New toy.

[M_Six]

Not sure whether to hard wire the Passport in here or not. The wire may be a lure to scumbags to rip through the car looking for the RD. Thing is, the power port is way down at the center console, so the smart cord will get to be a pain. Anyone else own a ragtop? Did you hard wire or not?

[M6D]

I used an 8' cord around the top trim, down the pillar, under the glove box to the secondary accessory outlet just above the passenger footwell in my M6 ragtop. Check and make sure there isn't one in the Z4; if not, you could continue over to the center outlet.

[M_Six]

Thanks, I'll see if it has one. My X5 has an aux plug under the glove box, but I'm not sure about the Zed.

Do you lock your RD in the car or take it with you?

[erickonphoenix]

With a ragtop I believe you are committed to bringing your RD in with you unless your parking is very secure. Your other option is upgrading to a 9500ci or one of the SR units.

[M6D]

Thanks, I'll see if it has one. My X5 has an aux plug under the glove box, but I'm not sure about the Zed.

Do you lock your RD in the car or take it with you?

I leave mine in the vehicles. It is easy to take them out and disconnect the power, but I think repeated cycles will wear out the suction cups and power clip.

[SpeedinLancer]

Well, like you said if they even see the suction cup marks or see the cord from the hardwired RD they (being the thieves) will know something is up and go searching.

My advice, hardwire the RD and get one of those mirror-stem mounts. A local shop is fabricating one for me and I would suggest you do the same. Along with that, when you leave the vehicle just tuck the cable to where it won't be as noticeable and take the mount down when you leave the vehicle.

Taking the RD with you is always an option but personally, I find that annoying. I would rather walk a bit farther or pay for the garage then worry about taking the GPS and RD with me.

[erickonphoenix]

agreed ^. I usually get lazy and leave my V1 in the car in spite of parking in some dicey neighborhoods sometimes.

[Zapple]

I had a weird dream the other night:

I walk out of a building to go to my car and there are two teenagers, one on each side of my car looking in and messing with the locks as I walk up. The one on the passenger side unlocks the door and they both open their door as I'm walking up. I just walked past the guy that opened the drivers side door and get in my car, start my car and leave, all without any words being exchanged...

It was weird, haha. I knew they we're trying to steal my V1 though!

[M_Six]

Well, like you said if they even see the suction cup marks or see the cord from the hardwired RD they (being the thieves) will know something is up and go searching.

My advice, hardwire the RD and get one of those mirror-stem mounts. A local shop is fabricating one for me and I would suggest you do the same. Along with that, when you leave the vehicle just tuck the cable to where it won't be as noticeable and take the mount down when you leave the vehicle.

Taking the RD with you is always an option but personally, I find that annoying. I would rather walk a bit farther or pay for the garage then worry about taking the GPS and RD with me.

Not as worried about the RD as the Z4 has a lockable storage area back between the seats. I'll investigate other mounting options, though. I may even invest in the Solo so I don't need to worry about cords.

[MEM-TEK]

Not sure whether to hard wire the Passport in here or not. The wire may be a lure to scumbags to rip through the car looking for the RD. Thing is, the power port is way down at the center console, so the smart cord will get to be a pain.

Hmm...I would hardwire it, but you need to make sure that the end of the hardwire setup doesn't hang down when the RD isn't up on the glass. Here is what I did on my hardwire setup:

-- Ran the wire concealed to my RVM area.
-- Attached a couple of Velcro "tabs" onto the end of the hardwire near the RD plug.
-- Attached a couple of corresponding Velcro tabs at the very top edge of my windshield.

That way, whenever I take my RD down, I simply stick the dangling end of the hardwired cord to the small Velcro tabs at the top edge of the windshield. You have to look really hard, and know what you are looking for, to even see that there is a wire there at all.