I'm thinking about buying one but have little experience with them. I had one friend that had one but it seemed complicated and gave a lot of false positives when driving around town. I'm just wondering if you guys could give me some tips on what is good and what is bad.

 

Never fear, Jedi is here!

question 1: what is your budget for an RD. I ask because they do vary quite a bit, anywhere from $100 - $500+

what are you looking for?
blazing detection?
ability to lock out false signals?
wireless?


I have used an Escort Radar detector for the past few years and LOVE IT. I originally started with a 9500i (you can do a search and find my thread on it) and then upgraded to the 9500ix as soon as it became available.
The beauty of that model is that it uses GPS technology to remember 'false' signals and after you've driven past the same spot 3 times and gotten the exact same signal, the RD will store that data and the next time you drive past there, you won't get any kind of alert!

as for them being complicated, you'll find that most of the new ones are VERY user friendly. Mine was literally plug & play. It has an 'advanced' setting but I have never used it, I just plugged it in and it does it's job. Every few weeks, I update it with the newest software (this is only for gps enabled RD's) and I'm good to go.


The Valentine V1 is also a VERY VERY good detector that typically has some of the best range out there. A friend of mine 'FastRX8' has the V1 and I'm constantly impressed with how far out he can pick up Ka bands (most typical band used by police around here). We were out in Vegas a few months ago and he picked up a Ka band a good 2 seconds before I did which is pretty good considering we were going approximately 85 mph.
My only gripe with the V1 (and the reason I opted for the Escort) is that it somtimes can be TOO sensitive while driving around town and you're likely to get a lot of 'false' alerts. This isn't really a defect, just more of a side effect of how good it's detection capabilities are.

As with most things, it boils down to what you're looking for and how much you're willing to spend.
you also might want to consider spending some time on radardetector.net

 

All of them will give you false positives. The new gps (Escort/Bel) ones will eliminate that some what for your routine routes. They are however expensive. I have an older Escort 8500 x50 that has virtually the same sensitivity as the new units that have been tested. I sometimes get false alerts, but you can mostly distinguish between whats real and whats false.
Stay away from Cobra.

 

yeah, the Cobras are pretty bad.
oh, and make sure that RD's are legal where you live because I hear those penalties can get quite expensive.

I'm actually SHOCKED that CA hasn't tried to ban them yet.
***knocks on wood***

 

hm I have a Valentine One, works for me flawlessly here in Florida where not much false signals are found. (They are usually automatic doors, ATMs, blah blah blah)

 

beltronics is a great product. They have the highest rating on testing, and the longest range for picking up without false positives.

 

I too use an Escort Passport 8500 x50. Works flawlessly.

 

valentine one

/thread

 

valentine 1 for sure. You can hide he actual unit in your glove box, cause it comes with a little warning box that you can hide in your gauge cluster, or in your ash tray or what not.

 

BEL & Escort are the same company. They share the same assembly line and even the same boards in the detectors.

 

v1 and the 9500ix are the best. I'd rather get a v1 with its greater sensitivity even though you get false positives.

 

can i get any of these for like $200?

 

New?
No.
You get what you pay for.

 

You can find used Escort 8500 X50 units for around $150 on Ebay.

 

Was thinking about getting one but the cops in VA are seriously **** and hate anything that isn't a Camry Hybrid

My uncle has a V1 for his C5 Z06 and he says it works great. My dad has one for his vette too and he likes his as well (Belltronics?). From what I've heard it really is a "you get what you pay for" market. Top brands are really the only way to go if you want solid protection. Not to say the cheaper ones don't work at all, but would you really want to risk a ticket over cheaping out on your detector?

 

I have ran on many fast road rallys and nothing but the V1 works for me. plus it tells you where the cops is via in front, behind or on the side, V1 deff the best. You can also send in your V1 to get updated too

 

I thought radar detectors are illegal in VA?

 

Send it in for an update?! That's so 2005.
I plugged my laptop into my 9500ix on Saturday morning, updated my software, and loaded the newest speed traps, red light cameras, and speed cameras .
Nothing is illegal unless you get caught

 

This is why I love rx8club.

 

You get caught with that detector in Va., you in a world of hurt. They just take you out and put a bullet in your skull!
Seriously though. They will take it, you will not get it back, and you will pay a very heavy fine!

 

All joking aside Mazurfer is right, getting caught with a Radar detector in Virginia is no joke, the penalties are very stuff, up to and including having your car impounded if the detector is hard wired.
If I lived in VA, the only way I would consider a detector is with a remote installation such as the Escort 9500 ci. Not an inexpensive install but worthwhile considering the consequences of being caught with a radar detector.

 

I woulda given you my Valentine 1 but I threw the POS out the window after the 5000th false alarm drove me to it. The thing never, ever shut up. And I live in the sticks!

 

there in lies the problem with some of these detectors; they're so obsessed with having the "BEST" detection capabilities out there that they become TOO sensitive and drive the users insane.

Beefy: are you using any RD now?

 

^^Nope. The cops aren't stupid and nothing can save u from instant on. And I got tired of getting busted with a detector hanging on the glass. Very embarrassing. I just speed in NY and I'm fine. CT is draconian. They will throw u in a 4 hr class if u get 3 tickets.

 

If you get 3 tickets a year in my state (no points system). You get your license pulled.