Best Radardetector

Dinan - I agree, but I just couldnt crack my wallet for the SRX. Isn't it like $1,500 and only available through an authorized installer?

Here is an email I got from Escort regarding a firmware upgrade to make existing 8500's POP capable...

It is good to hear from you! Passport 8500 owners w/o ESP on that unit
will be charged $79.95 for this update to add the POP feature. This will
not give the 8500 the sensitivity or performance of the X-50

Passport 8500 owners that have the ESP on that unit will be given a
free update for the POP feature.
This will not give the 8500 the sensitivity or performance of the X-50


The 8500 POP update will be available in September 2004 at the
earliest.
Thanks for your interest in Escort!

not if you have hook ups .. i got mine for 700 installed..

I've seen the V1 in action and it's nice, but I still don't think it's worth $160+ more than an Escort 8500.

Thanks,
Adam

Get both and put them on the windshield and drive around for 30 days with both. Once you get used to glancing at the arrow and being able to look in the direction of the radar, being able to easily determine false alarms, and the fact that the V-1 will go off much earlier; the Passport will be in the return box.

Remember, the V-1 comes with a number of "extra's" (velcro, hardwire clips, etc) and if purchased through Valentine, is upgradeable to future software versions.

Originally Posted by PDACPA

Remember, the V-1 comes with a number of "extra's" (velcro, hardwire clips, etc) and if purchased through Valentine, is upgradeable to future software versions.

Velcro, hardwire clips... that stuff is worth what... $2? As for upgradability, yeah, but the cost to upgrade is so expensive you could buy the new version of the Escort when it comes out.

Like I said the V1 is a better unit, but $160+ dollars better? That isn't so clear cut.

Thanks,
Adam

Maybe so Smoltz, but one ticket and that $160 was just saved. I have had both and feel the V-1 is more informative and provides the earliest detection (if you look up that website posted earlier) the V-1 picks up the signals earliest. Budget constraints might make the Escort the choice, but you can get V-1's for $350 and that brings the gap alot closer.

I have not regretted the extra I paid for my V-1.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet, but it's a well known fact that Escort and BEL are the same company now, and radartest.com is funded by them. That is why on that site they say that the top of the line Escort, Solo and BELs are freakin' outstanding and they rate the V1 as kinda okay.



V1 all the way. I've used both the 8500 and the V1 and both are great units, but the V1s extra sensitivity and directional arrows make it worth the extra money. People just don't understand how helpful arrows are until you use them on a day to day basis for a long time. You don't get a feel for it "riding in your friend's car who has a V1".

Lovin life with the V1!!!!!!!!!!

Best part about detectors is their worth on your regularly traveled routes. As soon as there is a "disturbance in the force", you know the 5.0 be lurking. Don't think I could live without the arrows.....

I totally agreee...the arrows rule. My son cannot see the arrows from his vantage point in his car seat in the rear, but as soon as it goes off, he is asking me where the cops are because he knows the arrows tell me!

Originally Posted by nzDave

Don't think I could live without the arrows.....

I'll tell my favorite arrow story. I was cruisin up the thruway with my friend one night who has a BEL. I was using my V1. I was following him and we were doing about 90 in the left lane.

My V1 started to blink KA so I began to slow down. A few seconds later I saw his BEL start to blink through his rear windshield and he started to slow down too.

The signal increased in strength and we got the typical multiple contacts associated with a strong, close proximity KA police radar. We passed the cop and I watched the arrows shift from front, to side, to rear. At the same time, the V1 detected another contact ahead, coming on very strong. The rear light was lit and the front was flashing. The contact count was 2, same as it was from just the one officer at close proximity.

My friend started speeding up thinking he was still detecting the cop behind him. He had no way to know there was another one ahead. I flashed my high beams at him frantically from the right hand lane while slowing down again. He got the point and moved over. We passed the second cop and my cell phone rang.

He thanked me for saving him from a ticket and told me he was ordering a V1.

i never heard any thing bad about the v-1 it is tops in the fanatics by far.
bobm3

i have 8500 and no tickets here

i dont think you can go wrong with the 8500 or V1

Originally Posted by overkill

Hey guys, Im in the market for a radar detector. Search through thisi board I hear all kinds of good things about the V1, as a matter of fact I don't think anybody ever said anything is better than the V1 other than the escort that some people like. I went on the radartest site a couple days ago and read a review http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=1064 , that claims that the BEL980 is the best detector you can get, at least for the Ka band. I live in SoCal. Can anybody tell me how much truth is in that review, are these guys biased or is some shadyness involved?

Because it seems to me from real life users, that the V1 is the better option.

Thanks for your input.

The V1 baby..... Hands down...

Is the V1 website the only place that you can get it? Besides Ebay, where did you guys get your V1 and for how much? CA just launched this crackdown on speeders, and i wouldn't want to be one of their targets!

Originally Posted by 04titan

Is the V1 website the only place that you can get it? Besides Ebay, where did you guys get your V1 and for how much? CA just launched this crackdown on speeders, and i wouldn't want to be one of their targets!

Their website is the only place that sells new units. Get it there. It costs $400. It will come with a warrenty and have the latest software version.

The V-1 is only sold by Valentine. You can order from the website or call. But here is how to get it cheaper with full warranty.

Call them up on the 800 number. Tell them you are interested in one of the open box units. He gives a 30day guarrantee and when someone returns a unit, they cannot sell it as new or for full price. They give 10% (sometimes more if they have alot of units, like after Christmas returns) off the price. They do it on the optional components too.

I bought my $400 unit for $359 and the remote display $40 for 37.

The units come in absolutely perfect shape. All components, original box, you have no idea its a reshelved unit. The warranty is in full force and your serial number is registered to you for future upgrades (cannot get that when you buy it off Ebay). Also the unit is loaded with the latest software.

LIKE I SAID (and many others too) Once you live with the arrows (and bogey counter) you cannot live WITHOUT them!

Damn....you guys are awesome all of you! So here i go to the 800 # and burn a hole in my wallet, but this is def an investment, after reading everyone's posts on it.
Anyone used to live in paranoia for fear of getting caught, but now have no worries because of the V1? Just want to see how much at ease you folks are on the road with that lead foot.

on a side note, just got back from an early morning flight, and walking from the flightline to my car, you can see her gleaming a mile away from the detail i gave her last night. Wish she could be like that always....

Even though I have the best radar detector money can buy, I still never let my guard down. Pay attention to traffic, look up the road, watch the median, watch oncoming traffic (there are a few of us out there that still flash our highbeams to warn cars of cops up ahead), look for brake lights, and if you travel the same routes on a regular basis (like I do) PAY ATTENTION when your V-1 is going off and it NEVER does at that place. It is funny, I drive by some grocery stores and the V-1 goes off at the same place and stops at the same place, but if all of a sudden it starts going off again or keeps going on after it should have been off, I immediately notice it and look for the arrow and start scanning in the arrow direction. Your mind sort of just knows that "hey thats an abnormal signal." When I am in areas I do not know or travel much, I pay alot of attention to my V-1.

Its not plug the V-1 in and forget about it. The V-1 gives you more information, better information, and a sense of knowing you have a fighting chance of avoiding a trap.

Remember a desolate straight road. Cop off to the side, no cars, watches you approaching, and gives one blip on the radar gun, V-1 goes nuts, but your dead in the water.

Thats when you hit the boards and net and challenge the ticket. Many times the cops do not calibrate their radar and thus cannot prove the accuracy of the speed for the ticket they wrote. But that is for another thread.

Good luck, you will be very impressed with the V-1 from the packaging to the operation in the car. Read the manual!

Originally Posted by PDACPA

Even though I have the best radar detector money can buy, I still never let my guard down. Pay attention to traffic, look up the road, watch the median, watch oncoming traffic (there are a few of us out there that still flash our highbeams to warn cars of cops up ahead), look for brake lights, and if you travel the same routes on a regular basis (like I do) PAY ATTENTION when your V-1 is going off and it NEVER does at that place. It is funny, I drive by some grocery stores and the V-1 goes off at the same place and stops at the same place, but if all of a sudden it starts going off again or keeps going on after it should have been off, I immediately notice it and look for the arrow and start scanning in the arrow direction. Your mind sort of just knows that "hey thats an abnormal signal." When I am in areas I do not know or travel much, I pay alot of attention to my V-1.

Its not plug the V-1 in and forget about it. The V-1 gives you more information, better information, and a sense of knowing you have a fighting chance of avoiding a trap.

Remember a desolate straight road. Cop off to the side, no cars, watches you approaching, and gives one blip on the radar gun, V-1 goes nuts, but your dead in the water.

Thats when you hit the boards and net and challenge the ticket. Many times the cops do not calibrate their radar and thus cannot prove the accuracy of the speed for the ticket they wrote. But that is for another thread.

Good luck, you will be very impressed with the V-1 from the packaging to the operation in the car. Read the manual!

Took the words right out of my mouth.