Anybody here with a Ghia or any other Focus with the small compartment on the dash ever think about building a satnav into that wee compartment so it pops up when you open the compartment?

Just an idea I had... thought it might be cool.

Anything is possible and it would look pretty cool if it was motorized

got me thinkin bout it now

These are cool

Already thought about it but that would not be too easy. I have a TomTom Go730 which has a mini-USB power connection on the bottom. I could easily connect a 12V power socket all the time and though in using some manual mechanism like the ones you can find on the "popup" cup holder of several cars.This way you could press is down untill the GPS remained in the lower position ans give it a push so it would "popup". But I never started to implement this as it would need to cut the dash pocket and to choose a position where the GPS fit when in the lower position. As I only use the GPS 10-15 times a year I kept this mod in stand by... Maybe if I get a spare dash pocket I will try to do this...

Have you ever driven with the pocket door open ??? It sticks up uite far, and is annoying and blocks some of your field of vision

Yeah, I have - and you're right. But was thinking about reworking it. You wouldn't need it to open up the whole way to see the screen of a satnav that's built into the lid, so you could easily add a spring so it only opens half as much.

Or take it a level higher, remove the hinges altogether and put in another motorised mechanism for the lid to open. Think it would be cool if the lid popped up half an inch then slid back to reveal a satnav.

Have thought about getting a headunit with GPS built in, etc, but being the paranoid type I fear having it broken into if you have an obviously expensive headunit on clear display, and I don't much like the idea of creating a false faceplate that you have to put on and off with every journey, I like the idea of putting a satnav in a nice concealed location that pops up when you need it!

got me thinkin bout it now

Isn't your headunit already GPS enabled? All you need is the receiver!

its satnav ready but at over 300quid, the satnav upgrade costs more than me head unit did itself so i gave it a miss

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneer-AVIC-F220-Navigation-Hide-Away-Headunits/dp/B003IW6TVQ

aint paying that for it when i got a tomtom with lifetime free map updates ;)

Nice idea, but what I was thinking was putting my raspberry pi in the glovebox and taking the headunit out and replacing it with a 7inch touchscreen in the dash itself That way you would have everything you needed and easily expandable.