Who's got their radar hardwired?

Ultimate electronics sells the hardwire kit. That detector (IIRC) is the same as the Passport 8500 X-50. I know the hardwire thingy has the same setup as the Passport one. They are like $24 or so.

 

That's pretty much the ticket to success. The glass needs to be clean and room temp, then just get the suction cups a tad moist, and they should stick with no issues.

 

^Done that and fail

 

You aren't getting them too wet are you?

 

Well I'm not licking them if that's what you mean! Like you said, slightly wet. They still don't stick, so hardwiring here I come.

 

Have you considered a sunvisor mount?
Probably the most stealth, though has to deal with the top tint (not as bad as dots though)

 

I have considered that, but I use both visors with the sun daily, so that is not really an option as of this point. The visors dont sit even with the windshield either. They are more angled. I don't think it would work anyway.

 

Sounds like you need the remote mounted sensors. Then the display can go anywhere.

 

^ What's that?

 

This - http://www.google.com/search?q=remote+mounted+radar+detector&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a

 

Only thing with remote mounting radars is that they limit the range. I'm not looking to trade in the Valentine for a cheapy anyways.
Good ideas, but I want to keep the V1

 

I say you should break your windshield and just get a new one without the dots. I just replaced mine and had the option, dots or no dots. I went with dots. Had I known that they'd cause this kind of problem I would have gone the other way.

 

can't you just grab a razorblade and scrape off a few dots?
i don't have the dots, and would rather have them... or a tint strip, to make a detector less visible to thieves.

 

I will try to post a picture of my setup. My Val sits somewhat high above the mirror. It is hard-wired in and, aside from being a little bouncy up there, has a fairly clear view out the back. There seems to be enough laser reflection (from signs and other objects along the roads) that I get a hit on the detector before being "painted" by the actual beam.

 

Are you using the suction cups to hold it up there, cause that's what the OP is having issues with. Maybe he just needs to get a new set of them. I know after a while they get flattened out and they don't stick as well anymore.

 

^Yea, that could be true, they are pretty old. The whole thing with the suction cups though is the fact that they are illegal and I already have a warning on my record about it. I'd just rather not push my luck. If I wasn't going to school to be a LEO, I wouldn't care as much.

Razor blade the the dots idea: I think the dots are imbedded in the glass itself, but to make sure, I will give it a shot tomorrow. Could work. I'll keep ya posted.

Thanks for all the great ideas guys. Keep it coming. There has to be a way around the damn dots!

 

Well the radar detector itself isn't illegal. It's all in the positioning of it. If it's above your mirror, they can't really say it's an obstruction of view...unless your trying to view airplanes in the little spot where it would sit.

If you can't remove the dots, or even if you can, I would try getting a new set of suction cups. They stick for a long time when they are new.

 

Dammit the suction cups aren't illegal, they're of questionable legality.
This is a huge difference (and why lawyers get $500/hr)
Granted, for me, court experence is a career advancing move at this point

Personally, I'd just suction cup it until i could afford a stealth system.

Another option, I've heard about. Mount it in the back of the car. Make sure you or passenger don't block its view of the front. Get a remote display.
The extra 3 feet mean absolutly nothing and you can mount it in a way that no LEO will ever see it.
If I weren't, uhm, wide, I'd rig something like that up.

 

Well you can't legally have anything in the back window either...

Your damned if you do, and your damned if you don't.

 

Hardwired. I honestly don't know where my mounting bracket came from, and aside from being a bit wobbly, it seems to work great (maybe with the kit, but way under-designed if that is the case).
I need to tuck more of the power cord away above the unit.

 

Justin, before my Passport 8500 was stolen out of my car, I had mine hard-wired. I just went and got a 5' telephone jack extension and only used the two appropriate wires, the power and ground, worked great for two years until it was stolen ad only cost me like $3.00.