Car Chargers

UNEXPECTED62

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I just got the droid car dock, and am totally digging it. I do want a car charger now however, because using the GPS for a significant amount of time will use more battery, and it is always good to get a car charger.

I have a hard time paying for a car charger thats like $30 from Verizon, and there are cheap alternatives like Amazon Car Chargers. I have owned these cheap ones for other phones and the part that plugs into the cigarette lighter was the cheap part, and the springs broke so it wouldn't make contact to charge. I am pretty good with car wiring, and I was thinking about cutting off the cigarette lighter plug and hard wiring it if it means getting a cheaper charger, but I wonder if the micro USB plug is built well.

Basically, what is an inexpensive route to get a decent car charger?
 

JessiesGirl

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I just got the droid car dock, and am totally digging it. I do want a car charger now however, because using the GPS for a significant amount of time will use more battery, and it is always good to get a car charger.

I have a hard time paying for a car charger thats like $30 from Verizon, and there are cheap alternatives like Amazon Car Chargers. I have owned these cheap ones for other phones and the part that plugs into the cigarette lighter was the cheap part, and the springs broke so it wouldn't make contact to charge. I am pretty good with car wiring, and I was thinking about cutting off the cigarette lighter plug and hard wiring it if it means getting a cheaper charger, but I wonder if the micro USB plug is built well.

Basically, what is an inexpensive route to get a decent car charger?

Pretty much any Verizon store will give you 20% off two or more accessories at a time. If you need any other accessories, or have a friend who does, now may be the time!

They definitely have a ton of margin on the accessories--I bought my phone at an "Authorized Verizon Retailer" , not a corporate store, and that guy gave my 50% of accessories. Unfortunately, all he had in stock was the car charger, so I made him sign my receipt that I could come back in a week and get the same discount when he'd have more accessories. But the point is that they have room to give you a deal if they want to.
 
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UNEXPECTED62

UNEXPECTED62

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My gf just bought a car dock for me for Christmas, I'm bummed we didn't do it together or I could have got some other stuff too.

So is this one of those things where I should almost just walk in and say, "hey what kind of discount can you give me on this?" Like I'm buying pizza, lol
 

JessiesGirl

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My gf just bought a car dock for me for Christmas, I'm bummed we didn't do it together or I could have got some other stuff too.

So is this one of those things where I should almost just walk in and say, "hey what kind of discount can you give me on this?" Like I'm buying pizza, lol

Kinda!

Maybe return the dock that she bought you, and then buy it again with the charger and whatever other accessories you want? Or head out to one of those Authorized Retailers and see what sort of deal you can swing. ;) Those guys will deal. Corporate is a little more by the book.
 
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UNEXPECTED62

UNEXPECTED62

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You mean those little verizon booths at places like malls, etc?

And I'm veering away slightly from where I thought this thread would originally go. There isn't really and third party options that work well?
 

crspang

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I bought the car charger from best buy, I can't remember the brand name, but it was not Motorola brand. I bought a car charger and another home charger for 30.00. They were normally 20.00 each.
so far they've worked really well!
 

Sleeve

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Moto branded car dock and charger combo all in one box at Best Buy for $40.
 

jasonb

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I already had one of those "I go" brand chargers. I just had to buy a micro usb tip for it.
 

dodgemaniac

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idk its just a nice charger i think. good cord length and imo the charger head has some chrome on it and a Motorola engraved plexi piece that glows. just looks cool to me
 

MNTNBKR

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I am pretty good with car wiring, and I was thinking about cutting off the cigarette lighter plug and hard wiring it if it means getting a cheaper charger, but I wonder if the micro USB plug is built well.

I'm an advocate of hard wiring accessories into my vehicles as well whenever possible, but I don't believe our phones are equipped to accept +12V directly from the vehicle wiring. I'm not sure what the voltage output of the car charger is off hand, but you would likely have to disassemble the lighter adapter (as opposed to just cutting it off) and keep the internal circuitry intact as you hard wire it into the vehicle.

It wouldn't be terribly difficult to do, but it won't be as easy as "chop & solder" either.

I'm thinking about going this route myself since I hate wires dangling on my dash. I won't be doing the work until summer though, so I have time to think about it.
 
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