Where are you putting your radar detector?
 

Has anybody done a clean install of one yet? If not, where do you put it?

Pics would be appreciated!

I've always heard that the higher up on the windshield, the greater the range of the radar detector. Does anyone know if this is true?

i have my valentine wayyyy up...right behind the rear view...that way i dont have to look at it...other advantages: buttons are closer to you and it has a better "vision" of whats ahead/behind u. no pics yet. but i will post when i get it hard wired.

Yes with radar but not with Laser. This is from Escort's site:

Can I mount my detector on my sun visor?
We generally do not recommend mounting detectors on the sun visor because the dark tint at the top of most windshields significantly reduces laser detection range, and the GPS-powered features of the Passport 9500i will not function if satellite reception is blocked. So, we do not include a visor mount as a standard accessory. While not recommended, we do offer an optional visor mount that can be seen by clicking this visor clip link.

As a rule of thumb, a lower detector mounting position is better for laser and a higher position is better for radar. But, in most vehicles, the difference in height between the top and bottom of the windshield is not enough to make any perceptible difference in radar reception. It's best to mount your detector where it has a clear field of view front and rear (plus a clear view of the sky for the Passport 9500i), and where you can see it without obstructing your own view of the road.

I was planning on tinting my front to 50%. Has anyone experienced problems with radar detection using light tint in the front?

Very interested in seeing installation pics. Who is going to be first?

i wouldnt recommend tinting your windshield. if you (god forbid) get into an accident then insurance wont cover it because tint "affects your vision/driving ability...they're even picky about a lil tint strip at the top (if it doesnt come from the factory)

My Valentine is mounted just above the 3 pods, I have it attached to the window, but I'm looking into making a custom bracket that mounts on top of the pods. In Ca. you can use a radar detector, but it's against the law to have anything mounted to your windshield via suction cups, including Navs, phone holders, etc. This is why I need to fabricate a bracket.

Where are you all running the power cord?

for right now...in front of my face. Soon, it will either go up and around the passenger side or straight down behind the dash.

Right underneath the mirror. That's the optimal place to mount it, according to the manual. ssqpolo, putting it behind the mirror obstructs the rear-facing sensors. I'm getting my V1 hardwired tomorrow, but here are some pics from my 350.

If you have a V1 those want to be as high up on the windshield as possible while still having a clear view out of the rear window. Best would be to hard wire the V1 in that position so the cord isn't in the way. Haven't seen a good hard wire in a 370 yet though. As for the others Par4BMW is right Escorts want to be in a lower position but again have a clear shot out of the rear for laser and other forms of radar.

If you don't switch the V1 to different vehicles, have it integrated into the rear-view mirror.

Cool I want one.

Ahh okay. Thanks.

Here are pics of the hardwire in my 370.

Did you do it yourself? Writeup?

Working hard I see:
http://www.the370z.com/exterior-inte...html#post28813

my V1 seat right beside my rearview mirror.http://animepisodes.info/images/2aaa...dc081c6541.jpg

Looks like it's been covered, but you have to put it in the middle-ish of your windshield, because if it's a decent one, it will have a reverse sensor that points out the back window. So if you put it too low on your dash, or too high on the windshield, it can't shoot out the back.

use invisicord.
i had it on my g35 and will be using it if i get a 370z.

great and simple.
only works if you have the auto-dimming rearview though....

^^^ Pretty good idea.

Im looking to buy a V1 here in a few days and am confused...on the V1 website they sell them for $399 yet they have some on eBay selling up to like 5-600...is there a difference?

I'm a little weary of permanently attaching the cord, since I believe there are states where they are illegal, and I would like to be able to rip it down in a hurry. If you live in a state where they are legal, and don't travel much, that may not be a concern though.
Also, even if I'm not going to one of the couple states where they are illegal, I still don't want to be cruising next to a cop with it sitting right there in plain sight.

^
technically you don't permantly attach the cord.
it is two pins that you push into your power harness behind your rearview mirror.
you can easily take it out.

i think only couple of states are illegal for the radar.
virginia for sure...

i got pulled over and the cop jokingly said..."that v1 didn't work this time?"
lol.

Has anyone ever used this....seems pretty slick!

Blendmount

Don't need one.....my wife is the Senior Police Dispatcher where we live.

^
thats awesome

When you say it's not permanently attached, can you quickly take it down?

On a side note, a week after I got my escort I was cruising down an empty road waiting for my girl to get off of work. I was in the industrial part of town, which looks abandoned after 5:00pm. I didn't see a car or person anywhere, so I decided to stretch the legs of the trans am I was driving. I got up to good speed, then the fuzz buster started going off. I slowed down quickly to below the speed limit. When it really started beeping, I glanced over to my right to find a motorcycle cop wedged between two buildings that were close together with his radar gun out. It paid for itself that one time.

It would take the same amount of time as it would take you to unplug your V1 if it wasn't hardwired. It uses a phone chord style power plug. You just push the tab down and pull the chord out.

Maybe I'm missing something here. But what difference does hardwiring make? Even if it's hardwired, it still plugs into the unit with the same phone-cord type connector. i.e., you just unplug the cord by pushing the tab down and pulling it out. The only difference invisicord makes is in the ease of installation. You don't need to run the wire along the headliner and down the A-pillar and then tap into a switch-wire underneath the dash. But as far as pulling the cord out of the actual unit goes, it makes zero difference in how long it takes, as hardwiring doesn't change the phone-cord style connector or anything.

This is what I've been using on my 350z. There's a guy on the other forum that makes and sells these mounts. I think this is better than using the suction things.

^^ That's pretty cool. It'd make it difficult to hang a parking permit though.

Yezziirrr... I have mine mount very low next to my gauge pod. I don't like it in my field of view while driving.

mine's still on the glass next to the cluster on the right hand side. i didnt want to block my forward view.
as for power i have the V1 power module hardwired to the fuse box and using the coil wire to the detector.

hey if anyone has a dead suction cup for their radar detector bracket, try this DIY... lol

http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...-detector.html

I have like 4 extra suction cups. But thanks. :tup:

agreed

I have 55% tint on my windshield and never considered this. Could my tint be preventing my radar detector from working at its full potential?

It depends on tint. I have Ceramic in all my cars (except my daily beater, but it still seems to do fine through the rear glass, although I can't compare detection distance.), which has no effect on a radar detector except regarding laser detection, but if you detect laser, you're done, anyway unless you are actively jamming.

I always recommend people pony up and pay for Huper Optik or Pinnacle F1. You need to use Pinnacle on curvy glass, might get away with Huper on flat glass like in the 370Z. I just use Pinnacle on everything.