is the 8500 smartcord hardwire worth it? (30 bucks) or do most just have the regular direct wire (10 bucks)...not that big of a deal but just seeing if i would miss having the little button and the remote display.

thanks

 

i just bought the $10 wire. I see no need for the smartcord unless you want to use it for a mute button lol. Besides installing the display would be a pain. The normal one is kinda stealth because you cant see the wire. Just my thought.

 

I got the smartwire hardwired, and I love. The detector's to the right of the rear view mirror, the remote unit is under the dash to the right of the wheel. My K band goes off so much from stupid stuff I'm always pushing the mute button, I had to turn off my X, but the cops use K here sometimes so I left it on.

It's way easier to slip my hand from the stick or wheel to under the dash than to reach up and over to the detector to mute.

 

I've got the SmartCord (I think?) if that's the one with the remote display attached to it. I have my 8500 hardwired to the fuse box, and I used Velcro to mount the remote display under the dash just above my right knee. I don't really look at the lights on it, but the mute button is convenient to reach.

 

can someone post a pic of how the actual wires go into the fusebox?

thanks!!!

 

search for a v1 hardwire install. thats what i used and it worked. basically you will have to take the ignition wire out and rewire it with the hardwire kit and clamp a female connector to it and re install it in the same location.

 

http://www.s2000.org/mods/radar/

 

i just hardwired mine using black phone cable. Works fine, and i have the auto mute set, so it quiets it down after it gives you fair warning!

Total cost......$0.00

 

no need for the smart cord. you can do auto mute so after alert it will quiet down. if your scared about people seeing the detector, you can set the leds to "stealth" mode..

in retrospect.. i shoulda just bought a regular phone line from radio shack and modified it. because the one from escort needs a lil manipulation to hook up to our fuse box.

 

I did the smartcord in all three of my cars. In the S it is attached just below the climate controls. On the other two cars, it is on the dash, but up against the a-pillar. This is a great location as it offers visibility to alerts if you are looking right or left. I also have auto-mute set, but it doesn't work as well as advertised. I like the manual mute, especially when there is someone else in the car, or a really good song comes on the radio.