Anybody have any thoughts on which radar detector I should get?

I see that the Valentine One and the Passport 8500 seem to be pretty hightly rated...

Thanks,

John

 

I had my fair share of radar detectors and even thought about installing a k-40, but decided against it because I leased the car. I ended up with the Passport 8500 and have been very pleased, especially with the smart cord.

 

I had my fair share of radar detectors and even thought about installing a k-40, but decided against it because I leased the car. I ended up with the Passport 8500 and have been very pleased, especially with the smart cord.

 

if you are interested..i'm selling my passport 8500 radar detector which i used 3 times total..i kid you not. I can post pictures of it, or anything you'd like...i'm asking for 225 shipped anywhere. (parents didn't like the idea of me having a radar detector.) It's in PERFECT working order. hit me at squak2me@san.rr.com if you're interested.

 

I have the 8500 and I think it is really badass. Catch cops from very far distance and u can completely turn off the annoyin x band even in highway mode.

 

I just bought his and I will find out how it is. I didn't feel like spending $200 more for the V1.

For the people that have the escort 8500, are the alerts loud? I always have my music up and I hope this is a loud detector.

 

well the V1 is loud. Even with my music all the way up, i can hear it... :p

 

I used my Passport 8500 in Texas where it seemed like radar was on all the time, so I really had a chance to use it. Works great. Over hills and extremely long distances. I thought it was great. $300... fun toy. Watch out for instant on. Expert mode works well too. It is nice to be able to mute with the smartcord button, 5-6 inches from your finger on the knob to it. I trusted it enough to do 100+ all week in TX while going to work. Texas roards are seroius concrete. <== Incomplete sentences.

 

The radar is loud enough if you set it to loud mode. I usually have my system on really high and i can hear the radar go off. I bought mine for 300 and i know i got my money's worth

 

Thanks.....I can't wait to get it!

 

like it? get it? how's it workin?

 

None--just obey the speed limits. Won't cost you any extra, and you won't have to spend time deciding which one you want to get.

Tony

 

I have the Passport 7500 and love it. The smart cord is great!

My next car will have a K-1 or Valentine

 

One of my friends, have a valetine and it's worth the money if you can spare $400....cause that's how much it cost new....unless you find one used................like EBAY!

Good Luck!

 

I am selling a new Bel980 radar detector...
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=26521

 

I have been using a Valentine for 8+ years and just recently upgraded my orignal model. In all those years I never once came close on getting a ticket. I never took the unit out of the car for all those years. The unit never missed a beat, especially sitting in the hot sun for 8 Houston summers! One of the features of the Valentine that no other unit has is the Bogey Counter. The Bogey Counter works great. It keeps the cops from tricking you by setting up their radar in "high false alarm areas" e.g. Home Depot entrances.

How the counter works: Drive by a high density false alarm area and note the numeric number displayed on the unit. That's the number of door openers and/or motion detectors the unit detects. Now, a few days later you notice one additional number...That's a cop sitting in a false alarm area masking his own radar unit with the door openers. The cops here in Houston use that trick all the time....

BTW ...Mike Valentine, President of Valentine Radar Detectors was the design engineer/ inventor for the ORIGNAL Passport. When that unit was first released, it blew everything away in the radar detector market....

Be careful of grill mounted units. While they look great in the car and work OK, their range is reduced dramatically, especially in moderate to heavy traffic. At 2-3 foot off the ground, its hard to see through all those car and truck bodies.

The unit is expensive but worth every penny. Like my father said..."You never regret buying anything that is the best!"

 

V-1 from what i've heard, if u dont mind parting with the money.

 

Pre V1 (various BELs): I averaged 1 to 2 tickets per year. Post V1 (3 years): no tickets. I drive 600 miles/week averaging around 85MPH on interstates. It is worth every penny.

 

Yeah, but how well would any radar detector do against aircraft patrol units?

Tony

 

Police aircraft use a simple non electronic method (Except the radio)... they clock you time between two painted lines on the road with a stop watch. Cross ref it against a chart and then radio your speed and description to a ground unit...

I think Bearcat had a unit that would pick up the aircraft's transponder frequency and set the alarm off in the car...Problem is ANY transponder that can be recieved will trigger an alarm...There are no police transponder frequencies....

The visibilty has to be pretty good for the cops to take a plane in the air...Also around major airports and cities...the air traffic is too dense for them to go airborne.....

 

If you are interested, I am selling MY Valentine One in the for sale forum. Heres a link.

http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=27097

 

V1 is the most favored. I would have bought one, except a new one is expensive ( ~ $400). I bought a Bel 980 for $225 shipped and it worlks fine for me.

Get the V1 if you can though...

 

I just got the escort 8500 and I think it's awesome! Much less false alerts and the smart chord w/mute button is great. You can program the radar and can always update it. I got this because I didn't have the extra $$ to get a V1, but I think this one is pretty close to a V1.

 

Before i bought my radar detector, I looked comparisons on the net and the passport was rated higher and had a better range than the V1.... only thing is that the V1 to my opinion juss shows you where the signal is coming from.

 

check ur mail

 

Sorry man, I bought it off of him

 

Well, some of us just aren't as perfect as you.
I would bet you go over the speed limit sometimes, too. Sheesh. Don't be so hypocritical.

Anyways, I plan to find an 8500 for cheap. Wish me luck.

 

Be careful of reviews on sites that SELL Radar Detectors.....They tend to bias the ones they carry....Valentine can only be brought at the factory.

 

Went to a radar detector site....(can't remember address)...Anyway, they tested the V1 and Escort 8500 and others....Escort 8500 came in 1st...scored 97 while V1 scored 77...V1 WAS the best, but not anymore....type in best radar detector at google and a site will come up...I think it is called radartest.com....there are cool videos on how radar in used, as well....CHECK IT OUT...

 

Hemoglobin
Read my post above yours and then see what detectors that site sells. I'll bet a paycheck passport is on the top line....

Want an unbias comparison...Car and Driver Magazine...They have been doing radar detector tests for years......

 

Also Valentine One has a few words to say about RadarTest.com as well, be sure to check it out.

 

i just ordered a valentine one radar and concealed display two days ago and i should get it tommorow...i say get the valentine..i've been in 2 cars(supras) with it..no false alarms at all.(when i was in it) and you cant expect it to work all the time and save your Butt from the cops...and at radartest.com they did rate the v1 at 77 but that is underrated..if it truly is rated at 77 why would so many people be hapy with it? remember you get what you pay for..thats my way of doing things..but either way..i hear both are good radars(v1 and 8500;s) i should find out soon when i recieve it tommorow(hopefully)=D