Want To Add Navi To Your Is?

[petayV8]

Saw this, if anyones interested. all the hard work done for you

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-IS200-SAT-NAV-/281150697036

[Funky_Monkey]

I don't understand what it is. Is it just a tomtom model in place of where the standard lexus screen is?

[scudney]

Its a Tom Tom built into to IS 200 sat nav housing basically.

[IHgs300]

i;d have that, anyone want mine for £150? :)

[matt-c]

Possibly be worth if it was 7", but for such a tiny screen? Nope!

[BarneyTT]

Quite like the idea of doing something similar for my Tom Tom, how easy is it to source the top tray/lid section as I don't fancy using my existing one just in case I bugger it up. Also does the section come out easily and would there enough room to feed the power lead down the back of the head unit and under to the lighter plug in?

[IHgs300]

There's loads of sat nav housing/screens on e-bay at the minute the section pulls out after removing a couple of screws. There is plenty of room for running wires, I have all power wires a tmc aerial and a tv aerial and a usb cable running behind mine.

[BarneyTT]

There's loads of sat nav housing/screens on e-bay at the minute the section pulls out after removing a couple of screws. There is plenty of room for running wires, I have all power wires a tmc aerial and a tv aerial and a usb cable running behind mine.

Thanks for your speedy reply Ian, I'll have a gander on eBay now and see what I can find, cheers.

[BarneyTT]

Hmmmm, just had a quick look on eBay, a few centre units with sat navs
(big bucks) & plenty of centre trays without the lid but I'm
buggered if I can find one with a lid but without the sat nav, any
pointers anyone?

[IHgs300]

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/lexus-is200-is300-altezza-dash-top-storage-box-compartment-with-heater-vents2005-/271256229703?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f28219747

[BarneyTT]

That's it Ian, I found that one as well but at that sort of price I'd be better off buying the one eBay at the top of this post, rightly or wrongly I thought the centre tray with lid but no sat nav would be fairly cheap?

[IHgs300]

The centre tray with lid are rarer and seem to hold their price more. (Although i wouldn't pay that price).If you decide to go with a 5-6 inch sat-nav you can half the work involved at least.

[petayV8]

I feel the same. Even tho the current system is outdated i for some reason want to preserve the originality of it and at least be able to return it to stock at any time. Im just weird like that.

If you already have a tomtom you'd like to use just buy another used housing/screen, and remove the screen. Keep your original one in storage. In addition to that measure your tomtom screen vs your current and it might just fit straight in without any major modifications, being a sportcross you'll have the later larger screened unit. Then just keep your original bits in storage.

Im pretty sure tomtom works off 12v, plenty of places to splice into behind the dash and theres loads of room back there. Then you could run a USB wire to the glove box or something to update maps

[BarneyTT]

Think your right Ian, I have tried just about every combination in eBay searches and anything with the lid is expensive, damn I was quite looking forward to a little project of simply trying to build a mounting bracket inside the lid for my Tom Tom to sit. I'll perhaps expand my search when I have more time.

Thanks for your help anyway, if you or anyone else does comes across one I would appreciate a heads up although I don't think I want to pay more than £40ish.

[petayV8]

Find a scrap IS, i bet the breakers yard wont even know the value

[BarneyTT]

I feel the same. Even tho the current system is outdated i for some reason want to preserve the originality of it and at least be able to return it to stock at any time. Im just weird like that.

If you already have a tomtom you'd like to use just buy another used housing/screen, and remove the screen. Keep your original one in storage. In addition to that measure your tomtom screen vs your current and it might just fit straight in without any major modifications, being a sportcross you'll have the later larger screened unit. Then just keep your original bits in storage.

Im pretty sure tomtom works off 12v, plenty of places to splice into behind the dash and theres loads of room back there. Then you could run a USB wire to the glove box or something to update maps

My Sportcross never had the Sat Nav fitted just the tray and lid so no bracketry sadly, like you mentioned buying a spare centre unit without the Sat Nav was my plan and just play around with making a bracket to slot my Tom Tom in, seems the centre trays with lids command high prices which kind of defeats the project for me although I'll keep on looking.

Like you I prefer to keep things standard, or at least be able to return to standard hence looking for a spare tray/lid in which I could play around with. My Tom Tom is only about 5" x 3" in size so it shouldn't be too awkward to fit, size-wise.

[BarneyTT]

Find a scrap IS, i bet the breakers yard wont even know the value

Yes, that's another option I thought about, thanks.

[matt-c]

I feel the same. Even tho the current system is outdated i for some reason want to preserve the originality of it and at least be able to return it to stock at any time. Im just weird like that.

If you already have a tomtom you'd like to use just buy another used housing/screen, and remove the screen. Keep your original one in storage. In addition to that measure your tomtom screen vs your current and it might just fit straight in without any major modifications, being a sportcross you'll have the later larger screened unit. Then just keep your original bits in storage.

Im pretty sure tomtom works off 12v, plenty of places to splice into behind the dash and theres loads of room back there. Then you could run a USB wire to the glove box or something to update maps

TomTom's do run on 12v (as do all portable satnavs). But the biggest problem with TomTom's for this conversion is they don't have auto-on and auto-off with power. Sony units are popular for this conversion, as well as Garmin units, as they auto power on (and off) when the ignition is turned on and off. You wire them into the stereo power wiring, so they come on and off with the ignition. The TomTom's don't do that, and since you've flushed the unit into the motorised screen housing, you don't have access to the power button (which is a push and hold) on the top. So you have to take it apart and completely rewire it. After looking into this myself, seems the only way to do it is wire it into the buttons on the side of the housing. Normally one is open/close and the other is tilt, but to wire in the TomTom for turning on and off, you wire the open/close button to be for "on" (and press and hold to power on the TomTom and open the housing) and wire in the tilt button for "off" (press and hold to power off the TomTom and close the housing). That's all well and good, but it's rather annoying as it's not automated. I want to get in, turn on the ignition, and have the motorised unit open on it's own and the sat nav boot up without me doing anything. Then, when I kill the ignition, I want the sat nav to shut down, and the housing close by itself.

Find a scrap IS, i bet the breakers yard wont even know the value

Even breakers yards can use eBay to research prices ;)

[matt-c]

Hmmmm, just had a quick look on ebay, a few centre units with sat navs

(big bucks) & plenty of centre trays without the lid but I'm

buggered if I can find one with a lid but without the sat nav, any

pointers anyone?

Typically, the sat nav motorised housings (even for just the dash section, without any control units or DVD parts etc) aren't cheap. Most times they go for over a hundred. I picked up a 5" version a while back for about £75/£80 (I think) and was going to do this mod myself, then lost interest and sold it (for £140!), and a little while ago I picked up a 7" version for a bargain, with the intention of either doing a sat nav mod (so as to have a nice large 7" widescreen sat nav) or a reverse camera (using a 7" TFT/LCD monitor), but again, lost interest. Since I integrated my Iphone into the car, and iOS6 incorporated turn by turn maps (from both apple and Google), I just use that now for the (very) rare occasions I need a sat nav to get somewhere. And I really CBA to go though the whole expense and hassle of fitting a sat nav since I'll use it next to never, or a reverse cam (which I would use everytime I drive, but isn't really that important - would be nice though). The 7" housing has been sitting in it's box under my desk for the last 6 months!

You are better off with the motorised units rather than the flip-top dash tray thing (which as said, are pretty rare, so hold their value quite well.

[petayV8]

Sorry i misread your post, thought you said you had navi, but you have the tray ok. Well still get why you'd want to buy a 2nd to play with. Ive seen it before ppl mount a small tomtom or similar under there but dont know the details of how. Depending how you look at it you get both practicality either way its just the motorized system is cooler lol. My thoughts are that if you want to use the tray you could either mount a unit as it stand and measure up how much space you've got to play with, probably use a thin tablet type device 5" or 7" depending what fits best or buy a device remove the screen and mount and extend the ribbon cable. this way might not look as good if the screen doesnt have some kind of housing. Ive seen all kinds of different systems on eBay for less than £50 that you could use tomtom, android, garmin you name it, even the cheap chinise funny makes seem fine.

Matt - going back to the motorized mod what if you disconnect the internal Battery of a tomtom and just have AC only? surely when it gets power it will automatically turn on? if not then i can see modding a tomtom to do this would turn into a bit a bit of a hassle if you dont know much about circuits especially if you wanted to use tilt and open buttons for on off etc. Saying that Sony units and most others are pretty good or even as good anyway. Its logical to just use a phone with a sucker mount but i think some ppl like that have it nice and neat tucked away. Its just quite a trendy feature to have these days it seems. Volvos, audis, french cars and other makes all seem to have motorized tucked away navs. I like the idea anyway

I havent done it personally so correct me if i wrong anyone but from what i can see this mod is quite simple and relatively cheap in my eyes. but thats just me, i enjoy little projects like this. keeps me out of trouble eh lol

[petayV8]

I feel the same. Even tho the current system is outdated i for some reason want to preserve the originality of it and at least be able to return it to stock at any time. Im just weird like that.

If you already have a tomtom you'd like to use just buy another used housing/screen, and remove the screen. Keep your original one in storage. In addition to that measure your tomtom screen vs your current and it might just fit straight in without any major modifications, being a sportcross you'll have the later larger screened unit. Then just keep your original bits in storage.

Im pretty sure tomtom works off 12v, plenty of places to splice into behind the dash and theres loads of room back there. Then you could run a USB wire to the glove box or something to update maps

>>Find a scrap IS, i bet the breakers yard wont even know the value

Even breakers yards can use eBay to research prices ;)

Your prob right tbh. ppl arent stupid when it comes to money these day

[matt-c]

I like the idea of the motorised dedicated nav too, and I'm not saying for one minute that it's not worth doing. However for me, I use nav in my car maybe once every couple months, it's not worth the hassle or expense - figure a motorised unit is going to cost upwards of £100, a TomTom or other nav is another £50, plus time, and a few more quid making it all work together; to me that cost isn't worth it. If I was using it everyday then sure, but for the rare occasions I use nav in my IS, it simply isn't worth it to me...

I also hate things stuck to screens, which is why I don't use the little baby TomTom I had as a spare, and instead use my Iphone - which spends it's life (when it's in the IS) clipped to a dedicated holder next to the head unit, connected to a Grom for charging a music playback;

Load up Maps on that, and not only do I have GPS guided turn by turn, but Siri also gives me voice instructions through the Grom, attenuating the music when needed, and restoring the volume when not.

Back to the TomTom - it was something I discussed at great lengths with some very clever electronics people, who have done the retrofit nav's to IS's on another forum, and the general consensus was that the only real way to get it working was as I outlined above - rewiring the whole power switch set up to the buttons on the left and right of the unit. The way the power switch on the TomTom is, means you have to manually turn it on and off.

I did get hold of a cheapish (£45) Chinese GPS 7" touchscreen Window CE tablet, that runs iGo nav, in an attempt to get TomTom Navigator running on it, but to no avail. For a start I'm a Mac man these days, and don't have the Windows equipment to be messing around with WinCE, and also it's notoriously hard to get TT Navigator running on a WinCE device, as it can be very picky as to which ones it will and won't run on, often with seemingly no pattern as to which it likes and which it doesn't.

I could still use my motorised unit to have a reverse cam running, just depends if I can be bothered!

[Pete Shawn]

it's easy say then done. BUT how about:-

- budget = how much willing to spent? ( + when mod gone wrong)

- wiring = connecting and rewiring?

- spec requirement = sat nav,apps, loading time, firmware update, av input, mpeg player and so on and on the list ....

- reliability = does it reliable?

- did plan to use an android but the start up is waaaaaaaaaaaaay :tsktsk: :tsktsk: too long to load up and no signal after boot up

- install a video screen for reverse parking but now i want a touch screen that does everything

- 7inch is much better than 4.3

TOP 1# FAIL = "Dude wtf is that thing mount on the dash?" (Troll on board)

Just a small list that i've ask myself when i did my satnav mod. :zee:

[Pete Shawn]

I like the idea of the motorised dedicated nav too, and I'm not saying for one minute that it's not worth doing. However for me, I use nav in my car maybe once every couple months, it's not worth the hassle or expense - figure a motorised unit is going to cost upwards of £100, a TomTom or other nav is another £50, plus time, and a few more quid making it all work together; to me that cost isn't worth it. If I was using it everyday then sure, but for the rare occasions I use nav in my IS, it simply isn't worth it to me...

I also hate things stuck to screens, which is why I don't use the little baby TomTom I had as a spare, and instead use my iPhone - which spends it's life (when it's in the IS) clipped to a dedicated holder next to the head unit, connected to a Grom for charging a music playback;

Load up Maps on that, and not only do I have GPS guided turn by turn, but Siri also gives me voice instructions through the Grom, attenuating the music when needed, and restoring the volume when not.

Back to the TomTom - it was something I discussed at great lengths with some very clever electronics people, who have done the retrofit nav's to IS's on another forum, and the general consensus was that the only real way to get it working was as I outlined above - rewiring the whole power switch set up to the buttons on the left and right of the unit. The way the power switch on the TomTom is, means you have to manually turn it on and off.

I did get hold of a cheapish (£45) Chinese GPS 7" touchscreen Window CE tablet, that runs iGo nav, in an attempt to get TomTom Navigator running on it, but to no avail. For a start I'm a Mac man these days, and don't have the Windows equipment to be messing around with WinCE, and also it's notoriously hard to get TT Navigator running on a WinCE device, as it can be very picky as to which ones it will and won't run on, often with seemingly no pattern as to which it likes and which it doesn't.

I could still use my motorised unit to have a reverse cam running, just depends if I can be bothered!

spot on Matt :zee:

[matt-c]

Haha, don't get me wrong, it does look quite trick when you start up the car, and the motorised unit revolves, revealing a screen with [insert whatever here] showing on it (be it sat nav, or a computer/tablet interface, etc). But trick just isn't worth it on it's own (to me) to do it.... Like I say, I've got a 7" motorised unit here, and a 7" touchscreen WinCE GPS device too - but I just CBA to get into the nitty gritty of modifying it.

Maybe I will, then sell it as a whole - probably worth more than the individual parts on their own.....