Where do you mount portable GPS units in California? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

kavlono · 09-10-2007, 05:23 PM

I saw a great portable garmin gps unit at Costco but there was a big sign next to it saying it was illegal to mount it on the windshield or dash in california. I have a new 2007 and cannot fild a place to put it and say within the law. So where do California porsche owneres mount/located them?

NickCats · 09-10-2007, 06:00 PM

Hope this helps :

http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12458

Nick

rick3000 · 09-10-2007, 08:57 PM

I seriously doubt than you would get pulled over solely for having a windshield mounted GPS. Plus, if you do get pulled over just take it down right in front of the cop, then he can't ticket you.

09-11-2007, 02:36 AM

Kavlono, do you have Sport Chrono? I made a GPS mount for my Garmin, and suction-cupped it to the dial on my Sport Chrono.

OldBlevins · 09-11-2007, 07:10 AM

Kavlono, I tried the Mountguys link that Bmusatti suggested (www.mountguys.com.) I ended up buying a $9 mount that hooks into the slats of the air vent. It fits my Magellan pretty well and I have it mounted on the vent to the left of the steering wheel. It's nice and secure, close enough I can hear it, and out of the way. Best $9 I ever spent.

Kirk · 09-11-2007, 08:53 AM

This is a new one to me, so I felt the need to look up the actual California vehicle code related to this. Here it is:

26708 (a)(1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows.
(2) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied in or upon the vehicle which obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view through the windshield or side windows.
blah, blah, blah

I guess the radar detector I had mounted to my windshield is illegal... this is good stuff to know. Although it may not get you pulled over it's still a potential for a fine. I'll have to find a new place to mount my radar detector.

Still I don't see anything about having the GPS on the dash as being illegal - as long as it doesn't obstruct your view. Just a couple days ago I installed a TV on my dash but I installed it just above the front/center air vents. It's setup so that I can just see over it and it doesn't obstruct my view anymore than the front hood does. I did check and TVs are illegal if you've got them hooked up to a DVD or VCR, but they're okay for navigation, GPS, or in my case vehicle information systems (HKS CAMP).

I would go ahead and mount the GPS on my dash, but just keep it low enough that you can look over the top of it, no problem. As long as it doesn't obstruct your view, you should be okay.

Kirk

djomlas · 09-11-2007, 09:20 AM

can they come up with any other retarded law in that state?
seems like anything you pick up these days has a special law that prohibits it in california

ChrisZang · 09-11-2007, 11:45 AM

I got pulled over last Friday on my way back from Laguna Seca and the cop stuck his head into my car. He didn't say anything about my GPS which is mounted on my windscreen (and also let me go without a ticket as I could convince him that not I was speeding but the red Ford Focus who blew by me and my buddy in front of me). lucky me

BTW: the law you cite would also make all of the "Fast Track" transponders illegal which about every 2nd car here has mounted on their windshields ...

Kirk · 09-11-2007, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisZang

BTW: the law you cite would also make all of the "Fast Track" transponders illegal which about every 2nd car here has mounted on their windshields ...

Fast Track transponders are allowed by the code, there is an exception for them. I just didn't quote the full page of code regarding windshields and focused more on the part that related to mounting a GPS.

I have to agree with djomlas that some of the codes in this state are just stupid. I recently bought tinted license plate covers for my Porsche. Looked great, but totally illegal. Fortunately I looked up the code and took them back. It turns out that even CLEAR license plate covers are illegal. Any kind of plate cover is illegal. So why do they still sell them at Kragen's? Idiots... ANY tint on the front side windows is illegal (although I see a lot of people get away with it), and the law about neon is extremely vague. Ugghhh!

Kirk

OldBlevins · 09-11-2007, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirk

I guess the radar detector I had mounted to my windshield is illegal... this is good stuff to know. Although it may not get you pulled over it's still a potential for a fine. I'll have to find a new place to mount my radar detector.
Kirk

I've forgotten who came up with the excellent idea (that I promptly stole, and have successfully used) to buy one of those flat gel pads from Officemax, place it on your dash in the left corner, and put your radar detector on it. It stays in place pretty well and is easy to take down when you'd rather someone didn't slash your top to get a better look. AND [bonus time] it doesn't leave those unsightly suction cup marks on your windshield.

Now how much would you pay?

kavlono · 09-11-2007, 06:41 PM

Kirk, the statute you site is an either or statute- both 1 and 2 are illegal individually- not 1 and 2 together.

I think I will hold off on the gps for now. I have not had a ticket in 20 years and do not want to get one for any reason.,

09-12-2007, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kavlono

Kirk, the statute you site is an either or statute- both 1 and 2 are illegal individually- not 1 and 2 together.

I think I will hold off on the gps for now. I have not had a ticket in 20 years and do not want to get one for any reason.,

Have you looked at the mountguys web site yet? Heck, they have mounts that work witht the air vents, cup holders, and even the floor-bolt on the seat-rails. It will not be anywhere near the windshield or dash. I think you should reconsider. A portible GPS is awesome.

Peer · 09-12-2007, 02:48 AM

kavlono wrote:
> [...] saying it was illegal to mount it on the windshield or dash in california.
> I have a new 2007 and cannot fild a place to put it and say within the law.
> So where do California porsche owneres mount/located them?

Well, if you haven't seen the few posts I've already made showing my GPS mount, here it is again, (and yes, also I live in California).

-- peer

Frodo · 09-12-2007, 04:26 AM

Pardon my stupidity (it's still relatively early, and I have yet to finish my first cup of coffee), but what is a "flat gel pad from Officemax"? Ie, what is it normally used for? (We talkin' about a mouse pad?)

OldBlevins · 09-12-2007, 06:14 AM

Frodo, that's not a stupid question. For reassurance, go check some of the questions I've posted.

The flat gel pad is about the size of my hand, but only about 1/8" thick. It's not a mouse pad. I think they're mostly used to keep things from sliding around, and they do a good job of that. The Officemax I got mine from had them up by the checkout counters, and I got a nice black one that blends in very well with my dash.

Kavlono, before you give up on the GPS, bmussatti has posted good advice. I was actually a little skeptical that the air vent mount would work very well - especially at the price. But it's been great.

djomlas · 09-12-2007, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldBlevins

I've forgotten who came up with the excellent idea (that I promptly stole, and have successfully used) to buy one of those flat gel pads from Officemax, place it on your dash in the left corner, and put your radar detector on it. It stays in place pretty well and is easy to take down when you'd rather someone didn't slash your top to get a better look. AND [bonus time] it doesn't leave those unsightly suction cup marks on your windshield.

Now how much would you pay?

what about a open top, ope window, fast sudden turn?
i dont know if i would risk my radar in tradeoff for suctio cups.
mine is held by the suction cups, but its by the mirror up there, so it doesnt bother me at all, nor can i see them

Kirk · 09-12-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djomlas

i dont know if i would risk my radar in tradeoff for suctio cups.
mine is held by the suction cups, but its by the mirror up there, so it doesnt bother me at all, nor can i see them

I took a look at this last night and decided to try mounting the radar detector with suction cups to the clear windstop I have. Seems like it will work good since I have sensors on the front and back of my radar detector. It also meets California code as it's just below my line of sight with the rear view mirror and you can do stuff with your rear window if you have two side mirrors... plus the wind stop isn't technically a rear window. I've seen mounts to put your radar detector on a little podium type of thing on the center console. I'll try it suctioned to the windstop first and see how it works and then maybe more to that later if need be. It's not really very important to me though as in the two years I've lived here I've only had the thing go off one or two times. I think the police here much use instant-on radar. So I just tend to drive sensible speeds... most of the time. :-P

Kirk

OldBlevins · 09-12-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djomlas

what about a open top, ope window, fast sudden turn?
i dont know if i would risk my radar in tradeoff for suctio cups.
mine is held by the suction cups, but its by the mirror up there, so it doesnt bother me at all, nor can i see them

I wondered about that, too, when I first got it. It's pinned in there pretty well, up against the left windshield post and the windshield. The upcurve of the dash to the right (the cowling over the tachometer), limits its movement to the right. And I run the power cord down the left side of the cowling and over the steering column, and it also helps stabilize it. So how did that all work?

I'm not the fastest driver in the forum, but on my trip to Reno with the top down and the windows down I took the Feather River twisties (most marked with advisories of 25 - 30 mph) at around 50 mph and it stayed rock solid. It took me awhile to get the hang of positioning the power cord so it doesn't pull it out of line, but that hasn't happened since I figured it out.

I feel like there's no chance of it coming off the dash but, to be fair, I do have that air vent mount for my GPS that blocks my radar detector's only exit route toward the back. That said, it's never moved in that direction and I've developed a strong appreciation for my baby's acceleration.