to manually disconnect it every time I turn the car off, same with the radio. It would be very helpful if both radio and lighter could be turned off just by removing the key.

a radar detector, but a simplified GPS with the location of the fixed speed traps. Very useful when there are 280 of them in a 50-mile radius!!! No b.s.!

I don't know where you live, but as far as driving goes, I'm sorry for you. That's a real downer.

Hardwiring doesn't necessarily mean you give up the ability to remove the GPS from your windshield. It just means you create a power feed by teeing off another grounded line which is switched to the ignition, and run the wire wherever you want. You may be fully aware of this, but I was just thinking you could run a lead through the headliner to where you have the GPS mounted, and your power drain would be solved, at least in regards to your GPS. You could still remove the GPS in an instant if need be. Are GPS's illegal too? Seems like a moot point unless they are. Now granted, you might have to splice the male end of the power cord onto your hardwire lead, but that's not too big of a deal. Just a thought.

I got nothing for ya in regards to the radio. Just have to switch it off, unless you want to rewire the head unit. I have the same situation in my 200, and I guess it's just become habit to turn it off when I get out.

Fru-T

my Valentine One is. And if you install it out of sight you loose all the directional info, the volume button, the mute, etc. It know occurred to me to hardwire a three-outlet box with an extension cord that I already have, and leave it out of sight, say, under the dash, near the steering wheel. Then I'll be able to plug the GPS, the detector and a... electric shaver :) , and use all three at the same time :0 ! I think that will do it. Fixed speed traps are very "in" nowadays, both in towns and highways, not to mention photo radars and regular radar guns. Didn't stop me from *averaging* 100mph for 8 straight hours last week, driving from São Paulo to Brasília. Just have to be careful...