[Richwm]

Originally Posted by Chowbow

Just got done with my stealth install. Pics to follow. The concealed display looks great in the vent though and the remote audio is plenty loud enough in the ashtray. Also, with the ashtray lid closed, when the detector goes off, I can just tap the ashtray lid to mute as it's just enough to hit the audio button on the remote audio. Works nicely.

Nice setup Chowbow I like the vent idea here is a pic and link to what I did I think we need to have a separate post for custom installs on the V-1. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...8&postcount=26 and the whole thread http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35659

[Kruz]

I read your installation details, lookn real nice BTW. Unfortunately those with heated seats and hill descent have those controls in that space.

[ontopofm]

Just installed V1, everything works great. couldn't completely take off the pillar but was able to zipped it. here are my mounting locations of gps and v1. i can see the gps better than mounting it in the center of the dashboard. i have the "CAMERA PHOTO ENFORCED ALERT" file for garmin c330 if anyone need it and of course FREE. it alerts you when you come near to an intersection that is photo enforced. works great. thanks guys




________
buy iolite vaporizer

[hl0m4n]

wow really what cool innovative ideas you guys have for v1.

[gloster]

Originally Posted by Chowbow

Quick pics:

Everything else was straight forward and just took a little tweaking... The V1 is mounted with the sunvisor clip, and with velcro on the inside of the 3rd brake light cover. I wanted the velcro there to make sure it stayed put, and prevent it from flying off in an accident. The middle seat is useless now as the V1 intrudes on headroom (I'm 5'8" and my head touches the V1 in that seat).

Great work Chowbow. I do have two questions (at least!)

-- Did you do any personal testing of V1 performance mounted in front versus mounted in back where you have it now?

-- You mention the middle seat is useless. When you need it, can't you just unplug the V1 main unit and take it out of the way? Or are there other things you did which still take up headroom back there?

Thanks

[Chowbow]

gloster,

I did test V1 performance, but not the most scientific because I used different version V1s. I had the "new" latest version V1 purchased 2 weeks ago, in the back.

I had my older v1.7 V1 up front at the windshield. Both were running simultaneously.

Rear protection was obviously better when the detector was mounted in the rear. However, the "older and inferior" v1.7 still had better frontal sensitivity on the windshield.

I have given my old V1 to my girlfriend and I have moved my current V1 over to the front windshield. It's not illegal, and hides well with the sun-visor if pulled over, so I had no issue putting it up front. I would say that if I were worried about legality say in VA, then I would leave it in the back. It was worth the extra sensitivity for me to put it up front and have it less stealth. All other components remain so far. I may remove the remote audio unit and add a mute cable + power switch so I can power the unit without raising my hand to the detector.

And yes, you can just remove the V1 from the visor mount on the 3rd brake light you wanted to sit a person there.

[FrankoQ]

So I finally pulled the plug and called V1 for a refurbished unit.
They said they did not have any and took my information (cc #).
"We'll call you when we get some"
In 3 days I was surprised to find a package.
it was my V1.
No idea if this was a refurbished unit or a new one.

Anyway, I just did the hard wire install. Thanks to all that contributed to this
DIY.

Extremely easy.
What was hard was to find clean instructions on how to do it.
The DIY section has 2 DIY for V1. One for tapping to the dome light
and the other that seems to tap to wires under the shifter.
This DIY is not there!

How to get to the fuses was another issue.
The instructions on page 1 do not tell you how to get to the fuse box.
I had to read each post until page 4 to find out how to get to it.

For future installs by others, I suggest Josh or someone else to clean up the instructions into a new thread and ask Jason to add them to the DIY list.

My next nuisance was that I bought the wrong fuse tap.
I did not get the mini. I went to Auto zone and found the 2.
I had one on each hand and my choices were:
1) get mini
2) get regular
3) get both

I picked #2 thinking German car. Big German hands built this car, big fuses.

Well I was wrong and that cost me a trip back to Auto zone.

I did the hiding of the wire Josh style not Ettil style.
From there on, all was easy easy.

[TeeG]

Great thread. Question: this should work the same for an escort 9500i, correct?

http://www.escortradar.com/9500i-accessories.htm

[wesley_willis]

hey chowbow, so do you recommend the v1 on the 3rd brake light? i've been thinking of so many ways to have a stealth v1, mostly because of theft issues. however, if the range suffers, i would rather deal with the hassle of taking it down everytime.

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by TeeG

Great thread. Question: this should work the same for an escort 9500i, correct?

http://www.escortradar.com/9500i-accessories.htm

Yep. Should be pretty much the same thing...

[Chowbow]

I wouldn't recommend it if you are that worried about range. Depends which is more important I guess. You can just try it on the 3rd brake light first and if it doesn't work well enough for you then put it back on the windshield. I ended up with mine on the windshield because it's not illegal here, and I'm not worried about theft either honestly...

[ChiefRes]

First off, a big thanks to Josh for this detailed how-to post. I scoured this thing before I decided on buying a V1, as I can't stand the thought of that cord hanging down in my face.

I have a 2007 Z4M Coupe, and I'd like to hardwire my V1 to the fusebox in the manner you guys have done. I have a couple of problems, though.

I'm not sure what fuse to tap in to. The little card "key" is just pictograms, and I'm not sure which is to a good switched supply. As my car does not have Homelink, I am at a loss.

Also, the fuse box is extremely tight. I'm not sure I'll even be able to use the fuse tap at all, much less get the V1 adaptor and a ground wire in place.

I'm going to persist and see if I can get it going, but I'd like to hear some thoughts on the matter. Thanks in advance!

[Josh49]

Hey, no problem..

Can you take some pictures for us to help you to see what there is to work with? Maybe a pic of the fuse card, and a pic of the fuse box.

The fuse tap doesn't stick out much at all, and the v1 hardwire cord box isn't that big. I'm sure you can tuck them in somewhere..

Where are you trying to locate the detector, up near the rear view?

Oh, and post a pic or two of the whole car..

As for which fuse to tap, anything off the top of your head (maybe accessory wise) that turns on and off with the ignition? Do your 12v socket's turn on and off with ignition?

[g5pot]

Originally Posted by Kruz

I tried both directions...you must have a diff fuse panel layout than what I posted in the pics above. I had fuses in both directions.

I have the same fuse box setup as Kruz.
While installing, I had to come back on the forum and look through all the pages on this thread just to find what I was looking for, Kruz's post.
I'm having the same problem were the mini fuse tap won't go in all the way because of the other fuses. I also have to bend both fuses so the fuse tap goes in all the way. Tried both directions and on each side there are fuses keeping it from going in all the way.

[ChiefRes]

Here's the fuse card:


Here's the fuses (impossible to convey how small this area is!):


Oh yeah, here's the car itself:


The more I look at this job, the more I think it's going to be much easier to just tap into the mirror lighting. In this car, there is not a really good route to run the power cable across and down the A-pillar into the fusebox like there is in the E9x. For instance, if I were to get it down the A-pillar, it would simply have to be visible on the side of the dash. No way to hide it as it goes into the glove box. Anyway, thanks for the help and guidance! Great post.

[Chowbow]

Check out the empty slots first. Use a voltmeter to see if they turn on with the ignition. Running the wire down the a-pillar is not difficult. In fact it's easier to pull off the a-pillar panel than trying to run the wire down some little rubber weatherstrip. There's 1 bolt holding it on behind the airbag tag, and that's it. There's tons of wires behind that panel... where do you think the wires for the lights etc. come from?

Heck, if it's too much of a paint then just pay a good stereo shop to do it, it's a cakewalk for them to do detectors.

[Kruz]

Knock on wood....my bent fuse taps have been working great so far!

[FLTreeTirdy]

has anyone done this on a 08 model 335? i do not really want to run it all the way from the right side of the car. are there any other spots that come on with the acces.? i looked at the map light thing but that turns on no matter what on my car.... so that does not work.

[wrh3]

Originally Posted by FLTreeTirdy

has anyone done this on a 08 model 335? i do not really want to run it all the way from the right side of the car. are there any other spots that come on with the acces.? i looked at the map light thing but that turns on no matter what on my car.... so that does not work.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpost.php?p=166979 -using the Homelink wire You don't have to worry about the a-pillar airbag this way either....

[Chowbow]

Just route the wire BEHIND the airbag. There's a wire cluster running down the a-pillar already... It's way easier and cleaner to wire it that way than rip out the map light up top.

[snareman]

I've had my car in for service 3 times in its first 5k miles - 2 computer updates (with the computer being replaced one of the times) and then for a fuel pump replacement a few days ago. I'm not exactly optimistic that I'm not going to have more problems in the future (incidentally I had my G35 4 years and never had 1 problem).

Anyway, so if I do the fusebox wiring for my V1 and have to take it back to the dealer for anything, if they noticed that I've added this wiring and fuse tapping and all, will they care or do anything to my warranty?

I've had my car for about 6 months now and this thread has finally motivated me to go and get the stuff to install my V1 so I don't have that darned cord hanging down. Thanks for a great thread and tutorials!

[snareman]

Originally Posted by ChiefRes

Oh yeah, here's the car itself:

Sweet car!!