Radar Detectors Worth it?
 

I'm just in a dilemma whether to get a radar detector first or continue with my suspension work.

if i do go with a radar first, is v1 much better than the escort? is it true that v1's the only detector that can detect all around you?

thanks. :)

I drive 1000 Interstate miles every other week. I will not venture onto the highway without my V1. It has saved my driving record and my bank account. Worth every penny of the $399 it cost.

Now, is it that much better than the closest competitot (Escort at $299)? Depends.

The V1 is the only detector that clearly tells you whether the bogey is ahead, aside, or behind. This can be immensely valuable. (tells you that the bogey was in the opposing traffic lane, for example). It also gives a very clear indication of the number of bogeys and the radar type.


I've also read reviews that say that the V1 is far better at picking up laser beams that are a little off center.

Other detectors may be more compact or more stylish or easier to program and use. Just do your homework and make your choices.

yea ive been doing research for weeks now, nd i finally decide to check if i can get direct answers :)
i was leaning to the v1 aside that the price is pretty high, but id definetely get something better if its gonna save me.

Radar; yes.
Laser; feh.

Most detectors under the $300 mark will easily pay for themselves in one ticket. V1-tiered detectors paying for themselves will probably depend on how much of a hit you take with your insurance.

sorry i didnt really understand that one :(

NOOOOOOO

I got $700 in speeding tickets (pulled over twice) in one day with one of the top of the line detectors (BEL RX65 - http://radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090). Sold it after that and decided just to give up on speeding ;)

But if cops in your area don't have INSTANT-ON radar then it might be useful. For me it wasn't.

o man, what's a instant-on radar detector now? lol
i get a lot of tickets too. im in los angeles, california :(
anyways, y do people favor the v1.8 for valentine one?

Get a detector, but learn how to drive with it. You cannot just run out front hauling ass with impumity. You'll get nailed for certain. Make sure it has laser detection as well.

Laser detection doesnt matter. If your radar detector detects a laser, its already too late, you're busted. A laser detector will only detect a laser shot at your car, so it wont pick anything up if its not shot at you. But if the cops in your area are old school, meaning, using radar guns without the "instant on" feature, it may be of use to you. Old school radar guns took a few seconds to warm up before they could get your speed, and radar detectors would detect this "pulse" and you would have that 2-3 seconds to slow down. But now days, radar guns have an instant on feature that allows the gun to already be warmed up, without your detector knowing, and ready to catch you without the 2-3 second delay. People will always claim that their radar detector saved them tickets but if the cop has a proper gun, there's no way to get around it other than just being lucky.

Buy either a Bel Pro RX-65 ($270), Valentine 1, or Escort 8500 x50. Apply Laser Veil to your lens, and if not illegal in your state, license plate/cover, and you should be well protected. It will give you 3-5 seconds to slow down. And, as Chrisbert said, learn to drive with it. You can speed, but try not to be smoking down the highway passing everyone..easy way to get tag (especially if they have copters/planes doing the radar). Rather, use your unit to help you follow someone who is doing the smoking...or....if you don't want to take the chance, just only go 10mph over the speed limit.

This is not all necessarily true. Good detectors such as the V1 can detect laser scatter reflected from other vehicles (if they are close enough to you, which they have to be). Example, find someone who has a vehicle with laser assisted cruise control (Infiniti vechiles seem to be the most notorius). If that vehicle is anywhere in the near vicinity with the laser cruise on, your V1 will detect it.

Moving onto K and Ka bands. These types of radar reflect and scatter greatly when they hit another vehicle. This is what your detector is seeing that can save your butt. You sitll have to be alert and watch for coppers when you are driving. Don't go driving on some back road with no other cars around blasting @ 90mph, you'll get nailed.

I think if you routinely drive way faster than the quickest traffic on the highway then it is a good investment.

I haven't had a ticket in 8 years following one simple rule. Never be the fastest guy on the road. If i'm alone on the highway i'll stick at 75-80. It usually doesn't take long for someone to come up on me at 85-90, and then i just follow them a couple 100 feet behind.

I'm here with you on this one. I haven't gotten a speeding ticket in years. You can easily find people going 80+ on the freeway.

I've had less tickets without a detector than i had with one. I found that I pay better attention to what's going on around me when ai'm scanning for bogeys...than when I drove along thinking the detector would save my ass.......

As I understand it, as long as you're traveling with other cars, "instant on" radar is not a problem. With a Valentine One, at least, you'll pick it up when it's fired at some car ahead of you—even well ahead of you. But yes, if you're the only car around, no radar detector can save you from "instant on".

I splurged and bought a Valentine V1 - hefty price tag but well worth it. Has saved my ass many many times, in conjunction with the awesome braking of our RX8, coming down from 120 to 70 in just 3 seconds or so :-p

Others are correct you cant just slap it in and run out and do whatever you want, you have to learn where the spots are that trip off common xband and K signals (things like door openers, alarm systems in shopping centers)

It's not that useful driving around the city (but i never speed in the city) on the highway driving between dallas and houston though, I can do 100+ mph consistently with a much much reduced chance of getting busted. Makes my trip so much faster, instead of 4.5 hours on the road, i only spend about 3.5

If you take the time to understand it and use it in CONJUNCTION with your own sense of danger and whats going on, it makes life easier its a TOOL not a free ticket to go 100mph everwhere

Yep, same here.

Danno, I've been wondering what that car is in your avatar. An old Ligier or Prost F1 car, perhaps?

As I'm probably doing a run from Dallas to Houston at the end of Sept., we'll need to set up a wagon train so I can knock some time off the trip. :)

Wrong. Just as radar energy can be detected as it "splashes" about the roadway, so too can laser energy; albeit to a lesser degree. It is, after all, light. Shine your flashlight at an object and see if you get a reflection.

Yes, get a radar detector. Just make it a good one (one of the 3 that icyur2 suggested, although I prefer the V1).

As has already been said, it is worth it IF you use it as an aid rather than thinking you may now drive like an maniac simply because it is in your car.

Even with instant-on radars, it seems like it would help, IF you've got some cars in front of you. Like the gun is off, but as soon as the cars in front of you get within range of the cop, he turns the gun on, giving you ample warning. Probably not so good if you're the first car in the pack.

I read in a car magazine somewhere where they referred to that technique as "having a rabbit", like in greyhound races.

I've never quite understood the purpose of radar / laser detectors. Do they detect the presence of squad cars or helicopters in motion that have some kind of radar? Or is it only to detect the presence of the cops hiding in the bushes with a speed gun pointing into traffic? In my 10 years of driving around Los Angeles and Orange County, I have yet to get a speeding ticket on the freeway, let alone see a cop pointing a radar gun into traffic.

Wow, I'm moving to LA.

Thanks for this post. This thread makes me want to get a V1 or something. I don't wanna be pulled over by a blonde lady cop again for not having my front plate, and given a ticket, rather than a warning, as if I'm threatening the safety of other people.

LoL - with so much traffic nowadays you probably won't get a chance to even reach the speed limit anyhow.

I have the Bel 65 with the add on laser blockers for the front and rear. This set up works awesome as long as your being shot with laser of course. Nothing funnier than seeing a cop looking at his gun and scratching his head. But as mentioned before nothing beats a cop using radar with instant on when you come around a corner.

Yes, they are worth it.

I was lucky to bum an Escort Solo S2 off someone for only $110. It probably saved me from over two definite tickets (as in, if I didn't slow down, I know my ass woulda been busted), and at least 4-5 probable tickets.

Radar detector is a tool for heightened awareness. Do not rely on it. You must still pay as much attention to everywhere, look for cars braking unusually (esp. around bends/hills), check your mirrors all the time, be familiar with the road you're driving on.

Saved again....
 

Saved me this morning -

Dark, empty highway, just cruising to work at 5:30 am. A "set-of-headlights" pulls out of town behind me about a mile.

Just as I give it some stick to climb a hill I get a blast of good solid radar, but he is too far behind me to get a fix, so I am around the speedlimit by the time he blasts up behind me, headlights right in my mirror, radar blazing away.

We cruise along at about "speedlimit+3", with him close enough to read the DOT certification on my taillights, probably just long enough for him to run my plate, find out I'm mostly harmless, and lose interest. At the next junction, he pulled a U turn and headed back to town.

Without my trusty Passport, I might have been intimidated or worse, tried to lose him. It was nice have the detector pay for itself in one day!

You never know how many times you get "zapped" until you have one, when a grey sedan in the oncoming lane "lights me up", I like to know, but maybe that's just paranoia........

S

So the police in the moving squad cars are actually determining your speed by radar while they're driving?

You're completely misinformed. A good lidar detector (basically the Valentine being by far the best) will detect the scatter that comes off other cars. True, the range will not be anywhere close to radar (X,K,KA), but it'll still give you somewhat of a chance.

Other than a V1, your best bet is to run without a front plate. That, and get yourself an aerodynamic car; preferably the darkest color possible. Those combinations will make it much harder for their gun to pick up a reading on your speed. I hope I don't jinx myself but twice in the past, both times traveling at about 60 mph in a 45 zone I was tagged with laser. Cops didn't even budge. Had I been in a white van, then I would've been toast.

Others in this post gave some really good advice- know your surroundings, pick your spots to speed, and use your detector wisely.

How does metal flake paints effect radar guns?

White is a color that reflects ALL rays..in this case, if a laser was pointed to one, it will ultimately reflect back to the officer for a reading, REGARDLESS on whether you have a jammer or not: granted, it will block, but not as good if you were driving in a dark blue/black car. Only way to fight this is to get yourself one of those car bras...

Yes, it's called moving radar. Can be used with either the front or rear antenna.

radar detectors are illegal in VA, automatic fine if found in car, even if not operational :(

Yes. Police radar uses first the Doppler shift method to determine velocity of the target. They can use it while their car is in motion because it subtracts their vehicle speed from the equation.

Commie Pinko's! :mdrmed:

If you want to avoid speeding tickets than you need to go to WAR.

1. V1 or Bel RX65

Note 1- Bel RX65 easy to program and use. V1 better at detecting where threat is coming from.

Note 2- You might want to consider getting the "hidden install" kits like the Bel RX75, but that will cost you. They also have a Bel STi radar detector that is stealth against electronic radar detector detectors used by some cops in certain states.

2. Laser deflecting license plates or Laser deflectors/jammers like Beltronics Laser Pro 905 or BLINDER X-TREME M40 Laser Jammer

3. You might consider also getting OnTrack Total Eclipse which is a laser deflecting license plate cover and photo radar protector.

So, if you had Bel RX65, with Beltronics Laser Pro 905, and OnTrack Total Eclipse than you would have some serious protection, but it would cost you around $800 dollars. But then again if you are a speed demon the prevention of tickets and/or loss of your license may make it all worth it.

Note- In Japan and England GPS radar/laser detectors are a big deal and they do make a huge difference. Basically, nearly all of the "set" photo, radar, and laser traps are mapped by GPS. You get a HUGE EARLY warning when you are approaching one of those local community CASH COW photo/radar/laser guns. It will not help you with being ambushed by cops in cars or traps they setup off the side of the road, but it will prevent you from worrying about known ones. The GPS photo/radar/laser detectors should really become more popular here. Also, its very hard to outlaw these type of GPS detector because they are simply points on a map. Another thing about them is that you or your pals could add information into the database of known photo/laser/radar traps.

makes me feel good that I have a Brilliant black RX8, no front plate, and a V1. :mdrmed: :mdrmed:

never had a problem.

This happed to me as well I had to sell my radar to pay for my ticket.

Best advice so far:

That said, the Escort 8500 X50 is way better. Doesn't have the worthless directional display of the Valentine, falses less and picks out LASER miles before the V.
I have both and I'm gonna E-Bay the V to get another Escort for the other car.
The Escort consistently gets better ratings in all of the car mags (until V gets into their pockets).
The Escort is more modern and better priced.

http://www.consumersearch.com/www/a...adar-detectors/
http://www.radarbusters.com/google/....asp?wcw=google
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090
http://www.laserveil.com/en/ultimat...ed/conclusions/
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=1064

List goes on and on. Some like the Bel even better, but I don't have any experience with it.

The V1 is just out of date and over sensitive to the "K" band, which is virtually unused these days.

BTW - the color of your car makes no difference to the efficacy of LIDAR - it is not using a visible band of light. They will perfectly register the speed of the stealth fighter. The jammers and non-reflective plate covers make no difference at all. I have a lot of personal experience with these devices and have had the opportunity to try them on a multitude of objects - they always work.
It is the operator that is questionable.

I don't want to read 40 responses, or get into the inevitable religious arguments over brand, but here's my take.

If you are an inveterate speeder, you'll get tickets with or without a radar detector. You'll probably get fewer with one, but a radar detector isn't a magic bullet.

A good radar detector (I have the Escort Passport 8500 X50; I assume the Valentine V1 is at least as good) will give you lots of warning of speed traps where the radar is always or frequently on. It will warn you of a cop who's riding with his radar on. It will warn you of the unmanned, fixed "traps" they sometimes now have.

It will not help you when the radar gun is off, you come around a corner, and you get zapped. It will not warn you of laser (BUSTED, it may as well read when you get lasered, if you're speeding).

I don't speed, much (meaning I rarely drive over 5mph over the posted limit, and I never drive at stupid speeds, except on the track). I've never received a speeding ticket, in 37 years of driving. But I do take significant comfort in having a radar detector, since my car is a cop-bait sort of car, and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

MazdaManiac..hmm..according to Laser Veil, the color of your car DOES matter when it is compared to darker colored one. After applying their veil and testing it with many scenarios, they have come to the conclusion that white color vehicle will INCREASE the likelihood of it being scanned quicker vs. darker units. Am I reading this wrong?

The way I see it, they're basically worthless. Once they detect the radar or laser your speed has already been locked in. So unless your detector jams the signal after it detects it, you've already been caught

Actually, a good radar detector will give you lots of warning that you are closing with a radar that's on; plenty of time to slow down. It's the ones that are aimed directly at you before they're even turned on that there's no help for.

Radar will "splash" off of vehicles in front of you in traffic. Even instant-on will do this; it's still Ka radar. The trick to using a detector wisely is do not ride out front. A radar unit cannot be aimed selectively at your car. It's like a shotgun; spreads with distance.

Laser is a different matter. It can be aimed selectively, and most units have a "scope" on top to aim with. Still though, it will "splash" off of cars in front if the cop is not careful with it. Just the other day our famous Williamson County boys had a motorcycle around a curve using laser. My Passport 8500 caught just enough off the cars in front of me to warn me before I could see the cop, or him me. The cop probably willy-nilly nailed every car in front of me with it and as he moved from left to right lane he sprayed some down the roadway.

Wrong!

The Valentine One is the best radar/laser detector on the market today.

http://guysoflidar.com/radar-detecto...ctor-test.html

http://guysoflidar.com/radar-detecto...adar-test.html

http://guysoflidar.com/radar-detecto...-rdd-test.html

http://motortrend.com/features/consu...r_buyersguide/

"This year, the measurement of the radar and laser detection abilities of each of the over $200 units gives the Valentine One ($400) a small edge over the competing BEL Vector 995 ($260) and Escort Passport 8500 X50 ($300 with red display or $340 with a blue display) units."

V1 is the best in laser detection:

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...213&highlight=

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detector-performance/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detec...adar-detector/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detec...ice-laser-gun/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detec...adar-detector/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detec...ice-laser-gun/


V1 has the best rear radar detection because it is the only detector with 2 antennas to locate radar:

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...214&highlight=

V1 is one of the least detectable detectors by RDD's or Radar Detector Detectors in states where radar detectors are illegal. The Spectre III is the most used RDD in the world and it can only pick up the Valentine One if it is 166 feet or closer which is better than the X50 which can be detected 954 feet away.

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...383&highlight=

The Valentine One which accounts for only .6% of radar detector sales wins every poll when it comes to being the favorite detector. The X50 doesn't even get an approval rating as high as George Bush's worst rating. :lol:

http://www.radardetector.net/The-Ult.......-5523t.php

Which of the "Big 3" is really the best overall - in your opinion?
V-1
64% [ 45 ]

RX-65
12% [ 9 ]

X50
20% [ 14 ]

Other (state which and why)
2% [ 2 ]

Total Votes : 70


Here is a poll on a BMW M3 Forum:

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showt...ight=valentine

What kind of Radar Detector do you have?

Valentine 1 144 people

64.86%

Escort 8500 52 people

23.42%

K40 5 people

2.25%

Other 21 people

9.46%

TOTAL VOTES 222 PEOPLE


Here is a poll on a LOTUS ELISE Forum:

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/show...ight=valentine


What do you think is the best Radar Detector?

Bel Pro RX65 2

1.92%

Escort 8500 X50 18

17.31%

Valentine One 78

75.00%

Cobra Pro 9780 0

0%

Whistler Pro 73 0

0%

Escort Solo S2 5

4.81%

Whistler 1788 1

.96%

PNI Silver B. 0

0%


Voters: 104


Here is a poll on another site:

http://www.socaleuro.com/forum/showt...ight=valentine

Best Radar Detector?

Escort Passport 8

11.59%

Valentine One 47

68.12%

Cobra 4

5.80%

Beltronics 5

7.25%

Uniden 0

0%

Other 5

7.25%


Voters: 69 people



Here are the results from the Corvette Forum:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...=valentine+one



Which Radar Detector do you have...

Valentine V-1 122
44.36%

Bel RX65 16
5.82%

Escort 8500 99
36.00%

Whistler Pro 73 2
0.73%

Other 36
13.09%

Voters: 275



Here are the results from the Acura Forum:

http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76772

Which Radar Detector Do you Guys Suggest up to $400


Valentine 1 136
59.13%


Escort 8500 78
33.91%

Beltronics 904 3
1.30%

Other 13
5.65%


Voters: 230



Here are the results from a VW Forum:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2444300


Valentine V1 (65%, 81 votes)

Escort 8500 (28%, 35 votes)

Escort Solo S2 (4%, 5 votes)

Whistler (1%, 2 votes)

(123 total votes)




http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...ghlight=#42353

Radar Roy from Radarbusters.com said this about the Valentine One, "Just spoke with Carl Fors from SML, his website will be going online tonight with the 2005 results. He has declared the V895, 8500 and the Valentine One as the top performers. Motortrend, who was also at the test, will be declaring the Valentine One as the top detector based upon its detection of laser.

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...=4696&start=90

Radar Roy said, "There were results that they (Guys of Lidar) got during the test that I was not exactly pleased with, such as the discovery of the Blinder not having Stealth Mode installed and the Valentine beating out the Escort and Bel in the range tests. Even though I don’t sell the Valentine, it does have slightly better range than both the RX65 and the 8500 and I also show this same fact on my site. Would love it to be the other way around."

Here is a link and video of the V1 alerting to radar quicker than the X50 and sometimes the X50 didn't alert to the radar at all. They are quick pulling the radar gun's trigger and the X50 is filtering it out and the V1 is picking it up every time.

http://www.radardetector.net/V1-vs.-...otout-865t.php

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

V1 wins in POP detection:

http://media.putfile.com/JammerTestscom_tests_V1X50_POP

V1 wins because it detects a certain laser gun in stealth mode while the X50 remains silent:

http://media.putfile.com/JammerTests...nd_X50_stealth

Wow. Compulsive.

I own both. The Escort rocks, the V1 does not.
'Nuff said.

False.
 

I find the one factor that will get you in deep doodoo is a detector that false alarms.

When my Passport says there is Ka band around, it's a fact, soon I'll be seeing a copmobile.

Most of those tests show the V1's extreme sensitivity, with a documented commensurate increase in falses.....case closed :ylsuper: .


S

My V1 pretty much goes off at anything - cell phone antennas, commercial property alarms, other radar detectors, etc.
Worse yet, I've been staring straight down the beam of a LIDAR and had it sit there quitely.

I've never had a Ka false on my Escort and I've avoided a dozen or so LIDAR tickets with it.