[blk335i08]

is there somewhere else to plug it in besides having an ugly wire going down to the ash tray?

[Carnage]

Originally Posted by blk335i08

is there somewhere else to plug it in besides having an ugly wire going down to the ash tray?

you can hard wire it or do a search to see if someone sells something similar to this that will work on a BMW. I use this to mount my V1 right under the drivers side visor in my C6. It has taps that go into the power and ground of the plug that goes into the back of my rearview mirror.

http://www.invisicord.com/order.html

[gonzo]

^Where the hell have you been? Not that many witty folks on here any more....

[Carnage]

Originally Posted by gonzo

^Where the hell have you been?

Busy as hell. Been to Texas a couple of times, spent a couple of weeks in the Dominican Republic. Work has been nuts so no time to harass people on the forum.

Talking to companies in the DFW area now about moving back there. I'm tired of only being able to drive my Vette 8-9 months of the year.

[blk335i08]

Originally Posted by Carnage

you can hard wire it or do a search to see if someone sells something similar to this that will work on a BMW. I use this to mount my V1 right under the drivers side visor in my C6. It has taps that go into the power and ground of the plug that goes into the back of my rearview mirror.

http://www.invisicord.com/order.html

Cool! how difficult is the install? It says it plugs into the mirror, will it work with the visor too?

[Carnage]

Originally Posted by blk335i08

Cool! how difficult is the install? It says it plugs into the mirror, will it work with the visor too?

install takes 2-3 minutes tops. I have a mount from this company that works with the visor but they also make one that mounts under a rearview mirror.

http://www.greatlakestrophies.com/

Click on the link for Corvette C5/C6 items then go about halfway down the page and you'll see the mounts.

[blk335i08]

Originally Posted by Carnage

install takes 2-3 minutes tops. I have a mount from this company that works with the visor but they also make one that mounts under a rearview mirror.

http://www.greatlakestrophies.com/

Click on the link for Corvette C5/C6 items then go about halfway down the page and you'll see the mounts.

Will that fit on a 335i?

[Carnage]

Originally Posted by blk335i08

Will that fit on a 335i?

not sure, I don't remember how the visor was screwed in on my 330i. The under the rear mirror mount may have a better chance of working.

[blk335i08]

Originally Posted by Carnage

not sure, I don't remember how the visor was screwed in on my 330i. The under the rear mirror mount may have a better chance of working.

Thanks for all your help, I think I'm going to go with the escort 8500 due to ratings, do you know if there is a mount under the rear view mirror for it?

[Spoolin335]

my V1 has saved me tons of times. we have photo radar in vans and such and it has saved me millions of times from them too.

it has paid for itself 10 times over since i do a lot of highway driving.

[92tripleblack]

Originally Posted by blk335i08

Is the Valentine a wireless radar detector?

Wireless don't work well. Most make better paperweights than detectors.

[92tripleblack]

Originally Posted by blk335i08

is there somewhere else to plug it in besides having an ugly wire going down to the ash tray?

Hard wire like I did.
Takes 1 hour for no experience, 20 minutes with experience, 5 minutes if you've done one in this car before. Very easy, two wires, no screws.

[carrabassett786]

priceless, I need to do a hardwire soon though...

[92tripleblack]

Originally Posted by blk335i08

Thanks for all your help, I think I'm going to go with the escort 8500 due to ratings, do you know if there is a mount under the rear view mirror for it?

Mentioned this before. The Valentine is more highly rated if you use independent web sites. If you use sites that have affiliations with retailers of detectors, they promote the Passport so they can sell it. The Valentine is a better detector by far.

In fact, please anyone post one site which is truly independent and has the passport listed more highly. Can't be done as as far as I've seen it doesn't exist.

Here's one that is correct.
http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html

As for a mount, suction cup works fine. Mine doesn't fall ever and the hard mounts don't offer any addional security, and they are more intrusive than doing a windshield near the mirror like I have done.

I was in the car electrionics intallation biz professionally for 3 years and had a BMW dealership as one of my accounts, and High on the windshield, centered, below the tint, is the optimal mounting location for detection.

I used the Valentine hardwire which has the power voltage conversion built in so you run the right voltage in the detector. You can get it on their site for $20.

[blk335i08]

Originally Posted by 92tripleblack

Mentioned this before. The Valentine is more highly rated if you use independent web sites. If you use sites that have affiliations with retailers of detectors, they promote the Passport so they can sell it. The Valentine is a better detector by far.

In fact, please anyone post one site which is truly independent and has the passport listed more highly. Can't be done as as far as I've seen it doesn't exist.

Here's one that is correct.
http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html

As for a mount, suction cup works fine. Mine doesn't fall ever and the hard mounts don't offer any addional security, and they are more intrusive than doing a windshield near the mirror like I have done.

I was in the car electrionics intallation biz professionally for 3 years and had a BMW dealership as one of my accounts, and High on the windshield, centered, below the tint, is the optimal mounting location for detection.

I used the Valentine hardwire which has the power voltage conversion built in so you run the right voltage in the detector. You can get it on their site for $20.

WOW! Sounds like the V1 is the way to go. Another reason I was going to go for the Escort was it's price. The V1 is like $400. Plus I need a mount under the rear view mirror because I hate the placement and look of the suction cup. Also a hardwire kit. Any good sites for a cheap Valentine?

[Ferg]

Wife got me a V1 for Christmas, hardwired it to the fuse box no problem. Works great, but gets DAMN annoying. I had it on A and it would go off if a gnat shat on the street three miles ahead. Just now switched it to the little "L", seems a bit better, we'll see. Great for highway though.

[Mk23]

Originally Posted by gosox

MK - which hardwire approach did you use?

My friend did a fuse tap and drilled his own ground screw. Said it would be better than the stock one. He owns his own business and does this a lot.

[92tripleblack]

Originally Posted by blk335i08

WOW! Sounds like the V1 is the way to go. Another reason I was going to go for the Escort was it's price. The V1 is like $400. Plus I need a mount under the rear view mirror because I hate the placement and look of the suction cup. Also a hardwire kit. Any good sites for a cheap Valentine?

You get what you pay for. Valentines are only available from Valentine, which is why other sites that sell detectors bash them and promote Passport, etc. The cheapest way I know is to get a used one from a member. Check also the corvette forum, etc. as most high end car forums have owners that occasionally sell one.

[92tripleblack]

Originally Posted by Mk335i

My friend did a fuse tap and drilled his own ground screw. Said it would be better than the stock one. He owns his own business and does this a lot.

Doesn't make a difference. Just more work. Personally, I really stay away from fuse taps. They spread the fuse box and can't be reversed easily. Also, you then have a wire in your fuse box that is a problem, and if you tap the wrong side, the wire isn't covered by a fuse. Bad for an accident. You need to test each side to see which has power and which doesn't, and most people don't do this.

As for better, power is power. Ground is ground. No better at all. Just more work running wires. For example, would a plug in one room be better or worse than one near the fuse box in your garage?

Finally, what you can do better is the way you connect. Again, I have used fuse taps, but don't like them. If you can find a wire locally that provides the correct power, that is usually better. Wire t connectors like they provide stink. These are the fold over type that has a u shaped piece of metal slice through the wire shielding and contact the metal. They are notoriously unreliable.
The second way is to cut and splice. You can do this with black tape, but unless you know how to fold and wrap correctly, it is generally pretty poor as well.

Faster and easier, and very reliable but not 100%, more like 99.8%, is blue butt crimps. Use the crimpers with the tooth that pushes in on one side and the cup on the other side vs the double cup. The double cup ones are a joke.

The best way would be to solder and then cover with heat shrink. More of a PITA but the most reliable out there.

Pick what works, but I'd skip the fuse box. Zero need to do all that work and muck it up anyway.

[BoostedCosta]

i got one for xmas too getting it hardwired this weekend

[Mk23]

Originally Posted by 92tripleblack

Doesn't make a difference. Just more work. Personally, I really stay away from fuse taps. They spread the fuse box and can't be reversed easily. Also, you then have a wire in your fuse box that is a problem, and if you tap the wrong side, the wire isn't covered by a fuse. Bad for an accident. You need to test each side to see which has power and which doesn't, and most people don't do this.

As for better, power is power. Ground is ground. No better at all. Just more work running wires. For example, would a plug in one room be better or worse than one near the fuse box in your garage?

Finally, what you can do better is the way you connect. Again, I have used fuse taps, but don't like them. If you can find a wire locally that provides the correct power, that is usually better. Wire t connectors like they provide stink. These are the fold over type that has a u shaped piece of metal slice through the wire shielding and contact the metal. They are notoriously unreliable.
The second way is to cut and splice. You can do this with black tape, but unless you know how to fold and wrap correctly, it is generally pretty poor as well.

Faster and easier, and very reliable but not 100%, more like 99.8%, is blue butt crimps. Use the crimpers with the tooth that pushes in on one side and the cup on the other side vs the double cup. The double cup ones are a joke.

The best way would be to solder and then cover with heat shrink. More of a PITA but the most reliable out there.

Pick what works, but I'd skip the fuse box. Zero need to do all that work and muck it up anyway.

Well considering my friend has been doing this for a long time and that I know he didn't "muck it up" (he tested for power on each fuse, made sure it was the right one) I am pretty confident everything will work out okay. But if my car blows up I'll PM you.

[Mk23]

Originally Posted by 335i82108

i got one for xmas too getting it hardwired this weekend

Glad to hear it, you'll love it. Today I spotted an unmarked police pickup (wouldn't have known without the V1) with his radar on.