[bluesmachine]

Question: I am thinking of purchasing a dash-mounted radar detector (Escort) for my X3. It would be one that is powered by the cigarette lighter.

The cig. lighter for the X3 is right in the middle of the center console and whether by beanbag or suction cups the cord would run right through the Nav screeen, etc...

I wouldn't use it all the time but probably more often than not.

Does anyone have any pictures of their mount or has anyone purchased a radar detector? Curious..

I know I can spend more and do a custom install, but just curious about the above right now.

Thanks.

[April1]

http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showth...Radar+detector

[Babbage]

Originally Posted by bluesmachine

Question: I am thinking of purchasing a dash-mounted radar detector .

How about an alternative?

Radar detectors are illegal in many places, detector detectors exist, and with LASER traps I see their utility decreasing anyways.

I suggest a smart phone app instead:
https://market.android.com/details?i....android&hl=en

[Evlengr]

All ther reson to get both now. Laser Jammer and Radar Detector with GPS for Camera locations. btw Beltronics and Escort are the same company.

[April1]

It's always a difficult choice between Escort 9500ix and Valentine V1

[RhoXS]

Originally Posted by Babbage

Radar detectors are illegal in many places, detector detectors exist, and with LASER traps I see their utility decreasing anyways.

My own experience indicates differently.

I typically go a true 9 miles above the posted speed limit. My theory being that less than 10 miles over the limit significantly reduces (but does not eliminate) my chances of being stopped and minimizes the associated consequences if you are stopped. Also, 9 miles above the speed limit, realistically, does not consequentially reduce the margin of safety. I have driven for almost 50 years now and this theory has served me very well. Nevertheless, I do not want to be stupid about tempting fate so it is worthwhile to slow down to two or three miles above the speed limit when enforcement is in the immediate vicinity. My Valentine Ones (one in each car) have done and continue to do an excellent job warning of radar equipped enforcement.

There are times, albeit not frequently, where a sense of urgency (family member needing a bathroom, late for a meeting that one cannot be late for, etc.) requires more than 9 miles above the speed limit. The radar detectors are certainly not in any way a fool proof get out of jail free card but they certainly do help and, over the years, have saved me more than once.

I would be very uncomfortable without one. In a sense it is a security blanket that has some value but should not be depended upon to protect from every evil policeman with a desire to write a ticket. If the desire is strong enough, and the policeman is smart enough, the radar detctor has no value, even the outstanding Valentine One. Fortunately, the overwhelming number of people out there using radar speed measuring devices do not use them to their maximum advantage.

BTW, Escort, years ago, when it was Cinncinatti Microwave, made an outstanding product. In 1998 I purchased an expensive Escort not realizing Cincinnatti Microwave went belly up years previously. The Escort I had was not very good; it was subject to too many false alarms and lacked great sensitivity. Although I no longer remember the specific problem, I do remember their customer service sucked. In my opinion, if you want a truly good radar detector, the Valentine One is the only one to buy. Valentine also has excellent customer service.

[Alanintx]

Originally Posted by RhoXS

My own experience indicates differently.

I typically go a true 9 miles above the posted speed limit. My theory being that less than 10 miles over the limit significantly reduces (but does not eliminate) my chances of being stopped and minimizes the associated consequences if you are stopped. Also, 9 miles above the speed limit, realistically, does not consequentially reduce the margin of safety. I have driven for almost 50 years now and this theory has served me very well. Nevertheless, I do not want to be stupid about tempting fate so it is worthwhile to slow down to two or three miles above the speed limit when enforcement is in the immediate vicinity. My Valentine Ones (one in each car) have done and continue to do an excellent job warning of radar equipped enforcement.

There are times, albeit not frequently, where a sense of urgency (family member needing a bathroom, late for a meeting that one cannot be late for, etc.) requires more than 9 miles above the speed limit. The radar detectors are certainly not in any way a fool proof get out of jail free card but they certainly do help and, over the years, have saved me more than once.

I would be very uncomfortable without one. In a sense it is a security blanket that has some value but should not be depended upon to protect from every evil policeman with a desire to write a ticket. If the desire is strong enough, and the policeman is smart enough, the radar detctor has no value, even the outstanding Valentine One. Fortunately, the overwhelming number of people out there using radar speed measuring devices do not use them to their maximum advantage.

BTW, Escort, years ago, when it was Cinncinatti Microwave, made an outstanding product. In 1998 I purchased an expensive Escort not realizing Cincinnatti Microwave went belly up years previously. The Escort I had was not very good; it was subject to too many false alarms and lacked great sensitivity. Although I no longer remember the specific problem, I do remember their customer service sucked. In my opinion, if you want a truly good radar detector, the Valentine One is the only one to buy. Valentine also has excellent customer service.

100% Agreement

[XenaBimmer]

FYI, I never ended up hardwiring my Escort. I bought the optional 10ft straight cord w/ the cig adapter at the end and ran the wire inside the drivers door jam and under the dash over into the center console which has a cig lighter power source. This way it looks hardwired and the radar turns on with the ignition and off a few minutes after the car is turned off without the need of ripping apart the dash to find a good source to hardwire into. I tried the overhead console as suggested in the linked thread above, however, was unable to get it to work after 2 hours of trying different power and ground sources.
This is what I used:
https://www.escortradar.com/store/ne...ight-cord.html

[richardew]

Radar detectors are illegal in many places, detector detectors exist, and with LASER traps I see their utility decreasing anyways

The only place they are illegal in the US is Virginia and DC. I drive I95 the length of Virginia 6 times a month (3 round trips) and always use my Valentine 1. You can't just plug it in and go like hell. You have to know the habits of the police on the roads you travel. It has paid for itself many times over. As far as detector detectors is concerned, they are absolutely worthless. There are too many radar detectors on the road for them to be useful (that's coming from more than one trooper).
Lasar is hard to beat but it has to be stationary. The troopers in Maryland on I95 use them but you can spot them sitting in the crossovers and slow down. I have a pad on the dash that I place my V1 on. They sell them in all the auto stores. I hardwired my V1. I ran a wire from the fusebox in the back to the front of the car. I got a thing called add a fuse and used the one for the homelink. I use the remote display by the a pillar on the left. I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it.
rich

[RhoXS]

Originally Posted by richardew

The only place they are illegal in the US is Virginia and DC. I drive I95 ...

I guess ignorance is bliss. Last summer my wife and rode the Autotrain to Lorton, Va and then spent a few days in DC before we returned the same way. Not once did I even think about the legality of a radar detector while there. I have it mounted high on the windshield to the left of the center assembly so it is not easily seen from outside the car.

[jdmass]

Has anyone installed Valentine One's Savvy accessory? It powers the V1 through the OBD2 port and adds a speed dial that automutes radar alerts below the set speed. Sounds very handy.

I got interested in it because I'm having a bear of a time trying to remove the upper center console to hardwire my radar detector. I've had four previous BMWs and have hardwired each one this way, but the console on the X3 is slightly different and seems to be a lot tighter! I've located the front metal clips and have applied as much pressure as I dare to -- basically I'm too chickensh*t yank like hell cause I've never had to use this much force before, and I really don't want to break or damage it.

So, I've given up and was actually (heaven forbid!) considering plugging into the cigarette lighter and dealing with unsightly wires, when I checked out the V1 site and found this device. I think this may be the answer to my problems.

I'm ordering one and will report on the results.

[XenaBimmer]

Originally Posted by jdmass

Has anyone installed Valentine One's Savvy accessory? It powers the V1 through the OBD2 port and adds a speed dial that automutes radar alerts below the set speed. Sounds very handy.

I got interested in it because I'm having a bear of a time trying to remove the upper center console to hardwire my radar detector. I've had four previous BMWs and have hardwired each one this way, but the console on the X3 is slightly different and seems to be a lot tighter! I've located the front metal clips and have applied as much pressure as I dare to -- basically I'm too chickensh*t yank like hell cause I've never had to use this much force before, and I really don't want to break or damage it.

So, I've given up and was actually (heaven forbid!) considering plugging into the cigarette lighter and dealing with unsightly wires, when I checked out the V1 site and found this device. I think this may be the answer to my problems.

I'm ordering one and will report on the results.

I was able to remove the upper console, but about broke my fingers in the process; trust me, it's not worth it. Do what I did with the long and straight power cord into the arm rest console and you can't even see the wiring, thus it all appears hardwired

[Lucky13]

Don't know about the X3 since I own a 335i but I'm getting ready to hardwire my escort this weekend. The place to hardwire on the 335i is the fuse box and you run the wire along the headliner and never see it. I don't know why its any different on an X3.