escort 9500ci?

[willyjp]

I've asked about this before...some time ago...and it seemed no one was a user at the time. But I'm wondering if anyone has this system installed in their R8 (or other vehicle) now?

I am on the verge of ordering one, after closely inspecting an ongoing install at my Audi dealer's shop. They were putting one into a new Panamera and it was going to be invisible except on CLOSE inspection. A very impressive set of equipment and a very tidy install job as well, it seemed to me.

I recongnize by comments in posts that there are a lot of Valentine users out there and that it is definitely good gear.

But the appeal of the Escort 9500ci to me is three-fold. The first is the obvious "stealth" aspect of it...it is virtually undetectible electronically and very unobtrusive to direct inspection.

The second is also obvious in the rolling up of pretty much all available strategies into one installation. The necessary compromises of such combos may be the downside to that however. I invite comments.

The third appeal to me is perhaps less obvious but I think it's the main advantage. That is the online updateable, gps correlated database of fixed speed cameras, etc. Having recently spent a couple of months in Sweden, I can see that as the coming wave of the future in speed law enforecement in this country, what with police ranks getting thinner and thinner due to budget woes. My Swedish friend didn't bother with "detection", since his gps unit had the location of all the speed cameras and warned him everytime he approached one if he was over the limit. I think that is a huge benefit of the 9500ci and the main selling point to me.

Having stated what I like about it, I invite agreement or rebuttals from any users, or users of alternates, out there, before I pull the trigger on this somewhat pricey gadget.

[akulam]

i just had one installed in my R8... what would you like to know?

[willyjp]

i just had one installed in my R8... what would you like to know?

well, if you haven't used it much yet, you may not have opinions yet....

but I'd be interested to know if it lives up to the rather hype'd image that is out there about it: is it easy to use? any complaints? compared to detectors or jammers used before, how does it stack up?

any tips on installation? did you do your own or have it done? where did you place the various components? any regrets or second thoughts about any of your placements?

any other comments? thanks in advance, just trying to decide if it's really worth it...since you can get MOST of the same functionality with a combo of MUCH cheaper devices....though I've pretty much decided to go ahead and give it a try

[KfabR8]

The two biggest complaints I had about the Escort (can't recall the number, but I believe it's what the 9500 replaced) that I had in a Cayenne Turbo were:

a) The false alarm aspect compared to the Valentine that I usually run. The Escort went nuts in places that the V1 just sat quietly - grocery store doors and the likes.

Sounds like the updatable aspect takes care of this issue, though.

2) The lack of direction indication and count of, as Valentine calls them, Bogies. I'm so used to being told where the signal is coming from, it was sorely missed w/the Escort.

Now, that said. I do have to admit that I liked the jammer very much. It worked very well.

I also, like you have mentioned, liked the stealth aspect of it. I wish the V1 were as subtle - and it would be nice not to have to add the jammer like I have done (which is virtually invisible and there's no visual indication inside the car that it's there).

I've actually been toying w/the idea of purchasing a rear view mirror and another V1 and seeing if I can blend the two into one grand unit. I've seen some pix of a V1's remote head piece being installed inside the mirror and it's very cool. Now if I can just jam all those electronic bits into the mirror too, I'll be onto something. I'd move the knobs down to the area just above the HVAC controls - make a nice little carbon plate and put them in that.

[rdk]

I have had a 9500ci in my R8 for about 2 months. I have had one in a BMW 750i for 7months and for 20 months in a Mercedes ML 550. For overall radar detection, features and filtering of false alarms, there is nothing better. The jammers are sub par compared with other available options. I do not use the Z4 laser jamming portion of the system. I ues the Laser Interceptor as my jammer. Another good jammer is the Blinder M27. It is unfortunate that you cannot buy just the radar unit, but Escort only sells it as a package.

[willyjp]

I have had a 9500ci in my R8 for about 2 months. I have had one in a BMW 750i for 7months and for 20 months in a Mercedes ML 550. For overall radar detection, features and filtering of false alarms, there is nothing better. The jammers are sub par compared with other available options. I do not use the Z4 laser jamming portion of the system. I ues the Laser Interceptor as my jammer. Another good jammer is the Blinder M27. It is unfortunate that you cannot buy just the radar unit, but Escort only sells it as a package.

well, that 's reassuring to know; the laser part is the least important to me at this point, since no lidar is being used around here to the best of my knowledge; it's very accessible to any small jurisdiction that wants to start using it though, so you never know!

[ShelbyGirl1]

We have both Escort 9500ci and Valentine. Sure wish there was one with a combo of both these units! I prefer the Escort, which I run in my R8...DH has the Valentine in his truck. Valentine is just too big! But love the directional info. Have had no problems with false reads on the Escort and the updates come so often, you'll soon decide to skip over most of them!
Mine was just mounted on the passenger visor...out of the way and inconspicuous. Dh ran the wires under the dash. Good thing, because it's coming out and into the new V10 Spyder!

[desperado]

re ShelbyGirl's post, the 9500ix (portable) and the 9500ci (installed) share the same electronics, just different packaging.

Also, there is a nice thread by MotherTucker about his own install of the Beltronics version of the 9500ci on this forum. www.r8talk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2235

[akulam]

well, if you haven't used it much yet, you may not have opinions yet....

but I'd be interested to know if it lives up to the rather hype'd image that is out there about it: is it easy to use? any complaints? compared to detectors or jammers used before, how does it stack up?

any tips on installation? did you do your own or have it done? where did you place the various components? any regrets or second thoughts about any of your placements?

any other comments? thanks in advance, just trying to decide if it's really worth it...since you can get MOST of the same functionality with a combo of MUCH cheaper devices....though I've pretty much decided to go ahead and give it a try

Sure, i've been running this detector for a 2 months or so now. I had the SRX before this one installed in my M5. The biggest difference being that it was not GPS based.
My impression is very good so far. It is at least as good as the version it replaces and puts the GPS ability into it as well. I like that it tells me about redlight cameras that are coming up, that can be very useful here in chicago. False alarms are getting less frequent as it remembers your locations and signal type and eliminates any false alarms automatically as you keep driving the same paths. Haven't been shot with the laser yet, but i'd imagine it works at least as well as the previous model, and that one was spectacular.

Component install is actually very clean... the front laser jammers fit into the front grille very nicely if a small piece is trimmed out. I had mine done professionally at ABT Electronics not to far from where I live. They've done all my other cars before as well and never had any complaints. Overall value is still pretty good considering that it will probably pay for itself the first time you blast past a cop and he won't move from his spot because he will be wondering why his laser gun is "not calibrated properly"

...well worth it in my opinion.

[SteveR]

I wouldn't rely too much on the laser jamming ability of the Escort. It did not perform very well in the reviews I have seen. In one test, 8/11 lasers were able to punch through the jammer at 1500-2000 ft. As a detector, I understand it is pretty good though. I will probably get one myself, but not bother to install the jammer portion.

Edit: I just came across another review where the ZR4 Escort jammer did fine, with jam to gun performance in about 2/3 of the guns, and 200-500 ft. performance in the others. How well they perform depends on if there is a front plate, the size of the car/truck, and how close to the lights you can mount the jammers. The frontal area of the R8 is fairly small, so installing the ZR4 portion is probably worthwhile. At least it seems good enough that spending another 1000.00 on a better system is of questionable value.