[CrazyFace]

This forum is fantastic! I've been browsing the threads ever since I purchased my GTO last year. In fact two weeks ago was my one year anniversary! :cheers

Question on radar detectors: I live in maryland but travel into virginia fairly regularly (where detectors are illegal ). I was looking into the Escort 8500 X50. Can you simply turn it off? If you get it hard wired in, can you still remove it out of sight? Could I get it hard wired to come from the glove box so it would be easy to put away?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm tired of taking chances out there. One more...is it even worth it if you don't get it hard wired (wouldn't the cord get in your way?)

thanks in advance.

 

[gtx76]

I have mine hard wired and close to the rear view mirror. All you have to do is unplug the wire, (just like a phone cord), and put it in the glove box. Good idea to do that if you leave the car outside for any length of time, smash and grab thieves!

 

[Groucho]

Putting it in your glove box would badly degrade its ability to receive radar and would negate the laser capabilities completely.

My Valentine One is hardwired, with the receiver clipped high up on the headliner (higher is always better) on the passenger side and the remote display on my steering column.

If I had to transit a fascist state like VA where they were illegal, I could always unhook the RG11 plugs and just put it in the trunk.

Actually, I would leave it hooked-up and on, taking my chances, but that's me. :cool

 

[CrazyFace]

sounds easy enough....not too much hassle.

How much does it cost to have it hardwired?

 

[Groucho]

sounds easy enough....not too much hassle.

How much does it cost to have it hardwired?

I did it myself.

Took maybe 30 minutes, and it's a very clean install.

BTW if you're getting a detector, get a V1. Best on the market.

 

[CrazyFace]

thanks groucho. if you don't mind....how did you go about hardwiring it yourself? I've never performed any work on a car before other than changing the oil. :confused

 

[Groucho]

thanks groucho. if you don't mind....how did you go about hardwiring it yourself? I've never performed any work on a car before other than changing the oil. :confused

The Valentine kit makes it easy. I attached the positive into a "hot" wire in the console via the provided guillotine-style wire tap, and attached the ground to a ground. On the V1 (dunno about others) all the wiring between the optional remote display, receiver, and power block is regular 4-wire RJ11-terminated modular telephone wire. all the wiring is routed through the headliner and A-pillar.

Clean, easy.

 

[fattirewilly]

sounds easy enough....not too much hassle.

How much does it cost to have it hardwired?

Pretty easy to wire if you've ever replaced a head unit or any other really minor electric deal.

I agree w/Groucho about the V-1. I have the concealed display mounted in the ashtray, push the tray in and it goes away. The unit is mounted in front of the passenger visor, cliped into the space between the head liner. Can't see it from the side. Its blocked by window tint from the front, and its hard to see from behind, but if you're worried about something from behind, just flip the visor down.

 

[05GTO]

I wired mine into the fuse panel, this connection (red wire) is a switched unfused 12 volt supply.

 

[ShoddyHog]

This forum is fantastic! I've been browsing the threads ever since I purchased my GTO last year. In fact two weeks ago was my one year anniversary! :cheers

Question on radar detectors: I live in maryland but travel into virginia fairly regularly (where detectors are illegal ). I was looking into the Escort 8500 X50. Can you simply turn it off? If you get it hard wired in, can you still remove it out of sight? Could I get it hard wired to come from the glove box so it would be easy to put away?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm tired of taking chances out there. One more...is it even worth it if you don't get it hard wired (wouldn't the cord get in your way?)

thanks in advance.

When I lived in VA, I had a Solo...it was a battery powered unit manufactured by Escort. Loved that thing because I could just tuck it between the visor and roof, and it wasn't visible at all. I even had a couple times where cops with detector detectors alerted to me, and pulled over other cars.

I now have the 8500 x50, and my install is show below. I realize this will not work for you, because this would be plainly visible to any cop on your right or left, but it works for me in Missouri. I've never even condisdered hard-wiring the x50 becuse it has a little unit with a "mute" button where it plugs into the cig. lighter. My assumption was that with that unit and the huge cord, hard-wiring it would be difficult. With my configuration though, it works pretty good because I rest my right wrist on the shifter most of the time, and I don't even have to glance down to hit the "mute" button.

Yes, the x50 can be turned off without unplugging...there's a thumb rotation wheel on the left that controls the volume, and will shut it completely down.

Gerry

 

[MJGTOWISH]

Putting it in your glove box would badly degrade its ability to receive radar and would negate the laser capabilities completely.

My Valentine One is hardwired, with the receiver clipped high up on the headliner (higher is always better) on the passenger side and the remote display on my steering column.

If I had to transit a fascist state like VA where they were illegal, I could always unhook the RG11 plugs and just put it in the trunk.

Actually, I would leave it hooked-up and on, taking my chances, but that's me. :cool

dAMN WERE DID YOU GET THEM RIMS ??

 

[aintmisbehavinn]

Hog, yours is like my setup except I hate the fact no room between the shifter (1,3,6) and the plug in. I want to hard wire mine and hide. Great ideas. I'm wondering how I can use this ashtray space for something else besides smokes (since I quit). Any suggestions? :willy:

 

[fattirewilly]

Here's the ashtray. The actual tray is removed and the concealed display sits in the space previously occupied by the tray. The display is held tight by the heavy duty plastic 3M? velcro (also available for added cost at you local BMW dealer). The unit and concealed display ( unit in the head liner) are hard wired to the hot line and ground going to the cig lighter.

 

[CrazyFace]

hey hog,

I think the Escort Solo S2 cordless is the way to go for my situation. Any reason at all that I shouldn't buy this over the Escort 8500 X50? Is there any real downside other than having to replace the batteries? Please get back to me (especially since you've had both). thanks.

 

[ShoddyHog]

Hog, yours is like my setup except I hate the fact no room between the shifter (1,3,6) and the plug in. I want to hard wire mine and hide. Great ideas. I'm wondering how I can use this ashtray space for something else besides smokes (since I quit). Any suggestions? :willy:

At first, I just plugged it in, and I found I kept hitting the unit when I shifed. Once I turned it to the position in the picture, I found that even when I hit 5th, I don't hit the unit.

I quit smoking a couple years ago, and now use the ash tray for change. Groucho appears to have something installed where the ash tray used to be, but I haven't seen nor asked what he has installed there.

Gerry

 

[ShoddyHog]

Here's the ashtray. The actual tray is removed and the concealed display sits in the space previously occupied by the tray. The display is held tight by the heavy duty plastic 3M? velcro (also available for added cost at you local BMW dealer). The unit and concealed display ( unit in the head liner) are hard wired to the hot line and ground going to the cig lighter.

For the record, I purchased my 8500 X50 before I even considered buying a new car, and in my Bonneville, the X50 would be a good install, even for those in VA or other states that ban detectors. In my Bonnie, there's a cigarette lighter in the roof just aft of the visors in the cluster with the reading lights, and eyeglass holder (garage door opener holder for me). Plugged in there, I could just tuck the excess chord in under the visor, and it was as invisible as the Solo. That's probably the one feature I miss from the Bonnie.

Well...this post hasn't gone the way I meant. What I meant to say was if I had to do it all over again with the GTO in mind, I'd go with the Valentine 1. My install works just fine for me considering I will (eventually) drive my Bonnie again and switching between cars. If the GTO was my only car, I'd go V1. I especially like the remote display.

The X50 does have a big shortcoming in my case...I play rock and metal (when I'm not listening to talk radio on Sirius) at high volumes, and when I do, I have to either slow down or keep a real close eye on the ("dim" at it's brightest setting) display of the X50. I've adjusted everything to max volume, and it helps, but still doesn't cut it. If I do the same install as Groucho, I'm sure I will see those lights come on, and I've read some really good things about the V1.

Gerry

 

[EEZ GOAT]

Putting it in your glove box would badly degrade its ability to receive radar and would negate the laser capabilities completely.

My Valentine One is hardwired, with the receiver clipped high up on the headliner (higher is always better) on the passenger side and the remote display on my steering column.

If I had to transit a fascist state like VA where they were illegal, I could always unhook the RG11 plugs and just put it in the trunk.

Actually, I would leave it hooked-up and on, taking my chances, but that's me. :cool

the inside of your goat look like a cockpit of a aircraft :willy:

 

[EEZ GOAT]

Hog, yours is like my setup except I hate the fact no room between the shifter (1,3,6) and the plug in. I want to hard wire mine and hide. Great ideas. I'm wondering how I can use this ashtray space for something else besides smokes (since I quit). Any suggestions? :willy:

dude is that avatar photo shop or is that real :willy: dont think that would pick up :rofl:

 

[ShoddyHog]

dude is that avatar photo shop or is that real :willy: dont think that would pick up :rofl:

I'm about 99.9999% positive there's a web site where you can go and create the MPH you desire and save it as a jpg file. That sure does have me thinking about a REAL photo though :cool

Gerry

 

[ShoddyHog]

hey hog,

I think the Escort Solo S2 cordless is the way to go for my situation. Any reason at all that I shouldn't buy this over the Escort 8500 X50? Is there any real downside other than having to replace the batteries? Please get back to me (especially since you've had both). thanks.

Well, I'm not a RD expert by any means. All I can say is that when I lived in VA the Solo was the perfect solution, and it was a fantastic unit. If I were in your shoes, I'd consider one of them or the V1.

Gerry