Metal Screen on BMW 325CiSport - help needed

[meno-porsche]

Any idea's? I really want one of these things however the windscreen on the beemer is preventing the signal getting through.

I heard I can use either a re-radiating ariel or go for bluetooth GPS reciever.

Bluetooth sounds the best option, however a few questions:-

1) Can I fit the GPS reciever on the rear parcel shelf? - If not then where - dashboard is not good.

2) Are the Solar Powered GPS recievers any good?

3) Do GPS revievers have a connection for an external ariel - if needed.

4) I'm looking to be able to move the sat nav between car's. Will I have to move both the GPS reciever and the sat nav system every time I move the unit?

Finally which is the best system for my needs - PDA or Satnav system.

Which ever system I get it must be able to do the speed camera thing.

So many questions!! Many thanks in advance.

Andy

[pmanson]

meno-porsche said:

Any idea's? I really want one of these things however the windscreen on the beemer is preventing the signal getting through. I heard I can use either a re-radiating ariel or go for bluetooth GPS reciever. Bluetooth sounds the best option, however a few questions:- 1) Can I fit the GPS reciever on the rear parcel shelf? - If not then where - dashboard is not good.

Should work fine! Has it got a heated rear window that could affect the signal in a similar way?

meno-porsche said:

2) Are the Solar Powered GPS recievers any good?

Never heard of them. Shouldn't be too difficult to run a power lead from the front of the car though. Halfwits do extension cig lighters

meno-porsche said:

3) Do GPS revievers have a connection for an external ariel - if needed.

The GPS jacket for my iPAQ has a port that I can plug an external ariel into.

meno-porsche said:

4) I'm looking to be able to move the sat nav between car's. Will I have to move both the GPS reciever and the sat nav system every time I move the unit?

Yes you will need both (If you for a seperate solution that is!). TomTom Go's are a single unit solution.

meno-porsche said:

Finally which is the best system for my needs - PDA or Satnav system.

PDA's will give you extra functinality. I use mine as a calender and to get my emails etc whenever i'm in location with wireless access. I have a GPS jacket on my iPAQ which works very well in my car. The added bonus is I can use it when i'm walking the streets on London etc.

meno-porsche said:

Which ever system I get it must be able to do the speed camera thing.

Have a look at www.pocketgps.co.uk

meno-porsche said:

So many questions!! Many thanks in advance. Andy

No problem

[meno-porsche]

Many thanks for the response.

Andy

[DennisTheMenace]

if you look at you screen up by the rear view mirror you should have 2 dotted sections each side to put gps ariels bridge tags etc , so you could either get a bluetooth ariel and velcro it up there or double side a hardwired jobbie up there and hold it inplace with a bit of double sided.

[puggit]

I have a metal film in the windscreen of my 206 - it's bad enough to prevent the use of a laser/radar detector.

However, my sirf III GPS receiver with 12 channels has no problems with the screen

[DennisTheMenace]

stick them up by the mirror and you will have even less problems , the polarised coating on the screen does restrict things by a fair old ammount including phone signal , the countless times ive been to cars with a polarised screen and they have got a tax disc antenna with the customer complaing of poor signal , you cant exactly miss a screen with a metalised coating