I'm looking for an install method that is as close to looking OEM as possible. The best solution to me would seem to be behind the mirror but I am open to any trick installs that others have come up with. I'm looking for something that can be left installed with the top open and not be overly tempting (perhaps due to my having the wiring permanent?). My unit will probably be a Valentine. Pics will be appreciated.

 

Although your radar detector may be hard wired to the car it is usually not hard wired to the detector itself so you can just unplug it and put it in the glove if you are leaving the top down. I wouldn't chance it regardless of where it is mounted.

 

I'm too lazy and forgetful to bother doing that (and I also feel it just shouldn't be necessary.)

I can make the wire attachment to the detector permanent via expoxy and such if I want to. And then again I could also epoxy the Valentine to the back of the mirror. There is always a way to do something if you want it done. I'm just looking for ideas from others that have solved this already.

 

Well if you really want to leave one in alll the time you got to be willing to do some work or have a shop install one. You can research permantly installed radar dector, the sensors mour behind the grill an somewhere in the rear and then you can have mount in dash for the display, apperently one person had theirs wired into the handbrake indicator light so the car told hit when to hit the brakes because he didn't want to get caught have a detector at all. But remember if someone really wants it they'll get it cabrio or not, so make sure you have insuance (most companies only cover $500 property past the car which is the cost of a V1 with acessories) and don't advertise your gadgets.

 

Your right it shouldn't be necessary but this isn't a perfect world and you drive a highly visible car (park it and hide and watch and see how many people admire it). An epoxied RD in a top down Cabrio might get you a broken mirror and ripped out wires.
This happens once and I guarantee you that you will not be lazy and forgetful afterwards.
If you want total radar stealth and want to keep it from being lifted get the one that mounts in the grill like the BEL 975R Vector Remote Concealable Radar Detector.

 

LOL, Ya, I get that I'll have to do something more than rubberband it to my mirror to make it permanent. With the Valentine being my detector, I am not clear on mounting of any sensors remotely. Is this possible? I do like the handbrake indicator and would like any info that anyone has on that trick.

As for insurance, I've been driving a 1981 Jeep that is valued about $45K with the mods and my insurance company is only insuring it for Blue Book which is about $4K, so I'm not insurance sensitive.

Not advertising my gadgets? It's a MINI. How can one not notice it? I'm gunna have to keep towels handy to clean off the drool.

 

If someone wants to break off a mirror to get the detector, then they are the type to cut the seats as well just for fun. I'm not going to live my life trying to protect myself from people who break mirrors off to get an epoxied detector. (Do note my sig.)I am not looking for total stealth and have no priority for that. I want OEM install look with the Valentine.

 

I've heard there is a way to hardwire the detection portion so there is a spot in the mirror itself that has the detector inside, but I have yet to see it. The post I read wasn't a MINI posting.

Some have hardwired it into the overhead light unit, or even into the clock, but that won't keep any thief from ripping it off because the unit itself is still visible.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=38123

I mount my Valentine above the mirror and a little to the left (I have an MCSC and the limited visibility out the back means we have limited places for mounting). The suction cups are as high up on the windshield as I can manage. I hide the wire by tucking it in along the windshield, down the A-pillar, across the dash (just above the steering wheel and below my instruments), and down to the cigarette lighter. You cannot see the wiring at all. (be sure to pull it as taught as possible as soon as you start tucking the wire, because the wire that Valentine supplies just fits if done right.)

If I'm in a situation where there's a cop with radar coming up alongside me with their window down (and me with my top down, of course), I can pull the power out of the cigarette lighter without advertising that I have to turn off a beeping radar detector unit. This has happened to me a few times. I think it's much handier than hardwiring.

Since the unit itself is visible, I never leave my MINI unattended with the top down.

 

valentine sells a remote readout that is cool, but you still need the unit itself mounted where both the forward and rear facing sensors have a line-of-sight.

the cool thing about the remote readout is that the detector itself goes black, the only lights are on the remote. so if it is up behind a tinted upper window, nobody really sees the detector.

of course, none of this helps if you really plan to leave the top down...

 

I will be buying a V1 soon and was wondering where you mount the remote readout for maximum effectiveness on the Cabrio. I have NAV and was thinking about tucking it behind the steering wheet in front of the Speedo and Tach but fear it may be too big there and hide the gauges.

Where do other people mount this?

Bill

 

I'm presently in test and research mode. I have both the V1 (with remote) and Passport 8500 (red), and so far am leaning towards the V1 cause of the arrows. I'm looking for a 1-into-2 cig lighter power adaptor so I can run both together. The one that loses will be on ebay the next day. Anyway this week (and for the Bakersfield run) the V1 is in the car. The remote fits right on top of the cigarette lighter plug. I also have the console gauge package, and it all looks neat and tidy. Presently I have the coiled cord running behind the left down tube to the V1 sitting on the right end of the euro parcel shelf (yes thats right - completely hidden from sight!!) with a 2" sq piece of velcro. Granted I get about 1/2 the signal strngth, and no laser, but almost all the signals I care about still seem to register even when from far away. Eventually I will probably mount the winner to this clever looking clamp (from Germany I think) I saw last week (ANDY "Authimini" - we're waiting for your post), which straddles the front edge of the dash (no permanent connection, no dash scarring, no hidden wires, no hardwiring, best of all worlds).