Best radar detector

[Apac102]

Just curious if anyone here uses a radar detector and what they think of it. Im sporting a Valentine One. and let me say, this baby is fantastic! Got arrows pointing front/back/and side to side. IMO, best one on the market. Prove me wrong if you can!

[LotusGT1]

Can't

Valentine One is currently the best available I believe. It has always been on top in every test I've seen....

[bobafett]

Valentine 1. No questions about it.

--Dan

[RC45]

Disagree - Escort 8500. (like ford/chevy, bmw/mercedes, politica and religion, wars have been fought over radar detector choice ;) )

The arrows do not make up for the lower sensitivity.

But you really cannot go wrong with either the Valentine 1 or Escort 8500.

[bobafett]

RC45: lower sensitivity? WHen you can pick up a cop over 1 mile away, it doesn't matter whether it's 1 mile or 1.2 miles. It's a moot point, because it's well before the cop picks you up, and that's what matters.

Being informed, however, of everything else (arrows, bogey count, etc) will help you make informed decisions that you can't w/o said information.

Therein lies the true power of the V1, which separates it from the rest.

--Dan

[nthfinity]

both are the best, but ive never seen a valentine pick up from 5+ miles away, whereas i have seen an escort passport 8500 quite regularly (highway)

any way you look at it, you generally have about 2 seconds to appropriate yourself to the correct speed before the radar locks on to a specific velocity.


oh, and most US band radars are accurate to only 120 ish...


and those who have a valentine, i ask this. what good do arrows really do for you? if the radar hits, it still has the potential to lock on. the only thing i could logically think of is if its hitting from behind; and using downshifting, and e brake rather then the brake pedal to avoid the brake lights. i can't see myself doing that one

[DanielW]

I'm getting a V1.

[X-ale]

I'm getting an escort :P

[Ford Capri 2.8i]

By the way....what an interesting topic....could anyone go further about the general information of radar detectors such as the price, how it works,.....

[RC45]

For clarification - all my sports car buddies are pretty much evely devided between V1 and the 8500.

The 8500 has bogey count and there have been very few time over the couple of years where an arrow would have been better than simply an indicaiton that there is Ka working within a few miles.

I have been hauling through the woods before, only to have a Ka blip for a second and I have backed off and as we rounded the curve or passed over the hill there the DPS was sitting workin ghis instant on radar.

And as soon as he sees us *bam* he paints us with radar but it's ok, because are already slowed to the limit.

That is the true value of a radar detector, even when the cops use instant-on.

Had I burst over the hill without that for-warning all an arrow or a bogey count or even the 8500 frequency readout would be worth is telling me which direction and what frequency the radar is that just caught me... ;)

[SilviaEvo]

Passport would be nice but i prefer the V1

[FoxFour]

both are the best, but ive never seen a valentine pick up from 5+ miles away, whereas i have seen an escort passport 8500 quite regularly (highway)

I have one of the early models which I bought in '92. I can tell you that I have personally tracked a police car that was parked on the side of the road from 5 miles away. Have also tracked an undercover car that was hitting me with instant-on repeatedly from behind and he was about a half mile away. Just make sure that whatever detector you get, get the best that you can afford.

[Apac102]

For the benifits of the arrows, I once was hit from behind and I didn't even see it coming. The arrow flashed on and it said it was coming from behind. Because I knew it hit me from behind, I darted into some sububarn areas where I did a u-turn in a driveway. Right when I pulled back out onto the road where I was hit with a radar, I saw a cop just flying by. Saved me a pretty expensive ticket that day. If the radar hit me from the sides or the front, I would have probably turned around and avoided the area where it was coming from, but becuase it hit me from the back, I knew where the cop was and I could try to "avoid" him. It felt awesome to see that I pysched out a cop that day :wink:

[Vansquish]

I'd swear by the V1, but I've seen if fail, as I've seen the Escort fail. My dad had both and they both inspired false confidence. My feeling on the matter is that if you're going to be going fast enough that the radar detector might save you money, you'd best be doing it late at night on some deserted open road, or on a highway that where you can see for miles. The risks just don't outweigh the benefits.

[FoxFour]

You have to use your smarts when driving fast and knowing when not to drive fast. A detector is a tool and if you use it wisely you can gain the maximum benefit of it.

[PaulGT2164]

i prefer the valentine 1, but i have never used anything else so =P
but i have had good luck with the V1, it hasnt let me down yet

[bobafett]

RC/nthfinity: the point of the arrows is this: it helps you make informed decisions. Two nights ago, I saw a car get tapped by instant on. Suddenly the KA blips on (arrow pointing forward), goes quiet for about 1 minutes, then full on lock on me (arrow pointed behind) then goes quiet.

All you would have seen is KA bam, silence, KA bam. Arrows help you make informed decisions, and your logic that having arrows means you have less ability to pick up radar makes no sense.

Also, what good is picking up a Ka band signal from 5 miles away (I *guarantee* this is not opssible with any radar detector)? You want it within a relatively decent proximity. You don't want to slow down to 65 for 10 miles (radius of your 5 mile pickup).

Like mentioned above, NO radar detector can be used to guarantee complete success. You have to be smart, and a radar detector, like a police scanner, is just another tool to help you make informed decisions. Now, if you can get one that helps you make really iformed decisions as opposed to just telling you there's a radar near by, then go with that.

--Dan

[1zippo1]

This is a very interesting topic indeed. Certainly as belgium allmost has probably more speedcamera's then there are signs standing by the road... But I wonder, what do these gismo's cost? I'm not really thinking of buying them, I usually only go a bit above the speed limit unless I think I can see potential camera's. Besides, the litlle Yaris isn't really that fast :)

[bobafett]

In most of Europe, you will need a RoadAngel type of device. That system is very clever. I like it, and only wish it was here. Actually, I don't, as it would mean we need it here...

--Dan

[rachaderua]

humm...as this topic is about radar detectors, what the hell these machines do really...i mean, say it to me detailed, because here in brazil we don´t have these type of equipment, or it is just very rare to find.

I don´t know it personally, but i know it on magazines and articles. But i would like to listen some owner´s opinion about it, and if it really works well, because if yes i would get one in my car in the future hehe...

[RC45]

RC/nthfinity: the point of the arrows is this: it helps you make informed decisions. Two nights ago, I saw a car get tapped by instant on. Suddenly the KA blips on (arrow pointing forward), goes quiet for about 1 minutes, then full on lock on me (arrow pointed behind) then goes quiet.

All you would have seen is KA bam, silence, KA bam. Arrows help you make informed decisions, and your logic that having arrows means you have less ability to pick up radar makes no sense.

Also, what good is picking up a Ka band signal from 5 miles away (I *guarantee* this is not opssible with any radar detector)? You want it within a relatively decent proximity. You don't want to slow down to 65 for 10 miles (radius of your 5 mile pickup).

Like mentioned above, NO radar detector can be used to guarantee complete success. You have to be smart, and a radar detector, like a police scanner, is just another tool to help you make informed decisions. Now, if you can get one that helps you make really iformed decisions as opposed to just telling you there's a radar near by, then go with that.

--Dan

Well - far from arguing about it, as I say we are split 50/50.

I have even swapped and used a V1 over a couple weeks, and felt no more or less comfortable with the V1 or 8500.

*shrug*

[SPAD]

what the hell is a Ka i get the idea with the arows

[DMbaseball1604]

I know this is an old topic but I just wanted to contribute since I just got a V1 :D

So far so good, RC45: my buddy has a Passport 8500 and I know what you are talking about in regards to the lower sensitivity..his picks up from farther away..but after shopping around..most people I talked to that sold both said that Valentine is the one to go with..the one thing I dont like is that when driving at night you cant really tell which band of radar, x, k or Ka is coming up..because its just a red light that comes up..in the day its fine but you cant really see it at night.

After seeing both of them and owning a V1 I would say they are pretty much dead even you cant go wrong BUT, if I had to buy one now...I would prob get the Passport because it will tell you which radar band is coming up..and you can read it at night..The V1 you cant..and also for more sensitivity, to always be on the safe side..

[Sachmo12345]

im gettin a V1..... for free

[mit5005]

im gettin a V1..... for free

Want a cookie? :lol:

[SilviaEvo]

Want a cookie?

:lol: i bet he does

[TransAm]

Yep I use a PNI Sensoro Silver Bullet with Compass. I think it's paid for itself already :D