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Radar Detectors??

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 11:07 pm
by Old Guy
We just returned from a road trip to June Lake (near Mammoth - gorgeous territory, by the way). With more road trips in mind, a radar detector pops up to the top of my "gotta have" priority list. Experience? Suggestions? Modern Image is pushing an installed/integrated solution...not cheap, I'm guessing. Of course La Jolla Audio is another obvious source.

Advice? Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Re: Radar Detectors??

PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 7:48 am
by LUCKY DAVE
I have an Escort Max 2 installed on my BMW touring bike. It bluetooths to a smart phone with the Escort app, updating the national database real time. It's pretty cool - the detector speaks to you warning you of upcoming speed traps. You might hear "speed trap one mile ahead, K band, radar behind the billboard on the right" and sure enough, there he is.
Touring through Arizona and New Mexico a radar detector is a must as these states are one big speed trap.

Re: Radar Detectors??

PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 8:19 pm
by Old Guy
Interesting. Excellent info. So if my car synchs the I-phone to our Macan S's smart unit does that mean I'll get the warning thru the car's system? That would be very cool.

Re: Radar Detectors??

PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 7:09 am
by LUCKY DAVE
Yes, it should work that way. On my bike I use a Sena 20S helmet rider intercom/bluetooth setup. It is linked up to the bike (sound system), the Garmin (turn by turn voice instructions and on the fly phone calls) and the radar detector.
Also, the phone is bluetooth linked to the Garmin (the link between the phone and headset, phone numbers are displayed on Garmin screen and the phone responds to voice commands so it's all hands free) and the radar detector is linked to the headset so I hear the warnings in my helmet. A side benefit is that if things are linked in the right order the other riders linked into the intercom can hear the radar detector too. Neat :D
I know it all sounds crazy complicated (and it is the first time :banghead: ) but every time you start the bike up everything links up automatically and you never have to fool with it again.
So, it you bluetooth your phone to the car and buetooth the radar detector to your phone you should hear the radar detector through the car's sound system. RTFM of course.

Re: Radar Detectors??

PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:48 pm
by Old Guy
Update. With budget and other matters in mind, I bought an Escort Solo S3 cordless unit from Crutchfield, skipping the GPS feature. Determined that our new car doesn't have live internet connection, and of course neither does the 2011 GTS. Just got back from a 2496 hundred mile RT drive using our '11 GTS and covering the miles in 3 driving days; Oceanside to Gig Harbor WA and back. My advice to you: do NOT try this without adult supervision!!

I did NOT speed...ran no more than 2-3 or 5 to 8-9 miles over the posted limit, if that much. :D 12 + 6+ driving up (overnight in Medford OR). Return trip: 20 hours straight. Most detector alerts were from road warning signs and auto door openers at gas stations. Several times the alert did, in fact, wake me up and sure enough I came upon a smokey unit parked along the highway. This was all looking forward. Not sure how much alert I'd get from a following smokey. Likely the window tint on the rear glass (added by some previous owner) might have minimized the effectiveness of the unit. ??

Bought the cordless because later this week we're off to Virginia in our Macan S. Want to move the unit for use in any/all of our cars. Battery indicator tells me I used 1/2 the battery power in what was about 40 hours of unit-on time. Reading screen of this unit is very small. Otherwise, seems to work OK. Oh: 28 - 31 mpg during the trip; lots of stop/go sections: Salem, Portland, Tacoma, not to mention LA work traffic. Two plus hours to clean the bugs off the car and spiff up the wheels. GTS turned over 42,000 miles coming home. No garage queens around our house.

Thanks for the info, Lucky Dave. I'm sure other chapter members will find it as interesting and useful as I did.

Re: Radar Detectors??

PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:04 am
by kcheves
Old Guy wrote:Bought the cordless because later this week we're off to Virginia in our Macan S. Want to move the unit for use in any/all of our cars.


You may already know this, but Virginia has the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding radar and laser detectors. If you are caught with one in your car, it will be confiscated.

Re: Radar Detectors??

PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 8:37 am
by Old Guy
Thanks for the tip, Kit. Detector is tucked away and no mount on the windshield. Thursday we leave for North Carolina and once across the border I'll pull it out. WAZE app seems to be the local go-to for Trooper warnings and such.

Jim