benz03

Anyone have any experience hardwiring a passport 8500 in a 2003 S class? I need to know where to wire for power; the manual says there is a fuse box on the side of the dash on the passenger side, but for the life of me, I can't pop out the panel.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

GDawgC220

I think it would be easier to tap into the overhead console above with the SOS and such. There are power wires up there you can tap into with the supplied connector and screws for grounding power. I have yet to do this as I do not have time, but do a search for "8500 hardwire" and you should find an article in there from a member that tapped into the overhead console.

good luck.

benz03

Thanks CDawg, I did a search but couldn't find anything on the w220. Quick question, does your S have a fuse box on the passenger side of the dash, and if so, have you ever gotten the cover off?

GDawgC220

I'll have to take a look, don't remember off the top of my head right now.

tmushy

speaking of radar detectors which is the best the v1 or the escort 8500. radartest.com says 8500 car and driver say v1 I DONT KNOW WHAT TO CHOOSE!

GDawgC220

many of the independent radar testers have put the Escort 8500 on top (btw, they just came out with a new model, 8500 x50 where the range on the K & Ka band are 50% further in range than the 8500 and it detects the new POP radar technology) and some car magazine tests put V1 on top.

I personally like my 8500, awsome range hasn't failed me yet. I have friends who have the V1 as well and swear by them and I have friends with the 8500 who swear by them. I'd say order both, test them out and see which one you like. Both have 30 day full refund guarantee's.

DMI+RY

Actually I did just what you suggested - ordered both 8500 and V1 (a few months ago).
The problem there, that they won't work together - they interfere with each other
So I had to try one at time...

Both of them are great, but I did like 8500 operation better...
If Passport would add directional arrows to 8500 - that would be a very easy choice

DMI+RY

Anyone has pics of Passport 8500 or V1 installed?

GDawgC220

i can take a pic of ours in the S later, but it's not hardwired yet. If you want a hardwired pic, I can take a pic of mine, in my w202 and show you the hardwiring and where it goes.

Hussain

The arrows on the V1 are indispensable. Mike Valentine worked at Escort for a long time before he started his own.

benz03

Am I the only guy that is having a problem hard wiring a radar detector in the w220? None of the auto electronics shops around me will touch a Merc S, some crap about the liability or something. The dealer won't do it (I even asked nicely). And to make matters worse, I can't find a power line in the console above because of all the plastic and can't open the fusebox panel door in the dash....

Unreal......

GDawgC220

do a search for Valentine 1 hardwiring or something like that. A member here did a nice write up on how to tap into the overhead console using a ML as the vehicle, but pretty much, the wiring is the same. Just need to find the live 12V wire and a ground screw and your all set. Pretty simple stuff.