I'm curious if anyone has come across a good mounting kit (or anything) for holding your iPhone/iPod in the car. Plugging it in and let it flop around the console isnt very elegant..

 

I just leave my iPod touch in the center counsel, all the music controls go through the navi screen anyways.
My iPhone can ususally be found sitting in the first single cup holder for convienent sight/use.

 

+1 And I'll bet that many of us toss the key FOB into the cupholder, too, if not just leave it in your pocket or purse. That's what I do anyway, on the rare occasions that I let a valet park my car.

 

You let the valet park that awesome beast... Your a better man then me...LOL.. I've seen Ferris Bueller's day off to many times to trust them..

 

RAM mounts make a "cupholder" mount with a suction cup on a flex stem that would work. The cupholder insert is weighted and uses rubber flaps to fit multiple sizes of cupholders. There are also windshield suction mounts but the XF screen is a long reach and in California you cannot mount to a windshield.

http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResu...5/Default.aspx

I saw a Kensington mount at the Apple store which might work.

http://us.kensington.com/html/17793.html


If you use the navigation feature of your smart phone it would be nice to also have a mount. Not all XF come with ipod interface or internal satnav (factory satnavs are a huge rip off actually).

 

I actually use the cheapest ebay "vent" iphone holder with great results. It's surprisingly solid, doesn't vibrate, easy to remove (I store it in the glovebox when not in use), and I think I only paid about 5 bucks shipped!

 

Yeah, I know. But sometimes you can't avoid it. For those times, I wish that the valet mode electronically limited the car to 100 bhp and 25 mph.

Back to the topic, I think the vent holders tend to work well, too, but you need to remember to remove them when shutting off the car since the vents automatically rotate closed. Some kind of relatively solid mount would be good, also, so that you can use Dynolicious, the iPhone/smartphone app that lets you figure out how much g you pull in a turn, how fast you accerate 0-60, etc. Dynolicious : Automotive Data Logging Tools for Mobile Devices

 

FWIW: Even though this thread seems inactive, I have enjoyed using products from Device Holders and Dashboard Vehicle Mounts - ProClip Car Mounts for Mobile Phones, Tablet, and Handheld Devices for mounting. Found them in 2004, they have uniquely designed console mounts that do not damage the finish, for Phone placement. I am not in love with their Over vent mounts (they have one for the XF), but prefer the center console Mounts(they also have for the XF). This design is awesome for SUV's. It is a two part solution, one is the car attach point, the other is a device holder. They have a staggering number of solutions. Another is Pro.Fit International - Pro Fit Mounting Solutions for Cell Phones and GPS which has a very "built in solution" for hard point mounting, but way less fitments for cars, and sparse on new models. My thought is to install the device holder into the center console of the car, plug in my iPhone with a 12 to 5v converter, and call it done. Hope this may help someone who has a similar question.

 

Wont enabling VALET mode also lock up the power along with the glove box, trunk,etc?

 

Sadly not, it just locks stuff. Pointless. I don't drive much in the rest of the states, but here in Houston it can be hard to park unless you use a valet. There are good places that I no longer go to, because of such parking problems. When I had my S4, I found it left on the curb around the corner 5 minutes later, keys in, still running, windows open. So I hung around a while to see what would happen, then I stole it!

 

Which generation ipod touch do you have and does yours charge via the ipod connector?

 

With my ipod classic, I leave it plugged in to the connector in the console and turn it sideways. There's a little slot toward the front left side and the ipod fits between that and the back of the console and never flops around. Since mine is not a phone, I just leave it there all the time. If you have an iphone, I would think you just leave it in your pocket or briefcase. If it's an ipod with out a phone, then it has to be plugged into the console to be able to control it from the dash anyway. Either way, why would you want it somewhere else?

 

I leave my iPod Classic (160GB) plugged into the center console adapter and also store it in there, loosely. I recently found a Bell Dash Tray (model 30154-8) at Advance Auto Parts and it wedges in perfectly to the center console for loose items. I also bought a cell phone holder at Advance Auto Parts (don't remember the model number) and keep it in the front cup holder as it holds my phone (Motorola Droid Razr Maxx) more snugly than just letting it flop around in that front cup holder (I used a light 3M adhesive on the bottom and sides to keep the holder in place). I actually preferred the front cup holder in my '09 XFS to the new design in my '11 XFR because I was able to use a phone holder designed to be mounted in a cup holder (rather than having to modify one myself), although the extra power outlet is nice. I keep my key in my pocket or the small space leftover in the front cup holder, where I also keep the remote control key fob for my Race Ready Performance cutouts. When I want to stream internet radio music from my phone (or Google Music, which syncs with my iTunes for free), I use the headphone jack (whatever that's called) while I wait for BlackBerry to release their new Bluetooth Music Gateway, so I can stream music wirelessly to my stereo (like I believe you can in '12 and newer models). The BlackBerry Music Gateway works with all Bluetooth enabled smart phones (BlackBerry discontinued their previous model but are coming out with a new, cheaper model in June).

Hope that all makes sense and helps. If I had any idea how to post pictures on here (or do anything else but "quick reply"), I'd be glad to share...

 

When you said Ferris Bueller you reminded me of this story...............
This is a must watch for all those who valet their cars!!

http://youtu.be/MnrI8ad8tuY

 

What a Jerk! I can say I am not sure what I would do if I caught him with my pride and joy, needless to say he would not be joy riding anyones car any longer and may have to have his house retrofitted for a wheelchair!

 

Cool sting operation. I think the last time I let someone valet park my car was around 9 years ago when we went into NYC, where you have no choice (self park garages are practically non-existent). Ever since then, we've been taking the train.

 

Well played, Darlo. Wish I coulda seen the valets horror when the realized it was gone.