First-timer needs help

[awj223]

Hi all,

I'm new to jammers and this site. Years ago, I used a V1 radar detector but left it off since it falsed so much. That and the Calif Highway Patrol wasn't using radar much if at all.

I am about to take delivery of a new BMW X5 M-sport and have been researching the options on jammer/radar combinations. It's clear that people view AL Priority as the best jammer. Usually, that would be enough, but there are some wrinkles that I could use some help with.

The confusion for me is that in CA, laser jammers are illegal, so people are saying that continuous jammers are a sure-fire way to get pinched here. The better option is a timed jam or a kill switch. That led me to consider the Escort 9500ci with laser shifters, esp since the laser shifter heads can be swapped with Laser Interceptor's vertically mounted versions. The downside to the Escort was the need to install a display and a control unit in the car, which is leased as well as really nice without modification.

You should jam only as long as you need to in order to get down to the PSL, and then kill the jammers immediately. Don't jam for even half a second longer than you have to, regardless of whether jammers are legal or illegal. The ALPs have an easy way to kill them: hit any button on the control pad during an alert.

When visiting two local installers, both swore by the K40, which people on this and other forums dismiss as not worthwhile. One of the installers, who's been in business for 30 years recommended the K40 without reservation, citing performance, cleanness of installation and customer support. He represented that one of his best customers has put them in each of his 15 cars and has never had a ticket or a complaint.

Yeah well, if you don't speed, you're not going to get a ticket. If you hardly ever drive the car, you're unlikely to get a ticket. And if you do happen to get a ticket, do your research, and then realize that you got taken for a ride by a dealer who was more interested in making money than recommending a quality product, and you've got so much money that you didn't bother to do the research before buying, you're probably too embarrassed to complain. And even if you do complain, the dealer isn't going to tell the next guy who comes in about the complaints. He'll just mention another of his "best customers" who put the device in 14 of his cars and never had a ticket or complaint.

In fact, the guy was installing one for that customer on a $3million La Ferrari in the shop as we spoke. He also noted that the Dragoneyes were not used in CA and that the 4 sec jam to standby operation was optimal in CA so that the LEOs would not know that they were being jammed as they would if a jammer jammed to the gun. He also felt that the radar was very good and easy to use. This installer also sells AL/P and Escort so he is not biased because he doesn't offer the others. His assessment was similar to another installer that works closely with the local Porsche/Audi dealer.

A few points:
1. Just because the Dragoneyes aren't used here, what makes you think they won't be purchased tomorrow? Then what?
2. If you were a dealer and made 5-10 times the profit off of one product, what would you recommend, even if you sold the other?

Both installers also said that they had experience installing on cars with active cruise control, blind spot warning and park distance warning systems, all of which my vehicle has.

The K40 is expensive and not loved by the experts, so I am torn.

For my situation and where I live, is the recommendation of the K40 fair?

No one who recommends the K40 has your best interests in mind. My recommendation is don't buy ANYTHING from ANY of those dealers as they clearly don't know what they're talking about. If anyone ever did this to me, I'd go back in or call them and tell them that they are full of **** and I won't be buying anything from them, and furthermore will make sure to spread bad word-of-mouth about their business. I have very little tolerance for people who take advantage of others to put extra money in their pockets, especially when they do it by pushing inferior products on unsuspecting customers.