Thanks to smartphones with Bluetooth connectivity coupled with lots of on-board storage or apps like Pandora or Spotify, a CD player’s usefulness is somewhat diminished. For those that no longer use their CD player, why not use it as a mount point for your smartphone? The Mpow CD Player SmartPhone Car Mount is what we’re looking at today.
There are a few things to check out before picking this mount for your car. First, and most obvious is you need to have a CD player. We have been seeing manufacturers eliminate this feature as a standard option in some cars. For example, our recent time with a Jeep Renegade revealed the complete absence of a CD Player. This is just one example and as a result, any CD player mount might be a poor choice for those wanting to take this travelling.
Second thing to check is if the CD slot sits very close to the gear shift or critical controls. While the Mpow CD Player SmartPhone Car Mount projects a few inches from the CD player, that might not be far enough for your car model.
I can’t recall the last time my CD player was used to actually play a CD. Ironically, it’s in a fairly good spot for use as a mounting point.
The Mpow CD Player SmartPhone Car Mount is shown in the photo that accompanies this article installed in a Nissan Murano. It extends a few inches from the touch screen but it’s high enough up so as not to interfere with the gear shift.
Installation of the Mpow CD Player SmartPhone Car Mount is easy. The back of the mount has several fins. Insert them into the CD player then twist the knob to tighten. It’s important that you not over-tighten to avoid damaging your CD player. The twist knob variety of CD player mounts typically work in most car models but if in the event it’s not fitting well, don’t use it.
The included cradle opens to 3.4 inches by pressing the button on the side. That’s wide enough to fit most smartphones with a case or skin and fit my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge with a thick case just fine. The cradle has a 17mm socket on the back that fits over the 17mm ball on the mount. The cradle can swivel 360 degrees so landscape and portrait are fully supported. The cradle can also pivot from side to side so it can be angled towards the driver or passenger. The bottom support feet can be folded inwards which comes in handy if using your device in landscape mode.
Ironically, the 17mm ball is the same size found on most Garmin automotive GPS mounts. This means that you can use the mount for a Garmin Nuvi or Drive GPS. Just remove the cradle and snap the Garmin cradle over the 17mm ball and you have a good GPS mount.
Speaking of a GPS, since the cradle opens to 3.4 inches, it can fit some GPS devices too. As long as the GPS is less than 3.4 inches in height, it should fit within the cradle just like your phone.
The Mpow CD Player SmartPhone Car Mount is a good choice for those wanting to put their abandoned CD player to better use.