's a thought.

[Bibs]

[Slotus]

ah... the good ol' days of trying to fold maps on the steering wheel 🙈

[Escape]

For my Esprit, I made a little bracket that I could wedge between the binnacle and center console. Basically just an flat piece of alloy, folded at the right angle to keep the holder right next to the inside corner of the binnacle. Easy to see, not blocking any of the view through the windscreen and you can even use the buttons without getting your hand too far from the steering wheel. 

I did similar in my Excel, using a longer bolt through the top corner of the wooden center panel. So nothing permanent.

[Chillidoggy]

It’s certainly possible to fit a double DIN head unit. You will need to move the heater control panel, and you lose the cubby hole. But it’s a reversible job, and you can then get one with the fold out screen.

If you do some Internet legwork, you will find some of the conversions people have done.

[eeyoreish]

12 hours ago, Bibs said:

I always keep a map book in the car, just in case. I use Waze on my iPhone for nav, which is great but the problem with Satnav is it's not always easy to see exactly where you actually are in the world or which way to go if the nav insists on sending you down some unsuitable road/track/footpath.

Always good to have an analogue backup. Or maybe I'm just clinging onto the 1980s...

 

 

[ChrisJ]

Someone has installed a double DIN fold out for an Esprit.

I use a similar one as @CarBuff when hiring a car abroad (this from Amazon)- and attach a 8 inch tablet to it (big screen, no phonecalls) - using HERE WeGo for everywhere but Europe as it can be used offline with downloadable maps, and CoPilot (paid for) for Europe as I like the view ahead function. HERE WeGo has the added benefit of Android Auto and you can save waypoints in a collection. Used it 100% for my recent 2000 mile USA trip.

[Slotus]

5 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

It’s certainly possible to fit a double DIN head unit. You will need to move the heater control panel, and you lose the cubby hole. But it’s a reversible job, and you can then get one with the fold out screen.

If you do some Internet legwork, you will find some of the conversions people have done.

Sounds like the favourite solution, if the heater controls aren't too much of a pain to move (like on fixed linkages that need a lot off customising?)

[Chillidoggy]

The heater contril fascia is attached to a steel subframe. The hot/cold and direction knobs operate cables, so not fixed as such. The A/C and fan controls are just wire connections.

[LotuStuart]

Use a Bluetooth adaptor to whatever stereo you have, and play music/radio through the phone.

Then use the satnav app as well, and the voice commands will come out of the speakers. 

[Bibs]

On 14/04/2024 at 09:35, eeyoreish said:

nav insists on sending you down some unsuitable road/track/footpath.

By all accounts, Waze is due a huge update soon which will remove some of the 'mad as a box of frogs' routes it can choose from time to time. 

[Slotus]

I've never really had an issue with TomTom - and I like the live traffic and mobile speed camera reporting etc. on it. Everyone has their favourite system; I suspect truth is they all have their good and bad points. I do prefer built-in design though, hate having wires dangling about and sticky on thingies... but of course on pre-satnav era cars compromises have to be made one way or the other.

I absolutely admire the total dedication people put in to concours-perfect-original-spec restorations, but personally I have no objection to tasteful and inkeeping modifications that make cars more enjoyable / easy to use / safer etc., as to me sports cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed pretty much just for the sake of the thrill of driving them, rather than just sitting silently prestigne in collections... so anything that encourages more driving is good in my book! - I'm aiming to get all 3 of my Lotus over the magic 100k miles mark 😊

[Kevin Wheeler]

1 hour ago, Slotus said:

I'm aiming to get all 3 of my Lotus over the magic 100k miles mark 😊

Off topic - apologies - but I have done 50K miles in my Esprit - which is now on 122K miles - and 86K in my Elise - which is on 135K miles. This is in 10 and 13 years respectively!

Almost back on topic - I just lay my phone on its side behind the gearstick in the Esprit. Probably should come up with something more sensible!

[LotuStuart]

@Slotus

Was this you?

 Elan SE Turbo (written off by woman doing her make-up instead of looking where she was going)

[Slotus]

1 hour ago, LotuStuart said:

@Slotus

Was this you?

 Elan SE Turbo (written off by woman doing her make-up instead of looking where she was going)

It was me in my Lotus... the dozy woman was in a 4x4 behind me... Police said she was doing 50+ mph... I was stationary, as was the car in front of me, and the van in front of that, all of which were also written off in the pile-up she caused.

It hurt.

Lots.