Radar Dectector

[zforce77]

Any input on whats the best one out there? Looking to upgrade from an older one.

[dboat]

Valentine 1.. hands down.

Dana

[99WhiteBeast]

+1 on V1

[Sandman]

V1 is definitely function over form...

I had an escort and it worked well.

It eventually died after ~10 years. Now I just drive the speed limit. I must be getting old.

[dboat]

Mines mounted at the top of the windshield on all three vehicles so you dont see too much of it.

[Hunterlwood]

escort 9500..

[Silver_2000]

I have had 2 or 3 V1's loved them BUT the false alarms teach you to ignore it

Loved the direction arrows

I bought this for the Vette
http://www.escortradar.com/passport9500ix-details.php
the biggest issue is the GPS - you can eliminate the false alarms, the difference is stunning

If the detector goes off you BETTER pay attention
If I could add the Arrows of the V1 it would be perfect

The GPS is more important to me
The performance of them are both really close in the reviews - the newer escorts have preloaded info that mine doesnt

It might be luck but Ive Owned a c6 Vette for 3 or so years and have zero tickets - before some of the lurkers think I dont need the radar detector. I hit 115 on the way home and Im getting new tires for it in the morning - I plan to see how fast I can go after I get tires I can trust ...

[zforce77]

Steve, what are blinders?

[dboat]

Steve, what are blinders?

I have them on my truck, on the front. They dont get used much, but the wife loved it when traveling back to Erie through northern Ohio and watching the policman shoot me with the laser over and over and over, but not getting a reading.. OH, we werent speeding. :D

Dana

[99bolt]

Another vote for the V1. The only ticket I've got in the vette was from the airplane in Louisiana!

[Sixpipes]

4 over is fast enough for me. A radar detector makes for tense driving conditions IMO. :cool:

[Mark #2]

4 over is fast enough for me. A radar detector makes for tense driving conditions IMO. :cool:
I like the V1 it saved me from an unmarked car on Friday, just as I was getting on it, he switched on his radar. Richardson has not had unmarked cars, but they have added quite a few this year, and I think they got rid of the motorcycles.

[L8 APEX]

I wish Valentine would release the next generation detector. His is about the best I have used. But he hasn't changed it in decades... The biggest threat in the city and increasing everywhere is lidar or laser enforcement. There is not much a detector can help on that one. That is why the Blinders are paired well with a V1. I have never received a lidar ticket with Blinders on a vehicle. Of course like Dennis I don't speed anymore 3-4mph is my limit. I was greateful to survive my youth and don't need to push it anymore.

[98Cobra]

V1 here, love it. Doesnt work against aircraft though.

[Mark #2]

I wish Valentine would release the next generation detector. His is about the best I have used. But he hasn't changed it in decades...
IIRC this is why he left Escort, planned obsolescence pissed him off.
Maybe I should have gone to work at Escort, had an offer at ~2x salary, the talk at that time was that radar detectors were going to be banned and then they were banned in big rigs, but just met the SO and decided to stay here...so who knows.

[dboat]

IIRC this is why he left Escort, planned obsolescence pissed him off.
Maybe I should have gone to work at Escort, had an offer at ~2x salary, the talk at that time was that radar detectors were going to be banned and then they were banned in big rigs, but just met the SO and decided to stay here...so who knows.

if you want to live in Cincinnati..

Dana

[L8 APEX]

There is a significant difference between planned obsolescence and improving a product as new technology and applications warrant. I wish he had different color LED's for each band. Several times I have had to second guess what hand was hitting. My hearing is not the best. That and GPS aiding learning your daily commute would be nice.

[zforce77]

Is the Valentine detector with the Euro pop2 the best unit they offer to buy?

[Mark #2]

Is the Valentine detector with the Euro pop2 the best unit they offer to buy? Check their store they only offer one model, but it reminds me to check to see if it makes sense to upgrade mine..

[Mark #2]

Well not recommended again, but I might do it anyways
Upgrade Recommendation: While this version is not quite up to today’s V1 standard for Ka, it’s almost always good enough, and always better than detectors from other makers. X and K performance is excellent. Upgrading merely to improve radar performance is not cost effective, in my opinion, unless you’re concerned about the POP Mode operating in your area. Upgrading does bring other benefits, including our latest laser warning (front and rear), which outperforms the competitors by a wide margin, and POP Protection. Also, you'll get the new Euro Mode (https://store.valentine1.com/Lab/EuroMode.asp).

Our Instant Upgrade* will make the following improvements to your V1.



Our best Ka-band performance, including full "superwide" coverage (33.4 - 36.0 GHz), today's long range, much better resistance to Ka false alarms, and POP Protection from MPH BEE™ III and Enforcer™ radars.
Our best X-band performance.
Our best K-band performance including POP Protection from MPH Enforcer™ radars.
Adds radar coverage on Ku-band (used in Europe).
Adds our latest laser warning, front and rear while reducing the "thickness" of your V1.
Adds False-Alarm Retraction to notify you when V1 finds that an alert in progress is false; also terminates the alert.
Adds Euro Mode which adapts V1's radar sensitivity to the way radar is used for photo enforcement in Europe and other countries outside North America.
Latest windshield mount with new suction cups.
Latest visor mount.
New Lighter Power Adapter with mount for Concealed Display.
New Direct-wire Power Adapter.
New coiled cord.
New straight cord.
New wiring-harness connector.
Dual-Lock® fastener.
New Owners Manual.
Spare fuse.
Spare suction cups.
One-year limited warranty, same as new units.


*INSTANT UPGRADE: As soon as we receive your old unit (in operable condition with no tampering of the serial number) we’ll exchange it for a brand-new, current-production V1. This is our way of assuring you’ll be without V1 protection for the shortest time. PRICE: $189 plus shipping

[liteitup]

Well not recommended again, but I might do it anyways
Upgrade Recommendation: While this version is not quite up to today’s V1 standard for Ka, it’s almost always good enough, and always better than detectors from other makers. X and K performance is excellent. Upgrading merely to improve radar performance is not cost effective, in my opinion, unless you’re concerned about the POP Mode operating in your area. Upgrading does bring other benefits, including our latest laser warning (front and rear), which outperforms the competitors by a wide margin, and POP Protection. Also, you'll get the new Euro Mode (https://store.valentine1.com/Lab/EuroMode.asp).

Our Instant Upgrade* will make the following improvements to your V1.



Our best Ka-band performance, including full "superwide" coverage (33.4 - 36.0 GHz), today's long range, much better resistance to Ka false alarms, and POP Protection from MPH BEE™ III and Enforcer™ radars.
Our best X-band performance.
Our best K-band performance including POP Protection from MPH Enforcer™ radars.
Adds radar coverage on Ku-band (used in Europe).
Adds our latest laser warning, front and rear while reducing the "thickness" of your V1.
Adds False-Alarm Retraction to notify you when V1 finds that an alert in progress is false; also terminates the alert.
Adds Euro Mode which adapts V1's radar sensitivity to the way radar is used for photo enforcement in Europe and other countries outside North America.
Latest windshield mount with new suction cups.
Latest visor mount.
New Lighter Power Adapter with mount for Concealed Display.
New Direct-wire Power Adapter.
New coiled cord.
New straight cord.
New wiring-harness connector.
Dual-Lock® fastener.
New Owners Manual.
Spare fuse.
Spare suction cups.
One-year limited warranty, same as new units.
*INSTANT UPGRADE: As soon as we receive your old unit (in operable condition with no tampering of the serial number) we’ll exchange it for a brand-new, current-production V1. This is our way of assuring you’ll be without V1 protection for the shortest time. PRICE: $189 plus shipping

How old is your V1 and when did you last check for updates?
Mine is from 02 or 03 and just a few months ago no updates were available, according to the s/n check on the V1 website.

Or I guess I could just recheck mine.

Slightly off topic, non believers freak out when they go to the website and see the price. Wonder what they think of a near $200 upgrade?

[Mark #2]

How old is your V1 and when did you last check for updates?
Mine is from 02 or 03 and just a few months ago no updates were available, according to the s/n check on the V1 website.

Or I guess I could just recheck mine.

Slightly off topic, non believers freak out when they go to the website and see the price. Wonder what they think of a near $200 upgrade?

It is vintage 2000, I check every couple of years when the radar detector thread reappears.
Also, it really isn't an upgrade

*INSTANT UPGRADE: As soon as we receive your old unit we’ll exchange it for a brand-new, current-production V1.

V1 is more like a lease that costs ~$2/month to maintain the latest technology..

[liteitup]

Looked mine up, no upgrade available. I don't remember exactly when I got it, bought the truck in 01 and whatever the top of the line escort at the time shortly after. Ran that a couple/few years until someone convinced me to try the V1. Guessing that was 02 or 03, might have been as late as 04. Even so, seven years is a long time in anything electronic for no planned obsolescence.

Rarely use it in the car/truck anymore. Have it mounted on the bike w/ a remote indicator light to the helmet.... saved me hundreds, if not thousands, on a recent trip to New Mexico.