WTB: Radar Detector

[Gruszka530 10+ year member]

looking for some radar detectors. about to purchase a escort 8500 x50 but is there anything else? Valentine 1?

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[Gruszka530 10+ year member]

if i cant find it then ill buy the red 1 from your brother

 

[SPL15 10+ year member]

I've used all three and the V1 is by far the best in my opinion.

Features wise... What are ya looking for that a V1 doesnt do? All the gimmicks and do-dads get old after a while. After all the excitement wears off, you'll just use it as a radar detector and wont use all the frequency counter stuff and all that.

I got my V1 mounted above the tint line on my windshield and the remote display in my dashboard by the speedometer. Completely hidden from view so it doesnt look stupid and temp people to break in and take it and then see you got a couple grand in stereo equipment to take too.

Also, with the arrows you can actually tell where the cop is for the most point. It's not flawless, but it works perfect for doing its job.

Range wise, they all were pretty much the same for me. The V1 does false more often, but it's probably saved me about 25 times from really bad tickets and about 50 times from maybe getting a ticket.

Depending on the area, I get about 1.5 miles on the Ka Band and about 3 miles on K band if it's straight highway. I dont have X enabled since its not around here. It's saved me once on laser, got a reading bouncing off the car in front of me about half mile away.

I'm not selling mine unless you pay me full price so I can buy another one, but I highly recommend you either find one used or get one new. Either way, get the V1 and the remote display.

 

[OldSchoolAMPS1 10+ year member]

I have a Escort 9500i for sale or trade. Red display. Pics if needed. Works VERY VERY well. Has GPS and truelock.

 

[Gruszka530 10+ year member]

pm sent

 

[ctt0002 10+ year member]

I have the escort 8500 series not the x50 but that thing works like a charm. I've been wanting to get a v1 for a while but i need to do more reading on it. Is it true that you can update the firmware on the v1?

 

[profundus-sanus 10+ year member]

remember, ku band is in use in some areas.

 

[SPL15 10+ year member]

yup, but I havent.

There's been several upgrades but I havent found the need to update.

You gotta send it in and it costs I think 25 or 30 bucks if I remember right.

If there is a major update it costs 75 for pretty much a new detector unless it requires a housing change too.

Mike Valentine is kind of an arrogant A-hole. I've talked to him before and it's pretty much the concensus of all who have, but he does make a good radar detector, but some of his marketing BS is just BS. From my own experiance, all the top radar detectors have about the same range, manufacturing tolerances can shift the range enough so that one is better than the other in one test and the opposite is true in another test and another test says they are all the same.

Also, if you live in Virginia, DO NOT GET THE V1. It shows up clear as day on cops radar detector detectors. If youre worried about being caught with one, get the STi from Bel. I had a crappy Cobra that would go off in my girls car cause of my V1. the V1 isnt stealth. Sometimes a bit annoying when another car in front of you has a radar detector that goes off to your V1 and slows down, but I get the same thing with my 8500 X50 and they all go off to automatic doors and things like that. The 8500 X50 is in my girls car and she likes the V1 better. I had the RX65 and it didnt do anything different than the 8500 so I returned it and got the V1.

Never played with the 9500, the GPS sounds cool, but how hard is it to remember where the cops usually hang out and how hard is it to remember that by the grocery store it's gonna go off. My solution is to just not speed in those situations and still if your paying attention, the V1 will tell you if there is an actual radar gun in the area. I would maybe get the 9500 for someone who would not tolerate false alarms from doors, but if that's the case, I doubt they would tolerate a radar detector in the first place.

For me, the arrows are what makes the V1. Countless times I get a cop behind me on the highway going 85 to 90 to sneak attack on speeders from behind. With the other detectors, rear distance is poor, with the V1 I get just as good of range forwards as backwards.

 

[Gruszka530 10+ year member]

i want a v1 now =(

 

[ctt0002 10+ year member]

I thought that you could do it at home...i guess i was wrong. I've owned a couple of radar detectors....nothing too costly but they have cost me a lot of money. Enough of money that if i was into car audio before i was into radar detectors, i would have a really nice system by now. So i'm just gonna stick with my 8500 and call it a day.

 

[SPL15 10+ year member]

Ya, if you have something that works for you and doesnt fail ya, its better than nothing.

There all pretty good, I just like the V1 better cause of installation options and arrows. The other ones will tell you a radar is near just as well as the v1. It's just the V1 tells you where it is so you dont go looking around over your shoulders and mirrors like youre a paranoid crackhead. Plus my V1 is hidden, can't really hide that big brick of an 8500.

I say a radar detector is one of the best investments you can make towards your car. You might as well buy the best you can get cause if it saves you once, you've made your money back. I paid about 500 total for my V1 plus remote display and hardwire harness. It's saved me a few thousand I would guess by now.

 

[Scott15 10+ year member]

i have an x50 and it's great, i'd highly recommend it

 

[Gruszka530 10+ year member]

still looking

 

[eskimochaos 10+ year member]

you have a PM

 

[Gruszka530 10+ year member]

bump

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

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