Radar Detector Preference
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Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 114
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GLS450, AMG C43 Cabriolet
Radar Detector Preference
I was wondering what the forum's preference is for radar detectors (in the US).
Do you have one installed? Use a Dashmount? Hardwired or not?
What about Laser Jammers?
Any opinions are helpful to me.
I have an older battery powered Passport Solo that seemed fine for road trips in the minivan, but with this C43, I think it's probably time to upgrade to a more advanced unit.
Thanks in advance!
Do you have one installed? Use a Dashmount? Hardwired or not?
What about Laser Jammers?
Any opinions are helpful to me.
I have an older battery powered Passport Solo that seemed fine for road trips in the minivan, but with this C43, I think it's probably time to upgrade to a more advanced unit.
Thanks in advance!
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 711
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2018 Mercedes C43 AMG Coupe
I like how there is a surge of these posts now that the weather is warming up 
Got hit with 2 laser-detected tickets in the past week... If you live in a metropolitan area, skip the radar detectors. It's all LIDAR nowadays.
Got hit with 2 laser-detected tickets in the past week... If you live in a metropolitan area, skip the radar detectors. It's all LIDAR nowadays.
Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 140
Likes: 24
From: SF, CA
Current: 2019 C43 Old: 2016 C450
i use a V1 hardwired. The only reason is because I've had it prewired in my other car and have had it for years and it's never failed me in CA. But in Oregon.....
Back in 2010ish I got lasered going 110mph in my e90 in the middle of the night. Pulled over right when i saw him turn the lights on and when he got to the window he was like "hey, thanks for saving me the time to chase you down" Pretty nice cop and wrote 80 instead.
Back in 2010ish I got lasered going 110mph in my e90 in the middle of the night. Pulled over right when i saw him turn the lights on and when he got to the window he was like "hey, thanks for saving me the time to chase you down" Pretty nice cop and wrote 80 instead.
Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 212
Likes: 64
From: the Right coast
'19 C43
For radar detector, I've always found a window mount unit perfectly fine and often equal or better than installed units. What do you want from the detector? Max range? Best blind-spot filtering?
Best out there for range is Uniden R7 if you want arrows, and Uniden R3 if you don't want/need arrows. Best out there if you want BSM filtering is going to be between V1 and Escort Max360, but you won't match the range of the Uniden units, and they do a decent filtering job (basically no detector filters out the Acuras and some GM models).
For laser jammers, ALP. There is just no competitor to the ALP on the market right now, especially for variable pulse lidar like Dragoneye (Washington state, Maryland, DC, NoVa)
Best out there for range is Uniden R7 if you want arrows, and Uniden R3 if you don't want/need arrows. Best out there if you want BSM filtering is going to be between V1 and Escort Max360, but you won't match the range of the Uniden units, and they do a decent filtering job (basically no detector filters out the Acuras and some GM models).
For laser jammers, ALP. There is just no competitor to the ALP on the market right now, especially for variable pulse lidar like Dragoneye (Washington state, Maryland, DC, NoVa)
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 353
Likes: 114
From: North Jersey
c43 Amg coupe
For radar detector, I've always found a window mount unit perfectly fine and often equal or better than installed units. What do you want from the detector? Max range? Best blind-spot filtering?
Best out there for range is Uniden R7 if you want arrows, and Uniden R3 if you don't want/need arrows. Best out there if you want BSM filtering is going to be between V1 and Escort Max360, but you won't match the range of the Uniden units, and they do a decent filtering job (basically no detector filters out the Acuras and some GM models).
For laser jammers, ALP. There is just no competitor to the ALP on the market right now, especially for variable pulse lidar like Dragoneye (Washington state, Maryland, DC, NoVa)
Best out there for range is Uniden R7 if you want arrows, and Uniden R3 if you don't want/need arrows. Best out there if you want BSM filtering is going to be between V1 and Escort Max360, but you won't match the range of the Uniden units, and they do a decent filtering job (basically no detector filters out the Acuras and some GM models).
For laser jammers, ALP. There is just no competitor to the ALP on the market right now, especially for variable pulse lidar like Dragoneye (Washington state, Maryland, DC, NoVa)
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2018
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GLS450, AMG C43 Cabriolet
Thanks everyone!
I think I'm leaning towards having an Escort Max Ci with laser jammers installed, but I still don't know.
It's so expensive that it might just make sense to take the tickets... Just kidding, but not really.
I may go with a dashmount RD and have jammers installed but in a Cabriolet, I don't want to forget to take it down every time I park
If I go that way, I'd probably be using TMG or Blinder laser jammers. The ALP is definitely the best, but also 3 times the price and there's no dealer within 100 miles of me.
As for the RD, definitely Escort or Uniden. I really want GPS and the V1 is actually against it.
Thanks again!
I think I'm leaning towards having an Escort Max Ci with laser jammers installed, but I still don't know.
It's so expensive that it might just make sense to take the tickets... Just kidding, but not really.
I may go with a dashmount RD and have jammers installed but in a Cabriolet, I don't want to forget to take it down every time I park
If I go that way, I'd probably be using TMG or Blinder laser jammers. The ALP is definitely the best, but also 3 times the price and there's no dealer within 100 miles of me.
As for the RD, definitely Escort or Uniden. I really want GPS and the V1 is actually against it.
Thanks again!
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 114
Likes: 21
GLS450, AMG C43 Cabriolet
Yeah, I get it, and I've read it. I just disagree.
I had a V1 some years back and hated it. It basically just went off everywhere. It sure alerted me if there was the slightest chance of radar. It was so noisy, I just ignored it after a while and many times just didn't want to plug it in.
Maybe it's improved, but I would rather block out specific falses and take the chance.
GPS also gives you the speed limit auto muting. I don't need the RD to alert me if I'm in traffic or not speeding. The V1 allows you to set a speed to lower the volume, but it doesn't have any idea what the speed limit is.
I also like the red light/speed camera warnings and GPS is needed for that too.
I know I can use Waze, but I don't want to have to set anything up every time, I just want to just get in and drive.
I had a V1 some years back and hated it. It basically just went off everywhere. It sure alerted me if there was the slightest chance of radar. It was so noisy, I just ignored it after a while and many times just didn't want to plug it in.
Maybe it's improved, but I would rather block out specific falses and take the chance.
GPS also gives you the speed limit auto muting. I don't need the RD to alert me if I'm in traffic or not speeding. The V1 allows you to set a speed to lower the volume, but it doesn't have any idea what the speed limit is.
I also like the red light/speed camera warnings and GPS is needed for that too.
I know I can use Waze, but I don't want to have to set anything up every time, I just want to just get in and drive.
Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 140
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From: SF, CA
Current: 2019 C43 Old: 2016 C450
I've had mine for about the same time but never had it upgraded. Did you send it in and have them do the update? Do you know what's updated?
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 44
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From: Port Orchard, WA
2019 C43 Coupe
You fill out a form on the website and pre-pay (around $75) and then send it to them. They update it to the most current spec. I did mine about 18 months ago and one of the major parts of the upgrade was the alerts from blind spot sensors and other stuff like that. You can check on their site with your serial number on if an upgrade is applicable. Only detector company that does this and at about a third of what a new detector would cost. It took less than a month to get it there, upgraded, and then returned.
Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 212
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From: the Right coast
'19 C43
You can do the ALP yourself, it's just figuring out where to put the controller, and running the connections through the firewall. I've installed and uninstalled my ALP on two dif cars now. It was about 4 hours install time each time. Granted, I only did the TX and two RX up front. Haven't done it on the C43 yet. Debating on whether I feel up to installing it, and may just sell it.
Member
Joined: Mar 2007
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Uniden R1. Not a fan of GPS on a detector. Just need it for range on the highway. Around town they are useless. OP was right to get rid of battery powered escort. I had 2 of them. Bad sensitivity causing to many false alerts. Absolutely useless at one point. Plus battery detectors don’t have a enough power to be efficient.
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From: North Jersey
c43 Amg coupe
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From: Silver Spring, MD
'18 Audi A4
I got an escort 9500ix. The GPS feature has been nice in remembering previous spots. Combine it with Waze, at least for the US, and you have a damn good combo, regardless of what detector you have.
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'20 GLC300 SUV
Hard to beat Escorts products (or their customer service, for that matter).
I still have 10+ year old Escort Passport 9500i and I haven't had a single ticket in that time period. Only negative is, the thing cannot be updated/supported anymore and with all the parking sensors on newer cars these days, I do get false alarms from some models.
I'll be replacing the old 9500i soon. Any electronics that can last that long, reliably, with no servicing whatsoever = impressive.
Tried the V1 once - wasn't a fan. It was a long time ago, perhaps it has improved. Feel like it's very polarizing; guys either swear by it or detest it. If it works for you, that's all that matters.
I still have 10+ year old Escort Passport 9500i and I haven't had a single ticket in that time period. Only negative is, the thing cannot be updated/supported anymore and with all the parking sensors on newer cars these days, I do get false alarms from some models.
I'll be replacing the old 9500i soon. Any electronics that can last that long, reliably, with no servicing whatsoever = impressive.
Tried the V1 once - wasn't a fan. It was a long time ago, perhaps it has improved. Feel like it's very polarizing; guys either swear by it or detest it. If it works for you, that's all that matters.
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C450 AMG
