| pingwrx |
I just received a speeding ticket by an officer who was traveling in opposite direction, and he caught me with his radar gun. I'm thinking a radar detector might be a wise investment. Can anybody recommend a brand and model? I prefer a unit that is portable, one that I can take from one car and use it in another car.
Thanks in advance. |
|
|
| DocWalk20 |
| I've got an Escort Passport 8500 and have been happy with it. I think it's been replaced/"upgraded" to the 8500 X50 now. Others will swear by their Valentine One's. I don't think you can go wrong with either of these. |
|
|
| bzboy |
I just got the Passport 8500 x50 blue and have been very happy with it. First of all the read out is a cool "blue" color to match my car :D . Second i bought it at Cartoys and for 20 bucks more i got a 4 year full warranty. It has great K and Ka band detection. I considered the valentine v1 but honestly i didnt see a great advantage in the arrows. The valentine doesnt have POP mode and is difficult to read at night since the display only lights up little circles. the passport is much easier to program than the valentine. and i think the passport is much less a target to steal than the valentine when you look on ebay and see the valentine selling sometimes more than the original purchase price.
Thats just my opinion :D |
|
|
| greatscot |
quote:
Originally posted by pingwrx
. . . I'm thinking a radar detecor might be a wise investment. . . .
How about just driving the speed limit, seriously, I've had luck with this. The wife tells me I've got a nose for Cops (knock on wood :25: ) I just somehow know when they are around, lucky so far, good luck! |
|
|
| Pug |
You should first do some research on the net to determine what kind of radar (or laser) is used by the fuzz where you drive. I'm far from an expert on this stuff, but there are different bands, etc - and apparently some detectors are better at picking up certain types of radar than others. I live in NJ, and it seems that the police here use a band that's different from much of the rest of the country. Once you know what you're up against, you can determine which vendor has the "best of breed" for your needs. May not be relevant to you, but detectors are illegal in VA, DC and on military bases.
This site radar test.com is a good educational source.
Finally, it's real easy to get lulled into a false sense of security with these things. I got 3 speeding tickets when I had a detector, and haven't had any since it was stolen from my car (and I didn't replace it) ! |
|
|
| perk |
quote:
Originally posted by greatscot
I just somehow know when they are around, lucky so far, good luck!
You are either very brave or very lucky or very ???. ;) |
|
|
| msu79uh04 |
quote:
Originally posted by greatscot
How about just driving the speed limit ...
I concur; 99+% of the time you will NOT be stopped at 5 mph over the posted speed limit. Isn't 75 mph on the freeway fast enough ( thats what cruise control is for) :cool: :1: :7:
PS: http://www.acuramdx.org/forums/show...&threadid=17834 |
|
|
| Pauls MDX |
| I've been debating for months and after numerious comparisons, I'm going to go with the Passport 8500 X50 Blue. At first, I was stuck and for sure going to go with the Valentine-1, but have finally changed my mine after the lastest reviews |
|
|
| greatscot |
quote:
Originally posted by perk
You are either very brave or very lucky or very ???. ;)
Or very what, cheap? :D
Actually, without sounding "offensive" there is a thread on here somewhere that goes into Radar detectors in some detail, and the Valentine seems to be the creme de la creme. However, I find it more economical not to buy any of them, and save my pennies for other stuff, like my newly installed moonrof visor. |
|
|
| perk |
quote:
Originally posted by Pug
Finally, it's real easy to get lulled into a false sense of security with these things. I got 3 speeding tickets when I had a detector, and haven't had any since it was stolen from my car (and I didn't replace it) !
I've had the opposite experience. The only speeding tickets I've ever gotten were when I had the detector in the glove compartment. I used to have an Escort and had to take it down daily for fear of theft. Often, I would forget to put it back up. It was only during those times that I EVER got a ticket.
All this is why I did a stealth install on my Valentine 1. Havent had another ticket since I bought an original V1 in early 90's and installed it so that theives wouldn't notice. |
|
|
| perk |
quote:
Originally posted by Pauls MDX
I've been debating for months and after numerious comparisons, I'm going to go with the Passport 8500 X50 Blue. At first, I was stuck and for sure going to go with the Valentine-1, but have finally changed my mine after the lastest reviews
When you say "latest reviews", do you mean the one by Craig Peterson at this site? If so, I wouldn't put a great deal of faith in that guy. I read his conclusions and find that they seem to differ greatly from what all other testers have found. I try to read Road&Track, Car&Driver, and Motor Trend every month. Each of those magazines frequently do radar detector testing and, as far as I remember, each magazine has consistently rated the Valentine 1 highest for more than 10 years straight. Take a look at this for example. In fact, the ratings haven't even been close. It seems to me that Mr. Peterson has some issues, personal or professional, with Valentine that may have skewed his results. |
|
|
| Pauls MDX |
| That review didn't have the lastest Passport 8500 X50, which has rated a little higher than the Passport 8500. Don't drive me crazy and have me go back to the drawing board. Basically the size of the Valentine and the bright lights have turned me off. Also didn't have as much programming ability as the new Passport 8500 X50. I believe both are excellent detectors overall and Valentine is probably a bit better in range but don't think it's going to make a difference. |
|
|
| DocWalk20 |
quote:
Originally posted by Pauls MDX
...Passport 8500 X50...
I believe both are excellent detectors overall and Valentine is probably a bit better in range but don't think it's going to make a difference.
Agreed. :29: |
|
|
| perk |
quote:
Originally posted by Pauls MDX
That review didn't have the lastest Passport 8500 X50, which has rated a little higher than the Passport 8500.
Again, which reviews are you talking about? My wife is in market also and I'd like to read the review. |
|
|
| mbatche |
| Just a brief reply. I have owned Escort (older model), BEL (the battery powered model), SOLO (also battery powered), and finally bought a Valentine 1. The V1 is a great detector. The direction finding (front, rear and sideways) is useful, as is the "bogey counter." It's nice to know that there might be more than one radar source out there. The only minor issue is that, as they approach, some radar cars running front and rear guns will show as two bogeys. Not a big issue for me. Good luck. |
|
|
| Gladiator |
| I have the Passport 8500 also and been happy with it. |
|
|
| DaleB |
| Good enough for a 'Gladiator' is good enough for me! Some of those chariots really moved!:4: |
|
|
| azfansinnc |
I have the 8500 and am happy with it.
I only "speed" beyond the 5+ range if there are other cars ahead of me (1/4 mile or so). A laser or K/Ka instant-on gun will nail you even if you have a detector but are all alone out there.
BTW, in NC or VA they mostly use the K/Ka guns. I have only seen a laser signal once, in TX. Scared the daylights out of me and I never did see the cop.
Oh yeah, mount it as high as possible on the windshield. Mine is hardwired directly under the mirror. |
|
|
| Tnman |
Yea, the "instant On" or "Standby" will get you every time, there is not much way to save you from the laser, Unlike radar that spreads in a cone pattern the Laser is a very small diameter, For example the K band beam is 320ft wide at 1000 ft compared to the laser that is 3 ft wide at 1000 ft. Most of the times when im shooting the laser im aquiring targets under 1000 ft away so the beem never goes beyond the car I hit and does not set off other detectors like the radar does. Laser is the weapon of choice!
Watch out for those speed traps! |
|
|
| Pauls MDX |
quote:
Originally posted by azfansinnc
Oh yeah, mount it as high as possible on the windshield. Mine is hardwired directly under the mirror.
It's odd you say that, I just read an article that had stated to mount a Radar Dector as low to the dash as possible. That was just the opposite of what I had always thought the higher the better. The article went on to explain the Police Officer is always shooting the Radar or Laser at the license plate which is low, hence the closer to the dash the stronger the sinal you would recieve. It makes sence. Now when I hardwire my new detector I'm confused on where to mount dash or rear view mirror. I actually had wanted and preferred to mount up high near the rear view mirror.
:4::confused: |
|
|
| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by Pauls MDX
It's odd you say that, I just read an article that had stated to mount a Radar Dector as low to the dash as possible. That was just the opposite of what I had always thought the higher the better. The article went on to explain the Police Officer is always shooting the Radar or Laser at the license plate which is low, hence the closer to the dash the stronger the sinal you would recieve. It makes sence. Now when I hardwire my new detector I'm confused on where to mount dash or rear view mirror. I actually had wanted and preferred to mount up high near the rear view mirror.
:4::confused:
...maybe it needs to on a vertical pole and you can slide it up and down ...it will point down when you brake real hard though... |
|
|
| azfansinnc |
quote:
Originally posted by Pauls MDX
It's odd you say that, I just read an article that had stated to mount a Radar Dector as low to the dash as possible. That was just the opposite of what I had always thought the higher the better. The article went on to explain the Police Officer is always shooting the Radar or Laser at the license plate which is low, hence the closer to the dash the stronger the signal you would receive. It makes sense. Now when I hardwire my new detector I'm confused on where to mount dash or rear view mirror. I actually had wanted and preferred to mount up high near the rear view mirror.
:4::confused:
The way I look at it is that I am looking for reflected signals from the officer tagging another vehicle. If his gun is already pointed at your vehicle and you are "in the wrong" it's too late anyway. :3: Not much warning there.
My unscientific test was a cross country trip several years ago. On the way out the unit was on the dash. In almost every situation, the officer was almost on top of you when the detector went off. I high mounted the unit on the return trip and felt that I had much more warning. Now, there are alot of variables at work here but the approach works for me. The way I see it: With the detector mounted high it can theoretically see a bit farther over the horizon.
I could be totally wrong but I'll need some good scientific evidence to make a switch.:2: |
|
|
| Tnman |
| You would be better to mount ot high in order to clear the vehicles in front of you the lower it is the more the vehicle in front of you will block it. |
|
|
| MDXtrous |
Hi all,
Just got two tickets in a row (not speeding) this year after more than 14 years without one, but really afraid of the cops now.
Was thinking about getting the Valentine 1 with concealed display.
What about mounting the main unit under the rear break-light (not as visible to thieves here in NYC) and mounting the concealed display somewhere up front? Would that work?
Thanks all. |
|
|
| 04mdx4sq |
| I have had the best experience using K40's undetectable setup in my other cars. It is hidden except for two small LEDs. I have also been using the laser diffuser, and I have been hit with laser and not pulled over even though I was doing 15+ over the speed limit. I can definitely say it works. Another advantage to the K40 is it's ability to pick up and warn you of more than one band of radar at a time, so if you are driving by a bank and the x-band is picking up, it can still detect and warn you of an officer using Ka. And for those of you in states where they are illegal, they are also undetectable by radar detector detectors. They also make a portable which is also undetectable. They pay your speeding tickets for one year, that says a lot to me about confidence in their product. As far as front and rear and side arrows, let me ask you one question, where do you look first when your radar detector goes off? I tend to look at my speedometer. Location of radar can also be deceiving as it tends to bounce off of objects, so you may pick up an echo first which would'nt tell you the true source direction anyway. Positioning for a radar detector is a little more difficult with a portable now that laser is in wider use, as lower is better to pick up laser as they tend to aim for the front license plate or headlamp assembly, but without a diffuser if you get a laser warning he's already got you. |
|
|
| Mr. Mom |
| Just got back from a 3K trip and the Passport 8500 X50 worked well. I was hit by everything in the book and was able to stomp on the brake in time. The laser alarm about sent me through the roof. One problem was with it mounted on the dash, it got very hot and didn’t want to come back on when shut off. I let it cool down and it would come back on, but…I will be moving it by the rear view mirror soon. The pop mode would go off with no indication of anyone around, so I really don’t know how reliable that is. The default mode is to have it turned off so…. Anyway, it did save me several times, but do watch out for someone tailgating you when you hit the brake, when the detector goes off, just about got rear ended once. |
|
|
| presten |
| I live in N.California where the CHP uses the Ka band exclusively. I have a Valentine II and really love it...I especially like the ability of the Valentine to tell you if the radar is ahead or behind you. With the capability of the Ka systems installed in the CHP cars...that is valuable information. It seems to have incredible sensitivity and that has proven very helpful. The CHP cars often hide behind a overpass and just give a quick burst of radar at cars they think are "speeding". On several occasions , I have gotten one of those quick hits on the detector with silence after that for some time. I immediately pulled back to the speed limit, and lo and behold, about two miles after getting the original momentary warning...passed by a CHP car hiding behind the overpass support! Had I not gotten the original "hit" on the detector, I would have blasted right into the trap since the officer had not "hit" on anyone after that initial hit I received a couple of minutes earlier. I am a believer!!! |
|
|
| ongvua |
I like Valentine One.
I own one and it work like a charm, it's the best. |
|
|
| aemikeg |
| I recommend the K40 Undetectable Front/Rear and the Laser Diffuser. The K40 is the only true front/rear detector available so you will know where the source is. the Diffuser is a must have. The reviews are available on the K40 web site. |
|
|
| 04mdx4sq |
| Interesting article, sorry to see they left out the K40. I really believe it is one of the best systems available. |
|
|
| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Mom
http://www.speedzones.com/
Thanks for the link. It would appear the Escort X50 upgrade has some value. |
|
|
| Pauls MDX |
quote:
Originally posted by 04mdx4sq
Interesting article, sorry to see they left out the K40. I really believe it is one of the best systems available.
The K40 is for sure much better, but much more expensive. Most are debating the Escort X50 and the Valentine V-1. The K40 is in a catagory above those 2 and much better of course, you get pretty much what you pay for. I'm leaning more towards the X50 after the last article. I do like the directions of the Valentine much better so I know where the radar is comming from. I wish Valentine would make an improvement in design and technology, that would make me go for the Valentine for sure. I think it needs a lighter body and a re-design for a more modern look. |
|
|
| 04mdx4sq |
| K40 does have the RD850 portable unit that retails for $299. I have used it myself with great results, not far off of the K40 1000 built in unit. |
|
|
| aemikeg |
One thing to remember about these radar detectors is that many area's are using laser instead of radar. A key factor with laser is that at 1000 feet the beam is still only about 3 feet wide. Generally that means that your windshield mounted detector has simply notofied you that you've been hit, pull over and get your ticket...
Add a K40 Laser Diffuser to the front of the vehicle. You want that to be the first thing the laser beam sees. The k40 will send back an error code and warn you that you've been hit. Now you can safely slow down before the officer can get an accurate make on your speed. It isn't a bad idea to put one of these on the back of your vehicle as well. There really isn't any point on investing in any radar/laser detector if you aren't going to invest in a Diffuser as well. This device is not illegal since it only plays with laser and doesn't attempt to jam radar. |
|
|
| Pauls MDX |
quote:
Originally posted by aemikeg
One thing to remember about these radar detectors is that many area's are using laser instead of radar. A key factor with laser is that at 1000 feet the beam is still only about 3 feet wide. Generally that means that your windshield mounted detector has simply notofied you that you've been hit, pull over and get your ticket...
Add a K40 Laser Diffuser to the front of the vehicle. You want that to be the first thing the laser beam sees. The k40 will send back an error code and warn you that you've been hit. Now you can safely slow down before the officer can get an accurate make on your speed. It isn't a bad idea to put one of these on the back of your vehicle as well. There really isn't any point on investing in any radar/laser detector if you aren't going to invest in a Diffuser as well. This device is not illegal since it only plays with laser and doesn't attempt to jam radar.
NOT TRUE, it depends on your driving technique. I tend to drive in the middle of the pack, never in the front or the rear. I rely on the radar/lazer bouncing off the front or rear vehicle, then I can slow down. If you outright just nailing the gas with your foot to the floor and are the first vehicle you are correct then the diffuser is the way to go. I would then take it to the next step with a jammer (Also would consider one of the professional detectors found in the high performance magazines which actually blow away the K40 and have special hook-ups for the jammers). For the type of driving I do the windshield mount will do just fine. |
|
|
| aemikeg |
well, it is true that the diffuser is the only thing that can save you from a laser attack (or similar products). i think that counting on a warning from the scatter off of another car to be your only defense is a little might be pushing it. beyond that it doesn't matter how effectively you jam or diffuse laser, if it isn't the first thing the beam sees then you are S.O.L.
i don't suppose a cop would aim in the middle of the pack unless the car there was obviously faster. so i agree that driving defensively, or, God forbid, the speed limit is the best way to stay out of trouble. Otherwise what I am saying is that you need to know the limits of your gear. I was the lead car in a pack driving to arizona about a month ago. i crested a hill and saw the highway patrol car sitting in a ditch between the lanes just as i got lit up. the car right behind me got a ticket and the cop left me alone. when i got hit i was doing about 85 in a 70. i'd say stay well back in the pack because 2nd place didn't work for that guy and the diffuser sure worked for me that day. |
|
|
| texasbiggs |
Neighbor has the 8500 and I tested it nearly side by side with the Bel 995. They were as close to identical as possible in K, KA, X
8500 x50 had a few less false alarms in hiway mode.
Made in same factory???
Bel can be found cheaper at retail...
just a thought. |
|
|
| 04mdx4sq |
| Pauls MDX, what exactly is a professional radar detector? Never knew there was another grade of detector or jammer. Guess I have only had experience with consumer grade. |
|
|
| Pauls MDX |
quote:
Originally posted by 04mdx4sq
Pauls MDX, what exactly is a professional radar detector? Never knew there was another grade of detector or jammer. Guess I have only had experience with consumer grade.
I've seen some real high end detectors in the High Speed magazines ($250,000 - $750,000 vehicles) for the Ferrari's and very high end vehicles. They have interfaces that hook directly to the jammers. The prices were very high and out of the league of these detectors. I'll check the magazines to look for the names or brands of these units. The point is anyone who is spending this kind of money on a high performance vehicle would spend whatever it cost for a top of the line detector and jammer. The prices were crazy. If I remember you could also hard wire a Valentine or Escort for a jammer also. |
|
|
| New MDXer |
| When is Valentine going to come out with a new model? |
|
|
| niall |
I use the Valentine One. Its expensive, but it works really well, when mounted in a good position. It comes with a lifetime upgrade. So when new Radar frequencies come out, they will upgrade it for you, just pay for shipping. Their web site will tell you if the unit needs upgrading based on the serial number.
One thing to keep in mind: In states where you can you use a radar detector, there is a weight limit on the vehicle. For example, I live in NY, but your car has to be under 3500Lbs, the MDX gross weight is around 4800lbs. |
|
|
| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by niall
One thing to keep in mind: In states where you can you use a radar detector, there is a weight limit on the vehicle. For example, I live in NY, but your car has to be under 3500Lbs, the MDX gross weight is around 4800lbs.
They feel lighter when you drive faster.. :2: |
|
|
|
