Choice of Detector
Classic Installation
4.0/4.6 Installation
Parts Sources

Choice of Detector

Even though a Range Rover is not a sports car it's handy to have a radar detector to let you know in advance of a police radar trap.  In California, most Highway Patrol cars are now equipped with Ka band radar and almost all Nevada police use radar (they like to hide on down hill sections where the speed limit goes from 70 mph to 35 mph). In the US, radar detectors are said by Escort to be legal in non-commercial vehicles except in Virginia and Washington D.C.

Perhaps the most well-known brand are the Escort Radar Detectors -- they own over 85% of the radar and laser detector patents currently in use, and seem to win nearly all the independent third party tests and reviews (eg see RadarTest.com and SpeedZones.com). They also own Beltronics, makers of another highly rated design. If you get some other less well known brand, you might want to check that it will detect the Ka band as well as the traditional X and K bands -- many do not. According to Kevin Kelly, the Valentine One (pictured above right before installation) is the best (and most expensive) detector in the world; however reviews I have seen do not always agree with this. In the descriptions below, Kevin kindly shares his experiences with radar detector installations on his Range Rovers.

Installation in a Classic Range Rover

Most radar detectors come with a cigar lighter plug as a power source, but if you don't hard wire the detector to come on with the ignition odds are the plug will be in the center console when you need the outlet to power something else.
 

Hard wiring a radar detector in a Range Rover Classic is relatively easy. The plastic cover with the light and sunroof switch will drop after you turn the two screws to expose the sunroof motor.  The best place to tap in to power is the hot lead to the sunroof switch. A screw on the sunroof motor is a good ground point (see  photos above).  Kevin used a visor clip to attach the detector to the front of the headliner and used the small sections of heater hose pictured in the top photo to drop it down for easier viewing.

4.0/4.6 Installation

Kevin Kelly recently acquired a 1998 4.6HSE and shared his radar detector installation his new vehicle when he transferred the Valentine One unit from his Classic.

To hard wire a radar detector in the 4.0/4.6, you can pop down the plastic dome light and run the power chord out the front of the headliner. Tap in to the auto dimming light for power and attach the ground to a sunroof motor mount bolt.
 

You will need to use a suction cup mounting bracket on the P38 since there is not enough room to attach the detector to the headliner with a clip.

In the finished installation (photo above right), the other black box against the windshield is Kevin's custom black painted "FasTrack" toll bridge transponder, which he located behind the rear view mirror so it is not visable while driving.

Parts Sources

Escort Radar Detectors -- usually regarded as the best in most automotive magazine reviews
Etronics.com -- wide selection of radar detectors at low prices
Buy.com -- another very low cost source for radar detectors and electronics.