[zzinco79]

This is my setting.

Let me see yours.

[Dankim10]

I see your Sony digital camera!

[Josh49]

I also have the 8500 x50. Did you hardwire yours to the sunroof like a lot of people are doing, or to the fuse box? I had mine hardwired to the fusebox in my A4, and am planning to do the same on this car once I get some free time.. If you did go to the fuse box any advice or lessons learned looking back?

Thanks,
Josh

[SteveMD]

The 8500 X50 has a rear facing detector. Can yours see out the back window that high up?

[chuckie]

I also have an Escort 8500. It works great but rattles like crazy.

The front of the detector touches the windshield and I think this is what is causing the rattles.

Anyone ever figure out how to mount it to the windshield without rattling?

Anyone use a different mount like a visor mount?

[Matbrach]

My 8500 rattles alot too, I plan to get some of those felt pads you use for table legs and cut them up and adhere them to the tiny ridges on the detector (well away from the sensor).

My setup is ver similiar to zzinco79's except mine is on the right (passenger) side of the mirror.

[zzinco79]

I just used auxillary power adapter which you can purchase from your dealership for $8. Pull out your little flashlight in the passenger side glove compartment and plug your adapter. Did not touch any of sunloof or fuse box.

[chuckie]

How does this work? Does it the aux power adapter allow you to plug in the Escort power plug?

How did you wire the power plug from the Escort into the glove box?

Thanks,

Chuckie

Originally Posted by zzinco79

I just used auxillary power adapter which you can purchase from your dealership for $8. Pull out your little flashlight in the passenger side glove compartment and plug your adapter. Did not touch any of sunloof or fuse box.

[chuckie]

I have tried felt pads and plastic pads. In the Houston heat, they quickly melt and fall off because the ridges don't allow a lot of surface area for the glue. As a matter of fact, the two plastic pads fell off and fell into the defrost vents on the windshield. Hopefully they won't block any of the vents.

I may try super-glue or using a heat-gun next.

Chuckie

Originally Posted by Matbrach

My 8500 rattles alot too, I plan to get some of those felt pads you use for table legs and cut them up and adhere them to the tiny ridges on the detector (well away from the sensor).

My setup is ver similiar to zzinco79's except mine is on the right (passenger) side of the mirror.

[jimf15e]

Originally Posted by Josh49

I also have the 8500 x50. Did you hardwire yours to the sunroof like a lot of people are doing, or to the fuse box? I had mine hardwired to the fusebox in my A4, and am planning to do the same on this car once I get some free time.. If you did go to the fuse box any advice or lessons learned looking back?

Thanks,
Josh

I bought a DirectWire Smartcord. Ran the wire from the detector (mounted by the mirror like others), along the headliner, down the A-piller, and into the glove box. Tapped into the Homelink fuse (lots of extra amperage available there), then ziptied everything out of the way. For the remote, I ran it out the left side of the glove box and hid the wire along the console, just behind the ashtray/sunglass holder. The remote is basically wedged out of the way in the little crevice between the two. Looks pretty clean and neat, and the remote is very convenient. It's amazing how nice it is to have the mute down by the gear selector/iDrive.

[wuufer001]

My rattles like anything but the interesting thing is that only on my E90 it does that, on the C320 there is no such thing as rattling. I also use the X50. My brother bought the Valentine 1 and it had a rubber piece at the place where the radar contacts the windshield. really smooth and quiet. Does anyone have a good solution?

[zzinco79]

Originally Posted by chuckie

How does this work? Does it the aux power adapter allow you to plug in the Escort power plug?

How did you wire the power plug from the Escort into the glove box?

Thanks,

Chuckie

Ok, here is diagram... the phone line is going into the space between your windshield and roof. nothing like into the sunloof or light house. Just go all the way to the right upper corner and you will see the the airbag panel. Put the line through that gap. Use flat head screw driver is really help.

[chuckie]

Thanks for the diagram!

Did you have to buy the hardwire kit for the Escort or did you just use the power adapter that comes with the radar?

Originally Posted by zzinco79

Ok, here is diagram... the phone line is going into the space between your windshield and roof. nothing like into the sunloof or light house. Just go all the way to the right upper corner and you will see the the airbag panel. Put the line through that gap. Use flat head screw driver is really help.

[canucklion]

tonnes of pictures and DIY instruction for a Valentine hardwire install

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1609

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by zzinco79

I just used auxillary power adapter which you can purchase from your dealership for $8. Pull out your little flashlight in the passenger side glove compartment and plug your adapter. Did not touch any of sunloof or fuse box.

Wow I like this solution, very creative, however I do like the flashlight charged if needed. How was running the cord behind the headliner and a-pillar? Is it clean? I haven't really looked too hard into it yet..

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by jimf15e

Tapped into the Homelink fuse (lots of extra amperage available there), then ziptied everything out of the way.

Questions about this - first off, is this tap only charged when the ignition is on (a must so not to drain the battery and have to hit on/off all of the time) and where exactly is this fuse located..

I will probably try tackling hardwiring this weekend if the weather is nice, so I apologize I haven't looked around that side of the car too much yet..

[jasmoss]

If you have the 8500 X50, you shouldn't mount it that high on the windeshield. When a cop shoots laser at you, he aims at either the headlights or the license plate because those are the two most reflective spots on your car. Therefore, if you have it mounted that high, the detector is unable to pick up the laser and won't let you know that a cop is shooting at you. The radar detector should be mounted just high enough to see over the windshield wipers and high enough to see over the back seats for the rear laser detection. Also, if you have rear tints it also effects the accurary of the laser detection. All in all, unless you have a laser jammer, the radar detector shouldn't be mounted high on the windshield.

[ShadowfaxS3]

If the cop is shooting laser at you, you might as well pull over.

What you want is to detect the scatter when he hits the car in front of you.

[zzinco79]

First. I just used phone cable which you can buy from wal-mart, best buy, etc, etc, etc.....

Second. I made my wire goes into a- pillar. There is a black suede or fabrics looking line (see red line) and if you lift them by using flat head driver, you will see a space that you can put your wire (Yellow line is where phone cable go). I sketched on driver's side becuz that passenger side picture is cutted. Make sure that wire goes to passenger side(right side). If you finished this step, you can't see any wires.

Third. You have unplugged them when you trun off the engine. Saddly, they will not trun off automatically. But! better than hurting your car by openning your light-house or fuse box or whatever.

Fourth!!! The position is not really important. If your detector can see the road, it is very very fine. Mine's work perfect! Just make sure your detector is ground level.

[zzinco79]

Originally Posted by Josh49

Wow I like this solution, very creative, however I do like the flashlight charged if needed.

Buy a better flash light for 10 bucks

[Josh49]

Its funny you mention that. Right after I typed that I remembered that I have a huge maglight in my trunk. 4 D batteries. Great flashlight, and it weighs a lot, perfect to have in the trunk if anyone really pisses me off on the road..

[zzinco79]

Originally Posted by Josh49

Its funny you mention that. Right after I typed that I remembered that I have a huge maglight in my trunk. 4 D batteries. Great flashlight, and it weighs a lot, perfect to have in the trunk if anyone really pisses me off on the road..

Make sure to hit his/her head!!!