I am starting to like the modifry bracket to hold the garmin 350 in place, but instead of using the cig lighter for power, i want a clean install of the nav unit. How do you hardwire the nav unit? If anyone knows pls let me know, if you have pictures even better.

 

buy a female end cig plug and hardwire accessory and ground lines

 

Get a fuse tap and tap off of the accesory fuse. Then all you wires will be hidden behind the dash.

This is a fuse tap:

 

The problem is, the cig adapter that the Nuvi's use step the voltage down to 5v and the inner workings of the stepdown are in the male end of the cig adapter. So, if you cut the line and hook it to 12v, you will fry your Nuvi (not recommended). What I did was wired an additional accessory socket (basically a cig lighter recepticle) that I bought at Pep Boys to the fuse box under the dash (as recommended above). I used some double stick tape to mount the recepticle under the dash and plugged the Nuvi's power cord into it under the dash. This way, you retain the voltage regulator and won't have to hack up your expensive adapter. It also allows you to use it in another car if and when you want to do so.

 

Yeah, I wasn't recomending cutting th wire, just to use a fuse tap.

 

Can you post some pictures of this setup? I would like to do something similar.

 

yea pictures would be great! pics of your nuvi also if you have.