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More lights and buttons: Stealth radar detector Smartcord install
Here's better pictures of my hack-job install of an Escort Smartcord for my 9500i detector. Since the mini lacks many empty spaces on the dash, the handbrake console offers many opportunities for new switches, buttons, and lights. The rounded surface is a pain though. Plenty of fun for my Dremel.
Here's the result:
The trim ring around the shifter easily pops off. You can see the Smartcord circuit board with the button, red, and green led:
To remove or loosen the entire handbrake console, there are torx screws in the bottom of the three cupholders. If I ever sell my car, I did find out that the handbrake console part that I drilled into for the button and lights costs around $70 to replace.
For comparison, here's the original non-hardwire version of the Smartcord adapter that came with my detector (great for traveling):
Thanks agranger for the inspiration. His location is more functional since the LED lights are at better eye level, but I never use my detector in dark or silent mode anyway. Also, the space behind the driver dash trim is tighter in the R56, though.
I plan to use the front area of the handbrake cubby for another switch in the future. Stay tuned.
Just a pic of my current Escort 9500i radar detector location. Sorry for the quality. It's visor clipped to the headliner along with some velcro on top to stabalize it. I passed the hardwire along the headliner to the passenger A-pillar down to the fusebox.
Before my rear view mirror car cam, it was more medial up against that bump of the headliner just to the left of the original RVM without touching it. I liked that snug fit better, but now I got no room there.
I'm looking at either a 9500i (or ix) or a 8500 X50... and I'd like to get a similar mounting setup against the headliner near the rearview mirror.
Now, the only substantive difference between the 9500 and 8500 appears to be GPS trickery, and Escort says you need a clear shot of the sky for their GPS to work. Does that mean I might as well just get the cheaper 8500 X50? Or does the 9500-series GPS still work (to a lesser degree, maybe?) with the less-ideal headliner mounting location?
I have the 9500ci in my car. Mounted the GPS antenna under the front cowel. It's a little less sensitive there than mounted externally, but usually only a problem when I'm between big buildings or a road that is cut below ground level.
You really don't want to shield any antenna by a 'roof' and mount it in the headliner. It *might* work. However, even my hand held Garmin units like line of sight to the sky better than being covered by the roof.
2012 MCS Ordered 9/26 Built 10/11 Arrived Port H 11/9 Delivered 11/23
Cold Weather, Sport Package, Sport Suspension, Black Headlight, Anthracite Headliner, HK
As an update, I did get the 9500ix, and have been quite happy with it installed against the headliner. Just a couple months ago I finally got around to wiring up a silence button in the center console, actually.
Does the is unit work well? My ci *built in unit* works better than my year old V1 in our environment. Wife uses the V1 and I usually get signal around 100 yards earlier than she does in the few tests that we've performed.
I'm considering the ix for her, she can't justify needing/wanting another ci, but the false signals drive her nuts.
A risen zombie!!!
MiaMini
