dopestar129

Escort will also upgrade the 8500, but it seems like too much of a pain to send it in and who knows how much it costs. I've had mine for 4 1/2 years now and it still works great in my opinion.

04BlackMaxx

Its expensive, thats why its pictured on a mercedes SL.

Im pretty much all highway and know where I can speed where no cops can hide, im always in traffic too. I used to have a BEL and ended up getting tickets anyway bc it would only go off when i was already caught. They turn their radar guns off and shoot you when you pass, what is your $1000 radar detection system gonna do then? Nothing!

Pneumatic

I was reading up on the remote mount radar detectors and the sensor can be mounted behind the plastic bumper without losing it's effectiveness. That started me thinking and since the regular radar (not laser) isn't hindered by the bumper or the glass of the windshield, maybe the plastic above the rear view mirror won't hurt it either. Of course, if it's metal it's another ball of wax but I am going to try mounting mine in that area and just see what happens.

Some of the V1s on eBay had serial numbers so I ran them through the Valentine website to see how much it would be to upgrade. One of them that was a few years old would have been $180 to upgrade and that's a little steep. By the time I am ready to spend $200 (that $180 didn't include shipping I am sure), I will be ready for something different. I am A.D.D. when it comes to electronics and need that 'new electronics smell' buzz every now and then regardless of the fact that I don't need the new item.

So for $200 the V1 would be upgraded but it would still be ugly as a mud fence. It seems to me that for $400 they could round the corners and make it at lest a little bit more esthetically appealing. It would have to do it's thing SUBSTANTIALLY better to get me past the fact that it looks like a brick. From the tests I have seen it doesn't perform THAT much better than the Bel or the Escort (which are decidedly more sexy).

True. Radar detectors are essentially useless if you are alone on a road. The police will wait for you to get close enough and nail you. If I don't have someone a quarter to a half of a mile ahead of me then I keep it reasonable and I haven't had a ticket in years.

dopestar129

Exactly! You still have to use some common sense with the radar detectors. All the times when I have gotten tickets has been because I was either alone on the road or just really flying by traffic. My fault obviously. I have stopped that and now I drive exactly how Pneumatic does and haven't had a ticket in a year and a half.

Also, cops will still pull you over in a bunch of traffic when they get you with laser. If there are 10 cars doing 15 over and he's got the beam pointed at you, well, you're gone.

RHMax

I have mine a little off to the side of the mesh, on the blue-tinted part of the glass somewhat behind the sunshade. Yes, if I pull the sunshade all the way down, I won't be able to see the detector; but I can still hear it. Besides, if the sun is in my eyes, I shouldn't be speeding anyway.

I read that any thing metal can interfere with radar, like windshield wipers.

Pneumatic

I read that same thing and that's kind of why I asked the question in the first place. I don't know if that mesh is metal or not and if it will impede the performance of a detector.

I need someone to go out and scrape some of the mesh off and tell me what it's made of. Who's willing to take one for the team?

VigilanteMax

iTrader: (4)

Radar works the same whether up near your mirror or down on your dash, its the laser that doesnt pick up quite as easy up near the mirror. The wipers have never impeded on the radar reading. Radars are olny as good as there limited false alerts. Some lasers can detect the light better, but not $300-$1100 better. If some people have money to blow on asthetics, a maxima should be a third of the car you can afford.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Damn, I love the look of the integrated mirror radar detector, but my review mirror has a built in programmable auto garage door opener (for 3 doors and I have 2) and an auto light dimming function. I use all daily so I will just have to stay with my suction mount Cobra for now...

eK9aT10pSi

iTrader: (1)

i have the regular escort 8500 [red display] as well. mine is rev 13. i just recently sent my brother's 8500 in for service because it just stopped working. the newest is rev15 and it costs 80$ shipped for service. it was about a 2 week turnaround.

madmik

iTrader: (1)

For countermeasures I use a LaserPro 905 with an RX65 (velcor mount left side of speedometer near windshield). I don't think you can evade a laser gun/camera, you can only jam it. My combo has worked so far for me in VA/DC area.

Pneumatic

I have done a ton of looking around at various radar detectors and one of them will "etch" the alert lights into your existing mirror. I can't remember which company it was now but I found it in one of my gazillion Google searches.

If someone has the cash and the inclination to do it they can keep the stock mirror and have the detector display added. Here is a thread I was reading about making it a DIY job.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=52214

Seems complicated and I would have to have about a dozen mirrors on hand to replace the ones I screw up.

Edit: I found the company. Apparently AI Design in Westchester NY will install a complete V1 based system including etching the display into your mirror for around $3k so go for it!!

And if you want to go the easy route you can just get the clip-on.

http://www.radar-detector-shop.co.uk...r-detector.htm

RHMax

That's just too much to spend when you can get away with $300 or less for something as effective.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

3K, that's rediculous. I'd invest 3K in an S/C or Turbo and outrun the cops first...

In the 25 years I've been driving, I may have paid a total of $400 dollars in speeding tickets. 3K can buy a lot of better mods...

HD00369

I have my X50 to the left side of the mirror. I also have it hard wired in, I ran the wire down the drivers side pillar. I did not have to remove the pillar jsut used a flat screw driver to push wire in. I think that it looks good in this location. The only problem is that it sometimes raddles if the metal clip hit the window, but I now know the sound it makes so I just move it away, and all is good.

Gadgetemt

I recall a simple remote readout for the V1. This could be mounted in an out of the way (but visible spot) possibly in the cubby below the Cassete/CD slots.