Jedi. You rock.

What year is your car again?

thanks firedude!
Mine's a 2005

Hmm.. just thought it might be inconvenient to reach up to the radar detector.. lol
Might just do this set up soon.

the passport has a large mute button on top of it. When I need to mute it, it's quite easy to reach up and click mute.
If it were attached to the windshield via suction cups it would be a further reach.

Does it have an "auto-mute" setting?

auto-mute?

What size fits the stock mirror, 3/4?

I like that feature to hook it up. But you should still take it to the track.

Why are radar detectors not illegal in the States??? Anyone?????

I believe the auto-mute feature means the detector beeps a couple times, then reduces volume by about 90% automaticly. My Bel RX-65 has that feature.

I usually have the music up pretty loud.... I turned off the auto-mute. Doesn't bother me.

They are in a few states or at least the states think they are. If it ever hit a federal court they would be legal in every state. My state feels that if your using a detector then your paying extra attention to your driving and that's mainly what they are after.

Now if you could only obey the law,,,,,

Yes, that's it exactly.

Don't we all? I owned my 8 for a full year before I decided to install mine. It was just sitting in a drawer so I thought what the heck, I'll hard wire this in for fun.

I'll have to double check my owner's manual because mine has done that the last 2 times I"ve gotten a Ka band. (including this morning)

Here's another idea versus hanging it so low on the mirror and in plain view ...

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1202326546

Please enlighten me. :)
I want to do that mute button mod as well.

I used the standard cable with mute switch and the local audio shop did the "piano black" insert and wiring run along the headliner.

I screwed the passport clip on to the visor.

For me, this works great, is a clean install, doesn't hang in full view, sit high on the car to catch the best signal and given the angled screen on the unit, can still be easily read. But who reads the screen, just listen and react accordingly.


https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1202327569

Wow. Very nice.:)

so where does the wire come out to plug into the detector?

Tucked neatly up along the headliner ... and emerges from directly behind

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1202336827

i like where you placed the mute button.

i dont see the placement of the detector helpful for passengers in bright sunlight though.

I see, If I understand correctly you used this..
http://www.escortradar.com/images/SO...tsmart_red.gif
Direct Wire SmartCord.
Directly wire into a power source and ran the other end up the pillar and across the headliner, into your passort.. Right?
What was used to wire in your power source?

That's why I didn't see it, its on the other side. My 9500i has the wire connection on the drivers side.

I think I made up my mind. I'm going to do the joycrafts bracket and wire it up like Oranje.

Hope you don't mind me taking your idea. :)

You're correct. I always remind dear wife to bring along her sun glasses :)

Like I said, the local car audio guy wired it up. Sorry.

No worries -- Enjoy!

I put mine in this past friday night using mounting bracket from countryjoycrafts.com

I bought the basic hardwire kit without the smartcord attachment. I simply ran the wire under the headliner, down the pillar, under the dash and tapped into the cigarette lighter using the wire clip they provided.

Thank you azlizard.. your post answered every question i have. :)
I was wondering if it was long enough to reach the cig. wires
Any chance you can get pictures of what color the wires are that you tapped?

there are 2 wires on the lighter. 1 is yellow and the other is black with a red stripe. The yellow one was the power. Hopefully yours are the same but I can get a picture for ya, only take a couple minutes to pull things apart.

Thanks.. I owe you :)
just wonder.. you have been here longer than me but only 7 post?

Don't know what's up with the post count.

ok here ya go. the yellow wire is in the top left corner. The blue clip came with the hardwire kit and is the power source for the radar dector. you just need to put the ground wire on one of the screws in the center console. Sorry about the blury picture, it was hard to hold the lighter and get a picture that close to focus.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/100_0618.jpg

and here's a picture of the detector installed using the bracket and the wire coming out from the head liner by the rearview mirror

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/100_0621.jpg

azlizard: is the radar 'bouncing' up and down as you drive?

A little but not all the time, can't do much about it cause it's just a thin piece of metal that sides in the slot. Would have been nice if escort came up with a better quick release mount.

One trick to stop it from bouncing is to take advantage of the fact that our mirror is double hinged. Adjust the mirror so the bottom if it rests on the detector and then adjust upward. (see my pic)

p.s. this is easier with homelink but I think it might still be possible with yours

Finally got my new toy.. Escort 8500x50 and did a similar install.

http://www.tradebit.com/usr/chinky559/pub/8/radar2.jpg
Wired down the dash..

http://www.tradebit.com/usr/chinky559/pub/8/radar3.jpg
Driver's view...

http://www.tradebit.com/usr/chinky559/pub/8/radar4.jpg
My direct-wire setup.. through the ash try and concealed.
[edit] i think i broke my ashtray lid :(
Anyone know how much they go for???

not sure how much they go for; check with Paul @ Mazmart

haha i remember doing this for u! :lol:

azlizard, Is that a standard (non-Homelink) mirror? My main concern with this is that there would not be enough clearance to flip the day/night lever.

My mirror is standard and it does interfere a little but I'm ok with that.

Or get some weatherstripping foam and pack it at where it "should" touch the mirror.

Other ways you can work with it is bend the piece holding the radar on and move it towards the mirror.

Hey which bolt did use to tap into the ground with?? I used the one right beneath the heated seat switches and now my car is dead.. Not sure if the grounding is bad or what not. :uhh:

sssshhhhhh!!! :lol:

I think that's the same one/area I used , right behind the shifter although I don't have the heated seat switches.

haha thanks.. turned out to be a daed battery. Stupid battery died at 35k mileage.

I just installed my mount the other day...works great and I'm glad to not have to chase suction cups anymore!

Oranje, On the remote switch that you installed above the coin tray... how did you do that, is there a DIY on it or can you post one? Thanks

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/3/7816574762.jpg
http://img2.putfile.com/main/3/7816574786.jpg
Jealous? Yeah that's right.....:lol2:

that's bitchin'!