HockeyPhreke

I have the Passport 8500 detector and right now the plug is out in the open and plugged into lighter jack at the front of the center console. what have others done?

viguera

I have a thread over on the Classifieds ( https://mbworld.org/forums/classifieds/76450-wtb-xm-8500-installer-around-nyc-area.html ) looking for an installer for mine in the NYC area. I REALLY hate the cord, but not enough to even try to take apart my dash...

There's a link in there to a thread with a pic of mcironi's ride... his install is what I'm looking for, but he's in Ohio... He used the straight cord from escortstore and had it hardwired to the power from the radio.

If I could find anybody to do that -- or decently clear instructions -- I'd be all over that. Maybe.

nicedeboy

I have had radar detectors since I started driving. Have that kind of Lead foot. haha. I usually have the radio installer’s hot wire the detector into the car's wiring. So when I would turn on the car, the detector would go on as well. They use the same wire which goes into the cigar lighter, splice it, and charge $40 for thirty minute labor.

tommy

I'm having my V1 and concealed display hardwired tomorrow. There have been several threads about this on the fourm, so do a search for how to do it. It looks very simple, but I'm a wuss, so it's off to the stereo shop tomorrow.

Viguera - it's Sound Effects in Paramus, NJ - just north of the Garden State Plaza on 17. Though any stereo shop should be able to do it.

viguera

Thanks... I'll wait for you to head out there and do yours and come back with a response and pictures... I know anybody could probably do it, but I'd rather trust somebody that has I know has done it before and didn't break anything in the process...

It should be simpler for the Escort too, but let me know how they are... how long it takes, how much, etc.

Thanks

nicedeboy

hehe We have Sound effects here in delaware also. They charge more then the place I go to, Sound of Tri-state in Dover.

BklynBenz

when i get home later ill take some pics of my v1 thats hardwired. i hated having that stupid cord hanging down in front of my comand and looking all unfinished. now i get to keep the ashtray compartment closed and get to finally see the nice wood cover/door.

BklynBenz

you should have come down to nyc while steve (mbenznl) was here 2 weeks ago. he stayed at my place and did some installs. he also hardwired my v1 and it only took him like 20 minutes.

viguera

I know... I was in MD while he was up here, then I came back when he went down...

Steve is the man, but talking to him just for that is like getting Picasso to stain your deck... when I'm ready to get some real work done on the car, then I'll talk to him...

pookie

i have v1. they also gave me a long cord, uncoiled, that i ran from the cigarette lighter, through the glove box, under the seal of the door, above the visor and to the v1.

tommy

Got it done - looks perfect. took a couple of pics; will slap 'em up here tomorrow afternoon.

tommy

Ok, pics from yesterday's install ($75, btw, and 90 minutes).

First pic: concealed display on dash. Guess I won't know when I hit 160, huh? They removed the whole cluster to make the wire go back behind it. Looks great.



Second pic is where the main unit is. I left it there, because I use it for my other car, so I wanted to be able to remove it easily. I'm gonna have to put a wedge in the front of the unit, though, as it points a little down now.



HTH

Tai230K

my v1 setup - all DIY and i can control it through an led switch next to my seat.

tyro

Does anyone remember where I put my visor clip for my V1?
TIA
:p

Tishers

Remote head in the ash tray.

tyro

Is that some sort of sexual reference?
Jim Banville wants to know but was too shy to ask.

Tishers

Nope! Nothing sexual...

You guys are always messing with your... um (PG13 edit goes here).

Everyone thinks the Valentine is such a great detector. I like the Beltronics PRO RX75.

Removing the ash tray (shouldn't be smokin in such a nice car) and mount the remote display where the ash tray was. Put a magnetic switch on the door of the ash tray. A cop pulls you over, just flip the ash tray lid closed, it also shuts down the detector.

Blame his VR1/2/3 going off on distronic or parktronic, wave your arms alot, talk about atmospheric conditions, signals from mars..

MB-BOB

Now there is a creative solution! I have a BEL 980... a couple years old now, but it hasn't let me down, and it's 1/3 the size of the Valentine... I had an 8-trk player in the '70s that was smaller than that Valentine...

tommy

Bob, how do your directional arrows work on your Bel? Thought so.

The brand new ones are smaller, and can be bought by current owners on trade-in for not too much money. I wouldn't own another detector.

MB-BOB

How do the directional arrows work on the Valentine when you are following a tractor trailer, or among tall, flat-sided buildings? Ah, thought so. Reflections are a biatch, aren't they?

The directional arrows are way over-rated, imo, and don't compensate for the whopping size of the unit. If you hear the alert, and decide not to slow down before looking up to see where the arrow is pointed, you might as well pull over and grope for your license and registration. Not to overstate the point, but the audio alert is enough to get my attention... I don't need no stinking arrows.

And I ws trolling for some witty, age-related comment about my 8-trk from you, instead. Having a slow day, are we? (LOL!) :p

tommy

I realize that you cannot probably see my pics above without a magnifying glass, but I've got the concealed display mounted by the gauges. So, it's a very easy glance to see where the arrows are located. Tall, flat-sided buildings? I'm in stinkin Joisey, we don't have 'em. I use the arrows all of the time, and with the unit mounted on the passengers' visor, the hugeness of the unit (I get that all the time) is not much of a problem. Plus, when I'm ready to upgrade, it'll be smaller.

Sorry for my not picking up on your 8 track comment; you post so infrequently these days that I'm out of practice.

mike82y

hi everyone,
I have decided to buy a radar detector but not sure which to go for.
I am looking for a one which you dont need to hard wire it to the car and easy to use.

what you guys think of Passport 8500 X50? http://www.escortradar.com/

Mike

MB-BOB

You can't go too wrong with either the Passport, a Bel, or a Valentine. These are the three leaders in the field. Avoid the Cobras and other crap you find at Wal-Mart. You will spend at least $200 for a good unit like these.

I owned the original (metal) Passport for many years, and currently enjoy using a Bel 980. Others will swear by the Valentine, but I personally can't get past the boat anchor factor... I like my passengers being able to see out the windshield.

Someone else will chime in with the Valentine website, but you'll find the Bel models here Beltronics

You can also Google on radar detector tests for several reviews.

BTW, the Passport you ask about is a wired unit, using a coil cord to the cig lighter. Eventually you will get tired of that and will want to bury a straight power cord from the headliner to the fuse box. That's what we mean by "hard-wire." You can still move the unit to another car using the coil cord as needed. Some of these units come with both cords, some don't.

The Passport SOLO is a battery powered (unwired) unit, but you will get VERY tired of replacing batteries that fry in the sun when you leave the detector in the car. The directions will tell you to take the detector with you when you leave the car, but who are we kidding here?

fatkin

I DIY installed the V1 like this

pookie

correct me if i'm wrong but i don't think you can put the radar detector that far up as the blue tint on the upper side of the windshield could diminish the v1's detection range.