Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Escort Passport 8500

Nope. No arrows on the Passport, which is probably the only thing I don't like about it, though it isn't that big of a deal. It leaves the driver to decipher the most probable direction of the bogey painting you. It really isn't that hard, once you get to know how the alerts behave. Signal strength, average observation and common sense pretty much serve as the directional indicator.

I do have my 8500 hardwired. The easiest way to go about it is by getting the wiring kit that Escort makes. Run the ground line to the firewall, steering column, etc.. Take the power line to the cabin fuse box underneath the driver's side dash and get a piggyback fuse (find them at your local auto store) to make a connection. The nice thing is that the Passport 8500 has a on/off/volume switch on the left hand side of it, so you don't have to worry about draining your car battery (unless you forget to turn the thing off). You don't have to take the entire dash apart, either. Just the front decorative piece surrounding the instrument cluster and clock. With the right tools, it's a 45 minute job, easy.

My V1 is hardwired to the radio. Only turns on w/ accessory and run, I have it mounted next to the mirror (minimal visibility loss), using a remote display.

AFAIK, the V1 is the only detector with an ACTIVE rear antenna. It's what makes the directional indicators possible. Invaluable IMO; for example, what if an officer merges in behind you; or if they passes you going the other way, then turns around; or if they slowly creep up on you. It lets you know when it's time to slow down (or speed up and try to run away... :p )

If the 8500 has a rear antenna, then they don't advertise it very well.

I think people get too hooked on the stupid directional arrow on the V1. If there's a cop around, slow down. Who gives a crap where he is. The counter is nice because you can easily weed out false alarms. I'll still stick with my 8500.

I give a crap where he is. If he's behind me, slowing down would put him square on my ass, the last place I want him to be.

As a V1 competitor, the 8500 is not bad. It's range is decent, but the information it provides is incomplete, and I'd rather not waste time trying to guess what the detector is trying to tell me.

The 8500 has a true rear antenna... it's the bump on the top with the rearward facing lens. However, since changes in signal strength tell you plainly where the radar is, the directional arrows really don't provide additional information. I'll take the 8500's ability to monitor the strength of up to 8 different radar sources at once (ExpertMeter mode) over the arrows.

To me, the V1 only counting radar sources in total and not breaking them down by band and monitoring individual strength is far less complete than the 8500 not providing arrows. However, it is to each driver to pick what information is most important to them, and what the value of that information is.

I picked a wire that is ignition controlled (don't even know what I tapped into) and my 8500 turns on and off with the key, and with the remote display in my gauge cluster (part of the hardwire kit), I can be as stealth as I wish with the detector velcroed to the left side of my dash (for easy removal).

Unless that officer is me and I just pace you for a while.

Zaino vs. Meguiar's, V1 vs. Passport 8500, go vs. show. Three arguments that will never have a conclusion.