To make a change from all of the RNS-E fitting guides, heres my stealth TOMTOM One mount project.
Although obviously the RNS-E is the ultimate in integrated Satnav for the A3, it has one major drawbacks as far as I am concerned the lack of speed camera warnings. I have always used TOMTOM satnavs and found them very good as they are very customisable.
The problem though was mounting it in my A3 without the usual ugly window or vent clip-on mounts. Ideally I wanted a mount that was completely hidden when not in use.
I had ordered my A3 with the non-smoking pack for the obvious reason the SWMBO & I are both non-smokers. I was a bit disappointed with the appearance of the non-smokers cubby though as it though it should have a cover over the storage area.
As it turns out there was a solution to both of these problems. I bought an ashtray assembly from Ebay and have modified the ashtray recess to house my brodit TOMTOM one (v1) active mount. The actual ashtray part just clips out leaving a cavity just deep enough the house the mount and allow the lid to shut when not in use.
With the TOMTOM on the mount and having roughened up the plastic at the bottom of the ashtray cavity and the mount itself I epoxied the mount into the ashtray with the TOMTOM resting back on the open lid. Once the epoxy had set I removed the tomtom and marked a line along the mount where it protruded above the level of underside of the lid. I dremelled along this line and checked that the lid shut OK.
With a bit of filing to the cut edges to smooth them of the TOMTOM slides in easily and is nicely supported by both the mount and the raised ashtray lid.
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
Changing from the non-smokers tray to the modified ashtray was a bit more complicated than I thought, but not too bad.
Pull gearstick surround up. It is held in by 4 clips and lifts of easily.
Remove the 4 screws holding in these clips.
Remove the rear console arm mounting bolts (8mm hex), the allen bolts that hold the arms to the dash (accessed via a hole in the bottom of the top bar). I had great difficulty finding the from console arm bolts. Mine is a double DIN dash and you need to remove the bottom trim piece below the climate control to gain access to the front bolts. These are again 8mm hex but are quite tricky to get at. I used a ¼ socket and extension as access is to tight to get a ½ socket in. With all 3 fixings removed remove each console arm.
The existing non-smokers tray now just pulls out.
I decided to run the power cable back to the fuse box on the drivers side rather than cut into any existing wiring. To make it easier to run the cable I removed the Climate Control. You need to gently prise of the switch cover that surrounds the coin tray, hazard warning switch etc. With this off just pull the top of the climate control forwards and down and it will unclip.
With that out of the way I could run a piece of flexible plastic from the back of the ashtray area, behind the steering wheel area and through to the fuse panel in the door shut area. This prove to be surprisingly easy. Pulling the cable though on the plastic, the new ashtray was slotted into place. NB the ashtray I bought had 4 tabs at the back but the double DIN only uses the outer 2 so I had to remove the others. With the ashtray in place replacement is the reverse procedure to removal (copyright Haynes manuals!)
I think it is the ideal solution for my needs. The view and access to the screen isnt perfect as the gearstick obscures the view it you are in 1st,3rd or 5th, but it is good enough and I would gladly trade that for being able to totally hide the mount when not in use. If I were to do it again I would possibly mount the unit 10mm higher to give a bit better access. I mounted it as low as possible to make access to the climate controls easier and to make sure the mount still had enough meat on it to support the tomtom. In hindsight I still think it would be strong enough mounted a bit higher. Even at this lower location the TOMTOM picks up the satellite signal with no problem.
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
Although obviously the RNS-E is the ultimate in integrated Satnav for the A3, it has one major drawbacks as far as I am concerned the lack of speed camera warnings. I have always used TOMTOM satnavs and found them very good as they are very customisable.
The problem though was mounting it in my A3 without the usual ugly window or vent clip-on mounts. Ideally I wanted a mount that was completely hidden when not in use.
I had ordered my A3 with the non-smoking pack for the obvious reason the SWMBO & I are both non-smokers. I was a bit disappointed with the appearance of the non-smokers cubby though as it though it should have a cover over the storage area.
As it turns out there was a solution to both of these problems. I bought an ashtray assembly from Ebay and have modified the ashtray recess to house my brodit TOMTOM one (v1) active mount. The actual ashtray part just clips out leaving a cavity just deep enough the house the mount and allow the lid to shut when not in use.
With the TOMTOM on the mount and having roughened up the plastic at the bottom of the ashtray cavity and the mount itself I epoxied the mount into the ashtray with the TOMTOM resting back on the open lid. Once the epoxy had set I removed the tomtom and marked a line along the mount where it protruded above the level of underside of the lid. I dremelled along this line and checked that the lid shut OK.
With a bit of filing to the cut edges to smooth them of the TOMTOM slides in easily and is nicely supported by both the mount and the raised ashtray lid.
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530317.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530312.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530314.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]
Changing from the non-smokers tray to the modified ashtray was a bit more complicated than I thought, but not too bad.
Pull gearstick surround up. It is held in by 4 clips and lifts of easily.
Remove the 4 screws holding in these clips.
Remove the rear console arm mounting bolts (8mm hex), the allen bolts that hold the arms to the dash (accessed via a hole in the bottom of the top bar). I had great difficulty finding the from console arm bolts. Mine is a double DIN dash and you need to remove the bottom trim piece below the climate control to gain access to the front bolts. These are again 8mm hex but are quite tricky to get at. I used a ¼ socket and extension as access is to tight to get a ½ socket in. With all 3 fixings removed remove each console arm.
The existing non-smokers tray now just pulls out.
I decided to run the power cable back to the fuse box on the drivers side rather than cut into any existing wiring. To make it easier to run the cable I removed the Climate Control. You need to gently prise of the switch cover that surrounds the coin tray, hazard warning switch etc. With this off just pull the top of the climate control forwards and down and it will unclip.
With that out of the way I could run a piece of flexible plastic from the back of the ashtray area, behind the steering wheel area and through to the fuse panel in the door shut area. This prove to be surprisingly easy. Pulling the cable though on the plastic, the new ashtray was slotted into place. NB the ashtray I bought had 4 tabs at the back but the double DIN only uses the outer 2 so I had to remove the others. With the ashtray in place replacement is the reverse procedure to removal (copyright Haynes manuals!)
I think it is the ideal solution for my needs. The view and access to the screen isnt perfect as the gearstick obscures the view it you are in 1st,3rd or 5th, but it is good enough and I would gladly trade that for being able to totally hide the mount when not in use. If I were to do it again I would possibly mount the unit 10mm higher to give a bit better access. I mounted it as low as possible to make access to the climate controls easier and to make sure the mount still had enough meat on it to support the tomtom. In hindsight I still think it would be strong enough mounted a bit higher. Even at this lower location the TOMTOM picks up the satellite signal with no problem.
[URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][URL="http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1099/4096259/17880274/279530323.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]