Basemap Routing vs. Detailed Map Routing
The Magellan RoadMate comes with a built-in basemap. The basemap contains highways and town centres. The basemap does not contain street address information, points of interest, or other map data (such as waterways, railroads, or parks). The Magellan RoadMate can route via the basemap to a town centre or point selected on the screen using the available road data. Where there is no data, a thin, straight line from point to point will be used with a flag indicating the start and finish of normal street routing. You will be routed from your current position via a straight line to the nearest major road or freeway on-ramp, along the freeway to the off-ramp closest to your destination, and then via straight line to your destination.

Destination

Current Position
With the detailed map, you are routed using turn-by-turn guidance on all town streets and highways. Also, you have access to detailed map data and points of interest. As you can see, with the detailed map the route becomes more direct using the surface streets. With this information in mind, lets see how the Magellan RoadMate routes between regions.
Destination Selected from detailed map database

SD Cards

Secure Digital (SD) Cards
The Secure Digital (SD) card is a small, lightweight flash memory device that allows increased data storage for your Magellan RoadMate. The compact size is ideal for storing large amounts of data and not taking a lot of physical space. The SD card slot on your Magellan RoadMate uses what is called a push-push method of locking and releasing. In other words, when you insert the card you must push it to lock it in, and to release it you must push it also. SD cards come in a variety of sizes and manufacturers, please visit our web site at www.magellangps.com for a list of compatible SD cards.

To Insert the SD Card:

Make sure the unit is off. Hot-Swapping or changing cards with the power on is not supported and may damage the unit and the SD card. 1. Peel back the rubber gasket to expose the SD card slot. Do not completely remove the rubber gasket. The SD card can only be inserted in one direction. Do not force the card into the slot. 2. Insert the SD card into the slot with the metal contacts going in first and the bevelled edge to the left.

Metal Contacts

3. Push the SD card into the slot. You will feel slight resistance. Continue to push until you hear a click.

Beveled Edge

4. Replace the rubber gasket.

To remove the SD card:

1. Peel back the rubber gasket to expose the SD card slot. Do not completely remove the rubber gasket. Do not attempt to pull the card out of the slot at this point. 2. Push the SD card into the slot as before until you hear a click. 3. Remove the SD card from the slot. 4. Replace the rubber gasket.

Installation

Vehicle Installation
Take care when mounting the Magellan RoadMate in your vehicle, whether using the windscreen mount or another mount, that it does not obstruct the drivers view of the road. Make sure that the fitting of the Magellan RoadMate and cable does not interfere with the operation of vehicle safety devices, such as air bags. You assume the risks associated with damage to your vehicle or your vehicles occupants as a result of how you choose to mount the Magellan RoadMate.
Installation with the Windscreen Mount
Using a Phillips screwdriver, attach the mounting plate to the back of the Magellan RoadMate with four screws until the screws are square with the plate.
Slide the mount assembly onto the windscreen mount bracket attached to the back of the unit.
Press the windscreen mount to the glass and rotate the locking dial until it clicks into place.
Plug the power cable into the unit.
Plug the cigarette lighter connector into an appropriate 12V receptacle in your car.
Rotate the antenna upward. Installation is complete. You are ready to turn the Magellan RoadMate on and go.
Installing the External Antenna
The external antenna (not included) provides faster satellite fix times and greater signal strength. Because it is mounted outside of the vehicle, it is not affected by reflective coatings on windows and has an unobstructed line of sight to the satellites. Rotate the antenna all the way anti-clockwise until it stops.
Hold the antenna at the lower portion and pull straight off the back of the unit.
Plug the end of the external antenna into the socket on the back of the unit.
Attach the antenna to a flat portion of the roof of your vehicle. The antenna is magnetic. Do not use any adhesives to attach the antenna to your vehicle.

Selecting Destinations

Select Region Select Address

Previous Destinations

List Addresses Address Book

Create New Entry

Trip Planner
Search POI by Name Select Region Points of interest Search Nearest POI
Search BaseMap Town Select Region Town Centre
Choosing the Routing Method
Every route is calculated based on the Routing Method criteria selected. Every time a new destination is selected, the Magellan RoadMate prompts you for the method that will be used to calculate the route. Shortest Time: This selection calculates a route that should take the least amount of time using known speed limits, streets, and other information in the database. Other factors such as traffic conditions, road closures, and emergency activity are not factors in the calculation of shortest time.
Avoid Toll Roads: This option calculates the route by excluding known toll roads from the calculation whenever possible. This option may not reflect the shortest time.
Least Use of Motorways: This selection calculates the route by avoiding motorways whenever possible.
Most Use of Motorways: This selection calculates the route by using motorways as much as possible.

Basemap Routing

Basemap routing works if the point you wish to route to is outside your active detailed map area. The basemap covers all major European countries. You can create a route to a point on the map or to a major town centre located on the basemap. The Magellan RoadMate will use major highways for routing whenever the route you are creating requires you to use the basemap.
Selecting a Point on the Map
Zoom out to view a larger map area. Touch the screen and drag the map to the point where there is no detailed map information.
Once you have roughly located the area you wish to route to, zoom in to 0.8 mi or closer. Continue to move the around the map until you have located the area you wish to route to. Press Enter.
A dialog box will appear. You can Route to or Save the point, or Cancel the request. Select Route.
Select the desired Routing Method.
The Magellan RoadMate will calculate the route. When the calculations are complete, the Map screen will be displayed and you can begin your route.
If your present position is in a detailed map, you will be routed normally. Once you exit the detailed map, you will be routed along major highways to the junction closest to your destination as indicated by the flag. Then a straight thin line will show to route you to your destination.

Search BaseMap Town

This function enables you to route to one of the town centres located in your Magellan RoadMate basemap. From the Select Destination screen, select Points of interest.

Select Search Basemap Town.
Enter the first few characters for the town. After you have selected the characters, select OK. If you wish, you may enter the entire town name.
Use the navigation key to scroll the list up or down and select the desired town.
The Magellan RoadMate will calculate the route. When the calculations are complete, the Map screen will be displayed. The distance represents travel on roads and by using straight lines where no road data is present. The conditions for basemap routing apply. Where there is no road data, a straight line will connect your current position with the nearest junction, and from the junction to the town centre.

Switching SD Cards

You may want to access data stored on another SD Card. See Secure Digital (SD) Cards on page 4 for instructions on inserting and removing SD Cards.
Selecting a Destination Using Select Address

Select Address

A destination can be created by entering the street address that you want to go to. This address is not automatically added to your Address Book but is saved to your Previous Destination list (which is part of the address book menu) if you have routed to it. From the Select Destination screen, select Select Address.
Select the detailed region you wish to search from.
Enter the first few characters for the street name. If the street you are looking for has a hyphen, replace it with a space. After you have selected the characters, select OK.
Use the navigation key to scroll the list up or down and select the desired street from the list.
The Magellan RoadMate will list all the towns the street is in based on the selected region. If this list does not appear, the street is only in one town. Select the desired town from the list.
Enter the street address. The acceptable range of numbers is displayed at the top of the screen. If you do not know the exact address, just select Done and the Magellan RoadMate will route you to the lowest number in the range. Select Done to continue.
The Magellan RoadMate will calculate the route. When the calculations are complete, the Map screen will be displayed.
Selecting a Destination Using Address Book
The Address Book can store up to 200 addresses for each of the three users. When you select Address Book you are given four options. Selecting Previous Destinations lets you select from a list of the last 50 destinations you have routed to with the option of saving them to your address book. List Addresses displays a list of all the addresses you have stored in your Address Book. Create New Entry lets you create a new address and store it in your address book. Trip Planner lets you select two or more addresses from your Address Book to route to in sequence.
Address Book: Previous Destinations
From the Select Destination screen, select Address Book.

Select Previous Destinations.
Select from the list of previous destinations.
Select Route to be routed to the selected town.
Previous Destinations Save to your Address Book
Select the address that you wish to save.
To save this destination to the Address Book, select Edit.
The top line (Name) and the bottom line (Information) can be edited. The address cannot be changed. Select the line you want to modify.
Enter the desired text. Select OK.
You can also add this address to your Favourites list. Select Favourite.
When you are satisfied with the information, select Save. The address is saved to the Address Book. Press Cancel to return to the Previous Destinations screen.
Address Book: List Addresses List All

Select List Addresses.

Select List All.
Select the destination from the list of addresses in the Address Book and press Enter. You will then have the option of routing to, editing, or deleting this address.

Route Select Route.

Edit Select Edit.
Click on either the top line (name) or the bottom line (information) and enter the desired text.
Select Save to save the changes and return to the Address Book screen.

Delete Select Delete.

A dialog box will appear prompting you to confirm the deletion. Select Yes.
The address has been deleted from your address book and you are returned to the Select Destination screen.

List Favourites

Select List Favourites. All of the addresses marked as favourites will be displayed.
Click on either the top line (name) or the bottom line (information) and the desired text.
Select Save to save the changes and return to the address screen.

Search Address Book

Select Search Address Book.
Enter the first few characters of the name you are searching for in your address book. When you have finished, select OK.
A list of addresses matching your criteria is shown. Select the address you wish to use. You will then have the option of routing to, editing, or deleting this address.
A dialog box will appear prompting you to confirm the deletion. Select Yes. The address has been deleted and you are returned to the Address Book screen.
Address Book: Create New Entry Select on Map

Select Create New Entry.

Select Select on Map.
Touch the screen and drag the map to a point near to the desired address. Press the Enter key.
A dialog box will appear prompting you to save or edit the information. Select Edit Name.
Enter a name for the address. When you have finished, select OK.

Select Save.

The location is saved to your address book and you are returned to the map screen.
Press Cancel to resume normal routing.

Select Select Address.

Enter a few characters in the street name. After you have selected the characters, select OK.
Select the town that the street is in.
Enter the street address. The acceptable range of numbers is displayed at the top of the screen. Select Done to continue.
If you wish, you can select Favourite to add this address to your Favourites list. Select Save.
You are returned to the Address Book screen.

Points of interest.

Select Points of interest.
Search POI by Name This function allows you to search for a point of interest by its name and save it to your address book. Select Search POI by Name.
Select the detailed region you wish to search from. Select Nearby Current Position or Nearby Town Centre.
If you have selected Nearby Current Position, select the POI category. If you select Nearby Town Centre, you will enter a few characters of the town centre name and select the town centre from a list of available town centres. After selecting the town centre, you will select the POI category as shown here.
Enter a few characters for the POI name. The more characters you input, the faster the search for the POI name will be. After you have selected the characters, select OK. The Magellan RoadMate will search for POIs that are within a 50 km radius of your present position or selected town centre.
Use the navigation key to scroll the list up or down and select the desired POI.
A dialog box will appear prompting you to edit the information. You can choose to keep the default name. If you wish, you can select Favourite to add this address to your Favourites list. Select Save.
Search Nearest POI This function lets you search for a point of interest from three criteria and save it to your address book: Current Position, By Town Centre, and By Airport. Select Search Nearest POI.
Current Position This option lets you find a specific point of interest within a radius of at least 100 km based on where you are. Select Current Position.
Select the POI category (if available, select the sub-category).
By Town centre This option lets you find a specific point of interest within at least a 100 km radius of a chosen town centre. Select By Town centre.
Enter the first few characters for the town name. After you have selected the characters, select OK.
By Airport This option lets you find a specific point of interest within at least a 100 km radius of a chosen airport. Select By Airport.
Enter the first few characters for the Airport name. After you have selected the characters, select OK.
Use the navigation key to scroll the list up or down and select the desired Airport.
A list of available POIs that match your criteria is shown. Use the navigation key to scroll the list up or down and select the desired POI.

Points of Interest: Search Nearest POI Current Position
This option lets you route to a specific point of interest based on where you are at the time. From the Select Destination screen, select Points of interest.
Select Search Nearest POI.
Select Current Position. This option lets you find a specific point of interest within a radius of at least 100 km of where you are.

By Town centre

This option lets you find a specific point of interest within a radius of at least 100 km of a chosen town centre. From the Select Destination screen, select Points of interest.

Select By Town centre.

Enter the first few characters for the town name. After you have selected the characters, select OK. If you wish, you may enter the entire town name.

By Airport

This option lets you find a specific point of interest within a radius of at least 100 km of a chosen airport. From the Select Destination screen, select Points of interest.

Select By Airport.

Enter the first few characters for the Airport name. After you have selected the characters, select OK. If you wish, you may enter the entire Airport name.
Points of Interest: Search BaseMap Town
The Magellan RoadMates built-in basemap contains town centres that you can search and set as your routes destination. The town centres may even be outside of the map area included on your SD card, as long as the town centre is contained in your Magellan RoadMates internal database. From the Select Destination screen, select Points of interest.
Selecting a POI on the Map
While viewing the Map screen, you can select a POI icon and be routed to it, or save it to you address book. Touch the POI on the screen.
A dialog box will appear giving you information on the POI. Select Route.
Selecting a Destination Using Town centre
Using Town centre, you can find your way to the centre of any town in the selected detailed region. From the Select Destination screen, select Town centre.
Enter the name of the Town centre.
Select the desired Routing Method. The Magellan RoadMate will calculate the route.

Travelling

Guidance Information Screens
The Magellan RoadMate has three screens you can use to assist you in travelling to your destination: the Map screen, the List of Directions screen, and the TrueView (or Split TrueView) screen. The Map Screen This screen displays a map of your surrounding area, along with the planned route (if calculated) and information about the route. This screen also displays your direction of travel. This screen can be accessed when you have no route by selecting the Map button on the Select Destination screen or by pressing the View or Cancel key while viewing the Select Destination screen. The List of Directions Screen This screen is available only when a route has been calculated. This screen displays a list of each segment along the calculated route to your destination. To access the List of Directions screen, press the View button while viewing the Map screen. The TrueView/Split TrueView Screen This screen is available only when a route has been calculated. This screen displays the next segment as a graphic. To access the TrueView screen, press the View button while viewing the List of Directions.

List of directions

TrueView

View Button

Map Screen
The Map screen is the most commonly used screen in the Magellan RoadMate. It provides you with detailed information about where you are and where you are going.
Current Road Planned Route (pink)
POI Icon Position Cursor Next Road Next Maneuver Direction of Travel and GPS Signal Strength Distance to Next Maneuver Estimated Time to Destination Direction of Destination Distance to Destination
As you travel, the Map screen constantly updates your location. It provides you with not only a map but also a visual indication of where you are on the map. If the Magellan RoadMate loses the satellite signal for more than 15 seconds and is unable to compute your location, the display will automatically switch to the List of Directions screen. This will give you the information needed for your next segment. While viewing the map screen, touching a POI icon will give you the option of routing to that point. See Selecting a POI on the Map on page 51.
Changing the Map Zoom Levels
While in the Map screen, you can zoom in on (enlarge) the map or zoom out from (shrink) the map. The zoom levels range from 130 ft. to 1665 mi. Zoom In Button

Zoom Out Button

List of Directions Screen

Next Maneuver

Direction of Travel and GPS Signal Strength Distance to Next Maneuver 1/10 Mile Countdown Distance to Destination
Estimated Time to Destination Direction of Destination

TrueView Screen

Route Changes
Deviating from the Planned Route
If you deviate from the calculated route, the Magellan RoadMate will get you back on course in one of two ways: 1. If you deviate from the calculated route to stop at a petrol station or a convenience store, and the unit shuts off as you turn off the car, or you turn off the unit manually, when you return to your vehicle and the unit is turned back on, you are presented with a screen asking if you want to resume your route. Selecting Resume causes the Magellan RoadMate to recalculate the route using the same destination as before, selecting Cancel clears the route and displays the Select Destination screen. 2. If you deviated from the calculated route due to a traffic jam or construction, the Magellan RoadMate will automatically recalculate the route to your destination based on your new location. By default, the Magellan RoadMate will continue to recalculate the route as long as you choose to keep it active.

Excluding a Segment in a Planned Route
While travelling or setting up your destination, you may find it necessary to exclude one of the segments in the List of Directions. This could be due to an accident or street maintenance you want to avoid. The Magellan RoadMate provides you with tools to select a specific segment, exclude it from the planned route, and recalculate the route when possible. Within an active planned route and while viewing the Guidance screen, press View.
Select the segment instruction to be excluded.
The details for the segment are displayed. Select Exclude. The trip will be re-calculated, excluding the selected segment. This calculation is done using the same Routing Method that was chosen when the destination was selected. After the route is recalculated, the Map screen is displayed.
Cancelling a Planed Route
Every route is calculated based on the Routing Method criteria selected (see page 12). Every time a new destination is selected, the Magellan RoadMate prompts you for the method that will be used to calculate the route.
While viewing the Map screen, the List of Directions screen, or the TrueView screen, press the Cancel button.
Select Route to select a different routing method. Select Yes to cancel the route and display the Select Destination screen. Selecting No returns the display to the last viewed screen. Select Trip to view the current trip list (during active trip only).
Changing the Routing Method
When you selected the destination for the first time, you indicated which routing method you wanted the Magellan RoadMate to use to calculate the route. The Magellan RoadMate provides a way of letting you change the Routing Method during the trip. While viewing the Map screen, the List of Directions screen, or the TrueView screen, press the Cancel button.

Select Route.

Select the new Routing Method.
The route will be re-calculated using the new Routing Method chosen, and the Map screen will be displayed.

Current Location

Displaying Information About Your Current Location
Whenever you want to view information about your present location you can press the Locate button. This screen displays the name of the street you are currently travelling on, the town and county, your current heading, speed and latitude and longitude coordinates. It also displays the distance to and name of the street ahead, and the distance and name of the street you have just passed.

Save Location

If you are travelling and you wish to save a location that is not in the database, such as a photo spot or a fishing spot, you can save it to your address book. Press the Locate button. Select Save Location.

Select Edit Name.

Edit the name of the location. Select OK.
Select Save. The address is saved to your address book and you are returned to the last viewed screen.

User Options

User Option Menu
User Options enable you to customise the Magellan RoadMate and take advantage of its data recording capabilities. User Options can be accessed from any screen by pressing the Options button.
The User Options section of Magellan RoadMate provides you with four options: Trip Computer Displays useful information about your trip, such as mileage, which can be saved for future reference. Ideal for the business traveller who needs to record mileage and time spent on the road. Track Recorder Records a graphical representation of where you have been, and this can be saved. Configuration Lets you change the audio, video, language, and power option settings of the Magellan RoadMate. User Settings Lets you further customise the Magellan RoadMate.

Trip Computer

The Trip Computer is a valuable tool for recording the mileage and time spent driving while on holiday or on a business trip. The information for the trip can be saved to the Magellan RoadMate as a report and viewed at any time, giving you easy access to previous and current trip information. When you begin a new trip and you need to record the information, access the Trip Computer. There, you can save the information displayed for the current trip (if needed) and reset the Trip Computer to zero in preparation for your new trip. Press the Option button and select Trip Computer.

Select Current.

The data for the current trip is displayed. By default, the trip will be running and recording data from the first time it is turned on. From this screen, the Trip Computer can be restarted, stopped, reset or saved.
Stopping or Starting the Trip Computer

You will be prompted to enter a name for your track. When you have finished, select OK.
You are returned to the Track Recorder screen.

View Track

Select View.
Select the track you wish to view from the list.
The track will be displayed. When you have finished viewing the track, press the Cancel button.

Delete, Rename Track

Select the track you wish to delete.
A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm your request. Select Yes.

The track is deleted.

Select the name of the track you wish to rename.
Use the backspace key to erase the old name and enter the new name. Select OK.
The track has been renamed.

Configuration

The Configuration menu lets you adjust the visual and audio settings of the Magellan RoadMate. From any screen, press the Option button. Select Configuration.

Brightness

Select Brightness.
Press the right arrow to increase the brightness, press the left arrow to decrease the brightness. When you have finished, select Save.

Volume

Select Volume.
Press the right arrow to increase the volume, press the left arrow to decrease the volume. When you have finished, select Save.

Auto Power Off

The Magellan RoadMate can be set to automatically shut itself off after 20 minutes of inactivity. Select Auto power off.
Select Auto Power Off. The box is checked indicating that the feature is active. Select Save.
If after 20 minutes it has not received any input or changed location, an audible alert will sound and a screen will appear notifying you that the unit will shut down in 60 seconds. Pressing any key will disable this warning.

Language

You can choose from seven different language options. Select Language.
Select the language you wish to use.

User Settings

The Magellan RoadMate can be further configured to each users preferences. From any screen, press the Option button. Select User Settings.

Menu Colours

Select Menu Colours.
Select the preferred colour scheme and select Save.

Default

Pastel

Forest

Desert

Tone Options

You can have the Magellan RoadMate alert you with one of three tones. Select Tone Options.
Select the desired sound you want the Magellan RoadMate to alert you with. When you have finished, select Save.

Diagnostics

The Magellan RoadMate has a number of diagnostic features that enable you to check the condition of the unit. Select Diagnostics.
Video Test displays random colours to ensure that your display is working properly.
Touch Screen Test checks that the touch screen is calibrated and accurate.
Keypad Test verifies proper operation of the keypad.
Audio Test checks that the speaker is working correctly.
Headphone Test checks that sound is transmitted to the headphone jack correctly.
GPS Status monitors the satellite signal.
Initialise GPS resets the unit and reacquires the satellite signal. Note: Previously saved satellite data will be reset and reacquiring the satellite signal may take 15 minutes or more.
Set GPS Position enables you to manually set the location of the current position icon. If you have travelled a long distance with the unit off, it may take some time for the unit to reacquire a satellite signal. By manually setting the position of the unit you are telling the unit where you are and this will speed up the satellite signal acquisition. There are two options for setting the GPS position:
Search by Street This enables you to enter a specific address by which to set the GPS position. Select Search by Street.
Select the detailed region.
Enter a few characters for the street name. If the street you are looking for has a hyphen, replace it with a space. After you have selected the characters, select OK.
Enter the street address. The acceptable range of numbers is displayed at the top of the screen. If you do not know the exact address, just select Done and the Magellan RoadMate will route you to the lowest number in the range. Select Done to continue. You will be returned to the Diagnostics Screen.
Go to the Map Screen. Your current position is now set to the address you entered.

Search BaseMap Town This enables you to enter a town centre by which to set the GPS position if you dont know the exact address for your location. Select Search BaseMap Town.
Use the navigation key to scroll the list up or down and select the desired town. You are returned to the Diagnostics Screen.
Product Information gives you detail about the hardware and software that the is currently being used by the Magellan RoadMate. This feature is useful when receiving software updates.
. Simulator Mode In Simulator Mode, you can demonstrate the capabilities of the Magellan RoadMate without actually driving. In order for the simulation to work, you must set a route first. Select Simulator Mode.
The Propose simulator when calculating route function gives you the option of activating the simulator after you have selected a destination for a route. To prepare the Magellan RoadMate for simulation, check the box to the left of Propose simulator when calculating route. Press Cancel to return to the Destination screen.
After you select your destination and select Route, a dialog box will appear asking you if you would like to simulate driving the route. Select Yes. The simulation will begin.
You can control the playback of the simulated route being used by selecting Restart to start the simulation again, Step Back to go back along the route a distance of one mile, Step Forward to advance along the route a distance of one mile, or Stop to stop the simulation.
You can also control the speed coefficient at which the simulator runs. Where 1X is typical speed for the current road, 1.5X is one and one half times typical speed, and 2X is twice the typical speed.
Press Cancel to return to the map screen to view your route in progress.
System Messages gives you information on errors that you can relay to Technical Support.

User - Edit Name

You can change the default user name. Select User - Edit Name.
Use the backspace key to delete the default name and enter the name you wish to use for that user. When you have finished, select OK.
The user name is enabled.

Password Settings

You can set a password for your user profile to protect your settings and to prevent unauthorised usage. Select Password Settings.

Select Set Password.

Enter the password you wish to use for your profile and select OK.
Select Activate. The box is checked indicating that the feature is active. Select Save.
Confirm password protection activation by selecting Yes. Password protection is now active. When you select your User profile at startup, you will be asked for your password in order to continue.

Magellan RoadMate 300 GPS dashboard installation
Disclaimer Sad but true. You are doing this at your own risk. I have made every attempt to provide you with precise instructions on how to accomplish this task, but common sense, ingenuity and basic coordination skills are required. By deciding to undertake this project, you are absolving the author of this document of all responsibility. The products and brands used throughout this document are trademarks of their respective owners. I have no affiliation with any of them. Skills You will be working with plastic which is bad for your lungs, and itchy on your skin protect both! During this project there will be times (possibly many) when you'll ask yourself: is this worth it? and how did I talk myself into doing this?. The answer to the first one is YES! - the second one is more complicated, and it likely has something do to with our biological makeup. Tools and materials If you still think that you want to do this, consider costs (all prices are ballpark): Magellan RoadMate 300 $600 excellent performance, and has beveled edges around the screen and buttons that make it fit nicely into our faceplate cutout - depending on how well they fit together in the end (keep that in mind). An SD memory card. The unit holds 80Mb of data, which should be enough for a couple of states. If you need more memory, you will need to buy an SD memory card. 512Mb should be a nice size and will set you back around $60. Dremel-like power tool $80 I got the one with flex-cord extension, so that I could keep the main unit away from the glass dust. It turns out that I could use the extension in the kitchen sink with some watter in it so there was no dust (the stupidity factor is very high with this approach, but apparently I hate glass dust more then I value my pride,.and possibly life). 4 fiberglass cloth tape + resin $20 get the cloth that's not too heavy. Multiple layers of thinner cloth are better then one thick one. As far as resin goes polyester and epoxy resins are both two component. Polyester resin generally dries faster - depending on temperature and the amount of accelerant you mix it with. Epoxy resin is usually mixed 50/50. If you live in a warm climate you're all set. For us with temperatures < 60, think heat. You'll need a bunch of minor things like a caliper, sanding paper (assorted grit), soldering iron, screws, see illustration 1 for some of these.

Illustration 1

You asked for it.
1. Pull the part out of the center console there are no screws. 2. You will have to remove the plastic door there is a spring loading mechanism on the right hand side (looking at it from the front). You can be careful, or just yank it out if you're not concerned about putting it back I wasn't. 3. If you have a flatbed scanner, you may want to scan the gps it will make a flat copy of it, which you can then print and make a cutout template. If you don't have a flatbed scanner, use your imagination getting a paper cutout outline of the gps.
Illustration 2 Scanned actual and printed copy of the gps - they match!
4. The cutout part for the gps will be the area around the beveled edges
5. Place the printed template on a flat surface (nice cutting board) and cover it with plastic wrap (for easy cleanup). You may also wish to outline the template using a marker. The marked outline will dissolve and roughly transfer onto our plastic faceplate.
6. Layer 8-10 sheets of 4 fiberglass tape cloth onto the template. The outline in the above picture
shows the dimensions of the actual faceplate. Make sure there is enough material surrounding this area, so that you can cut it off later. It's much easier then patching things at a later time. Also, if you're going to add more layers, the previous layer will have to be fully dry and sanded it's just more work, so try not to go there if you don't have to. The final faceplate will be about 2-3mm thick.
Illustration 3 New England winters are cold. Warmth is essential for quick drying. If you're doing this in your kitchen, make sure that nobody's around the fumes will knock you out.

7. After it's all nice and dry, you will cut the outer outline and fit it in the console.
8. At this point, you're ready to start the most frightening and lengthy task the inner cutout. I relied on the loose outline from step 5, making sure that I don't get too close to the actual line. The faceplate in the picture has been through lots of sanding and even some primer.
9. In this step, we're adding screw mounts to the bottom of the faceplate. I've constructed resin holders out of polyester foam. Caution: polyester resin will melt polyester foam, so you need to use epoxy resin for this step, or use wood or polyurethane foam (yellow stuff). Also make sure that you add fiberglass cloth shavings (cut a bunch of cloth into small pieces with scissors) to the resin, before you pour it in.
10.This is what the end result should look like.
11.After lots of sanding, and about 8-10 layers of paint with more sanding in-between (I used RustOleum Professional High Performance Enamel Flat Black 7578), I ended up with a nice looking faceplate.
Illustration 4 Rough fit test, no screws in the back.
12.This picture shows the fit from the back. The faceplate rests between the console and the gps. The gps pushes against the faceplate and is supported by plastic strips in the back (the ones that are screwed in). I've made these from the plastic strip that I had to cut (about 1cm) in order to be able to fit the gps inside. I cut the big strip in half and applied heat to bend the two support strips.
13.The bottom of the faceplate is held in place by a screw that goes through a hole in the console unit (no need to drill anything. Make sure you pre-drill the holes in the faceplate though you don't want it to split open.
14.OK, it's time for wires. You will have to take some more plastic off the console part in order to nicely fit the power plug and the unit into the console. Once again, Dremel made this really easy.
15.If you don't mind driving with your lights on, you're almost done. The harness in the back of the unit supplies voltage when the lights are on and that's all that I needed to know. If you want steady voltage even when lights are off you're on your own. Here is what I did. The wire is then soldered into the harness,.and you're done.
16.This image shows the soldered wires. I took the LED light out what's the point?
17.And here is the final assembly. You can't see any wires!
18.I purchased an external gps antenna for Meridian RoadMate 500, 700 for $29.95 from www.gpsgeek.com. I've velcro-ed it in the middle of the dashboard and ran the wire on the driver's side around and under the steering wheel, then back up through a hole in the dashboard use your imagination. 19.I've also secured the back plate of the gps unit which houses the speaker to the whole thing. I wasn't sure if the speaker volume will be strong enough it is, but not if the stereo is loud. I may install a different mylar speaker in the future. It works for now. Sorry no pictures. Also the heat doesn't appear to be a problem. 20.I took a long trip with this unit, about 300 miles and I loved every minute of it. In the end for me it was all worth it! Good luck!