sheltonn

I read in one of the posts that there are a few clear spots in the windshield designed to let signals in. They said to look in the manual under "windshield" for the locations. My book does not list any locations. Does anyone know where the clear spots are for a 2004 S500?

kenstudios

This is one area but the best place is on the side of the reaview mirror.

Skylaw

kenstudios is correct. The black masked (stippled) areas on either side of the rear view mirror are free of metallic tint.

fusion2007

are the windshields of a 2000 s class and 2004 s class different.??

tilolite

i saw the same weird shape in my windshield recently. that area is visible only under certain light and angle. It's invisible from the driver area.

abenner5

Hi, Skylaw -
do you mean, put the suction cups actually on the black masked area?

I just bought a new Valentine One and have been experimenting with the location. Sunil hardwired it for me so no dangling cord, location seems to work just to the left of the black area (I have not tried it *on* the black area since I "thought" that the black masked area would actually interfere MORE than the clear part)...

I have read the manual too...and used the small 'box' area in the right lower part of windshield (when looking at it from within the car). It works but too visible...gets me nervous when parking downtown.

Detector is good...I guess I am just a bit disappointed there is no 'stealth' location for the V1 (besides mega $$$ for the etched mirror solution).

Would a visor mount work?

I am coming from the E55 where i had a stealth K40 solution...awesome but definitely got much more false alarms than the V1. Thats the tradeoff I guess...
Aaron

fusion2007

does that mean that...that is the only location of the transparent area for radar detector. the manual only shows 3 areas... left and and right side of rearview mirrors. and the 3rd spot is in the middle of the windshield below the rearview mirrors..where should we mount the v1 for the best ka. detection??
i know lower is better for laser.. but i want bettter ka. so is the best place that lower spot at the bottem of the windshield?

sheltonn

There is no good place for laser. When the laser warning goes off, pull over and prepare to be taxed. I have never had mine go off without getting blasted. People say you can get reflections from someone else, but I have never seen this happen. It is like relying on him shooting his rifle at someone else and the ricochet hitting your detector. Not very likely.

Skylaw

Fusion2007: I don't know if the IR-clear locations are exactly the same on the '00 and the '05 - but I do recall that the owner's manual gave the location (with measurements) in my '00, and also does so for my '05. I see that you found that in yours as well. I do not know that you will get better Ka (or any other RF band) detection in either location; but obviously, the black mask would interfere with laser detection.

The reason that lower is better for laser is that the officer will aim it for the greater mass of the car, not the top of the windshield. Because it is a beam of coherent light, it will not spread much - it stays in a narrow "beam." Sheltonn is correct about picking up a laser beam being largely a matter of luck.

RF energy is not coherent, and spreads; it easily covers the whole front of your car when aimed from ahead of you. It also produces stray (undirected) energy that will trip the detector when the gun is simply nearby.

Abenner5 : Yes, you can put the suction cups directly on the black masked area. Note that unlike some cars, it is not raised or "dimpled." I place my SunPass (toll transponder) there and use it very successfully. Note, however, the comments above on laser detection (I don't use a radar or laser detector, so I don't keep up with the different features of each to know if it's a factor for you).

Gondon

Ok, So Summary of this is that we should put the V1 onto the black area next to the REARview Mirror.

Skylaw

Only if you don't plan to use a laser detection feature (the value of which I question anyway).

abenner5

Skylaw, thanks for the info, very helpful as usual!

I agree with the laser comments...I've read that you have to get a laser jammer (Blinder seems to get the best reviews) in order to avoid getting tagged by the laser...just detecting it (via the V1) is worthless...FWIW.

MG

Laser detection is worthwhile for the same reason that radar detection is. Your detector will sense the strays after it hits another car. Otherwise, you're probably screwed without a defuser.

fusion2007

so the best place is above and to the left or right of the rearview mirror for the best ka detection? or down low in the middle of the dash in the wierd faded area? im still a little confused? sry i know im retarted..

kenstudios

This area behind the mirror has worked well for me but you have to understand that a detector is just that. It only detects and allows you to correct. If you plan on driving 30-50 m/hr above the speed limit, I dont think you'll have enough time to react and correct once you are tagged and by the time you correct that you have a pissed off cop coming after you. At 100 mhr it's hard to avoid getting tagged.

fusion2007

thanx for the tip. im gonna take a picture of where i have mounted the v1. and then everyone can critique it for me..