[AndreyT]

I'm planning to install a Garmin 3490 LMT in my car. I will use a Cuda mount for this purpose. The idea is to have a cleanest install achievable: to hide the power/antenna cable from view and to avoid irreversible damage to the car's interior.

The idea is to route the GPS's power/antenna cable to the fuse box or to lighter socket in the glove box area (the two are pretty close to each other, so it doesn't make much difference). The question is: which path to take?

I see several alternatives:

1. Immediately lead the GPS cable under the front dash wood trim. Route the cable under the trim all the way to the right. Reach the connection point.

This should be easy. However, it will require making a notch in the trim to allow the thick LMT cable to enter. I don't want to do it. Also, the LMT cable has FM traffic antenna in it. I would prefer have this antenna in a more "open" area.

2. Lead the GPS cable forward under the Cuda mount and then sink it under the dash surface through a hole drilled in the center speaker panel. Lead the cable to the right under the dash (glue it to the underside of the top deck with some cable holders) and then drop it to the fuse box.

This is what I see as the best approach. In this case the cable would be almost entirely hidden. Drilling the center speaker cover is not a big deal, since it is an easily replaceable part. However, in this approach I can seem to find any way to access (or to even see) the underside of the top deck.

3. As in 2, lead the GPS cable forward under the Cuda mount and then sink it under the center speaker cover. Then immediately let it emerge from under the speaker cover at its front edge (another hole drilled in the cover) and lead it to the very bottom of the windshield. Tuck it between the windshield and the dash all the way to the right, tuck it under the A-pillar trim base. Then drop it to the bottom of the glove box. The rest is easy.

In this variant a portion of the cable between the front edge of the center speaker cover and the base of the windshield will be visible. So, this approach is not as clean as the 2.

For this reason, I'm still trying to find a way to implement the second approach. However, as I said above, I don't seem to be able to even take a peek at the bottom of the top deck. Every angle seems to be blocked off. I can probably just push the cable from the center speaker opening to the glove box area using a piece of hard wire to find some random path, but I don't like the idea of the cable just lying there unsecured. I would prefer to have it attached to the underside of the deck.

Of course, if one removes the entire dashboard, it should make for an easy access, but I don't want to do anything that drastic just to route some stupid cable. Is there any other way?

[fdriller9]

I just skimmed through your post but try this:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...7&postcount=19
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...9&postcount=21

Clean but permanent.

[AndreyT]

Thanks. This is BMW OEM kit for Nuvi, as I understand. This approach connects for power somewhere in the radio headunit area. Unfortunately, it doesn't immediately work for me. The BMW kit is designed for non-traffic-enabled GPS units, which is why it does not concern itself with the traffic antenna placement. My GPS is a traffic-enabled one, meaning that its power cable is coupled with an FM antenna. I can't just drop this cable to the headunit area. I need to have it laid out in the open (i.e. non-shielded by metal etc.) for some length, which is what I'm trying to achieve with my more convoluted setups.

This is an implementation somewhat similar to the approach I described as 1 above

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...8&postcount=10

But again, this is an antenna-less GPS, which means that the power is probably drawn from the back of the headunit.