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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Just seein if anyone has hardwired a radar detector in their 3 yet. I was thinking about getting a Valentine One and hardwiring it to either the sunroof wires or getting one of those mirrors with autodimming/compass/temp/homeling in it and wiring the radar detector into it. Just filed my taxes and I'm getting a nice refund, so i got some money to spend :D !
 

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I hardwired a detector into a car a long time ago. I mounted it up by the mirror and ran the cord under the headliner trim, down the A-pillar and the hooked it up to power in the fuse box. Worked really really well and look so much better than having a cord across the dash.
 

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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Black7 said:
Why not go cordless?
Because I just dont think that the cordless detectors have the power and early warning ability that corded detectors have. I'm thinking that I am going to go with either the Valentine 1 or the Passport 8500.
 

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treds said:
Black7 said:
Why not go cordless?
Because I just dont think that the cordless detectors have the power and early warning ability that corded detectors have. I'm thinking that I am going to go with either the Valentine 1 or the Passport 8500.
Cordless has come a long way in recent years - the gap between cordless and regular has shortened a lot - FWIW, check out PNI
 

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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
uh-oh, I was looking at the car today, just seeing the possibilities for running the wires from the radar detector to the fuse box and I now realize that their is an airbag in the way! I dont think I should run them down the A-Pillar because their is an airbag there and it might effect its performance should anything ever happen. I just may have to go with cordless, but I really dont want to. I guess I could just tap into the sunroof wiring, but I would much rather just run it to the fuse box. Can anyone else think of a way of getting a wire from the top of the windshield to the fusebox without using the A-Pillar. Seems like there isnt really a way to me.
 

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D'OH! Forgot about the SAC. I wouldn't mess w/ that! So the SAC is in the A-pillar and the SAB is in the seat?

I'd pop the headliner back up by the mirror (where the sunroof wires probably are) and see if there is an easy way to tap in there. If they offer a dealer installed mirror w/ lights, etc. there's got to be a power source up there.
 

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i'm looking into getting a Valentine 1 but I want it to be fairly stealth. Mainly I don't want suction cup marks on my windshield and I don't want dangling wires. The power cord for the V-1 and it's main competitor the Escort Pasport 8500 (which i'm also considering) is a RJ-11 phone cord. In my car there is a decent gap between the headliner and the windshield. Using a phone cord today I mocked up the install. the detector will use a visor mount and then the wire tucked easily in the gap between the headliner and the windshield, and the easily in the very top portion of the a-pilar moulding. I don't believe this will adversly affect my SAC because I could feel where the headliner moulding and the SAC moulding overlapped and the wire was between them. The wire then went between the inner weather stripping and down to the driver footwell. I am assuming the fuse box is there, I didn't look and didn't think to look until after it was dark. Anyway, I'll post some pictures of the mock up this weekend, and post pics of the install when I get the detector
 

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V-1 installed, right now it's hanging on the passenger visor using the visor clip. The fuse box is actually on the passenger side, but it is hard to get to, and kind of intimidating to try to get power from it. I thought about taking power from the front maplight/sunroof control but there were three wires and I wasn't quite sure what the wires were actually (one always on to maplight switch, one from the computer to switch on when doors open, and another one either ground or ignition on). So, using knowledge that's already out there I decided to tap into the wire for the stereo (thanks VaBoom). This actually worked out nicely. The pictures I took didn't turn out very well because of glare from the sun, so I'll take more. The phone cord is tucked neatly in the gap between the headliner and the windshield, across the top of the a-pilar behind the SAC moulding, then down the door frame behind the inner weatherstrip, then down under the floor mat and then up from the back of the stereo. I'm going to run it under the carpet so that it's completely invisible, but I ran out of time. A few things if anyone tries to do this: Feed the phone cord from the stereo cavity first, there is a small gap to the passenger footwell, but I used the driver side gap it's bigger. Then start tucking the cord from the windshield and work down. There is room on the drivers side of the stereo to tuck excess phone cord. I used only the stuff that came with the V-1 kit except a longer phone cord, escort owners will need to purchase the separate kit.
 

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I did the same thing as earl with a Bel 890. It's suction cupped to the top left corner of the windshield. Then the wires are run down the pillar that holds the airbag but on the door side underneath the weatherstripping. I spliced into the stereo too, also thanks to VaBoom. It's fairly easy to do, probably took me not more than an hour to do the whole thing and everything is hidden. I wouldn't recommend wireless either, most of the tests done show that they can keep up fairly well with wired detectors when the batteries are new. However, once they start to get used the performance just keeps degrading until the batteries die. You are much better off just hardwiring like I and some others have done in my opinion. :)
 

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In previous cars I've installed them to the dome light/sun roof switch.

You should have an always on and an accessory (acc) on and a ground. You just determine if you want it to come on with the car (wire the power cord to acc and ground) or if you want to turn it on and off yourself (wire it to always on and ground).

It's real easy, you don't have to worry about it blocking any of the SAB/SAC items. AND with mine installed above the rear view mirror (or off the visor) the Police can't see it from looking in so less hassle with them :D

Mine was a simple Cobra 9600 then a Cobra 9800.
 

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Also, the Mazda3 doesn't have any kind of built in tint at the top of the window, so you shouldn't have any signal interferance facing front.

Rear signals on the otherhand... well, if they tag you from the rear, you'll probably get it anyway. :)
 

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Discussion Starter · #16 ·
Well now that you mention tint, does that have a great effect on signal reception? I have my windows tinted all the way around plus a strip at the top of the windshield. I hope this doesnt effect the signal reception too much.
 

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Seeing how radar detectors r illegal in ON and PQ, I have heard there r really expensive ones out there that are installed in the bumper and such that actually disable radar detector detectors. Anyone has some info on these professionally installed ones?
 
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