Review on Garmin 7-Inch Suction Cup Mount by Sean Young

This is an OEM Garmin suction mount and is supplied in Garmin retail packaging. But it's much better than the "standard" OEM Garmin suction cup that comes with the Garmin GPS. This has a cup diameter of 7.0 cm; The standard suction cup is 5.4 cm in diameter, it also has a slightly longer stand and the whole device is designed to be stronger and more durable. Garmin sells it as an optional accessory to be used with larger 7-inch GPS units to give them "extra holding capacity". But this suction cup mount fits almost all Garmin GPS units, both new and they mount on this standard 17.2mm ball joint. My device is a Garmin nüvi 255W (in the 2010 line) and the rotating ball fits the device perfectly. Nice and comfortable, but still turns well. I've used 'regular' sized mounts for the last ten years since buying a GPS unit and I can tell you this 'big' suction cup mount has a ton more holding power; I even felt it when I originally installed it. My experience with at least six "regular" sized mounts this decade - some Garmin OEMs, some third-party aftermarkets - shows they barely last two years before the suction power decreases completely. I think eventually the suction cup will deform just enough (from sun, heat, pop/power on or whatever) that it can no longer hold the seal. But I have a feeling this big one will last longer. Just take a look. TOGETHER: Other things I learned about living with those suction cups: (1) The ones with the clear suction cups hold up well, but when heated they turn into a goo and run down the windshield and drip onto the dashboard . (2) You CAN "secure" a loose Garmin gimbal with a ring/ring of tape. This is an imperfect and annoying solution, but it keeps the GPS from hanging/rocking face down and keeps it in any set position. (3) If you want to try "gluing" the suction cup to your windshield, the best I've found for this is Permatex Clear RTV Silicone Sealant. The tube costs about $7 at most auto shops. If you don't apply too much and not too little around the diameter of the suction cup when attaching it to the windshield, it will EXTEND the life/durability of the mount and it won't turn into slime. However, timing the silicone off the windshield is very tricky, requiring multiple applications of lighter fluid and a lot of initial loosening and then scraping with a single-edged razor blade. YMMV.