Guys:

I plan on getting a Radar Detector sometime this week - maybe the BEL 980. ( after all the good reviews I read ).

I have a question on where to mount it.
(1) with suction cups to windshield - the problem I can see with this is that -> these cups advertise the fact u have a detector - i don't want my car to be broken into to search for the detector ( though I would probably take the unit away from the car ).

(2) On the dash - I think the wipers may obstruct the unit - would this result in a *great* loss of detection range ?

(3) How abt mounting it on the top of the instrument panel - just behind the steering wheel - that way its a little more elevated - so the wiper is clear - any problems here ?

(4) anywhere else ???

Please help

Thanks !

 

I've got the Bel980. I've only had it a month or so, no long roadtrips yet so I haven't gotten a good test of it. Plus the cops aren't hanging out at their local speed traps... (maybe something to do with the new Krispy Kreme in town).

Anyway, I keep mine mounted in the center of the window midway between the mirror and the dash. My thought is to give it optimal readings from all sides and front and back. Mounting on the instrument panel or resting on the dash won't give you that.

The suction cups come off the window easily, easier than removing the piece they are mounted to from the detector so you could just yank the whole thing down.

Otherwise you might go for the visor mounting. If you did that though I'd hardwire it otherwise you'll have cord all over the place.

HTH

 

passport 8500 cough cough....

 

Radar detectors are worthless, you tell me how it works when a cop hits you with Laser or instant on? IT DONT WORK. Save the money for a Ypipe or a CAI

 

I beleive otherwise, I recently bought a passport 8500 and love it, it gets cops from a good distance, and always alerts me of things, and blocks out many things like shopping stores etc. In my opinion I think the 8500 at least is great.

 

they will tell you when the cop hits the person a quartermile up the road with laser or instant on....

 

Um no $hit, but once he hits you, you are done, all that radar just told you is that "pull over and take the ticket, and hide me if you are in an illegal state where radars are not legal."

Wow, what a benefit that gives me.

 

You're quite agro towards radar detectors. Did one beat you up when you were a child?

 

Um no, but when I pay $400 for a radar and then get nailed with TWO tickets in 12hrs, that dont help. A RADAR IS nothing but a notification system of you are getting a ticket, either run or pull over.

 

Well it depends on how you speed. If you're going 10-15+ mph faster than traffic... or there isn't traffic, you're toast.

It's not 100% fool proof but I would rather have one than not.

 

so if you agree that it will detect laser when it hits another car further up the road, who wouldnt choose to slow down at that point? so when he does hit YOU, you wont be speeding anymore. of course they wont save you from everything but they arent worthless. sounds like you just had some bad luck.

 

Um the new Laser guns cops have, they dont even get picked up on a radar detector. And I hope you know that a Laser is capabale of hitting your car in like 1billionth of a second. Your radar dectector dont even have the capability of reading that fast.

Laser = Toast period. No matter what radar or what UFO you rolling in.

Instant on = Toast period also. Simple electronics there, only cuts on when he hits you. And yes your radar will notify you that you just got toasted.

 

right, i understand what you're saying as far as when the laser or instant on hits YOU, you are toast. when you're driving dont you notice there are some other cars on the road? your detector (depending on the detector) will register the laser or instant on hitting someone else ahead of you before the cop gets a chance to aim it at you since you are further down the road. im not trying to argue with you i just want to defend radar detectors because they arent as worthless as you are making them seem.

 

I agree with the rest of your statements mostly. However, I have heard of covers that you can put on your license plate that make them impervious to laser (makes sense since laser is light). The cop would then have to hit another flat surface, could be a lot tougher. At which point your laser detection should have gone off and you might be able to slow down.

There's a lot of maybes in there so overall it's pretty hard to beat. I wouldn't call it 100% foolproof though.

As far as beating instant on. Again, your detector will notify you when getting popped.. BUT if the dude up the road gets popped, your detector should alert you to that.

Lastly, pickup up laser on someone elses hit 3/4mi up the road... good luck. Tight and narrow beam, those cances are pretty damned slim.

 

yeah if that happens all they have to do is go to your headlight. they just need a reflective surface for the laser to hit.

 

Exactly, he can hit it for like 3 seconds until he gets a beam that comes back to him.

Obvoisly the license plate is the easiest, but the headlight is a little tougher cause it has to continously keep hitting it until the beam comes back to the gun. Cause 90% of the time the beam gets refracted to the air or to the ground.

Dixit

 

Meanwhile you can be slowing down... heheh

 

or you could get a laser jammer from www.blinder.net and not worry about laser any more.

 

yeah if you believe it works ... they have done too many tests on jammers and found them to be essentially useless snake oil.