Juki5536

iTrader: (1)

Okay now, I need your opinions on which Radar Detector to get. Some of my friends swear by the Valentine1, and some say the new Escort 8500 beat the Valentine1 in reviews and performance. Which one do you guys think is best? V1 is $100 bucks more than the Escort, is it worth the money?

1) Valentine 1
2) Escort 8500
3) Other?

endus

iTrader: (1)

If you're going by radartest.com, the guy who runs that site has had a long standing and well known bias against Valentine. He is not a reliable source. The arrows and bogey counter no the Valentine are ****ing indispensible once you've driven with one. I had a $300 Bel before I got the V1 and the difference was night and day...the info the V1 gives you makes a huge difference. The Valentine is the only detector I would ever recommend. Do yourself a favor and just order the remote display along with it too...

largestal

iTrader: (4)

Endus -

ditto on the Bel and ditto on the V1. I lent mine to my mother last week and she now wants one too! Looks like she will be selling her Escort soon.

Blackmax96

iTrader: (1)

And i get way too many false alerts. However, this morning it saved my a$$ going 85 getting shot by a laser in a 55. I would never drive a car without it. I have no experience with the valentine, but the escort is definably good protection.
pS are the valentine direction signals accurate? I would be willing to trade up if they are. just wondering

flyer

I have a BEL 970 that falses like crazy, and only warns me of the local police, seldomly the state troopers, any one have an idea why that may be?

slavik'sMAX

iTrader: (2)

I have valentine 1, love it!!!

It was my first radar detector, so I am not sure of others. But the bogey count and arrows are very comfortable as far as filtering falses out.......I definately think it's money well spent.

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

V1, Bel 900 series, or Escrt 8500. They're all top notch. The V1 is just a bit extra special with those arrows and the best sensitivity. Car and driver did a radar test and the V1 rocked. Don't trust radartest.com b/c it has been shown to be funded by Escort.

Also, Escort now owns BEL. Notice how the Escort adds do not even mention comparison to BEL anymore?

As a company, I would go to V1, then BEL (but now it is owned by Escort) and finally Escort. Escort always resorted to marketing tactics to make their radars look extra special. They have become alot better. BEL and V1 always presented cold hard facts.

DW

Romeo

V1 all the way. like people say, the arrows are the ****! once you have them, you wont want to live without them

SpeedFrk38

Gotta go with the Valentine One. Man that thing is incredible. Did a side by side test with an Escort 8500. Zumble and I were driving around to see who would pick things up quicker and bogeys ...

Valentine One is quicker and more accurate. Less false alarms. If you can afford it ... definitely get one. Helps to see where smokey's hiding.

MaxWolf

iTrader: (1)

My Bel is good for telling me where every Dunkin Donuts, and Burger King there is....it doesnt like McDonalds

Juki5536

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the input guys. Looks like I'll be going with the V1 (my original choice). My friend just cautioned me, and told me about how I should research more, especially the Escort 8500. I said "you get the Escort, I'll get the V1, we'll see who gets pulled over". Well, at least we'll have 2 good detectors between the both of us when we go cruisin.

BlueC

iTrader: (5)

V1 i hear is the best. But its the most expensive. If money doesnt matter, go for the V1!

WaarrEagle

iTrader: (1)

I have owned both, buy the V1 and you won't regret it.

luckee2bhere

iTrader: (1)

how much is the V1?

anybody know where to get the best price?

WaarrEagle

iTrader: (1)

Its just over $400 from their website. Otherwise try e-Bay but make sure you get the newest version. Those are the only places that sell them.

itsgt

For those V1 owners, did you guys upgrade yours? how long have you had it since your last upgrade?

Reason why I'm asking is because...I got mine about 2yrs ago from the v1 site...it was very sharp in the first year or so....but as time went on, it seemed like it stopped picking up as much as it used to...so i was wondering if it was because I haven't upgraded it in so long? Have cops started to use new radar bands over the past year or two that the v1 doesn't pick up as good now?

thanks guys!

luckee2bhere

iTrader: (1)

somebody needs to explain to me why they think buying a $400 radar detecter is worth it.

why cant you get an $80 one that does the trick?

Geophrum

the reason not to get a cheep one is i can usually see the cop comming befor the radar detector does... but then again it is a cobra detector.. and with my past i look for the cops alot more

endus

iTrader: (1)

- Detection Range
- V1 gives more information (location of radar, number of sources
- Better quality unit (nice metal case)
- Accessories (remote display is essential)

Trust me...the arrows are worth it.

97max5spd

I dont understand the value of the remote display. Doesn't the radar detector still have to sit in your windshield? Is there a creative place to hide the V1 without a sacrifice in performance?

sandman1098

I have the Escort 8500 and I am very happy with it.... Once you learn how to "read" the signal, you wont need the arrows on the Valentine 1..... it took me just a couple of days using mine to be able to tell where the cop is in relation to my car.....

But I cant slam the V1 though, it is a great detector, and worth the money, but I have the Escort 8500 and its saved me probably at least $900 in tickets......... (I have a lead foot)...... lol....

jlsund

just a thought. the escort is only 200. I mean, its a 200 difference, and if money does matter, than its the best way to go. but I agree with everyone else. The V1 is the best that money can buy, and thats all there is to it

endus

iTrader: (1)

Any detector, and ESPECIALLY the V1, is going to attract attention if it's mounted in a good location (i.e. the middle of your windshield). The remote display allows you to mount the detector where ever you want and not be broadcasting the fact that you ahve a detector to everyone around. I have my detector mounted above my rearview mirror (don't really care about laser detection), and the remote display mounted on the steering column just behind the wheel.

I had to mount my old detector on the windshield right in front of me to avoid it beeing seen out my back window...which was lame. Mounting it REALLY high up also seems to help with range and "seeing" over hills...even if the blue tint on the windshield messes with the laser detection. I don't really need laser detection since the cop giving me the ticket will take care of that (in reality the only time you'll detect laser is when they hit you with it). It also allows you to get better rear detection if you have it mounted with nothing blocking it between the rear window and the detector.

I agree with others that if price is that much of a concern, then get the 8500. Personally, I would never use a detector without arrows and a counter again though. They false too much and the arrows and counter will just instantly let you know if it's a false. I've also found little-L mode on the V1 to be good at screening out falses...I like the two colume levels on the V1, etc. I just don't really see much value in detectors that have no counter or arrows to make it easier to detect falses.

The arrows and counter also make it possible to detect cops around where you always get falses. Like this one spot on a back road where I always get a false from one source on the side of the road...I'll know if there is a second source up ahead that would be a cop. As long as the area doesn't have more than 9 sources, you'll instantly know if there is something new in your usual "false spots". Even on the highway with those frigging signs, you can tell if it's just the sign, or if there's a cop hiding using the sign for screening people with detectors...there's no other detector that you'll be able to do that with...

itsgt

hey do you have a pic of your v1 unit & display console moutnings?

Romeo

$250 to upgrade my V1 to the current model. its only 2 yrs old. but then again i bought it from my uncle fopr $150 so i guess i cant really complain.

endus

iTrader: (1)

someone asked for this before and I don't think I ever did it. I will try to do it tonight and post...

itsgt

any luck with the pics ?

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

Another reason for the remote display is because, when driving at night, with your detector mounted in the middle of the windshield, people behind you can see it and use you as their cover. The remote display nixxes that

DW

Maximus_95

iTrader: (8)

dont have one but getting a V1 like in a week.

Maximus_95

iTrader: (8)

Just wondering, if you buy a v1 from someone else, will the company still upgrade for free?

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

The V1 upgrade is not free. It depends on how old your V1 is. I had the original big bulky one and upgraded. What I got was the newer, slimmer version, better K and KA sensitivity, and supposedly better laser, too, but I haven't had a chance to experiece that. The K and KA I definitely noticed.

DW

JAIMECBR900

I'm gonna dive in here since I currently have both:

The Good:
The 8500 is very good and has very good sensitivity. It's easier to use out of the box and slimer and less noticeable than the V1. It is also cheaper by about $100 new. The modes are easier to get to, and it has a mode to take out X band all together (where 90% of false alarms come from and almost no modern police dept uses anymore either). It has very good warranty, from what others have told me. It is a very very dependable and reliable unit.

The V1. It is the mack daddy of RD's. It is the most sensitive in just about all bands and all situations. Sometimes by a hundred feet, sometimes by much much more. It can be programmed to totally take out the X band, like the 8500, much reduces falsing by a lot. The arrows and counter are very useful and accurate. It helps to weed out true falses from possible "ambush". It also is easier to track multiple targets easier than the 8500. Has excellent customer service and it's upgradable.

The bad:

The 8500. A lot of falses, less when you take the X band out. It has no directional signals. Very weak rear detection. Limited Laser reception.

The bad:

V1. A ton of falses even with the x band out, the thing you live with to get very very very good long range reception. Size. Ergonomics (it's not very easy to program w/o a manual).

That's all folks.

P.S. For those that wonder why a $80 detector can't do all that a $300 or $400 one can.....why didn't you buy a used Yugo instead of a Max????? It was cheaper......

luckee2bhere

iTrader: (1)

yeah although i have spent some $$ on tickets ...i dont think of $400 on a radar dector as an investment

JAIMECBR900

Name one thing that IS considered an investment.....

There is NOTHING that can be considered an investment that goes on a car, by definition. If you can afford $1500 for wheels and tires, you should be able to afford $300-400 for a RD, if you have a heavy foot. Actually if you really want to split hairs, the RD is one of the very few things that go on a car that pays for itself very quickly.

Get just 1 ticket and see how much that costs you in the long run???? Thousands easy over time. IMO a RD is just a tool like an intake or Y pipe....it does nothing by itself, it only reacts to other stuff when YOU want it to. You have to be smarter than the RD in the first place otherwise you are correct....it's not worth having.

luckee2bhere

iTrader: (1)

alright i see your point....but i can't afford $1500 for wheels and tires....i got my wheels and tires for $320

JAIMECBR900

OMG, somebody quick mark it down on a calendar.....I finally got one right!!! jk.

I'm just being a smart a$$....just teasing.

I H8 COPS

RADAR DETECTORS SUCK! GET A JAMMER INSTEAD! TRUST ME ON THIS ONE! I KNOW!

JAIMECBR900

Number one: drop the caps, it's not cool to do that.

Number two: Are you serious? or did you forget to put a smilie at the end of your sentence?????

luckee2bhere

iTrader: (1)

i think he was definitely serious. blocker is definitely a better tool as long as it works.

Juki5536

iTrader: (1)

Well, again, appreciate all the input. It turns out I'm getting a LOT less on my tax returns than I had expected...so cost might come in as an issue. Hopefully gonna get the V1, runner up would be Escort. I'm 17, insurance high, can't afford tickets. Would rather get the detector