crw

For a cab - the rear would not be good for the GPS. When I was researching this some alternative locations included:

- sitting on front dash (I did not like the way that looked)

- one guy put it under in the front trunk (under a very thin piece of plastic between the battery compartment and the windhield)

I would suggest googling "Passport 9500ci install" and getting ideas. There are tons on installs on line.

My post is the best interms of making yiou install easier from a technical stand point.


It will likely take you 6 to 8 hours to do.

The hardest parts are:

1. Mounting the 3 front units (look at as many ways as possible on line and choose what you feel most comfortable with. It's just time consuming to line every thing up and get it just right and secure.

2. The console area (requires hand fabrication for the faceplate). You can forgoe this and use the self sticking material on to the dash as some people have done. I just did not like that appearance.

I live in Ohio, with the winter and I can't use the car from December through February. As such, I was not in a hurry and could do the project a little bit at a time.

That helped me keep my sanity.

drcollie

On my Boxster S, which of course is a cab, I installed my GPS right under the cover panel for the windshield wipers. Using a small platform for the magnetic base of the GPS to attach to (actually used the Escort-supplied windshield mount base and bent it). The GPS signal can clearly read through the ABS plastic and that's where Porsche puts the factory Nav GPS antenna anyways. 100% hidden, 100% signal.

I was pretty **** on my install because I wanted it to look factory, and still be totally removable with no permanent scars. I estimate mine took 30 hours to do, most of which was from totally removing the front of the car (Wheels, Bumper Cover, and Radiatior vent grills. I live in Virginia, so my system has to be totally hidden as detectors are illegal here. I removed the entire front bumper cover off the car and bolted the main X and K band receiver to the internal aluminum bumper. No issues getting signals under the urethane cover at all, still ranges out to over 1 mile. Its completely hidden. The powered speaker is behind the driver's seat, and I used a black metal rear frame to help disguise the rear laser shifter. USB port right behind the fuse panel on the section between door and dash. Some photos....

Great Detector. A chore to install like this, but worth it. Total Stealth.

BTW, if anyone wants to do this, I have two extra templates made of the pattern to fit the area of the sunglass holder which will hold the display and controls, and one extra plywood cutout. I can get a piece of leather to match your interior if you send me good photos of your interior. Free of charge. 997 or 987, they mount up the same.

Jake951

I had a 9500ci installed in my Cayman by Porsche of Danbury CT (http://danbury.porschedealer.com/. They worked with an installer who did the job in about 4 hours. The package price, which included the detector and the installation, was VERY good. They also told me they could do a 997 for just a bit more money. I won't quote any prices here, but you can PM if you want details.

Disclaimer: no affiliation with Danbury Porsche -- just a satisfied customer (for this 9500ci installation).

mossjn

Thanks - great tips for a Cab.

I am in California and not sure if I would hook-up the jammers from the Escort 9500ci as they are kind of not allowed. Does anyone know if they were installed and activated, could they reasonably be detected by CHP and if so, how could they be detected and how bad the ticket/other stuff could be????

Did some googling on this subject and didn't get much good data.

crw

When the laer hits your car and the alarm goes off, Escort reccomends that you hit the "Mute" button which deactivated the laser jammer for 1 minutes.

In the interim period of time you have no slowed down and mister CHF is now able to get a reading on your car at a legal speed limit.

Since his radar gun is made in China (like most of our US products these days) hewrites the temporay dysfunction of his radar gun as "being on the fritz" and goes along his merry way.

drcollie

Laser 'shifting' is not allowed anywhere, but its the only defense you have against laser. Its instant, and you're painted right NOW. You get no stray signals from the cop shooting radar at cars ahead of you like in X and K band radar. If you don't mount the shifters, then you don't need a 9500ci, buy the Escort Redline instead, which has the same engine as the 9500ci without the laser protection.

When you get hit with the laser (they use it all the time on my car here in Virginia), your alarm triggers loud and instantly. If I'm going 75 in a 55 zone when it happens, I'll gently tag the brakes and be a 55 mph in about 3 seconds while the laser shifting is occurring, then I'll reach to the mute button and press it, which disables the shifters and allows the cop to get a read on the car. Then you sail right on by ad the speed limit. Its VERY freaky the first time you do it.

As shipped, the 9500ci is NOT set to do the shifting in the preferences, you have to step through the menus to activate it after install.

boolala

Laser shifting is legal in most states. Only a handful disallow it. I believe that the reason radar jammers are illegal everywhere is due to the federal jurisdiction that the FCC has over radio waves. Laser is not included.

mossjn

Thanks - mute button sounds like a great idea. Is it reasonably safe to assume that in the worst case scenario that a friendly CHP somehow discovers that you have the 9500ci with the jamming capability, they still couldn't technically "do anything" about it since you can simply state that you had set the 9500ci to dis-arm this feature? Thoughts?

mossjn

CRW - did you buy new to ensure that you received the appropriate warranty? What did you pay for the 9500ci? Online? Thanks.

rijowysock

good writeup, idk if im a fan of the front center placement/surround.. my shop just mounted it off a small hinge and you could barely see it and only a small 1/4" hole cut into front:



needless to say, i did not opt for any install in my 997.2 because i always felt it gave me a false sense of security and watching for people's brake lights ahead and being more responsible on the road was more worth it.. for the money spent, i could have paid off 4-5 separate tickets as well...

rdstemler

You and CRW could start a business. Comprehensive and shows a good understanding of materials and esthetics!!

crw

"You and CRW could start a business. Comprehensive and shows a good understanding of materials and esthetics!! "

I went to Dental school after college, graduqated, but never practiced - this was back i the 80's when it only cost @1,100/year. I just wasn't for me - went on the do Med school after that.

I started with $4,000 in the bank and finished with $50,000. I did this by working, some good investments, and playing poker.

The training in esthetics and manual dexterity alowedgave me the skils in life later on do things like work on cars (my hobby only) and clean (scale) calaculus off my dogs teeth.



"CRW - did you buy new to ensure that you received the appropriate warranty? What did you pay for the 9500ci? Online? Thanks."

I bought mine on EBAY - if you do an EBAY search you will fine several people who sell them new at @ $990 or best offer. When you make you best offer, make sure you are dealing with someone who sells a new unit inan unsealed box.

It came new, sealed in plastic, and inside there is a warrasnty card, serial number and a 3-year subscribtion to on line up dates via the USB port..

blown 87

I have installed them on my Corvette and my 928.
It is a great set up.

Minok

Ahmen. But every once in a while I get the urge to have a secret-agent button in the car to go stealth... and then that desire passes.

Minok

Why is it that hold 'how to' threads seem to get their images yanked after some time... this thread is now totally useless without the pictures. :-(