04TSXACG

Was interested in installing an integrated radar detector. Any suggestions/comments on product, ease of installation?

Simba91102

Yeah, I'd be interested too, though I think this is one of those ideas that sounds good on paper, but in practice not so much (here with the sand and salt all winter anyway) (in the Northeast). I went the windshield route with my Valentine, but hard wired it off the mirror with an invisicord (www.invisicord.com).

merlinsbeard101

Can you go into more detail on the invisicord thing? I'd be very interested in it. Does it just plug straight into the mirror?

Simba91102

Sure..... it's an easy install. The cord comes in a couple of lengths (not sure exactly.... short and shorter I guess). It's just a piece of black modular cord (think telephone wire for a modular jack) with soldered bare wires on one end with a modular connection on the other end (again, like the ones that plug into a phone) that plugs into the radar detector (at least that's what plugs into the Valentine, the higher end Passports, and I'm sure many more). Reach behind the rear view mirror and there's a wired plug that easily unplugs. Take the cord and you can then insert the soldered bare wire ends (they're like pins that piggyback into the OE wire connection) into the respective exposed connections on the plug from the mirror (included instructions tell you what goes where). Plug the connector back into the mirror and you'll now have switched power. Connect it to your detector and you're ready to go. Sorry if I make it sound messy, but it's not...... really. You should be able to find more info on their web site. A hard wired, switched, detector is a HUGE upgrade with no more hanging cords (and you don't even have to turn the thing on and off). And once you've lived with one for awhile.... it's tough to go back.

merlinsbeard101

Sounds good! I've had mine for almost a year and just have it hang over the console. And I have a few other questions.

Where do you put yours on the windshield? It seems like with this, you would need to put it up higher on the windshield instead of down low.

Also, when you leave your car, do you always unplug your detector and put in the glove box or something? Or do you just leave it out and plugged in the whole time?

Simba91102

I've always had mine either hanging off the passenger side sun visor (in the old days)(I've been using one of these pretty much since the technology was introduced with the original "Fuzzbuster" back in the mid 70's), or more recently (with the arrival of the suction cup brackets) stuck to the windshield. And I've always had it right up next to the rear view mirror (passenger side), so the cord off the mirror was a natural for me. Mounting it higher doesn't block any of the windshield and I think provides a clearer path for the detector (which though they can receive signals from over the hill and around corners, operate on basically a line of sight). And with it up next to the mirror, it's kind of hidden, or at least not so obvious. I don't worry about it being vulnerable to theft, but that's something that you (or anyone I guess) would have to decide on based on your (or their) circumstances. One other thing... if you do move your detector up near the mirror, keep it below the tint. I've read that the tinted band on the top of the windshield can reduce the range of the detector.

merlinsbeard101

Ok just ordered it! Can't wait for it to come! And thanks for the info!

rhannahs19

valentine 1 is so sick, i miss it so much

you'll be very happy with the accuracy of the v1

pdpgps

I have the invisicord for my beltronics sti driver as well. It is as mentioned before, these two alligator clips that kinda just get inserted into the back of your autodimming mirror (power source) and voila, you got a hardwired radar. For those of you guys running escort or beltronics radar detectors I'd recommend this over the stock suction cup mount.


That kind of mount actually reduced the recoil of bumps and potholes that soemtimes completely dropped my radar from the windshield cause the suction cups were too weak.

Simba91102

Thanks for the tip, but..... my Valentine has been stuck on the windshield (with the OE suction cup mount) since, well..... forever I guess. If I did/do have a problem in the future though, I'll keep this mount in mind.

rhannahs19

be careful about leaving the v1 in the window, they get stolen very quickly