Looking to buy a Radar Detector...

[PCspeed3]

So yesterday morning I got a ticket, I was going 18 over but luckily the guy was nice and only wrote it for 6. This made me have a sudden urge to put other mods on hold until I get a Radar Detector. My friend was telling me about the Beltronics STi and how its the newest and best. My other buddy has the Valentine One and it seems to work great. What are your expirences with Radar Detectors? -Thanks

[camrycev6]

Mine... not good. Every time I have used a radar detector (3 times / 3 different types) I got a ticket. They made me complacent, and I stopped constantly scanning for cops / good hiding spots, so when the cops "blipped" me, sure the radar detector went off --- but it was too late. I have found I do just as a good job as a radar detector as long as I am paying attention.

[goldhawk]

A Valentine One is crap. Use a BEL RX65 or Escort Passport 8500 X50. You will see a cop before a Valentine One will know he's there.

[Rotus8]

If you got the money, check out the Escort 9500i or ix.

[Zimmer]

I have the passport 8500 X50 its identified local cops well in advance but I've noticed on the highway I rarely know a cop is ahead usually I drive right by them and they're using laser which makes it useless.

[PCspeed3]

Thanks everyone for the response, I will check out some reviews and compare, then hopefully make the right decision.I will update when I make a purchase!

[mdavis]

this may help

guysoflidar dot com/august-2007/radar-detector-test.html

[RelliMS3]

A Valentine One is crap. Use a BEL RX65 or Escort Passport 8500 X50. You will see a cop before a Valentine One will know he's there.

I'm not sure why you think that. From all the research i've done the V1 is the best and i have been in two different cars with a V1 and they always worked very well.

[MikeHTally]

I'm surprised at the reference to the Valentine being bad. I've used Beltronics units for a while. There's a 995sti in the 300C and I rotate the RX65 between the Ram and the Speed. All have paid for themselves (at least).

[Kain]

Ever since my last speeding ticket, I've employed the drive-the-speed-limit radar system. Works every time.

[AutoEuphoria]

Valentine 1...saved my ass a bunch of times when I had one. Sold it when I got rid of the Evo, and now wish I hadn't.

[mr_mazda329]

Ever since my last speeding ticket, I've employed the drive-the-speed-limit radar system. Works every time.

There's the best answer... but If I got one...it would be the Valentine 1. It's save mine and a friends ass so many times.

[mrjoshyman]

I carry a radio scanner in my car, when I'm in a rush I put it on. I'll occasionally here the location of cops on the road, especially on the highway. Also, if you're driving too quick for most of the other drivers on the road people will call you in for wreckless driving in which case it would go over the radio and you know to chill out caz they're looking for you (this happens more often than people think -- thats from my experience listening to the scanner, no one has ever called me in for that...just for the record)

[SharkDiver]

Ive got a beltronics RX65 and its great for the money..THe V1 is not crap at all,That guy dont know what the hell he is talking about.Check out this link to the radar detector forum I goto and you will find everything you are looking for.If you have $400 I would go with a V1 or a Bel STI..The GPS units dont live up to the hype..

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/

[Zimmer]

Ever since my last speeding ticket, I've employed the drive-the-speed-limit radar system. Works every time.

Yup it was a life changing experience but I get great gas mileage!! (stooges)

[Rotus8]

I agree the V1 is not crap, but it was too "busy" for me. The freeways around here have radar based traffic monitoring which is really neat - you go to a web site and it tells you the speed the traffice is moving all over the bay area. However, there is a radar box every half mile which will make a V1 scream, making it so annoying you have to shut it off. The 9500i lets you train it to shut up about known fixed radar so it only goes off when there is something interesting to tell you about.

[lestat13]

I was between the RX65 and the 8500 X50.... then I heard about the reputation on the X50 AND found one on craigslist at a reeeeally good price and bought it. I pick up laser everytime I drive through this one intersection, and snagged a signal once on the highway but never saw a cop????? As far as the actual radar goes its amazing (sits right next to my rear view). The only issue is laser. I have driven right through traps with cops pointing laser guns at me without a sound. but like everyone says, even if it goes off for laser, it's too late!!

JUST DON'T CHANGE YOUR DRIVING HABITS!! many people who get tickets stop scanning when they get their detector. I drive 100% the same way I did before the detector, I just have an early warning system now. I don't go flying down the highway pushing top speed cause a your could fly by a cop or get caught by laser

[ragindark]

A Valentine One is crap. Use a BEL RX65 or Escort Passport 8500 X50. You will see a cop before a Valentine One will know he's there.

If by crap, you mean that the Valentine One smokes all the competition in radar and laser detection. The Valentine One actually has a front and rear radar antenna and arrows to locate radar while the rest don't have a rear radar antenna or arrows because Valentine Research has the patent.

http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/radar-detector-test.html

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

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/charts-by-radar-detector/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/charts-by-police-laser-gun/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/tables-by-radar-detector/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/tables-by-police-laser-gun/

[mazdaspeedkid]

well my .2 cents is that the v-1 has kept me out of lots of tickets im 20 and i got it when i got my licence and trust me it pays for its self and it is easy to tell that people have there own choices of radar dectectors but i would never sell it or pawn it i even hardwired it to me speed lol like i sayed its my .2 cents.

[719prottege]

i have a rockymountain radar, that i got off of some local kid and it works great! it is supposedly a passive scrambler too, but sense getting pulled over 4 times in 6 months, i am super aware of everything, or try to be. the one i have has gone off over a mile befor the cop, and gave me plenty of time to adjust. as far as the scramber, i only once drove by a cop too fast with it on, and i didnt get pulled over. i was going 75-80 in a 65

[Zimmer]

i'd also like to add that all the times I got pulled over I was NOT picked up on radar or laser. I was clocked & estimated.

[pdqgp]

IMO V1 /thread.

Mine's been with me for years and upgrades are a snap.

[Super Unique]

I carry a radio scanner in my car, when I'm in a rush I put it on. I'll occasionally here the location of cops on the road, especially on the highway. Also, if you're driving too quick for most of the other drivers on the road people will call you in for wreckless driving in which case it would go over the radio and you know to chill out caz they're looking for you (this happens more often than people think -- thats from my experience listening to the scanner, no one has ever called me in for that...just for the record)

if I was a cop and someone did that, I would pull over the caller for talking on the phone while driving. Keep yer nose out of other peoples business bitches! :)

[Zimmer]

has anyone used Trapster on your cell phone? A guy at work uses it plus his radar detector but he just got a speeding ticket ---- weeeeiiiirdd

[goldhawk]

I'm not sure why you think that. From all the research i've done the V1 is the best and i have been in two different cars with a V1 and they always worked very well.

You are entitled to your opinion and the V1 may work well for you but there is better performance for the same money or slightly less.

Here is a list of sources on the Bel or Escort (first) being better than a V1:
http://radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090
http://radartest.com/article_2.asp?articleid=100578
http://radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=100542
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNmI7HrA3bc
http://www.myradardetector.com/compare_all.htm

[goldhawk]

Sorry, there's one more:
http://radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=1064

[ragindark]

You are entitled to your opinion and the V1 may work well for you but there is better performance for the same money or slightly less.

Here is a list of sources on the Bel or Escort (first) being better than a V1:

http://radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090

http://radartest.com/article_2.asp?articleid=100578

http://radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=100542

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNmI7HrA3bc

http://www.myradardetector.com/compare_all.htm


Sorry, there's one more:

http://radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=1064


Wow, you couldn't have linked to more biased testing sites. That is Radar Roy Reyer from Radarbusters.com in the youtube video and he doesn't sell the Valentine One so do you think that the V1 will win against the Bels and Escorts that he sells? That myradardetector.com site posts results that it got from Speed Measurement Laboratories (SML) and they are paid by radar detector makers to "test" their radar detectors and Radar Roy is always at their testing.

Radartest.com is run by a guy named Craig Peterson who is a paid shill that works for Bel and Escort which are the same company. He likes to bash the V1 every chance he gets and promotes only Bel and Escort products. He got busted trying to sabotage the Guysoflidar.com 2007 radar detector test and he had to part with a couple thousand dollars on top of the $1000 radar gun that he hid under camouflage on top of a mountain to throw off the testing. Why did he do that you might ask...because he knew that their unbiased testing would show the V1 to be #1 which would make everybody doubt his crappy biased site.

http://www.guysoflidar.com/march-2007/sabotage.html


The Valentine One is the undisputed champion of radar and laser detection.

http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/radar-detector-test.html

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

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/charts-by-radar-detector/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/charts-by-police-laser-gun/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/tables-by-radar-detector/

http://www.laserveil.com/laser-detectors/tests-reviews-comparisons/tables-by-police-laser-gun/

[stevekt]

I don't have a radar detector but will be buying one soon. The V1, 9500i, and Sti seem to be at the top of the list from what I've read. As expected they are also the most expensive with the Valentine at $399, 9500i at $449, and the Sti at $499. They all have different "personalities" so a bit of reasearch is proabably wise before you make your purchase.

All three seem like great radar detectors and you probably can't lose with any of them. However, I decided that I was more comfortable with a lower price range and will be picking up a Bel RX65 for about $300 in a few weeks. I've already ordered a rear view mirror mount and hard wire power cord.

[jam_asian85]

Mind I ask where did you purchase your rear view mirror mount for the radar?

[ragindark]

i have a rockymountain radar, that i got off of some local kid and it works great! it is supposedly a passive scrambler too, but sense getting pulled over 4 times in 6 months, i am super aware of everything, or try to be. the one i have has gone off over a mile befor the cop, and gave me plenty of time to adjust. as far as the scramber, i only once drove by a cop too fast with it on, and i didnt get pulled over. i was going 75-80 in a 65

Nothing by RMR or Rocky Mountain Radar will jam laser or radar and their radar detection sucks.

http://www.radarjammer.com/news/fcc-seizure.html

http://matt.simerson.net/reference/radar-scam.shtml

http://www.radarjammer.com/

http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?s=3508464

http://www.1-radar-laser-jammers-detectors.com/support/what-are-scramblers/index.php

http://troubleshooter.com/ConsumerInformation/ColumnDetails.cfm?ColumnID=307

[lestat13]

[COLOR=Red]Nothing by RMR or Rocky Mountain Radar will jam laser or radar and their radar detection sucks.

my buddy who bought their jammer got 2 tickets before he threw it away!!

[coololddude]

the "my spouse is a police officer" works the best!!

[camrycev6]

Ah... the insider's advantage!

[Zimmer]

my lawyer new the magistrate .... so it just sucked less (smash)

[def_one]

Ive been a 8500 user for a long time now. Had it in my last 2 cars too. I did a little custom work on my install to make it hidden.

Detector sits up here:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/def_one/det08.jpg

Remote unit is attached behind this piece of plastic, here:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/def_one/det06.jpg

And looks like this when its lit up:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/def_one/det07.jpg

[lestat13]

^^ thats really nice work you did there. I'm guessing it would be pretty tough to replicate that??

[jam_asian85]

Ive been a 8500 user for a long time now. Had it in my last 2 cars too. I did a little custom work on my install to make it hidden.

Detector sits up here:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/def_one/det08.jpg

Remote unit is attached behind this piece of plastic, here:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/def_one/det06.jpg

And looks like this when its lit up:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/def_one/det07.jpg

I demand and how-to !!!










please :D

[UHATEIT]

def one your local to my area. Thats a sweet install! I like the work!

[thefrog1394]

First of all, sweet install def_one. I'm thinking of doing something similar with my new Passport 9500i, I have the same smart cord direct wire thing and want to mount it somehow to make it look stock. I might have to fabricate something though for under my radio because my protege doesn't have any places where I could do it how you did.

And if the original poster (or anyone else for that matter) still needs a radar detector, Ive got my passport 8500 X50 blue (ya i paid $40 more for the blue. It just looked too sexy) on sale in the FS section.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123718617
I've got it for $300 shipped right now, but I'm willing to accept offers, so feel free to shoot me a PM. Its basically brand new, its been used for a total of a day and a half. (and it does work great. I just decided I wanted the GPS so I upgraded to the 9500i.)