Radar Detectors

**POS Racing** · 08-30-2004, 08:00 AM

Well I'm thinking I want to get a radar detector.

The Valentine One seems to be quite popular but it's a brick, I plan to use this thing in a few of my cars so I don't plan to hard wire it in the cars.

The Escort 8500 X50 looks smaller and seems to have a decent rating. But I'm confused by the Red and Blue display, for $40.00 more I can get a blue display??? Is that it.....

So who has what detector and what made you choose the one you got???

**EvilSpeeder** · 08-30-2004, 08:10 AM

Get the V1. Don't even consider anything else. You won't regret it. I've had 4 or 5 different radar detectors (including a very expensive BEL)and the V1 is so far above all of them its not even funny. I really don't think its that big. I think it looks better than most also. The V1 also offers free* updates for life. You'll always have the latest software and hardware.

You can hard wire the cable into all your car and just move the detector around and plug it in whatever car you want. Thats what i'm planning. The V1 just uses a standard phone cable. They're cheap and plentiful. They're even available in different colors for your styling pleasure.

*you might have to pay shipping and a small fee, I don't remember.

**sammm** · 08-30-2004, 08:11 AM

I've got an old Cobra that I rarely even use anymore. V-1 is the way to go if you're going to invest in one.

**Treibenschnell** · 08-30-2004, 08:37 AM

A third vote for the V1... I've had all the cheapos and they pale in comparison to the V1.

**tailchaser** · 08-30-2004, 08:52 AM

V1 is the only way to go. You'll get over it being a brick pretty quickly. It works, it tells you what it sees, and the display communicates what you need to know in a way that you can read quickly. The newer Escort "multiple threat" models take too long to read. From my informal testing (yes... I know... I was weak) when I thought I wanted to save the $100 and get an Escort, the reduced falsing from the Escort is highly overrated. Not only did it false everywhere the V1 does, it routinely identified Farmer's Branch patrol car radar units as X-band - decidedly NOT a good thing...

The "official" hardwire adapters from Valentine are about $10, and as mentioned, the wiring is just 4 pair phone cable.

Updates aren't free, but I think the highest charge on the current scale is about $75 - that's if you have a 4 year old unit...