Which Radar Detector?

**STG** · 08-04-2007, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by yakky

I wasted so much money on crap detectors. The valentine 1 is much more effective because of the arrors that show you the direction of the radar. You can look in 4 directions or 1. I like 1.

The arrows do not show the direction of the radar. they theoretically show the radar`s position. As radar bounces of buildings, cars, trees, street signs, the arrows are worthless in town. The V1 does not have 4-way arrows. It has front, rear and one arrow for both left AND right.

I own two Escrort 8500 x50s and I bought them after borrowing a V1 andusing it for two solid months. I found the arrows to be unreliable. Besides, if I get a Ka alert, I get on the ABS. I do not want to waste even a millisecond glancing at arrows.

If you trust the arrows, you will get nailed in town. Besides radar waves bouncing off everything in sight, when the V1 gives you the SIDES arrow, you will still be searching left-right-left-right..... and looking in two directions.

I know the theory is that a radar hit from the side is harmless because the speed reading (at ninety degrees) will be zero, bute if the cop is close enough to see you (like on a side street) and you ignore the SIDES arrow, nothing stops the officer from writing a speeding ticket based on his observation.

With all that said, Google "Radar Roy". Roy is a retired cop and certified rasdar instructor who now sells radar detectors. Give him a call or check out his website for a realistic recommendation for a detector in your price range.

**codiddy** · 08-04-2007, 02:49 AM

Originally Posted by STG

The arrows do not show the direction of the radar. they theoretically show the radar`s position. As radar bounces of buildings, cars, trees, street signs, the arrows are worthless in town. The V1 does not have 4-way arrows. It has front, rear and one arrow for both left AND right.

I own two Escrort 8500 x50s and I bought them after borrowing a V1 andusing it for two solid months. I found the arrows to be unreliable. Besides, if I get a Ka alert, I get on the ABS. I do not want to waste even a millisecond glancing at arrows.

If you trust the arrows, you will get nailed in town. Besides radar waves bouncing off everything in sight, when the V1 gives you the SIDES arrow, you will still be searching left-right-left-right..... and looking in two directions.

I know the theory is that a radar hit from the side is harmless because the speed reading (at ninety degrees) will be zero, bute if the cop is close enough to see you (like on a side street) and you ignore the SIDES arrow, nothing stops the officer from writing a speeding ticket based on his observation.

With all that said, Google "Radar Roy". Roy is a retired cop and certified rasdar instructor who now sells radar detectors. Give him a call or check out his website for a realistic recommendation for a detector in your price range.

Radar roy wants to sell you a radar detector, which is why he doesn`t recommend the V1. He wants to recommend something he can sell you right out of his store so HE makes money. He wouldn`t make money if he recommended the Valentine.

Arrows aside, I also like to know exactly how many signals I`m getting hit by, something only the V1`s bogey counter can do. And I like the heavy duty Magnesium casing more than the plastic casing of the 200 dollar detectors. Plus its nice to know if they ever change the V1 I won`t have to buy a new one, just update mine.

**bad venge** · 08-05-2007, 01:55 PM

have you priced updating ???

**ManiZ** · 08-05-2007, 04:40 PM

I have been on the fence about getting an RD for months now; even bought the hardwiring cable for the V1, but....I am just not convinced that RDs stand much of a chance against today`s detection tech. Laser is king now and too many precints are replacing all their radar gear with lidar. The fact is: If there is a laser pointed straight at you, no RD in the world will save you. The chances of getting deflected laser readings off other cars on the road are fairly slim since most operators are trained-enough to shoot them at targets a lot closer than a mile (distance at which the beam expands to the size of about one lane), so even a deflected beam would likely be too thin for an RD to pick up.

So I just don`t know; $400 is a nice chunk of change for any product that TODAY, only slightly improves one`s chances of being saved than it did even 5 years ago when lidar was a lot less prevalent among LEOs. Will I be better off with an RD than without one? Absolutely. But these days, the price, no matter how low, just doesn`t justify the meagerly-improved chances of a successful escape. It is the truth that I (being a marketing professional) know no RD manufacturer would ever want a consumer to know.

**AL-53** · 08-05-2007, 05:00 PM

I have a Escrort 8500 x50s and was wondering if you can send them in to get re calibrated....I use to pick radar up at a good distance..now it seems like it has a shorter warnng..it may just be the radar itself..but just wanted to get it checked out....

Any one ever send thiers in to get checked

Al

**BlackElantraGT** · 08-05-2007, 05:01 PM

I no longer have a radar detector, but if you live in a major metropolitan area, it`s kind of pointless to have one.

The only time I found the radar to be useful were for all the trips from SoCal to Vegas and vice versa because it gave me that piece of mind.

But if you drive like you`re supposed to, or even go 5-10 mph above speed limit, you shouldn`t have a need for a radar detector. Plus on long road trips, you just have to know how to drive. You`ll know the idiots from the good drivers so just find one that sets a good pace. If there are none, then you set the pace and people will follow you.

If you`re weaving in and out of lanes and going 20 mph or more faster than everyone, you deserve to get a ticket.

**BlackElantraGT** · 08-05-2007, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by AL-53

I have a Escrort 8500 x50s and was wondering if you can send them in to get re calibrated....I use to pick radar up at a good distance..now it seems like it has a shorter warnng..it may just be the radar itself..but just wanted to get it checked out....

Any one ever send thiers in to get checked

Al

Al, that was exactly the problem we had with our Escort 8500 x50. Unfortunately, ours was stuck on that "needs to be recalibrated" message screen. This was a unit purchased brand new and less than a year old. It`s now paper weight. They never bothered sending it in because it was out of warranty and they`re busy people. A lot of people experienced the same exact issue with the 8500 x50.

**AL-53** · 08-05-2007, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by BlackElantraGT

Al, that was exactly the problem we had with our Escort 8500 x50. Unfortunately, ours was stuck on that "needs to be recalibrated" message screen. This was a unit purchased brand new and less than a year old. It`s now paper weight. They never bothered sending it in because it was out of warranty and they`re busy people. A lot of people experienced the same exact issue with the 8500 x50.

mine has no message....its just seems it does not pick them up like before...mine is a few years old....its been dropped a few times also....wonder what it cost to have it done

Al

**bad venge** · 08-05-2007, 05:43 PM

mine died the same recalibration death went thru it several times then the needs serviced message popped up ...

**BlackElantraGT** · 08-05-2007, 05:45 PM

bad venge, did you ever get yours fixed?

**bad venge** · 08-05-2007, 06:00 PM

It`s headed there now ...

**BlackElantraGT** · 08-05-2007, 06:08 PM

what was the cost? or was it done under warranty?

**AL-53** · 08-05-2007, 06:18 PM

yes..did they quote a cost if not under warranty....

AL

**bad venge** · 08-05-2007, 06:36 PM

Mines under warranty ...

If I remember right it`s a flat rate as long as it`s not been tampered with/modified and it includes return shipping

**tCspool** · 08-27-2007, 09:31 PM

I know you said under $200, but the Passport 8500 is the best I have ever used. I did have the valentine and it worked just as good, but it was (is) ugly in my opinion...even though it is just a radar detector. I know there are fans on both sides of the fence with the top dogs, but they do perform equally in my opinion.