jascooper

I have an Escort 9500ix with Live (direct wire). Live seems like a waste of money so far. Especially when you can get the Trapster app for free. And I've never gotten any speed trap reports from Live.

I had a 9500ci but it got ripped off the car in deep snow and needs repair. I find the 9500ix is much more convenient if you drive multiple cars. And cost is about $1500 less.

When my S6 comes in I'll likely buy a plain direct wire for $20 and use the 9500ix in whatever I happen to be driving. I have a vent mount and windshield mount so don't need another

subterFUSE

I have the Trapster app, but I find it very frustrating to use because you basically have to fumble around with your phone while driving. Not very safe. It's kinda like texting and driving, maybe worse.

Plus, it really runs down the iPhone battery fast.

It would be better if the MMI could download apps, and run the Trapster app natively in the Nav display. How sick would that be?

hugojack

I use an Escort Passport 8500 X50 and love it. No laser jamming but I might add one. The only times I've been pulled over is when they have got me with laser. I was looking into the Escort 9500ci but it has been out for years and I'm thinking they are gonna release an updated version soon enough.

lrolnik

Had been a 10+ year loyal V1 owner across 2 cars. Got so tired of the many false alarms as you pass shopping centers, supermarkets and anyone with sensor based door openers. Sure the arrows were very cool. But the GPS in the Escort 9500 is remarkable. Not to mention the red light camera warnings. Then there's the auto mute after a warning - w/out having to hit the mute key, unless you want to totally quiet the unit. IMO, there's no comparison to the V1.

jascooper

Have you used Trapster 5.0? A lot less distracting and easier to use.

A power cord easily solves the battery problem. And compared to Escort Live, it's lightweight. With the Live app I find my battery dying even when I'm not in the car and find myself turning off Bluetooth or deleting the connection when I'm not in the car.

It would be incredible if you could run either app on the Audi system. Probably wouldn't be too hard for them to do, but for legality issues in some states.

achan

I use the Beltronics STi-R Plus in my S7. It is hands down the best radar detector money can buy now. It has the ability to turn RDR off as well as segregate bands (not currently available on the Escort 9500ci). This dramatically increases KA detection range.

It doesn't come with laser shifters hence it's cheaper price relative to 9500ci. I prefer a separate jammer setup anyway (Laser Interceptor).

As far a window mount radar goes, I use the Escort 9500ix in my truck. I drive in towns where there are a lot of false alarms, so GPS marking is necessary.

achan

FWIW, I know the dealership cost for the RL360 (not the RL360i) was $500. Everything else is labor and markup. It was offered to me at cost for my R8 as an apology for a customer service mistake. I bet you could get the K40 for say $1.2-1.5k but if I had to do it all over again in my R8 I would have chosen to go the Beltronics/Escort. The GPS marking, as mentioned by others, is very hard to live without once you've gotten used to how much "quieter" it is.

Installation costs for custom units vary depending on the vehicle and obviously how much custom mounting you want for the display/remote.

As far as warranty goes, I've personally never heard of the dealership voiding warranty due to radar detector installation.

///M Traitor

I'm using the Escort Passport 9500iX in a visor mount. I did a post with pictures on the 'zine here.

cagambler

I was searching on whether police use laser at night and found this:

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...-glossary.html

1. Do I really need a laser jammer since my radar detector detects laser?

"Yes. A laser detector by itself is useless. Period. Laser works at the speed of light. By the time even the best radar detector alerts to a laser attack, the officer already has your speed. It literally takes less than a second. A laser warning from a radar detector is about as useful as a buzzer that warns you that your airbags are about to deploy. It is no warning at all. Think of it as hearing the gunshot that was just fired at you. By the time you hear it, you're already dying.

There is no passive way to beat laser. You must have a jammer to defeat it. And although some people will claim they were able to out-brake laser, they didn't. They only think they did because they don't understand how it works."

So I'm in California, one of about 10 states that outlaw laser jammers (infraction for having 1-3; misdemeanor for 4 or more).
I'd go with Escort Live, except on I-5 there aren't a critical mass of users to be beneficial to each other. And California Highway Patrol use laser. It seems that there isn't a bulletproof solution.

hl229

Thanks, helpful. However I doubt the wholesale cost is only $500 - two receivers (front and back), a GPS receiver, two front laser hammers, host, a remote,and interface. Windshield units are 500, and the profit margin on those must be pretty low. Also, the new K40 has GPS marking as well.