Be Excellent To Each Other

My ma and stepdad have a car that my uncle kind of forced on them, and it’s just full of difficult. Anyhoo. One of the difficult things is that it has a Satnav that’s been wired in since the car was bought (it’s a 2003 Ford Galaxy).

Now, the sat nav is THE WORST.

Not only has it the stupidest interface ever that you use via a remote control, and woe betide you ever forget to put the space in the postcode, but it also hasn’t been updated since it was fitted, so you might as well be driving on the moon.

So, they were getting so fed up with it that we bought them a new one. But they couldn’t fit it. Or rather, they couldn’t disconnect the old one. So they went to Halfords (I know) who said the old one COULD NOT be disconnected, unless they went to the same place that fitted it. I know this is BS and it makes me sad, but they brought into it.

Anyway, as they are seemingly stuck with this, is there anyway to get and install an update for it, so you think, so at least they stop getting lost. We’ve been on journeys before in two cats and we’ve arrive at a 45 minute drive literally an hour before them. These pictures are literally the only information I can find.

Here’s the other picture

Could they use Google maps on their phone instead, Mimi? Just buy a cheap dash/window mount then.

No, sorry, that’s what I meant to say. We bought them one they could window mount, but even with the unit in standby mode it keeps on chiming through the speakers, even if you turn the speaker volume to zero. Then it just tries to direct you home if you don’t set an actual destination. So they could t use the one we bought as the screen from the new unit and sound from the old were giving conflicting informatand making the drive dangerous as it was confusing.

Whoever installed this was a real cowboy.

It’s difficult to tell from the photo but is it mounted into the dash or just hanging loose? If it’s the latter just take a knife to the connecting wire, throw it in the bin and do what Zardoz said.

Apparrently there is a unit in the back which may be related so I will try and get a picture of that when we get back to their house later.

Ideally I’d like to rip it out and then I’d get them a new one, but as they’ve believed the morons that have somehow told them it is impossible a map update would at least be half a something.

It’s mounted in but with a bracket that’s been, I kid thee not, gorilla glued in.

I think they’d be worried about leasving the live wires AND I think they also aren’t sure if it’s actually controlled by the thing in the back of the car.

It's not impossible. Even if it was spliced directly to 12v, wires can be cut

It’s a shame because I specifically got them one with automatic map updates and the live traffic.

What’s not impossible? Cutting the wires or it being a danger? Sorry if I’m being dim. I’m in the back of the car and Tupi g on the car makes me feel a. It sock

Cut the wire short so it’s not sticking out and put some of that rubber tape over it. Simples.

Removing it isn't impossible. 'Live' wires can be safely capped or removed, glue can be solvented away. Trust me, I can wreck anything.

The other box is probably the GPS unit, sometimes these have the map data held/updated via DVD rom! There's one like this in MrsZs RAV4.

I'd cut the thing out personally but if you're unsure about what you're doing get someone else to have a look Mimi.

PDF info here:

Sorry was all in French, hang on...

Found this guys write up of fitting in a BMW, has wiring list which might be helpful Or the other thing to try is removing the fuse(s) in the back of the GPS unit which would cut it off without cutting wires:

http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/tips ... nstall.htm

Cheers all.

I’ve let them have a read of this and convinced them that it’ll be safe to remove and useless to persevere with. I don’t think tbey’ll Make the leap to actually cut it out unless I force the issue, so please can you link me to any rubber tape stuff that I might order to put ma’s mind a little at rest.

Oh, just electrical insulation tape? I didn’t realise that was what was meant. Even I’ve got some of that

Sorry, how rude of me. Thank you! x

OMG WTF ETC

My fault, I couldn’t remember what you’d call it!

I think rubber tape works...

No, no, my stupidity for not realising it was made of rubber, or I’d likely have guessed. I thought it was just plastic.

I think it’s rubberised plastic, to confuse matters.

Given how quickly technology has progressed, the thought of using a satnav from 2003 fills me with a kind of deep discomfort that i can't really express properly.

I have nothing to add outside of 'just cut the wires', as that's what I'd do too. Or render the unit unworkable by some other means and rip it out/paint over it / tape some cardboard over it.

Successfully has the old Satnav been cast aside FOREVER.

So, in the short term and until we can save for a decent Satnav, they are going to use a phone, but want to get a phone mount.

For some reason when Jon drives my ma navigates the Satnav. I don’t know why. So most of the time it is pointed at her, and she gives directions to Jon who drives.

But my ma has reading glasses and distance glasses, and because of this she doesn’t want a window mount for her phone (it’s too far away for her reading glasses and too close for her distance glasses).

So, she wants something to hold her phone on the dash board/console , which in their car is a lot closer than the windscreen.

It’s to hold an iPhone 5, I think. Russell used to have some kind of heavy bean bag that a Satnav attached to, but it was in the car when the car was stolen. I don’t know if something like that would be best or something that would attach in another way.

And are there any recommendations for an eventual Satnav? Was going to get a Tom Tom as we had one before and it was great, but can’t spend too much so would be a simple one.

You might want to get one of those mounts that goes in the air vents. There are hundreds on eBay and Amazon.

As long as there's a USB socket in the car to charge the phone, I can't see any reason why you'd get a satnav over using Google Maps on a phone these days.

I've just got a £15 stick on the screen job from Halfords (cradle, that is)

It’s be good if the mount held the eventual Satnav, too, as that will have the same distance problems.

@craster her phone is so slow that it doesn’t work properly and keeps crashing. They used mine when I was down there but when I tried using her phone it was no good. Jon’s phone is older still (iPhone 4s).

That sticks on the windscreen you mean?

That’s too far away for my mother’s stupid glasses and teeny screen.

I’ve not seen these. Do they work ok?

They do. I have one

They do if you get a decent one. Look at reviews perhaps.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holders-UGREEN ... B01AOV4UXC

I have one of these, it works great.

Brill, ta. I’ll get her to measure her phone and send that then. I guess this kind of thing won’t eirk with the eventual Satnav, though? If anyone knows of a decent workaround for that also, that’d be ace.

I've owned half a dozen car mounts over the years, and none was better than OK. Then I read this:
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best- ... car-mount/
and I bought this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/iOttie-Holder- ... B076B5L4H6

And it's very, very good. (It also has suction cup and vent mount options.)

One thing I really like: the gripping arms are spring-loaded and click in the out position. So to put the phone in, you "bop" it on the back of the holder, which releases the arms and grip the phone. You can do that one-handed. To get it out again, you squeeze the release catch and the phone drops into your hand -- again, one-handed.

Thank you! I’ve sent her that and a screenshot of why you recommended that one as she’ll be able to better understand what she’s looking for and if that is what will work for her. Thank you, Doc

Ma says the ones that fit in the vents don’t ever seem to fit their vents as they’ve tried them before. They’ve got a triple bro, whatever that is.

This conversation went well and was not at all confusing.

It's good to know that the autocorrect thing is a family trait

A triple bro is when you get to third base bro

Could she send you a picture?

Yes, I’ll ask her to do that

Are they still lost?

Pretty much.

Actually not driving at the mo as Jon’s had knee and hernia surgery, so they’re off the road.

This has taken a sad turn onto the A4303 for 3 miles before exiting at junction 4