Does the V1 interfere with the drivers visor when mounted on the left side of the rear view mirror?

 

Duffer-
I have mine mounted very high on the windshield just to the left of the rear view mirror. I have not had any problem with the visor other than the V1 is hidden when the visor is down. The V1 is in the way to put the visor completely down in the forward position. Because the visor is small I don't think I would ever put it in a completely forward anyhow.

 

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Has anyone identifed a switched power source yet? There has to be one up there.

Thanks for the write up and DIY info!

 

I looked and looked for a switched power source and couldn't find one. That purple/blue wire is the 12v control line for that entire top panel. (That line is what sits on the off side of all of those toggles; from what I've figured and took readings from and just doesn't turn off like a regular on/off line due to the lights and things that turn on automaticly.)

I'm sure there is a 12v hard toggle somewhere in the car, but for ease of installation I hooked up it this way and didn't want to go too much further in removing panels, routing wires and all that jazz.

I just turn the unit off when I turn my car off Even when I don't, it does lose power a few minutes after the car is off.

 

How are people running the wire from the direct wire kit to the concealed remote?

 

why do you need to find a power switch? What does it mean when one of the post said..."It gets annoying when you open the car door/hatch and the radar fires up". Mine doesnt turn on until I start the car and once i turn the car off, the radar goes off right then and there.

 

same here, except i attached it to the purple and DARK blue wire first [not purple and light blue, then it didnt work, then realized it was the wrong wire, so i had to brake the blue clip off and had to pay 1 dollar to get a new one so right now i have a lovely dangling wire! ughhh

 

Pray tell, what color wire did you connect to?

 

How do you get the wire behind the A pillar? Does it have to be removed?

Just trying to get everything line up for the project tonight.

 

On my '06, I was able to pry the A-pillar away just a bit with a flat bladed screwdriver wrapped in blue painters masking tape (to help prevent scratching the plastic).

I hang my radar detector by the sunvisor clip on the headliner... much like the units pictured on the first page. My one innovative install with this is how I set up the remote... a very clean install that looks very factory but is still in the periphery vision of the driver when the lights go off...

 

Very nice! How in the world did you do this?

 

Did you run the wire in the windshield side of the a-pillar, or the door side? Is there a lot of room in there for it?

 

ugh ugh ugh ugh. people people. you forgot to mention what to do with the groundwire....i had everything right, and it did not work, i was getting so frustrated. i went to my friend at his autoshop and he said it was the ground wire needed to be ligit on the metal frame, not on the gimpy plasticy screw in the center of the compartment where i just guessed to put it. After he told me what to do, and finding the correct screw. easy as pie...

 

I had the same issue with the ground.

 

yup, i scratched up that area to get the paint off so it could make a connection, found a screw after trying 20ish different ones, and then ended up taping it to help re enforce it with electrical tape, and the screw.

 

Just wanted to say thanks to crucial_fiction and everyone else that posted advice on this thread.

I installed my V1 yesterday and with the knowledge gained on here, it was a painless experience, although splicing into a wire on a brand new car can be a little scary .

FWIW, I found a small hole towards the front of the compatrment. I scratched the paint (mostly overspray) off and screwed a #10 sheet metal screw into it for the ground. It's been working great so far.

Again, thank you all very much.

Bill

 

This is an old telephone wall jack fairly close to the color of the grey roof liner. It is held to the roof liner with a roughly 1/16 inch diameter by 1 inch long screw through the plastic part held with a 3/4 inch washer and a wing nut on the top side. Velcro holds the Escort to the plastic block. I hard wired the power line to the Escort as per the instructions elsewhere on the forum. Power goes out within 15 minutes or so of shutting down the car. It powers up as soon as I hit the remote to unlock the doors. The control buttons are easy to reach and it has an unobstructed view to the front.

 

Yes, I forgot to mention the ground...I thought people would know how to find a suitable spot for that...

 

You guys velcroing it directly to the headliner, how are ya doing that? Glueing velcor to the headliner or something???

Oh, and where is the cheapest place to by this "V1" thingy?

 

No cheapest place unless you find a used one. Buy it new from www.valentineone.com.

 

You can check on ebay or craigslist for a used unit. If you buy a used one you can check the serial number on the Valentine One website to see if it has the latest software or if not how much it would cost to upgrade it.

 

I bought some velcro strips from Home Depot and stuck the "hook" half to the top side of the Valentine unit. You don't need the fuzzy half as the hooks stick right to the headliner fuzz.

 

Been looking at this thread with a lot of interest. Great information for installing a regular radar unit with the proper direct wiring kit.

I happen to have a Passport SRX that I took off my BMW 7 series. It's great unit and has paid for itself many time over already.

The SRX is a combination radar/laser detector and a laser shifter. Talking to Passport a few weeks ago, they assured me that it uses the same components you would find on the 9500i, which I also own.

Problem is, the sensor units need to be installed in or around the bumpers, while the radar main sensor, needs to be somewhere in the grill facing out. I have been looking for weeks for a solution, but so far it seems the 2007 MCS is too jam packed with stuff to find any appropriate locations. The radiator is really close to the grill and going all the way top to the very bottom.

If someone has managed to figure this out, I'd be very thankfull for some good info. I do realize I would have to take off the bumpers to install the sensors inside. I am at a loss regarding the location of the main unit, though right now, the unused air scoop looks like a very valid solution - cut a hole in the plastic and hard install the unit right behind it. wiring would have to be creative, but that location would be ideal.

The benefit of the SRX, beside being a great detector overall, are that you end up with a very small control panel somewhere on your dash that provides all the sounds, warnings and control needed. By far the most concealed and elegant solution.

BTW, this air scoop location, could be a solution even for regular units such as the 8500s. One could create a small box with a transparent front and install it inside the scoop. You will not hear or see the unit itself, but the little remote controller could be routed into the cabin and give you the minimal necessary warning and control...

 

OK, just thinking about additonal aspects -

The heat in that location might be prohibitive to installing any sort of electronics. I've heard of people melting the plastic air scoop contour after a long drive, because of heat coming up from the turbo.

On the up side, even if installing the 8500 in there, I believe there is a plug for a remote speaker, so you would end up with both audio and visual indication inside the car...