markcz

For the past few weeks I've been driving around with a 9500ci installed in my car with the interior pieces just temporarily hanging/wedged in various locations. Yesterday I finally finished off the install.

If I was to start from scratch and work until the install was complete as my car sits right now, I'd guestimate 6-8 hours. My install was more like an hour here, two there, undo last weekends work and try again....

I started with the rear laser sensor/shifter. If you don't have anything on your license plate it would take 10 minutes to screw on the sensor and drill a hole in the rear wall to run the cord in. I had a backup camera/license frame that I wanted to keep, so I ended up removing the already installed mounting brackets from the sensor, then drilling holes in the frame and mounting the sensor onto the frame. I also had to notch out the frame for the sensor cord to fit nicely.

BEFORE:


AFTER:


INSTALLED:


I have the unit set up for 'shifting' instead of just alerting me of laser being detected. Over the past few weeks I've seen three laser alerts w/shifting, one front and two rear. ALL THREE would alarm for a second, then go away, then alarm again. This afternoon was a rear sensor alarm and it went off three times. I'm guessing the 'shifter' was preventing the LEO from getting a good reading so they wold shoot my car multiple times. I wasn't pulled over after any of the alerts, and for two of them I probably would have had to pay a pretty steep fine

The radar receiver and front laser shifters weren't very easy to install on my GS, on a car without the plastic honeycomb grill it would be a piece of cake.

I drilled holes in the front fascia for all three. The radar unit is attached with bolts, nuts, and lockwashers. Laser shifters were attached with wood screws. All of the screws have a few drops of red loctite. Pics didn't come out as good as I hoped (everything is black), and yes I'm aware that my car is FILTHY

I already had a Bel 975r installed in the car, but that detector was starting to malfunction (it lasted almost 10 years in 3 different cars), so I sprung for the 9500ci. Dennis at DoubleDmods.com gave me a good deal and it's still covered by the factory warranty since they're an authorized dealer

Drivers side 9500ci laser shifter and 975r radar sensor:


Passenger side laser and 9500 radar sensor:


Radar sensor:


I ran all of the wires in to the cabin by using the passenger door acordian opening, then drilling a hole in the 3x5" plastic cover inside the car. The GPS antenna is stuck to a flat piece of frame metal under the hood strut.

Wires and GPS:


I also purchased a DashTronix gizmo to project the 9500 display onto my HUD and DIC. My original plan was to mount the 9500ci display module on the small ledge just in front of the Bose emblem on the drivers door, but after using the unit with the Dashtronix display I decided to just stuff the 9500 display module under the carpet since the HUD projector is perfect.

975r controls and ledge I WAS going to use for 9500ci display module (pic is from previous car):


I ended up drilling two holes in my center console for this install. One for the green/red alert indicator LED, and another one to run the cable for the 9500ci control module. I put the LED just below the hazard button, and the controller is right behind the shifter.

LED and controls:


I almost didn't install the LED because of the HUD integration, but after I decided to hide the 9500ci display module I realized that the LED was the only indication that I had of the 9500 being turned on (the HUD and DIC only show alert info during an alert, they go back to normal most of the time). The LED can be mounted just about anywhere, but the only other place I seriously considered was inside one of the center vents. Inside the vent would have prevented me from drilling a hole in the console, but I liked the LED mounted on top better.

Control module during install:


Both the display and control modules come with precision cut double-sticky tape already mounted on the back. That's all I used to attach the controller to the console, hopefully it won't come loose after sitting in the hot southern sun while I'm at work, but it seems very secure so far.

Control module wire was easy to run on the bottom of the console:


And some duct tape to keep it put under the foam insert:


All of the different 9500ci components plug in to one main module with standard telephone jack plugs. I stuffed most of the extra cables and the main module under my Bose amp in the passenger footwell.

Module on floor:


I mounted the Dashtronix box on top on my oem onstar control box, and the 9500ci powered speaker on the outside wall above the passengers feet, just below the 3x5" access plate for the door accordian (both hidden from sight). The silver box on the left edge of this pic is the corner of my Sirius module for the x920BT HU. The Y-splitter was purchased from Dashtronix so I could still plug in my Window Valet module since the Dashtronix has to be plugged in to the OBD2 port under the steering column.

Dashtronix and speaker:


Everything stuffed in all nice and tidy:


The 9500ci can be updated online with new GPS coordinates of known speed traps and traffic/red light cameras, so I left the USB plug out where I could get to it without much effort. After putting the passenger side carpet back in nobody will ever see the USB cord.



A crappy pic of the Dashtronix HUD display:


DIC display:


Overall I'm VERY glad that I bought the 9500ci. I wasn't looking for a detector with GPS memory features, but it is SOOOOOO nice when the detector figures out that my local Walgreens isn't a cop after I drive by it a few times and it 'learns' the signal band and strength so it can ignore it next time. Maybe 'ignore' isn't the best way to say that, the display will show an indication of a learned signal as I go past it, but the LED will stay green and the speaker stays SILENT

lotzahp

Nice work, I'm jealous because TX outlawed shifters.

I'd encourage you to read some other forums on shifter installation because they unanimously state the shifters must be totally unobstructed, at the front-most part of the vehicle, parallel to the road, and pointed directly forward (not angled in/out at all).

markcz

Unfortunately the only place to locate them in order to accomplish that on a vette would be to mount the shifters on the front bumper itself, which very few people would even consider. I'm not worried about the laser shifter function near as much as the fact that everything is hidden from sight. As long as the radar works as good or better than my last detector and the laser at least notifies me that I was tagged, then I'll be happy. So far I'm very happy.

The only thing I would even consider as an issue with the 9500ci so far is the occasional laser false alarm caused by certain proximity features on other cars. Whatever the new Equinox has on it sets off the laser alerts both coming and going

JETninja

Very interesting Mark! I didn't know Laser Shifters had come down so much in price. Need to check out the laws here in WA.

GrandSport2012

Very nice installation. I am interrested in the exact same install. I have a 2012 GS A6 Cont. I have been looking at 9500ci and V1 because they both are compatable with the HUD equip. I especially want to keep the detectors hidden. I live in TX so I guess I can't have shifter, but wouldn't have known except I read it here. Do the detectors come in a kit? If you have any tips please let me know. This will be my next project as I need the detection!!

markcz

Everything you need for the detectors comes in the Passport box, then the Dashtronix unit is extra.

List price is up to $2K, but DoubleDmods.com is an official Passport supplier, so give Dennis a call and see what he can do for the price

If you can do the 9500ci installation, then the HUD integration unit is easy to add. If you have any specific questions just ask.

You can prob get away with installing the shifters, but I'd be sure to hit the brakes and power down the 9500ci unit whenever it shows "shifting" so the LEO doesn't suspect that they're there

KeepRightPassLeft

Wow, nice interior install. I would do the exterior install very differently.

markcz

Thank you

I'm sure I'll be installing another one in the future. What are your ideas

KeepRightPassLeft

The first thing I would do, is ditch the ZR4 laser shifters. There are six laser guns it doesn't shift: The LTI Truspeed S, LTI Truspeed LR, Stalker XS, Stalker XLR, DragonEye Speed LIDAR, and DragonEye Compact. I would purchase and install the AL Priority. I would wouldn't install them behind the grill. Laser is light and performance will be significantly reduced by the light obstructing grill.

The radar receiver I also wouldn't mount behind the grill. Although the radar signals will penetrate the grill, the shape of the grill slats will attenuate the radar signal and can possibly cause you to miss a radar alert.

myc6toy

Has any one done the 9500ci install on a C7 ? I am pulling mine out of my C6 and want to install in my C7. I have seen some companies that do it, but want to do it myself.

Thanks