DTR Maxima

i went to my local best buy yesterday looking for a radar detecter since i have 2 tickets. my friend has a cobra and he claims its really great and works good, but its 95$. well im in the process of buying a few mods so i dont have that extra 95 laying around. they have one there that is a called a whistler and its only 55$ and still looks like a quality product. so has anyone had one? do they work just as well as the others??
thanks in advance

Cashj2002

if I were u I would get the ones that are 360 degrees!

maxwillden

I have a whistler 360 degree with VG2 Detection, and all the works. It was cheaper than the rest, and works better than some others I've seen. I'd go for it!

tmkforever

I've got the Escort Passport 8500...it was a little over $300 off eBay but it is the hottest detector ever. Some say its not as good as the Valentine (Car & Driver), everyone else would beg to differ... Not only does it look nicer than the Valentine, the Passport has received top honors from several different independent raters and many magazines. So anyway, I would say that any radar detector under a hundred dollars or so isn't going to be really worth it...you might as well spend a little more and get the best detector. You'll probably never get a ticket again.

-Jon

abnorm

I've read a lot of discussions if radar detectors even work for preventing traffic tickets. What is your opinion?

tmkforever

Why wouldn't they work?

-Jon

Stillen_I30

if you have tints, the 360 feature wont be too sensitive anymore. I was curious one day while at the local BestBuy parking lot, and the radar detector i have (passport 8500) was going crazy with the automatic doors. I have 20% metallized charcoal tints, and parked the car with the side windows facing the doors. I aimed the detector at the doors with the window closed, and then lowered the window and the detector receveid a MUCH stronger signal. Therefore, while on the highway, if you have metallized tints (cant speak for regular ones) you WILL experience less sensitivity from the rear.

some people say you cant avoid tickets with a radar detector as the cops are now using instant-on and laser, but you still can avoid others where the cops leave the gun on, or instant-on the cars in front of you and then you receive stray signals.

maxwillden

Mine was on clearance at a local department store. I paid $25.00 for it, and haven't gotten a ticket since. Don't let price fool you. Mine works great!

Stillen_I30

you failed to mention WHICH detector you got for $25 bucks.

maxwillden

I mentioned it in a previous thread above... It was a Whistler with VG2, 360 degree protection, and voice alert...

Boots

Being an ex-police officer, I will tell you that Valentine's are excellent. I have experimented with all different types over the years, and V-1s are the best in my experience. If you look around you should be able to find a used one for around $200+/- Just make sure you check with valentine on the serial number to make sure it is not stolen. They can check instantly.

Any detector is better than no detector! Don't drive naked.

maxwillden

Just out of curiousity. I'm wondering what the differences are between a Valentine, and what I have for instance. Why are they so much better?

Thanks

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

http://forums.maxima.org/search.php

This has been discussed alot...

WaarrEagle

iTrader: (1)

The Valentine has arrows to tell where the radar is coming from and it is more sensative on every band. IMO, the only thing the Passport has on the Valentine is the ability to turn off x band completely.

maxwillden

Maybe it has, but I didn't start this post first of all. Second, I was asking Boots because I assumed he knew something about it I don't.

So if you don't mind, I know how to use the search function. I don't need a lesson from you.

Thanks.

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

who ****ed in your wheaties this morning?

Tony Fernandes

Dude...don't skimp on a RADAR detector!! Your inexspensive ones are mostly garbage. I've seen all sorts of them (cheap ones) and most of them take anywhere between 1-5 seconds to even activate with a RADAR pointed right at them. If a RADAR beam leaves the cop car at the speed of light and bounces off your car and returns at the speed of light and your RADAR detector takes 1-5 secons to activate then the only thing it tells you is that you've already been caught. The only exception to this would be if the cop leaves his RADAR on all the time, or is getting cars ahead of you. Someone on here said a cheap RADAR detector is better than none...I disagree. ANY detector gives you a sense of confidence. A good detector gives you confidence because it does a good job of what it's designed to do. A poor one gives you a false sense of confidence. Save up for a decent one!!

Tony

maxwillden

I'm just tired of people on the .org who prey on the opportunity to throw down the old "use the search function" cliche. We were having a perfectly reasonable discussion, and your comments were not necessary.

Boots

Sorry it took me a while to respond,
The tests that myself and fellow officers conducted were fairly unscientific. We would each go out and buy a different detector and then hook many up into one car and set up different types of radar guns/laser guns. Our goal was to see the effects of instant on and also figure out rough advance warning distances. The V-1 ALWAYS won every time of contest we set up. Yes it is the most expensive, but you, at least in this case, seem to get what you pay for. I would also recommend that you check out http://www.valentineone.com/lab/detectortests.asp
It is a summary of a Car and Driver test conducted in February this year.

This is all justy my opinion, ultimately go with what makes you happy.
I drive over 100mph a lot, so for me this was the way to go. And for what ever it is worth, I do not know of anyone present or former law enforcement that own anything but V-1s.

Drive safe-

maxwillden

Hmmmm Sounds pretty good! Next time I have a few hundred bucks to spend I'll upgrade.