GL450 Radar Detector Placement
#1
03-14-2010, 10:45 PM
GL450 Radar Detector Placement
Hi all,
New guy here, hope I post this correctly. I am mounting an Escort 9500ix radar detector in my '07 GL450. Other posts and the owner's manual indicate that there are three places where the metallic tint is absent, two rectangles left and right of the mirror block, and one trapezoid shape in the low center position. I can see these clearly under certain lighting conditions.
I'd like to avoid the low center position, because in that position it's rather apparent to an observant law enforcement officer that it's a radar detector and not a GPS. California law forbids anything mounted to the windshield and obstructing any view at all, unless it's purposefully for automatic tolls or a device that directs you from one location to the next. Sure, the whole purpose of the RD is to avoid getting stopped, but I'm also trying to not invite a stop with too obvious an RD in the windshield. Yes, California sucks. No, from the wording of the law, a GPS-enabled radar detector does not qualify! (But that's a nice try.)
The rectangle on the passenger side of the mirror block is really small, so I'm left with the one on the driver's side. With the Escort mounted as high as possible (higher means the nose is farther aft, and at some point the display-side of the RD hits the stowed visor), the top half of the front-facing height of the RD is in the no-metal-tint-rectangle, while the lower half is still sitting in the metal tint area.
Does the metal tint really knock down sensitivity/performance? I don't suppose the front-facing antennae are in the top half of the detector? Maybe I'm stuck using the low central trapezoid, in which case maybe I'll mount it to the dash and avoid the whole California windshield B.S.
Thanks for any insights!
Kel
New guy here, hope I post this correctly. I am mounting an Escort 9500ix radar detector in my '07 GL450. Other posts and the owner's manual indicate that there are three places where the metallic tint is absent, two rectangles left and right of the mirror block, and one trapezoid shape in the low center position. I can see these clearly under certain lighting conditions.
I'd like to avoid the low center position, because in that position it's rather apparent to an observant law enforcement officer that it's a radar detector and not a GPS. California law forbids anything mounted to the windshield and obstructing any view at all, unless it's purposefully for automatic tolls or a device that directs you from one location to the next. Sure, the whole purpose of the RD is to avoid getting stopped, but I'm also trying to not invite a stop with too obvious an RD in the windshield. Yes, California sucks. No, from the wording of the law, a GPS-enabled radar detector does not qualify! (But that's a nice try.)
The rectangle on the passenger side of the mirror block is really small, so I'm left with the one on the driver's side. With the Escort mounted as high as possible (higher means the nose is farther aft, and at some point the display-side of the RD hits the stowed visor), the top half of the front-facing height of the RD is in the no-metal-tint-rectangle, while the lower half is still sitting in the metal tint area.
Does the metal tint really knock down sensitivity/performance? I don't suppose the front-facing antennae are in the top half of the detector? Maybe I'm stuck using the low central trapezoid, in which case maybe I'll mount it to the dash and avoid the whole California windshield B.S.
Thanks for any insights!
Kel
#2
10-06-2010, 02:35 PM
My email says that someone replied to my original post, but I don't see any new messages. Did it get deleted?
Thanks,
Kel
Thanks,
Kel
#3
10-06-2010, 10:33 PM
RE: GL450 Radar Detector Placement
Hey BigBenzFan...
I responded to your post a few weeks back. I don't remember exactly what I said, but obviously it offended ForcedInduction since I was rebuking his comments on radar detectors. As I stated before my post was deleted, Radar detector effectiveness depends on the brand you purchase. If you buy a low end detector at your local Wal-Mart, sure it is not going to be as effective as a high end Escort or Valentine. As far as laser goes, a radar detector will detect the laser signal and warn you that you just been "had" unless you install an add-on laser shifter. The laser shifter confuses the police laser gun by emmitting a powerful return jamming pulse signal. I have an Escort 9500ix in my GL450 and also the Escort Laser Shifter ZR4. These devices use an exclusive link design that allows you to connect them together to provide ultimate protection. So Mr. ForcedInduction, I am living proof that Radar Detection systems DO WORK if installed correctly. It was never my intention to be a smart**s, but it really frustrates me when people reply to a post and have nothing intelligent to say.
I have my detector just below the mirror and it does great. (NC legal)
I responded to your post a few weeks back. I don't remember exactly what I said, but obviously it offended ForcedInduction since I was rebuking his comments on radar detectors. As I stated before my post was deleted, Radar detector effectiveness depends on the brand you purchase. If you buy a low end detector at your local Wal-Mart, sure it is not going to be as effective as a high end Escort or Valentine. As far as laser goes, a radar detector will detect the laser signal and warn you that you just been "had" unless you install an add-on laser shifter. The laser shifter confuses the police laser gun by emmitting a powerful return jamming pulse signal. I have an Escort 9500ix in my GL450 and also the Escort Laser Shifter ZR4. These devices use an exclusive link design that allows you to connect them together to provide ultimate protection. So Mr. ForcedInduction, I am living proof that Radar Detection systems DO WORK if installed correctly. It was never my intention to be a smart**s, but it really frustrates me when people reply to a post and have nothing intelligent to say.
I have my detector just below the mirror and it does great. (NC legal)
#4
10-06-2010, 11:15 PM
Hi securenc,
I've since done some limited tests on just x-band. It probably has limited meaning, since each band has a unique antenna in a unique position. But parked near a supermarket with an x-band door, I find no discernible difference between mounting the 9500ix as I described (with the bottom half of the antenna area below and behind the metallic windshield coating), versus me holding the detector (without the suction cups) so that it's 100% in the uncoated trapezoid. It'd be better to do this for Ka band as well - we have a Ka radar speed sign near my house, and I just need to pull over some distance from it and do the same experiment.
Without the laser shifter, I'm basically screwed if they are using laser. Now you have me thinking of a shifter.
BTW, with the detector mounted on the left side of the mirror and up high, it does get in the way of the visor. If I need to block a low sun, I unclip the main visor and swing it to the driver's window, and then flip down the secondary visor. Most of the time, I need the side window blocked anyway, with the sun dancing between the front windshield and the driver's window.
Regards,
Kel
I've since done some limited tests on just x-band. It probably has limited meaning, since each band has a unique antenna in a unique position. But parked near a supermarket with an x-band door, I find no discernible difference between mounting the 9500ix as I described (with the bottom half of the antenna area below and behind the metallic windshield coating), versus me holding the detector (without the suction cups) so that it's 100% in the uncoated trapezoid. It'd be better to do this for Ka band as well - we have a Ka radar speed sign near my house, and I just need to pull over some distance from it and do the same experiment.
Without the laser shifter, I'm basically screwed if they are using laser. Now you have me thinking of a shifter.
BTW, with the detector mounted on the left side of the mirror and up high, it does get in the way of the visor. If I need to block a low sun, I unclip the main visor and swing it to the driver's window, and then flip down the secondary visor. Most of the time, I need the side window blocked anyway, with the sun dancing between the front windshield and the driver's window.
Regards,
Kel
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