Hi,

I purchased a $90.00 Cobra radar detector a few months ago and brought it back after a month or so due to its inefectiveness. Seriously this thing would beep when I could almost read the license plate of cop cars if I was lucky.
Has anyone had good luck with a radar detector that is more affordable then the infamous Valentine One?

Thanks

 

is ur car tinted?? i heard that tint kan block out sometimes.... but then again the guy i heard it from doesn tknow crap about cars...

 

Nope my car isn't tinted. Plus I had the thing square on my dash. Who knows maybe the cops are using instant on in my area and can detect radar detectors.

 

hmmm... dunno

 

Guys,

I'm posting this b4 I post on eBay ... I'd rather sell here ... I've had it for about 6 months now ... & I'm more nervous driving with it on than without it! That's b/c I live in Toronto & they're illegal here ... so I can't drive with the windows rolled down on gorgeous sunny days b/c of fear of having it seen

Do your own due diligence in determining the price. The cheapest on eBay was $187.50 from someone with a "1" rating ... the highest $235.50 ... that's without shipping.

I'll sell it to the first person with an offer of $220 (that'll include shipping to anywhere in North America). It's a firm price ...

Here's a very good link to Bel's web-page with all the info.

http://www.beltronics.com/bel980.htm

It was rated as follows:

"The BEL 980 is the new maximum range champion when sniffing out the most commonly used radar band...K band."
- Speed Measurement Laboratories, Inc.

"Phenomenal radar sensitivity, as good as or better than the Valentine One; extensive features, high-quality audio, superior alert systems."
- www.radartest.com

You can check out my eBay rating using eugenelee1.

E-mail me at eugene.lee@utoronto.ca with any offers/questions!

Tkx

 

Dude - I just went through the excersise of evaluating new radar detectors. There's a site called www.radartest.com that evaluates the Bel 980, V1 and a couple of others. Long story short, the Bel 980 seems to get you the best bang for your bucks.

I just bought mine off eBay for $229.00 (plus $5.00 shipping) and used the "Buy It Now" feature so I didn't have to wait for others to drive the price up. If you go up to eBay and do a search on Bel 980 and you'll see a bunch of 'em out there (mostly from the same person who, by the way, is great to deal with... "peeky" I think her name is).

The one's she sells are brand new - factory sealed. Sure beats buying one for $300+ at the store!

Good luck!

 

 

No offense intended. I was only sharing some information in case someone else decided to hook up with you (i.e. he missed the opportunity) and/or he wanted to go with a new, factory sealed unit.

Sorry if it appeared that I dis'd ya.

 

I'm kewl with it all!

 

Allllllllllllllrighty then!

Actually, I'm kinda pi$$ed at myself that I missed your offer. I just made the buy two nights ago. Dangit. Luck o'the Irish, my @ss.

Hey, have you tried concealing it in a tissue box mounted on the dash on those nice days? They used to be outlawed here in CT and that's what I used to do. Of course, you won't be lookin' too with a freakin' tissue box hangin' out on your dash but, hey, you do what you gotta do. Better yet, how 'bout using a condom box (X-Large, of course). Bet you'd get the attention of some of the ladies out there, eh?

 

I recommend both the Bel 980 ($219) and the Passport 8500 ($249). I had both and kept the 8500, since it falsed less (maybe 5%) than the 980. The 980 was still very good though.

 

I bought the Bel 880. A step down from the 980. Mostly because I just didn't have the $$ for the 980 or the Escort 8500.

And it's served me pretty well. I bought it in early March and thought about returning it because nothing every came up. I didn't detect anything. And then the weather got better and I started noticing a lot more Ka notices.

And the other night I was driving my brother back to school and was going faster than the flow of traffic, the VG-2 (a radar detector detector) and Ka went off and what do ya know... cops up ahead. In the center median, one facing in each direction.

So ... I'm keeping my Bel 880! I got it for $160 at Circuit City.

 

I heared Valintine One are really good radars.
Anyone had any experiance with them??

 

I have a Bel 870.. different than the models you're talking about, but I can vouch for the quality of the Bel ones overall. It hasn't done me wrong yet

 

I couldn't help but notice the radar detectors on sale.
I know a couple of people has the Valentine 1 on the forum, I was just wondering how well does the Bel 980 stand up to it? Like the range of the Bel's coverage? I was in a car with the V-1 and the I heard it go off like a block away and the cop came out from the left side of the adjacent street.
I was pretty impressed with the range that the V-1 has to offer. But does the Bel980 have equally good coverage?
Does the Bel tells you which direction the cops are coming from? Cuz my old radar detector just beeps and when it goes off I had to scramble and look around for the cop.

 

go to radartest.com -- it reviews them all and has charts comparing ranges, false alarms, bands detected, detecction angles, etc....

 

Ok, it is time that I said it too. THIS FORUM IS GREAT! Thanks for all of the information on radar detectors guys. Unfortunately, I'm not quite ready to pick one up yet. As I just recently purchased my Maxima and neglected to trade in my old car because the dealer was trying to rob it from me.

 

I’ve had the Bel 870 since November, and I’m extremely happy with it.

Range seems good, there are a few false signals, but I think that’s more because I live in a pretty crowded (D/FW) metroplex.

It’s saved my speeding hiney at least four SOLID times, a bunch of other "maybes".

Paid $99 for it at Crutchfield.com

The only difference between the 870 and 880 is a couple features, like a "graph" of signal strength instead of the "1 to 9" system I have, and maybe a compass. 870 has the same detection for $50 less.

Also, if you can find the 860, it should be $89 and won’t have the annoying voice alert that everyone wants to turn off anyway. That’s the only difference, so save yourself another ten bucks.

 

I Bought my 870 from a friend and never got the manual.. do you know what it means with it says "P E WARNING" or somethin like that??

 

Just something I think you guys should be aware of if you are going only by Radartest.com. Whether it is true or not, you decide.

http://www.valentine1.com/lab/V1Hater.asp

 

Nah, he's right on the money... if your tint conducts (certain kinds of metallic tint come to mind), it shields em radiation... this WOULD of course include radar :-)

just the way our universe works .... **sigh**

-Tom

Are you sure you got the city/highway toggle in the right spot??

 

heh... umm... why?? don't you have to slow down anyway??

:-)


-Tom

PS... i have to look into a radar detector... i got clocked doing at least 85 the other day (in a 55!!! --on rt 78 in NJ, just before 24... local lanes, he was in that bushy ditch after the small bridge... devious hiding place!!!
(another favorite of theirs is on the median right after you get onto 24)

cop didn't pull me over tho... but, hell i didn't wait around to see if he would pull out of his spot to try and stop me!!! i just took the next exit!!!

Out of curiosity, where did you guys mount your detectors, and how did you run the power cord??? (it would be sweet if i could figure out how to plug it into the rear armrest socket!!!)

 

That's where they got me! But I was heading in the other direction going home from work! This was the night right b4 I went to Mardi Gras so I was a little excited to get home and get ready. They got me for 79! That's not even so bad. My 1st moving violation...hate them popo's. They're always hiding in that ditch...that's where they belong.

 

Ya... umm 79 in a 55 is (this is where tom pulls out his calculator, even though he is going for a math minor), 29 mph over the limit.... tsk tsk tsk... say bye bye to low insurance rates!!! :-)


-Tom Z.

 

u mite want 2 pull out that calculator again ... ok?

U do the math

 

hay, i'm looking to buy a radar detect too....so far the best one i think is bel 980 with best price at ebay but i'm still searching....give an update if u find one (new) for less than 225

 

ahh.. it's just not as funny when you explain it... the wasted irony... :-(

I hope u do realize that i put that calculator comment there after coming up with 29 in my head, and realizing it was wrong a few secs later..

That's just what happens to your brain after a few hours of studying multivar calc, and working through endless pages of physics... Funny how I take upper level math, but right now, am thoroughly incapable of subtracting on a 3rd grade level...

-Tom

 

sweet ride.. love the rims.

 

Cobra's suck. Stay away from them and Whislers. For the best out there get the Passport 8500, its rated #1 over V1. Also if you don't have the funds for 8500 or V1, get the Bel's. Any Bel is good in my book even the cheap ones. Never failed me.

 

guys ... i'm selling a used 1 ...

http://216.122.219.59/forums/showthr...threadid=34634

 

The technology on the 950 is the same as the 980 - minus a couple features like x band disable.

Both have the stupid voice - which I really hate and promptly disabled.

Only thing I don't like about the Bel is that it has a button for volume so I have to hold the damn thing and wait for it to change. Give me a wheel - please.

Otherwise, I've been happy with it. I got my 950 for 180 on the net incl. shipping but don't recall where.

If there is a lower model than the 950 with the same technology and without the voice, I would get that one.

 

I am having difficulty finding a radar/laser/satellite/all purpose detector that doesn't plug into your power source. Do you know of a product that is compatible with the 2001 SE? Have come across any problems being mounted above the rear view mirror? Thanks.
-David

 

GXE Spoiler - Niiiice color and rims (not a huge fan of aftermarket rims but those are sweet).
chilltownryderz - AWESOME pic!

 

I just got my 980 today with no specific mention about a "P E Warning" in the manual. However, when I think about what that could stand for, I remember back to an old Whistler I have and it would go berserk with a "P" when it detected "Pulse" radar (i.e. "Instant-On"). So I'd imagine that the "P E" would mean "Pulse Energy".

Boy... sure are lots of quotation marks here, eh? Sorry about that. Comes from writing technical documentation.

 

Thanks RcticMax! I took it at sunset with one of those disposable cameras. It came out nice.

As for Radar detectors, I ordered a V1. Yeah, they are expensive... an easy $400. But I had a really good experience with it during my caravan run down to A.C. HIN. Plus, I've been considering it for years and I finally decided to shell out for it due to many bad experiences with more inexpensive radar detectors.

 

Satellite detector??? heheh..

Anywayz, i saw one that worked off batteries.... dunno if it's worth it tho, but might be useful if you live in an area where they are prohibited... (ie, you get pulled over, and you are able to just discretely tuck it away) -OR- if you want to avoid the whole mess with power cables...

-Tom


PS.. I remember my comp sci professor once asking if the class thought they would ever invent wireless power...

one smart *** student replied, they call them "batteries."

 

Batteries? Yep... sure is.

Good call...

http://www.beltronics.com/bel946.htm

I'd wonder about battery strength affecting performance, however. Maybe it's not an issue

 

It's an issue ... cordless radar detectors consistently rank among the worst performing ... however ... I cannot explain why