I've got an older Uniden that I'm thinking about retiring. What are some of the better models out now?

 

valentine 1 hands down

has arrows that show me where the radars are coming from, and has a rear radar detector..
cant beat it..

if u dont wanna spend the money on it (400 bucks and worth EVERY penny) then the escort 8500 is also good

 

I have the Escort Passport 8500 (didn't want to spend $400) and I like it, but I do wonder what I'm missing without the Valentine 1. I do like the blue display of the new 8500.

 

I have the Bel Vector 985 and I couldn't be happier with it. I did a 30 day free trial (along with my friend) with the Valentine One and the new Passport 8500 and neither were any better (in my opinion)...The Valentine went off so much that you simply disregarded any alerts after an hour of using it and the arrows didn't do a good job at pointing towards the threat (if it's to the side of you both arrows light up keeping you guessing) and I thought it was common sense to slow down anyways if your K band goes off...most modern detectors have 360 degree detection and if the cop has laser you are simply screwed either way. The only advantage the passport and valentine may have is the POP BEE Stinger protection thing but cops don't use that in New England from what I was told by State Troopers so i didn't take that into consideration...just something to think about...hope it helps

 

I'm also looking for an upgrade. The state HWY cops in NJ have what I think is called laser and my detector doesn't pick it up at all. It does a good job with the town cops' radar but not for the State cops'.

Any suggestions out there?

 

whistler with text display, not sure which model cuz i'm at work. It was free from another max who got it as a bonus from work. It does pick up laser, but if it goes off, then the cop has already shot the laser, and if he's shooting you, he's already got you. I just got a fine cuz i got stopped doing 120, he was using laser. It also has VG-2, which is like radar detector detector. The cops have a VG-2 machine that senses when detectors are running, the whistler picks up that signal, alerts you, and shuts down temporarily into a 'stealth mode' so the po won't pick it up. cops don't use it much, but i have seen them a few times running it. If they are you know it's a d!ck.

 

yeah, definetly go for the V1

 

Valentine One since 1994.

 

V1 and I just upgraded it to POP detection. It has saved me hundreds of $$$ over the last couple of years. The arrows and the boogie counter are awesome.

 

whats pop protection?

also, charlie, i have my V1 in the same spot, cept the other side of the mirror (closer to me)

 

pop mode is a mode used to basically send a quick burst a radar, and in such a small amount it cant be detected. However it is being taken off of the roads for now because it was proven that there is no way to accurately judge a vehicles speed with such a small burst of radar..it take a minimum of a 2-3 second burst which is more than enuff for most modern detectors to detect...

 

The new 8500 x50 is $300 and if you want a blue display, which I very much do, it is $339. Crazy for a blue display. But is close to the price of the V1. I wish the V1 came in a blue display. I just wonder how wonderful the arrows detectors are. Also the bogey counter does seem like a great idea.

 

what is the bogey counter?

 

ive got an 8500 good as new for 150 shipped if anyones interested.

 

I have a Bell 880, good for the price have save mu butt a lot of times.... they don't make it anymore, I'll be upgrading soon.......But I like my Bell it has all the fancy crap that the most expensive one.. it even talks to you.. like SLOW DOWN YOU IDIOT THE COP IS THERE..... j/k.....

 

bogey counter= how many different radar signals its picking up..also displays which band..
-Brian

 

BEL is the best value . If you get BEL get the higher tier ones

 

I've used only my eyes since I was 16. I have no speeding tickets, and I've been pulled over for speeding 0 times. And I do speed, often. Be smart and keep your eyes open, that is the best way to prevent a speeding ticket.

 

Keep living my son. You will be pulled over for speeding at some point in your life for speeding. I got my first speeding ticket when I was 46. I have been a speeder since I started driving. The best way to avoid a speeding ticket is to not speed.

 

I have the Bel 980. Very happy with it.

 

Never said I wouldn't, the thread is about radar detectors. My radar detector is my eyes and common sense.

 

I speed often as well and have never used a radar detector. Main thing like was said I watch out. The only time I got pulled over for speeding was doing a 35 in a 25 school zone about 8 years ago.

 

SeaFoam2dmax, The cops are so obvious in Florida. They park between the rails on the highway and the road is super flat. The median is like a four lane highway and no trees. Most other states have cops that hide well. So having a radar detector is necessary for most of us that want to try and avoid a speeding ticket while speeding.

 

I lived in NY state most of my life and now in OR and have never been pulled over for speeding. You just have to be watchful and it helps to know the roads too. Then you will know all the little places cops like to hide.

 

it really helps to know where the cops are in New York, i have been pulled over twice... once when i first got my licence and once after class and i had to get home for work when i first got the max.... the second time i was pissed because i looked up the road at the u-turn and saw no state fuzz... however i never could have seen the one coming over the hill in the opposite direction... he whipped around in that empty u-turn and owned me big time!!

 

 

Just spent 3 weeks in NY and drove both ways to get there. My method of being a smart driver looking for cops worked there too. I'm more suprised I didn't get pulled over just for my tints, lights, etc. I'm from the NY/NJ area. That is where I grew up, that is where I learned to drive smart. There are plenty of places for them to hide both on the interstate and off. The FHP and the local cops here are bishes, even more so than NY or NJ. But not as bad as VA, you guys have it rough.

 

i have some 90 dollar cobra that works fine..not that i ever had a problem with speeding, but it helps to know you have some annoying plastic thing stuck to the windshield beeping until you want to throw it out of the window. at least you know there COULD be something comin up.

 

My V1 saved me whole bunch of times

 

V1 all the way, nothing else compares. As for the 8500 guys referencing the 'test data'. there are also tests that show that V1 owns Passport. It just depends on which magazine ad you are looking at (Valentine or Passport). $400 worth every penny.

 

Yes, we do... also since radar detectors are illegal for use here.... cops are brutal and now they're crackin down on imports for mods as well...

 

Mods itself aren't illegal. It would have to be something specific.

 

I got a older bel 980 which is great, but i heard escort 8500m but it was 2xs the price. go to radartest.com

 

Certain mods are illegal here... "excessive" lowering... certain aftermarket exhausts... etc... trust me...

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...10000000000000

Anyways... this is all OT....

 

I've had a bunch of lower end, cheaper models from UNiden, Cobra, etc....and i wasn't happy with them - at all. Bad idea and they can give you false impression that you are protected.
I got BEL 880 and BEL 980. Both were very good, especially the BEL 980. Get one if you are on a budget.
Only issue with BELs i had was the number of false alarms. Not many, but still more than what you want to hear.

Currently i have Escort Passport 8500. I like it and i think it has the same range as BEL if not a little better. It gives some false alarms as well. The Passport seems more refined, cleaner looking and i LOVE the smart cord. Its a great deal and it is much cheaper than V1.

I like V1 a lot, but i do not think that it is $100 better than Passport. NO way.

If money is an issue, check BEL 980 or Passport 8500.

Good luck!

 

Wish I had bought one. I floored it coming out of my development and almost got nailed by this cop. Which is so unreal cause there are never cops out here.

 

Passport 8500 Can't go wrong

 

Passport is number one so far according to radartest.com. I just sold my old 8500 and purchased the new x50 with blue display for $300 including tax.

Edit: Radartest.com as well as ALL the other internet test sites have corporate sponsors.....in radartests case, its owned by craig peterson, CEO of escort. The only 100% true radar detector tests EVER performed for the public by a neutral agency was by car and driver. The most recent one was in the February 2002 issue.

-E55AMG2

 

For like $80, us who wait will be able to upgrade the 8500 to X50 software/hardware later this spring. Who cares about the blue display. $220 in my pocket.

 

Do tell where you got it for this price. All I see is $339 for the blue display.