opinions on radar detector
07-30-2006, 06:59 PM
#1
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opinions on radar detector
I know the "end all-be all" of RD's is the valentine one. But I can't justify $400+ for a detector when I rarely speed anyways.
I have heard a lot of high end RD owners bashing on the Cobra brand, but thought their new XRS9985 had a very interesting (full color graphics) display.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-Cobra-XRS-9985-Radar-Detector_W0QQitemZ280010990016QQihZ018QQcategoryZ8 8748QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Has anybody seen it in use?
I currently have a $75 Whisler that worked really good untill the speaker died on it (had a really neat female voice that alerted you to the band detected, I called it Bitching Betty) but the all red text display was kind of time consuming to read. (although i liked the way it looked)
So I'm looking for something that will have voice alert, and also be easy to understand at a glance, and this seemed to have promise.
Retails on RadioShack for $215 (although I would try to get it on ebay for about $125
I have heard a lot of high end RD owners bashing on the Cobra brand, but thought their new XRS9985 had a very interesting (full color graphics) display.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-Cobra-XRS-9985-Radar-Detector_W0QQitemZ280010990016QQihZ018QQcategoryZ8 8748QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Has anybody seen it in use?
I currently have a $75 Whisler that worked really good untill the speaker died on it (had a really neat female voice that alerted you to the band detected, I called it Bitching Betty) but the all red text display was kind of time consuming to read. (although i liked the way it looked)
So I'm looking for something that will have voice alert, and also be easy to understand at a glance, and this seemed to have promise.
Retails on RadioShack for $215 (although I would try to get it on ebay for about $125
07-31-2006, 01:43 AM
#5
Metatron
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Agreed.....
Owned detectors for about 30 years, best one I've found is the Passport 8500 x50. I have the blue display but I wouldn't pay extra for it.
I really appreciate one with the option to turn off the "X" band and all it's false alarms. Makes the detector about ten times more useful to me.
No tickets, past five years.
S
I really appreciate one with the option to turn off the "X" band and all it's false alarms. Makes the detector about ten times more useful to me.
No tickets, past five years.
S
08-04-2006, 04:30 PM
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I have been throgh about 10 radar detectors and my passport 8500 of 4 years just died so I went ahead and ordered a 8500 x50.
I personally DO NOT LIKE the Valentine-1. The directional arrows logic can cause tickets. I dont want a radar detector that tries to determine where the threat is. The passport 8500 will show you the exact frequency and allow you to turn off X band which is almost useless these days.
I also hear the Bell is very good but I have had great success with the Passport series even back in the Cincinatti Microwave days so I am sticking with a known quantity.
I will say that if you have the Passport 8500, V-1, or Bel RX65 that you are in good shape. They are all very close in performance.
Just for the record, I ordered the 8500 x50 in RED since I have a Red car and the red matches the colors of my dash.
I personally DO NOT LIKE the Valentine-1. The directional arrows logic can cause tickets. I dont want a radar detector that tries to determine where the threat is. The passport 8500 will show you the exact frequency and allow you to turn off X band which is almost useless these days.
I also hear the Bell is very good but I have had great success with the Passport series even back in the Cincinatti Microwave days so I am sticking with a known quantity.
I will say that if you have the Passport 8500, V-1, or Bel RX65 that you are in good shape. They are all very close in performance.
Just for the record, I ordered the 8500 x50 in RED since I have a Red car and the red matches the colors of my dash.
08-04-2006, 05:04 PM
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08-05-2006, 04:07 AM
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Originally Posted by StealthTL
Owned detectors for about 30 years, best one I've found is the Passport 8500 x50. I have the blue display but I wouldn't pay extra for it.
I really appreciate one with the option to turn off the "X" band and all it's false alarms. Makes the detector about ten times more useful to me.
No tickets, past five years.
S
I really appreciate one with the option to turn off the "X" band and all it's false alarms. Makes the detector about ten times more useful to me.
No tickets, past five years.
S
i just relized that i have been using one for over 30 years...
had an origial escort... have on old pasport mounted on my bike...
have a 7500 in the 8 which is enough... i dont drive as fast, and when i do i have done a sweep of the area...
beers
08-06-2006, 09:38 AM
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Valentine One is the only choice!
The other radar detectors are all plastic and only have 1 antenna to detect radar unlike the Valentine One which is magnesium and has 2 antennas to locate radar.
Call Valentine Research at 1 800 331 3030 and ask for a returned V1 and you will get 10% off the retail price of $399. It will be the latest version V1.8 POP2 w/ Euro-mode and 3.851 firmware and that comes with all the accessories and a 1 year warranty.
Call Valentine Research at 1 800 331 3030 and ask for a returned V1 and you will get 10% off the retail price of $399. It will be the latest version V1.8 POP2 w/ Euro-mode and 3.851 firmware and that comes with all the accessories and a 1 year warranty.
08-06-2006, 10:05 AM
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With Radar Detectors being a hot theft Item I figured a cheap one was better then none and bought a Cobra XRS 9430 for $120. My son has a Passport, don't recall the model number, but it's a wireless unit with batteries.
I drive a stretch of highway that's covered with X, Ka, Ku, and Laser. Basicly I set cruise at 5 over but it's nice to know where the little bastards are hiding out.
Last week I used both detectors as a test. Since the little bastards always use a trigger to flash certain cars it's sometimes hard to tell when they lurk. One thing is certain; no matter how slow if a car is sporty looking they flash it. Little bastards.
Guess what? that $360 unit gave no better warning then the $120 unit. Occasionally a little bastard will be a mile or so up the road and flash a potential victim - even in those cases both detectors were identical in warning.
While there may be some fringe benefits with a big bucks unit I highly doubt they will be of any extra value.
I drive a stretch of highway that's covered with X, Ka, Ku, and Laser. Basicly I set cruise at 5 over but it's nice to know where the little bastards are hiding out.
Last week I used both detectors as a test. Since the little bastards always use a trigger to flash certain cars it's sometimes hard to tell when they lurk. One thing is certain; no matter how slow if a car is sporty looking they flash it. Little bastards.
Guess what? that $360 unit gave no better warning then the $120 unit. Occasionally a little bastard will be a mile or so up the road and flash a potential victim - even in those cases both detectors were identical in warning.
While there may be some fringe benefits with a big bucks unit I highly doubt they will be of any extra value.
08-06-2006, 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by kartweb
With Radar Detectors being a hot theft Item I figured a cheap one was better then none and bought a Cobra XRS 9430 for $120. My son has a Passport, don't recall the model number, but it's a wireless unit with batteries.
I drive a stretch of highway that's covered with X, Ka, Ku, and Laser. Basicly I set cruise at 5 over but it's nice to know where the little bastards are hiding out.
Last week I used both detectors as a test. Since the little bastards always use a trigger to flash certain cars it's sometimes hard to tell when they lurk. One thing is certain; no matter how slow if a car is sporty looking they flash it. Little bastards.
Guess what? that $360 unit gave no better warning then the $120 unit. Occasionally a little bastard will be a mile or so up the road and flash a potential victim - even in those cases both detectors were identical in warning.
While there may be some fringe benefits with a big bucks unit I highly doubt they will be of any extra value.
I drive a stretch of highway that's covered with X, Ka, Ku, and Laser. Basicly I set cruise at 5 over but it's nice to know where the little bastards are hiding out.
Last week I used both detectors as a test. Since the little bastards always use a trigger to flash certain cars it's sometimes hard to tell when they lurk. One thing is certain; no matter how slow if a car is sporty looking they flash it. Little bastards.
Guess what? that $360 unit gave no better warning then the $120 unit. Occasionally a little bastard will be a mile or so up the road and flash a potential victim - even in those cases both detectors were identical in warning.
While there may be some fringe benefits with a big bucks unit I highly doubt they will be of any extra value.
http://guysoflidar.com/twodetectors.html
http://valentine1.com/lab/DoItYourself.asp
Last edited by RaDaRkInG; 08-06-2006 at 11:43 AM.
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