Hardwiring a V1 radar detector

[BimmerKat]

I have a Valentine one, and I've been able to have it hard wired through the rear view mirror in my last-gen Z4, and my husband has in his M3 and 335. Through these installs, we've learned that all of the cars are different. Has anyone done this yet for a 2009+ Z4?

I found one post where someone tucked the wiring across the windshield and down the pillar, but I want to wire it into the rear view mirror.

Thank you!

[mqo233]

my car has not come in yet, and when it does I will hard wire the radar detector in, some guy told me that on the passenger side, you can pull the fuse, "box" out, and he found a switchable 12 volt supply, so as when you leave the radar goes off, as I said earlier, my car is not in so as I can not promise this,

good luck and let me know what you find.

thank you

James

[Memphis1]

I'm interested too... yesterday I passed someone on the highway and when I looked down I was doing 100 but it felt like 60

[DrJason]

Originally Posted by memphis2012

I'm interested too... yesterday I passed someone on the highway and when I looked down I was doing 100 but it felt like 60

I hear ya....I've had the same thing happen to me a ton of times....I haven't had a radar detector in years but am thinking I should with this car

[EandS]

You might be interested in knowing about the hard-wired installation of an Escort 9500ix I did in our 2010 Z4 s35i. This is our first radar detector though we probably should have had one for the Z4’s two predecessors – a Cadillac XLR and then an XLR-V. Guess we’ve just been lucky we’ve never had a speeding ticket even though the XLR’s were regularly accelerated to 100mph+ when passing on two lane roads in the hinterlands of the coastal Carolinas. The maximum attained in such a situation was approximately 130mph in the “V” a few months ago. Anyway, we thought it prudent finally to investigate detectors and obtain one. There was a lot of agonizing over whether it should be the Valentine V1 or the 9500ix. Without going into the details we’ll say we’ve been extremely pleased with the Escort and believe we made the right decision for us.

Now, let’s move on to the installation. We obtained the “Direct Wire Smart Cord” for the detector which has a tiny little remote unit that has a mute button and indicator lights from which extend a straight (not coiled) power cord and the connecting telephone type straight cord to the radar detector. The small remote was attached at the intersection of the center console and the dash on the left side (it tucked in there very nicely). The panels above the footwells on both sides were let down to reach the space above them and the space behind the dash over the transmission tunnel. Please note a crazy sadistic person designed the access to the fuses which are above the panel on the passenger side. The front edge is secured with three recessed screws that cannot be seen without the use of mirrors and a light, or laying on one’s back in the footwell (hint: if doing the upside down contortion thing, lay padding in the floor to raise the level to the height of the door sill to keep from displacing vertebrae and bruising ribs).

A lightweight clothes hanger was straightened and inserted from the fuse panel side across the transmission hump to the driver’s side. There the end of the power cord was taped to the clothes hanger and drawn across to the other side. The terminal connectors of the power cord were removed (cut off) and the two leads spliced directly into the two lines connecting to the cigarette lighter type port in the lowered panel (a switched line). On the driver’s side the steering wheel was moved to its lowest position and the telephone type cord was fed up under the dash and through the top right gap between the steering wheel shaft cover and the dash. It was then connected to the radar detector and the excess cord “bundled” beneath the dash. Doing it this way the cord naturally follows the seam between the instrument panel cowl and the facia where the air conditioning vent is situated. When in use it’s very unobtrusive and when the detector is removed, the telephone type cord just hangs down beside the steering column and is totally out of the way and not visible except slightly so to the driver. It cannot be seen from outside when disconnected.

Also, the two lines leading from the mini remote unit tuck into the seam between the side of the center console and the dash such that they are invisible. It’s a very tidy setup and one which doesn’t attract attention. This approach also had the advantage of not having to screw around with the windshield side pillar and top edge trim, and the rearview mirror trim.

Best regards,
Ed

[rasputin]

thanks Ed, any chance you can show us some photos of how it looks now? And how much did it cost in total?

[BimmerKat]

My other ones have been hardwired into the map light/rear view mirror as shown here: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...9&pp=22&page=8

There's no need to debate fusebox vs maplight, but I've had success in three cars in what I think is a less invasive install. I'll see if I can crack it open and let you know how it goes.

[Z_Victor1]

Wish we still had radar in UK.
The only radar is in fixed cameras.
Feds all equipped with lasers here.

There is defence (laser-jammers) but not strictly legal - but no-one's been prosecuted yet.......

[EandS]

Originally Posted by rasputin

thanks Ed, any chance you can show us some photos of how it looks now? And how much did it cost in total?

I'm thinking I've messed up by not starting a separate post - didn't mean to impose on one related to the V1. However, to answer your question, the Escort 9500ix was obtained from 1stRadarDetectors (call and ask if they have any current discounts or promotions in effect). The straight wire direct connect with mini remote came from Escort.

This picture shows the wire leading from the detector down into the opening at the top right of the flange around the steering wheel shaft. In this picture the mini remote unit is obscured by the shift lever.



The next picture shows the mini remote and where the wires to it are tucked into the seam.



Best regards,
Ed