Radars?

[netherland24 5,000+ posts]

Well i decided to look more intoo these, was wondering if anyone could tell me which would be a better deal? or better radar? this is going to be used in Texas majority of the time, i have dont some Research on them, and seems to be 3 that stick out. the Valentine 1, Beltronics RX65, Escort 8500 X50... the bel, and escort are 100$ cheaper then the V1, but is there going to be a major difference? or am i just as good to use a Escort or bel?. or is it a Toss up?

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[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Will you need more Ka or K band detection or X band detection?

 

[netherland24 5,000+ posts]

Will you need more Ka or K band detection or X band detection?

i honestly wish i knew... i cant find any info on texas about band of guns used.

 

[netherland24 5,000+ posts]

or a ALL around good one be nice.

 

[downwiththeclow 10+ year member]

I use a valentine and i live in texas. I like it alot.

 

[netherland24 5,000+ posts]

i am leaning toward escort...

 

[Ko-B 10+ year member]

The Escort and the Bel are pretty much equal. I have the Escort and love it. You should check out http://www.radarbusters.com

 

[Eugenics 5,000+ posts]

valentine is the best, hands down

 

[iagrdshaka 5,000+ posts]

Escort isnt that bad

 

[dak0ta_g33k 10+ year member]

valentine1 user here. picks up just about anything. just expensive, even used i got mine for $300. if you really wanna to save money just drive at the speed limit.

 

[netherland24 5,000+ posts]

valentine1 user here. picks up just about anything. just expensive, even used i got mine for $300. if you really wanna to save money just drive at the speed limit.

dont mind paying for it honestly... JUSt want whats best for the Money. cause all the reviews i see say that ESCORT 8500 X50 is better then Val 1. except for range in laser band.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

The only real advantage the Valentine 1 has over its closest competitors is superior X-band detection and the directional arrows that allegedly indicate what direction from your position the a detected radar threat is coming from.

X-band radar guns are slowly but surely dwindling in usage as the K, Ka, and laser speed detection devices become more and more accurate and more economical for the various police departments around the country to include in their budgets. (like anything else when new radar technology first becomes available it is prohibitively expensive for most but becomes increasingly less so as time goes by)

With this in mind superior X-band detection is becoming less and less of an advantage and before too terribly long it won't be an advantage at all as the only municipalities using X-band guns will be the triple-digit (or smaller) population towns that have miniscule law enforcement budgets and are forced to endure older equipment.

The other advantage - the directional arrows - to my mind is rather immaterial to the purpose of having a radar detector in the first place. Personally I don't particularly care where the cop is in comparison to my location ~ I just want to know that he is there at all. If he (wherever he is) is in a position to be able to mark my vehicle with his radar gun then I need to make sure I am not exceeding the legal posted maximum whether he's in front of me, off to the side, behind me, or elsewhere.

The Beltronics Pro RX65 and the Passport Escort 8500 X50 are pretty much the same detector. It isn't a super wideknown fact but Beltronics Inc. was bought out by Cincinatti Microwave (the makers of Passport/Escort detectors) a couple of years ago. Both of the different company's "Top Dogs" are the same unit internally with somewhat different cosmetics on the exterior of the casing. All the published radar detector tests aside (find me one that says "X" detector is better than all others I'll find you two that refute that story and say with all certainty that "Y" detector is far beyond what's being offered by the competition) Get whichever one is cheaper for you.

If you're not opposed to buying retail and happen to have an old detector that you're going to retire, throw away, whatever (working or not is irrelavent) have a look at Beltronics site (www.beltronics.com) and if you navigate to this page it will give you the lowdown on their trade-in program. When I bought my RX65 (and I looooooove it - has saved me countless dollars since installing it on the windshield) I participated in said program and after the rebate was credited to my Visa card a Bel Pro RX65, a factory 3 year warranty*, shipping, tax, and all was just a touch under $300. Tough to beat authorized with a bad-ass warranty.

Just my $0.02

* ~ the 3 year warranty not only covers any necessary repairs for free during the warranty period but it also covers any applicable software upgrades that become available during your warranty. If better detector technology becomes available while your warranty is still current all you have to do is send it to 'em and they'll flash the unit's bios then send it back to you - Free. (you'll have to cover the cost of getting it to them, of course)

It could potentially be like getting the latest, greatest detector in a couple of years for only the cost of shipping.

 

[bspTC 10+ year member]

i've had the x50 red.. it was a great radar for the money. (150-200).

then i got a valentine 1 and obviously the big difference is the arrows...

but most of the time the cop will be in front of you.

you can get the returned v1s for 380 straight from the site, just email them.

http://www.valentine1.com/