Radar Detector?
 

So I'm sure that none of us ever speed :D However, if you were looking for (or already have) a radar detector what would you go with? V1? Escort 9500? Something else?

i am actually looking into getting one myself

heard good things bout valentine radars but would like opinion from some people who actually have it would be nice. o heard false alarms are a issue with them

I'm in the same situation also. I have no idea. I heard good things about Escort 9500. I have an app on my fone but those are sorta a joke.

I have heard good things about the V1, mainly the ability to show you the direction the radar is coming from, but I've also heard the drawback about the false warnings. Hopefully we have some other speed conscious peeps on here to help educate us.

Yeah, I'm on board with you guys, I'd like to know if the Escort is worth purchasing before I get my BRZ.

4.5 years with my Escort 9500ix. Absolutely love it. High detection only a hair lower than the V1, lockout false alerts, and pre-recorded alert locations for those spots that I know they sit and/or run laser from frequently (like mile marker 37 on the New Jersey Turnpike)

- Longest detection I've seen personally was 2.9 miles on I-80(?) On the salt flats west of Salt Lake City.
- Locked out somewhere over 700 false alerts locations across the northeast, though a handful across the rest of the country
- I don't rely on it, it is simply another tool in my arsenal, and is not superior to the grey matter between my ears.
- 1 ticket with it, a last second pop radar head on from a RAPIDLY closing cruiser in the no-mans land of northern NV. Was targeting me anyway for possible drug runner (out of state plates, sports car, between a major highway and a town with a known drug problem) saved from dozens of others.


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Valentine V1 all the way!

My brother has had one for about 5 years and hasn't gotten a single ticket with it. It pretty much always detects police officers, and even when it does detect the occasional sliding door and whatnot, you can just slow down anyway, just to be safe.

However, things like Radar Cruise Control make it go off and so if you're car has RCC then you can't really use it, as it will just keep beeping.

Glad this hasn't turned into a speed discussion, thank you for those who oppose them for staying out. :)

I have an Escort 9500ix in my car, it's awesome and was really handy back when Phoenix had the speed cameras. The range is awesome I've had it alert me 2 miles away before.

On my R6 I have an Escort 8500 X50 blue. I got it for free and it was beat up and not very good. I mailed it in for $60 to have it worked on, and they replaced the laser circuitry, the antenna, and recalibrated it and replaced the entire outter shell! I was impressed, plus they threw in extra suction cups and a smart cord.

Love Escort.

I've always loved the Valentine 1 but I've also heard that with most states using laser exclusively, once the laser is picked up by the detector it's too late. Any truth to that? If not, I might just have to buy a V1 now that I drive 150 miles round trip a day to work, all highway.

For the most part, that is true. Unless the laser can't get a lock on you and your speed, or it reflects, and the detector gets the light in time, but you'd have to react fast.

And that claim about states using exclusively laser is not true. It's expensive technology and has limitations:
- Have to have perfect clear weather (rain will obstruct the laser)
- Have to be stationary.
- Typically can't be used behind a closed window.

Given these, it's more common with two cops, where one will laser you and the other mobile unit will track you down.

Additionally, in some states you can buy laser blockers. Jamming radar is illegal in all states because radar is FCC regulated. Blocking light, however, is not federally regulated, but some states may have laws blocking their use. IMO it's not worth the $600-1200 it may cost to jam laser.

Isn't laser also useless at night?

No, they still work at night. If they don't then some cops have been scamming me out of 1-2 HJ's on more than one occasion...

Those are some expensive tickets...Google just found me RadarDetector.net they have some interesting threads over there.

Hard to get back after they are lost. They do work at night, since they do not rely on light

Apparently the rain thing is bogus too. The new laser will compensate for it and get you all the same. Range may be slightly affected though. But why be an idiot and speed in the rain anyway unless you're on rain tires.

My Daily Driver has a Passport 9500ci (incl laser jammers) AND a second set of stand-alone laser jammers (Laser Interceptors). There are 7 laser jamming heads on the car in total. It was pricey, but those things WORK. They run a lot of laser in Houston, and I've had the car shot with a few guns in a test scenario. It's basically invisible. Not bad for a white car.

Radar detectors only work when a vehicle ahead of you is being "marked" That would also mean you're speeding when other motorists are around :thumbdown:. What happens when you're speeding down an empty road? You could get a radar jammer but if you're caught with one of those, you face federal charges. Also, not every band can be jammed.

Another fun fact, police can now tell if their attempt to mark you is being interfered by such a device which will land you in a heap of trouble. Bottom line, take it to the track ya ricers :p

Your first statement is false. Radar jammers are illegal and no one mentioned anything regarding them until you. Lastly please troll elsewhere with your ricer comment.

Regarding the post about radar jammers, laser jammers fall under the same category and are also illegal. Please read and comprehend what you're reading before you respond...Thank you very much :) and the ricer comment was a joke. I'm sorry, I'll never joke about something like that again sir.

Again, you're wrong. Laser jammers do not fall under the same category as radar jammers. Radar is regulated under the FCC and interfering with radar signals is illegal under federal law (read any label on any device that transmits or receives a signal). Lasers are not regulated by the FCC and laser jammers are only illegal in certain states. Pretty sure my reading comprehension is just fine.

Can an Escort 9500 be stealth mounted and connected to activate an LED?

I've always wanted one tucked up in the dash, with only LEDs mounted in my gauge cluster. No sound. Any products like this exist?

I know the V1 has a remote display that can be mounted wherever you like, not sure if there's a purchasable option like that for the Escort...I guess you rig one up but it would probably turn out pretty hap hazard.

Passport 8500 x50. I LOVE IT.

Wow, I was dead set on a V1 until I read some of these posts. Great thread.

Same here. The Escort Passport 8500 X50 a bit less expensive than the V1 (Valentine One) and if it needs to be repaired/tuned up, it lets you know. And if you wait, you might be able to get it on sale. The V1 never goes on sale. I don't think you can go wrong if you get an Escort 8500 or above or the V1. They (people on radar detector forums) say the Escort 8500/9500 are good for people new to radar detectors, but the V1 is for more experienced users. They also say the V1 gives a boat load of false negatives (alerts when its not a police radar), especially in the city and can get loud and annoying. But how often will you be speeding in the city?

The best part about getting any radar detector is that it makes you slow down and increases your awareness of your surroundings. The first few days I had mine, I was always doing PSL (posted speed limit) but these days it just keeps me on my toes. Even helps me stay awake.

Just remember to hide the damn thing when you park. Too many people will bust a window to get to it.

If you go to the radar detector forums, try to look up your local area and see what the most prevalent radar band is being used in your area, along with laser (LIDAR) use. They've got lots of great info there. Maybe that can narrow your selection down.

You don't just get false alerts 'in a city'. I've been all over the country and found false alerts everywhere. Plus, what about Los Angeles? Chicago? Baltimore? Atlanta? Or any other major city with one or more highways running through it? What about I-95 between DC and Boston? Nearly continuous false alerts the whole way, even between 'cities'.

I run mine on highway mode for high detection and lock out all the false alerts. First time and it never bothers me again.

In the end, I have exactly zero appetite for false alerts, with a really healthy appetite for real ones, and I don't care which direction the real alert is coming from.

So no V1 for me.

Yes and no.

https://www.escortradar.com/store/di...cord-blue.html

That is the remote LED/button unit for the detector. I have this mounted right near my shifter so I can just reach over my right hand and mute it when needed. It's actually really cool, I'll take a picture sometime.

I say no because if you hide the radar, you risk deminishing its sensitivity to radar signals. In my case I have it smack in the middle of the windshield (not too high because roof is metal, and rearview mirror would deflect rear-signals, and not too low because higher gets better signal, but lower does help with LIDAR detection aimed at headlights)

I then have the cord wired so that my V12 outlet can be used for other purposes. I don't really worry about hiding it, it's not illegal here. And so many people in AZ have GPS on their windshields most cops probably can't tell from a distance what it is.

I've also been pulled over twice with it on my windshield and only been given warnings even though it was visible. The argument that because you have a radar detector that you must be speeding does NOT hold up in court. In my cases, the cops pulled me over for a stoplight one time and driving fast a second, by a motorcycle cop. Neither used radar/lidar, which may have been why I got a warning. Regardless I'll still try to quickly dismount it if I'm being pulled over lol

This is what you want

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Weak Sauce.

Nice

I have no opinion whether the V1 or Passport 9500ix is better, but FYI, buydig.com has the Passport 9500ix bundle for $399 shipped (comes with "supercup" and "smartcord").

The detector alone was $379 on slickdeals.net a couple days ago, but that's expired. $20 more for the bundle is worth it anyway, IMO.

Note that buydig is an authorized dealer (they had been put on the unauthorized list, but were taken off it today so the warranty shouldn't be a problem... see the thread at slickdeals for details, if interested).

http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.a...u=e1ESPP9500IX
http://www.escortradar.com/unauthorized-list.php
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3552260

Damn that is a good deal.

I think the 9500ix goes for $500 normally.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the stealth radar detector by Escort, the RedLine. Supposed to have the best range too.

I will attest to the ridiculous amount of false signals from the V1. My buddy had one for a long time and anytime we were in town going by any shopping plazas it would go off like crazy. I do like how it gives you directional hits as well, but I'm going to have to do some research on which to go for based on the types of radar most commonly used where I drive, and so many people on here have raved about the Passport that I need to look into both.

I know the discussion has veered off into whether or not laser jammers are legal or not. I'm pretty sure they're legal in TX, but frankly I don't care. I use them so I don't get speeding tickets (Hint: Speeding is also illegal). Also, I don't run a front plate, and frequently jaywalk.

As far as 'speeding when other motorists are around' goes... I never intimated that I'm going 30 mph above traffic, while weaving through cars at rush hour. I'm not an idiot. Traffic here usually moves at 80 mph. You're welcome to cruise along at 65 mph if you want and be fully within the law, but at that point, you're more dangerous to other motorists than just going with the flow in my opinion.

That being said, I still like to move a bit faster than traffic, but it's all about not doing dumb shit. I have no desire to put other people in danger or even spook them. The assholes around here going 75 and not signaling in their F350 with wobbly wheels are way more dangerous than I am at 85 mph.

Sadly, the law does not (cannot?) account for these kinds of nuances, so they just draw a line at some arbitrary limit and park a donut eater at the side of the road to raise revenue. Driving a sports car at a rate a little faster than traffic definitely makes you a target.

As far as, "take it to the track, ya ricers" goes... I'm not driving 85 for a speed thrill, and I DO take it to the track (you can go WAY faster than 85 on a track day).

I had a V1 before I had my Passport. In my opinion, it's an awesome highway radar detector. Great sensitivity and the arrows are pretty sweet.

The killer feature of the Passport 9500 series is the GPS. 1) you can 'mark' falses so that they don't alert all the time. 2) when you're going slow (<25 I think...), it also mutes the alerts, so the thing doesn't freak out when you drive through the grocery store parking lot.

Interesting read going through this thread. Laws here in Australia are very similar that of the United States, it differs between states and territories.

A question out there, can anyone here recommend ALG9 as a good form of laser speed camera defence to use?
http://www.alg9.com/

Thanks.

Aren't the false alerts from Super Markets and such?

I remember my friend had one in his Bimmer and it would go off whenever we were somewhat close to a supermarket or anything that had an automatic sliding door.

Super markets and convenience stores can be a bitch. Basically anything with a sensor outside of a sliding door. This makes me lean a little closer to the Passport since you can mark those as false spots. Only catch is when there's a cop right next to a super market :)