BEST Radar Detector?

[BlackZenkiS14]

Ok, so im thinking about trying to get one of these for Christmas to make my drive from Columbia to STL a bit more stress free when i go to Mizzou Next semester.

I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Passport 8500 and the Valentive V1. Which one is better?

[weagle]

I bought the passport but I wanted to v1 because of the feature that tells you which way the cop is radaring you from. I bought the one that I could get the day before my flight to Florida. Drove 1500 miles up to Wisconsin and the passport did its job.

[codyace]

Ok, so im thinking about trying to get one of these for Christmas to make my drive from Columbia to STL a bit more stress free when i go to Mizzou Next semester.

I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Passport 8500 and the Valentive V1. Which one is better?


I actually had the chance to compare the 8500 to the V1 first hand on a trip I took to VA (from PA) and back early this summer. A friend of mine has a V1, and I own the Escort, so we both purchaed a dual 12v thing and decided to hook both up to see how the worked.


BOTH of them came on at the exact same time. Same Band, and same strength...all of that Jazz. The only thing that (in my eyes) put the V1 ahead was it's bogey direction thing....it is nice to know the general area of where the car sits, however at times, it would get confused when radar bounced off signs and the sort.


To me, whatever is in your budget is what I would get. Last time I checked the V1 ws substantially more....

[HalveBlue]

Hmm...interesting.

I always thought that most modern radar/laser guns weren't detectable until the operator pressed the trigger. By that time it's already too late.

[LB.Motoring]

Hmm...interesting.

I always thought that most modern radar/laser guns weren't detectable until the operator pressed the trigger. By that time it's already too late.


chyeah

practically speaking, you can’t really defend yourself against Instant-On radar; if it’s been aimed at you, your speed has been measured by the time your detector gives an alert. However, if the radar was targeted on a car ahead of you, a detector with sensitive reception will alert you.

[twofourzerosx]

i love the V1 my friend had in his lotus (now in his audi s4)...it saved our asses multiple times and picks up soo much more than my POS cheepie

[chuy]

Cheap ass Home Shopping Network has saved me alot of times.

[Irukandji]

V1.

msglengthcansuckit

[Cr8zyDrifter]

I had a V1 for a little while, It would never shut up, Its So good...It detects everything and anything, it displays the number of threats, so when you drive around town you have to remember what the normal threat number is for that intersection. I.E. 2 false alarms normal, so if you get 3 that day, then maybe there is a cop. It worked to good for me, lol, i know that sounds stupid. And One other really big thing i hated about it is, and this is why i got rid of it. Its Impossibe to tell what Band the Threat is on, while night driving, in the picture below, the four vertical red dots tell which band it is on, or multiple bands. You CANNOT tell which the dot is next to Ka,K,Laser, ect. I just thought for 500 bucks you should be able to use just as easliy in the night time, but just my 02. cents, I want a passport now. Here is picture for reference of the Band Indicators. hope this helps.

http://images.forbestraveler.com/media/photos/inspirations/2007/07/road-trip-03-g.jpg

[KoukiMonsta]

V1

the direction is what makes it...

[GSXRJJordan]

Wow, bringin back 4yr old threads... at least this is a good one!

Recently, there have been a slew of new radar detectors that are better than the V1. The Escort 9500ix and Bel STI driver are the hot ones.

The radar detection is just as good, but the new GPS-enabled stuff *knows* where you are when it picks up a signal, so if you pass the same signal three times, it never alerts you to it again. This cuts down on false positives A BUNCH, especially on your morning commute for instance.

Also the new Escort stuff can plug into their ZR4 laser shifter, that's RAD, but it's another $400.

I love my Escort 9500ix.

[!Zar!]

I just don't use one. I say withing +5mph. I figure there isn't really a need. Maybe if I was given one. But I haven't spent $400 or whatever in tickets that were due to speeding, so to me it is a pointless investment IMO.

[PHAS3D]

I fucking love my Valentine 1!

[GSXRJJordan]

I just don't use one. I say withing +5mph. I figure there isn't really a need. Maybe if I was given one. But I haven't spent $400 or whatever in tickets that were due to speeding, so to me it is a pointless investment IMO.

That's exactly how I felt, until I got my FD. Without a working speedo, it's difficult to tell when travelling with traffic is actually 10+ over.

The real selling point to me is with the GPS stuff, it alerts you to speed cameras and red-light cameras too! I'm not one to run red lights, but the speed camera thing is awesome now that they're implementing that shit down all around in socal.

[KA-T_240]

I have owned many radar detectors, cheap and expensive and probably almost every brand made.

Most of the cheap ones have been junk.

I had the Beltronics STI Driver for a whole 3 hours before I returned it, it falsed for 6 miles straight in town where nothing else I have ever owned did that.

The escort 8500 X50 is an excellent radar detector. My only complaint was that it was not loud enough. With a loud car and normally having the radio on, I could barely here it and then end up in a bad situation.

The V1, The boggie counter, and the directional arrows are good options. I love that its stupid loud, that means I can pay attention to it when it goes off. On the freeways it pics up cops long long long ways away. My only complaint with it is that i get laser falsing off of the rear brake lights on GM SUVs.


My comparison between the V1 and the 8500. Both are amazing and should keep you out of trouble when your paying attention. I now own the V1 cause of the loudness factor.

Remember, just cause you have a radar detector doesn't mean you will never get caught. Its just a tool to add to your belt for trying to avoid speeding tickets or what ever else. If you don't pay attention to whats around you, you will get screwed.