Cosm

I just dropped my car off to get the K40 Calibre system installed in my car. It includes 2 laser diffusers and radar detector with voice and its all bluetooth. Has anybody heard anything good or bad with bluetooth items in the car ?

Hook

I had the K40 diffuser installed in my car a few weeks ago. I haven't had any laser encounters yet, so I can't comment on its effectiveness in practice.

But, if you do some online research (e.g., here), there seems to be a widespread belief that the K40 simply does not work.

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Hook

Cosm

A very reputable high end electronic store recommended the K40 over the Valentine 1 for radar and laser detection, and I also have been trying to find an honest review but they all seem to come from people selling other products so I don't think it would be a fair review but I do know from other peoples experiences that it DOES work, how good ??? I don't know

jgilbert

I have the K40 with laser defuser in my '04 E55 and I really can't tell much improvement from the Escort 8500 I have from a radar detection standpoint. I have had the K40 and the Escort on simultaneously on trips and sometimes the Escort detects first. I have not encountered laser (yet). Rogers Stereo in Greenville SC did a beautifull installation job and I think the biggest advantage is it's invisable to the eye. You can get popped from behind with a instant/on radar gun going 56 mph in a 40 mph zone and get a ticket as I did. Cop seamed happy as he asked me "how much do one of these cost, about a $120,000?"

gmdebruyn

i can report that the Blinder system does work. I found a laser cop and I gunned the engine (was in my 4-runner) and set the cruise control to be the speed limit. He got all excited and shot me, everything went off (jamming), and then i flipped it off. when i passed him he was looking at the gun like something was wrong.

unsure about the K40. when i did my research it got too many mixed reviews. i just went with the Valentine and the Blinder. reason why most shops recommend the K40 is the high markup they can charge.

Hook

First of all, I was only commenting on the laser diffuser capabilites of the K40.

Secondly, as far as fair reviews, did you check out the site I referenced? As far as I can tell, these guys have nothing to sell (except the video with all of the testing shown).

Also, if you cruise the radar detector forums (e.g., here), you will be hard pressed to find anyone with anything good to say about the K40.

I'm seriously thinking of habing mine replaced with the Blinder or Lidatek.

As always, YMMV.

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Hook

04E55 AMG

Have the V1 w/K40 Laser jammer in the front and it ROCKS!

Hook

I have exactly this setup. But, how do you know the K40 diffuser is working? How many laser encounters have you had that you credit the K40 for helping you avoid a ticket?

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Hook

Cosm

Here are some pics of the install, very clean.

04E55 AMG

Since my K40 is all wired and etched into the mirror witht the V1 display, the top arrow in the V1 display lights up with a different sound when triggered.

Beowulf

I have the Lidatek LE-30's front & rear and they have been 100% effective every time I've encounted laser (perhaps a 8-10 times in the past 4 months since their installation).

Like gmdebruyn reports regarding the Blinder, it's amusing to see the cop aim and shoot and then suddenly pull back and start looking at the gun as if something's amiss.

Biggest difference between the Blinder and the Lidatek, IIRC, is that the Blinder jams 100% of the time, while the Lidatek jams for 5 seconds, supposedly allowing the driver to reduce to legal speed. It then disarms for 30 seconds after jamming. Perhaps Lidatek thinks the disarming period is less likely to arouse suspicion - cop shoots you coming and gets no reading, then decides to shoot you going and gets a reading within the limit.

Regardless, mine's been flawless so far.

gmdebruyn

Cosm,
only problem with your installation is that if they hit you from 1000' feet, you are looking at a 4 foot beam diameter. center of that beam will be aimed at something reflective. since your license plate is not there, they will aim the center of the beam your headlights. which might mean that the edge of the beam (2 foot radius) might not hit your center diffuser. maybe its overkill, but i have 2 up front and 2 in the back, mounted symetrically. the closer you get to the cop, the smaller the beam diameter gets.

None

I can say that I have the Blinder on three different cars it works and has worked in many incounters over the years. I was pulled over once when lazed doing excessive speed, it caught me not paying attention as I was moving at a pretty good clip and I hit the breaks way to hard making a 100% obvious bone head move.
Sure enough he pulls out and lights me up then I did the usually sit in the car while he check out the lisc, tag etc.... when the cop came back up he said well you got luck on this one my gun locked up for some reason have a nice day and keep it under the triple digits from now on.