Has anyone used this one yet? I want to know if it's worth the 220 bucks. Right now I have a Bel 870, bottom of the line but I got it off a friend for 20 bucks. Works OK I guess, I haven't gotten a ticket. However, this one looks real nice. Anyone? Or on a side note, how are people's experiences with the Bel 980? I know about the www.radartest.com review, I want to know from you guys. Thanks in advance!

Neal

Cop says, "Do you know how fast you were going?"

:King: I say, "Why don't we go back out on the road so I can check?"

 

If you want the best go with Valentine One. After owning it you'll wonder why you bought cheaper detectors all these years.

 

Plenty of comparison threads re: the V1 and others on this board - do a search for that.

As for the 985 - I did quite a bit of research into the bels. The 985 has a couple whistles that to me weren't worth the money. If I recall it had an option to turn off certain bands and a couple of other things.

The cheaper model - now the 960 (was the 950) - has the exact same detection and warning capability for less.

The V1 is better but the bel 950/960 has worked well for me.

 

The Bels are good detectors. I've had quite a few, but the V1 definately has better rear detection, awesome laser detection and without a doubt fewer false alarms without sacrificing signal strength.

 

The V1 is too expensive and too large for me. Plus, if it's so great why did it not come in first on radartest.com? I have an 870 right now, the 980/85 looks really nice, but I dunno if it's worth the 200 bucks for slightly better sensitivity.

 

For whatever reason, Mike Valentine hasn't been much for making friends over the years. I don't know about their tests, overall I think the V1 wins a majority of the time and from my own personal experience it's been alot more reliable when threats arise than any of my bells have been. Don't get me wrong, the bells were leaps and bounds above Uniden, Whistler, etc, but the V1 has proved to me to be the best. Have you seen one in person? It's really not that much larger than the others. I had a cop friend test the VG2 on my bell and the V1. Although the Bell was only detectable within 10 feet, the V1 was 100% undetectable even with it next to the VG2 unit. I'm in VA and that's important to me.

 

Oh, well I'm in CA so that's not important to me @ all, no offense. I used to live near DC so it used to matter. I'm just trying to guage on that Bel. Thanks for the info on the V1 though, my friend as one, maybe I'll trade with him for a weekend and try it out!

 

I think radartest may have tested in ways that are unfavorable to the V1. And I believe someone on here said that they used an older version of the V1.

If you really want info on the comparison - do a search. There are TONS of threads.

 

I'm not sure of the V1 since I've never tried one but I did have a Bel for a while and it is definitely a great detector. My only problem with it is the fact that it sounds off way too many false detections. This is its only drawback.