This week in the shop
Mercedes SLS AMG installing:
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K40 RL360i
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K40 Defuser G5 and LTS
Product Details
In this Mercedes SLS AMG we installed a K40 RL360i, Defuser G5 and secondary laser defuser LTS. We do also sell and offer Escort radar detector products, but our shop does think that K40 offers the best radar detector.
The K40 RL360i provides front and rear radar detection. The radar detector sensors can be installed in a discreet manner hidden behind panels in the vehicle bumper while still accurately detecting radar threats. The laser defusers can be discreetly mounted, but must be mounted in open area without obstruction.
When it comes to laser detection and defusing, two sensors are always better than one. So in this Mercedes SLS AMG we installed K40’s Defuser G5 and secondary laser defuser the LTS.
To recap – in this Mercedes SLS AMG we have front and rear radar detection and dual front laser detection plus laser defusing.
Why do I think K40 makes the Best Radar Detector?
At our shop we carry both K40 and Escort for radar detection and laser defusing, however, I think K40 offers the best radar detector for a few reasons outlined below.
Discreet Installation
Unlike Escort’s 9500CI Pro, which utilizes a wired control pad and wired display, K40 has an extremely discreet display and a convenient, wireless remote control.
K40 utilizes simple LED lights and a hidden speaker to alert you to Radar and Laser threats. If you go for the front and rear system, the RL360i, you will have two LED’s: one to indicate front, one to indicate rear. If you opt for the front only RL200i, you will have one LED indicator.
This is the extent of what you see on the interior of the vehicle. It’s an incredibly discreet and clean radar and laser detector installation, yet it is also an extremely reliable system. You can basically set your settings on the remote and forget it. The system will turn on and off with the key, so really the only time you really need to access the remote control is to change settings, adjust volume or if you need to turn the system off for any reason. The K40 remote also comes with a convenient visor clip mount as well.
Value and Flexibility
Aside from the clean installation of a K40 system, I like the fact that you can piece together your K40 system a la carte. This allows you to purchase a radar detector with laser defusing that works best for your specific application – unlike Escort which has a one size fits all front only system.
For reference, Escort’s 9500ci Pro comes with one radar detector and two laser detectors with defusing and sells for $1999.95 plus installation. In our shop, we charge about $1650 for the same configuration of sensors from K40.
K40 also offers the speeding ticket guarantee. If you manage to get a ticket with their product installed, they’ll actually pay for your ticket.
I’ve been selling K40 since 2006 and I’ve only had a couple of customers actually have to take K40 up on this offer. One of them was admittedly traveling double the speed limit. Read on to find out why it didn’t save him in these conditions.
Reliable Radar and Laser Protection
I have had both Escort and K40 radar detectors in my own personal vehicles. From my own personal experience, I can tell you this. K40 does not have the same kind of long range detection that you will find with Escort. Yet for me, the K40 radar detector proved to be more accurate than Escort.
For example, my Escort radar detector would often pick up signals and alert me, yet I would never see a cop. It might have been a valid threat on the next street over, but it wasn’t a valid threat to me. Factor this in multiple times a day and my reaction time to these alerts started to wane. It was like the radar detector that cried wolf.
My K40 on the other hand rarely goes off. Yet when it does go off, it’s accurate. And because it’s not going off all the time, I react right away and avoid a ticket (or two or three).
The Best Radar Detector Does Not Make You Invisible
You have to understand how these systems work to really insure optimum protection. There are a few things you need to remember. A radar detector with laser defusing does not make you invisible to cops. It gives you early warning detection in ideal operating conditions. So what are ideal operating conditions?
This is the typical scenario in which most people are using and relying on their K40 radar detector system. Most commuters acknowledge the following: you often have to speed just to keep up with traffic. So I think it’s safe to assume most highway drivers are traveling 10 – 15 mph over the posted speed limit. State patrol officers know this and often set up speed traps to catch violators and issue speeding tickets.
Most speed traps on highways are using laser. Laser is instantaneous. He points, he shoots. If your K40 detects laser it will alert you and then defuse the laser signal for 10 seconds. At this point, the officer will probably continue to shoot and try to lock on to get an accurate reading. This means you need to react and react quickly. Hit the brakes and slow down to the posted speed limit. This way when he shoots again you’re already down to the posted limit. The officer will then most likely forget about you and focus on catching the next driver speeding through.
If you’re driving double the speed limit, 10 seconds (remember that includes your reaction time) may not be enough time to slow down to the posted speed limit. Having a K40 system in your vehicle is not a license to speed – Common sense rules still apply.
Advice for anyone interested in a K40 system for their vehicle
Contact K40 directly. They can answer any questions you may have about the product itself and put you in touch with a K40 dealer in your area. As always, it’s important to find out additional details from any potential installer such as:
- How long have you been in business?
- What kind of warranty do you offer?
- How many years experience do you have installing?
- Are you licensed and insured? (this is not required in most states)
I hope you have found this post about helpful. Any questions or comments, feel free to post them in the comment form below. Thanks for reading!
