Summary: The problem with portable navigators is that suction cups don't work well. In California, it's not even legal to stick a navigator to a windshield or side window. Garmin's \"out of the box\" solution was to provide a disk that gets glued onto the dashboard with thick double stick tape. Even at that, the suction cup sometimes slipped off. Plus, it did not allow the unit to be transferred. The disk is hard to remove, plus removing it leaves a mark. Using the suction cup on anything but glass is not likely to work.

This item offers an alternative to all that. The friction mount could not be easier. It merely sits on the dashboard in any desired location, and does not slip. The lock lever allows the stem to rotate, and a large, simple button lets the stem and the navigator slide right off. It is very easy to use.

The only down side, and this is not the fault of the friction mount itself, is that the navigator is awkward to put away with the stem stuck in it. My navigator has a carrying case, and it's not practical to use the case without removing the stem, and keeping the stem in the navigator instead of on the friction mount makes it hard to store the navigator. So despite the ease with which the stem detaches from the base, twisting the navigator off the stem is more practical for me. Unlike the suction cup version, I probably won't lose this stem, since it remains firmly in the base.

I'd recommend this for the owners of any compatible navigators, including existing owners and those buying a navigator now.

Summary: This is a great product. It's amazing how well a bean bag with rubber foam can hold a GPS unit in place. My only complaint being that this is almost a required added cost on top of the already expensive Nuvi units, due to the bad quality suction mount included with the Nuvi units.
If you've purchased a Nuvi, and used it with the included suction cup mount, you probably already know the suction cup won't stay on your windshield after a couple months use. (And for California and Minnesota residents, windshield mounts aren't even legal). This friction mount is the perfect solution. It's basically 4 heavy bean bags sewn on a sheet of foam. You could probably make the same thing at home by filling some stiff canvas fabric with metal BBs or pellets, and sewing them onto foam rubber drawer liner sheets found in any home goods store. Or, just buy this one from Garmin for $30.
The mount works well and stays put, and leaves no residue. It's also very easy to move from car to car; just pick up and place in new car. No levers and peeling off from a windshield like the suction mount.
Be careful when buying this unit that you do not accidentally purchase the bean bag base only (part #10906). The suction cup mount, though it looks similar to the stem on this unit, does not fit into the base. Also be sure to check compatibility with your unit before buying. This mount is made for the Nuvi, StreetPilot I Series, & C530, C550 units.

Summary: This dashboard Garmin mount is usable with the nuvi series. There is a CA law that prohibits GPS mounting on windshields. Therefore I needed this device. Although no instructions are included, installation is very simple. Just snap off the Garmin connector from the windshield mount that comes with your nuvi. Then attach to the round tip of the Garmin portable mount. The weighted base sits stably on your dashboard, and the device makes it easy to move the GPS between cars as well as to hide it when parked.