Decent Car phone holder

MassiveJim · 17 Aug 2017 at 13:38

I currently have a reasonable car phone holder but it is the kind with a "sucker" on it and occasionally when it gets hot it "unsucks" itself.
Also it is stuck on to a sticky pad which mounts on the dashboard, which is total rubbish.
I've put up with this setup now for quite some time but its time for a change.

I am probably 1 of a very select group of people who are totally ok with permanently fixing something to the dashboard with screws, my mondeo is 14 years old I am not bothered about a couple of screw holes in the dash when it comes time to sell/scrap.

What can you recommend ?

carrot1401 · 17 Aug 2017 at 13:44

Not sure if Brodit make a clip for old Mondeos (or just a generic clip), but I have one for my 208 and it's awesome!! Not cheap (as you buy the bit for the car, then the bit for the phone) but does the job rather well!

bigdunc · 17 Aug 2017 at 14:02

I've had the Kenu Airframe for about 5 years and used it in different cars with different phones. Never let me down.

Conscript · 17 Aug 2017 at 14:16

+1 for the Kenu Airframe, if you want to try a vent mounted holder.
Small, unobtrusive, grips the phone securely but you can also attach/remove the phone from it quickly and easily.

Philtor · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:02

Yup the Kenu Airframe is great!

Howard · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:04

The Anker / Mpow equivalents are just as good as the Airframe, and half the price. They don't work with the 'circular' car vents but for a mk3 Mondeo they'll be perfect.

MassiveJim · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:10

I'd rather mount the phone to the dash with screws than clip it on to an airvent if I'm honest.

I've had those air-vent mounts in the past and they have damaged vents + you can't adjust the vent as well as the vent being blocked by the phone.

Ricochet J · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:36

Why would anyone use an air vent to mount their phone?

Conscript · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:39

Because I don't like having stuff stuck to my windscreen, and I don't want anything attached permanently to the dash.

Ricochet J · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:42

You can also mount to the dash via suction.

Conscript · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:46

There's nowhere suitable on my dashboard - it's all textured plastic/rubber.
But also, something just stuck to the dash would stick out like a sore thumb, and I couldn't be bothered to dismount it when not in use. And it wouldn't solve the problem of having the phone stuck in my vision, which was my main concern.

The airframe vent mount is very unobtrusive so I just leave it in situ and use it as and when it's needed. It's out of my eyeline but I only have to glance at it if needed.

Ricochet J · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:48

You can buy dashboard suction disc plates.

Conscript · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:49

Or I could just carry on using an air vent mount, because it's really not a problem.

Ricochet J · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:50

If you want to do it improperly, then yes, you can just carry on using an air vent mount.

Conscript · 17 Aug 2017 at 16:55

There isn't a "proper" way.
The objective is to mount the phone in a manner that makes it accessible and visible without having to hold it. How you achieve this is purely down to personal preference, which is based on a number of factors including the layout of your car. Why is it so hard to understand that me (and some others) find an air vent mount the best way to achieve that?

mrgubby · 17 Aug 2017 at 17:33

brodit + proclip if available.

Not the cheapest solution but why hang a £500 phone on a bit of tat

Kenai · 17 Aug 2017 at 18:21

I use the little magnetic ones now, hold the phone well, they're very small and discreet and you can fit them virtually anywhere. Can get them to slot in vents or stick on dashboard. Aukey, MPow etc. sell a variety of types.

Does generally require the phone to have a case though so you can attach the metal plate without sticking it to the phone itself. Companies like spigen are increasingly designing cases to accommodate these plates internally now though.

roboffer · 17 Aug 2017 at 19:49

Another vote for Brodit, used to have a vent holder and swore by it into it broke one of the fins. Never again.

Puzzled · 17 Aug 2017 at 19:57

Kenai said:
I use the little magnetic ones now, hold the phone well, they're very small and discreet and you can fit them virtually anywhere. Can get them to slot in vents or stick on dashboard. Aukey, MPow etc. sell a variety of types.

Does generally require the phone to have a case though so you can attach the metal plate without sticking it to the phone itself. Companies like spigen are increasingly designing cases to accommodate these plates internally now though.

I tried one of these (top rated on Amazon) and the magnet was useless. No chance of it holding the phone with the disc inside the case so had to stick it on the outside. Feels weird holding the phone now so looking to replace it (got a refund).

Plus am I the only one that wants the phone held in landscape?

Kenai · 17 Aug 2017 at 20:06

I've been using Aukey branded ones in the Golf and Octavia with my Z3 and S8 without issue, with the retention plates inside the case. It's very strong, takes a good solid pull to remove it, no chance it would just fall.

They allow the phone to be mounted in absolutely any orientation you so not sure what the comment about landscape is about.