the biggest difference is the X50 doesnt have SWS text messages anymore. it will tell you there is a SWS message but just not the message.
in addition to that the SWS feature has been replaced with the new POP radar detection.
i noticed that the default settings of the unit had the POP mode turned off. i got a POP warning the first day of use out on a contry road, may have been false and might be why its defaulted to off to prevent that. but i left it in the on setting and havnt had any other alerts from that type of radar yet.

other than that it seems to be functioning the same way my old 8500 did.

 

Actually, when the rear arrow is going off, and depends on the signal strength, I sometimes speed up and remove myself out of the radar range. The arrows are not totally useless. It depends on how you use them.

 

Yes, as with any tool it's how you put it to use.

I had two radar traps ahead of me once, the first one was well hidden and you couldn't see him until you'd practically passed by. The V1 indicated that there were two, flashing the front arrow, bogey counter reading 2...soon it then flashed the side arrows that 1 bogey was no longer in front of me and was now to my side....ok, One down, one to go...

As I'd said, its all about situational awareness.

I think that Car and Driver put it best ,

"We've said this before and its still true: Once you live with the arrows , you'll wonder how you ever managed without them."

 

From my experience I have had the following detectors (in order)

1. A cheap uniden tri band from the early 90s
2. An entry level escort passport from the mid 90s
3. A BEL 850sti
4. A Valentine V1

I am saying ONLY from my PERSONAL experince that the V1 is worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY you pay for it. Most cops in IL are still using K band, on a K band thats not using instant on, I get a 2-3 mile heads up. And I get about a mile heads up on Ka band. Its also very good about picking up instant on if you turn off the city logic mode when you are out of the city area where most blips are 95% of the time a cop. I have had a valentine one for 3 years and in that 3 years I have not been pulled over one time for speeding.

Now Keep in mind that a radar detector does not insure you from anything. You have to be a smart driver. For the places you drive every day, you should know where the turnstyles are on the toll/expressway and even if you dont get a blip you should be cautious around them. If you see lines in the higway running perpendicular to the lane lines look up... do you see any low flying planes? If you do slow the hell down because you are probably being tracked with VASCAR which no radar detector no matter how good it is can track.

The other thing is its okay to be a little paranoid. You see a Chevy Impala, Crown Vic or something else thats a common cop car in your area unmarked watch out. I live in Naperville IL and we have 4-5 unmarked undercover traffic cops, the ones I have seen recently are an unmarked dodge minivan with really dark rear tint, a for expidition and a previous generation grand prix.

Just my few cents on the topic.

 

To completely avoid the need for a radar detector, I simply set my cruise control 5 mph higher than the current speed limit. The cops just ignore me and go after the people blowing by me in the fast lane.

 

bass,

im bout to upgrade to the x50. one last question before i make the purchase. Is the range on the x50 alot better than the original 8500?

Thx!

 

I agree completely. After using V1, I would not buy detector without directional arrows.

 

I grew up in the mid west and I remember how out there the smokeys would wait in the medians, on ramps and behind over passes and such.
Here in new england, I don't encounter as much radar on the main highways but its the backroads and small town cops that one has to watch out for. I live in southern new hampshire and our terrain is hilly and wooded. Unlike the midwest where it's genreally flat and you can see for miles, we can see barely a mile ahead due to the terrain. This is where the arrows are invaluable. They use alot of Ka band here and instant on. Since you can't see much ahead anyway if they zap someone miles ahead the V1 will pick it up and display the direction.
In contrast...
My wife gave me a Cobra radar detector for Xmas a few years back...I put it in my Truck because the noise from the tires lets me know how fast I'm going. It works ok for slower speeds but don't rely on it when you're going any faster because it only provides seconds of warning and at speed will alert you when you're practically on top of the cop.

 

Actually if the arrows are pointing sideways, you would realize it was a false alarm for the very reason you listed, with the passport you would think that there was an actual threat in the front/rear of you. Radar detector companies seem to pride themselves on their widerange of detection from left to right, meanwhile the user is getting false alarms from stores on the left and right of the highway because of this.

Actually if the arrow pointed to the rear I would look in my rearview for any patrol car and continue on my way. With the passort I would slow down, because I have no way of determining from an initial beep if the signal is from the front or rear.

A lot of times the state police do drive up and down the highway with their radar on and local police always seem to do this - again a rear arrow would show the direction.

Also the rear arrow lets you know when the threat has been passed, the arrow switches from the front to the rear whether its a false alarm or not, etc, numerous stituations.

I think you're trying to downplay the arrows too much, they are a clear advantage for the v1 and take a lot of the guesswork out of radar detection. I don't have a radar now, but I have had the 8500, bel rx55, etc and I wasn't really impressed. I didn't find the detection to really be all that "long range". The most recent case before I sent it back, was a state police meet in the median of the highway that I was very familiar with. The radar didn't go off but I slowed down out of habit, and coming over a very slight slope in highway the radar went off and the patrol car was sitting there. Another case, was when I was approaching patrol facing the other side of the highway, the detector didn't respond until I was slightly passed the car, then all of a sudden the detector went off. It was clear he wasn't using instant on because the radar signal continued down the highway, the detector simply couldn't pick up the reflections of radar off opposing traffic. Have plenty of these subpar performance stories.

If I were to get another it would be the V1, but I'd rather save the cash and drive reasonably for now without the beeps.

 

Man, I just bought the regular 8500 couple months ago. I would really like the blue to match the blue lighting and stuff in my TSX. Do I have any options to upgrade w/o losing a crapload of money??? What are the new features with the blue display? Anything besides just a different color?