Fireball Roberts needs a Radar/laser detector - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

AZ UFO · 07-16-2007, 10:34 AM

I was woundering if it is worth it to buy one of these things, I have never owned one but with the fact that i drive like Fireball Roberts these days means i will be getting a ticket soon. I just dont know if they really work or not please give me some advice on what to buy, do they work, ect ect. thanks guys

Perfectlap · 07-16-2007, 11:22 AM

ask Trigem2K if he thinks its worth it...

even if I drove a Kia sporto or a Scion, I would buy a Valentine One. Doing only 10 miles over the limit will get you a ticket and higher insurance. Radar detection is a must have.

986_Ron · 07-16-2007, 11:35 AM

I feel naked driving without my Valentine One. It has saved me many times. One thing I've noticed driving the Boxster vs. my F-150, when using laser they keep it on longer on the Boxster then they do on the truck. I think it takes longer to get a useful read on the car because I don't have a front license plate and lack of reflective surface. Anyway, IMO having a radar detector is one of the best things I've done as far as a driving accessory. I'm coming up on 10 years now without a speeding ticket (knock on wood).

BeechSierra · 07-16-2007, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ UFO

I was woundering if it is worth it to buy one of these things, I have never owned one but with the fact that i drive like Fireball Roberts these days means i will be getting a ticket soon. I just dont know if they really work or not please give me some advice on what to buy, do they work, ect ect. thanks guys

The most amazing thing is, for someone your age, you know who Fireball Roberts was!

Allen K. Littlefield · 07-16-2007, 02:41 PM

Dear Flamingsphere, I recently purchased a Valentine-1 and it gets readings a lot earlier than my older Bell or Escort devices do. I cannot drive without one as much revenue is gathered through highway robbery. Some towns have signs that drop from 45 to 40 to 30 in a short distance that leave you hard pressed to brake down and you end up toast. If you drive in a "spirited" manner you are a target for sure and need protection. I wouldn't drive without my electronic condom and that's a fact. Today I drove on I-84 from the Newburgh Beacon Bridge into Danbury CT. This stretch is posted at 55. Traffic was moving at 75 to 80+. Here we are in '07 with cars with superior tires, disc brakes, handling and power on a road designed for 75 mph travel and the limited access road is posted 55. Of course the drivers on cell phones etc. in many cases are not up to the task but speed alone is not the problem that causes accidents. I tend to ramble on so I will conclude with what I started with, YES get one.

AKL :dance:

racer_d · 07-16-2007, 03:37 PM

Never had one in 20 years of driving. Only got 2 speeding tickets in those 20 years (well, at least until I just wrote this, surely earning me a "jinks"

) I guess I just don't speed enough.

Then again, for the most part, I drive familiar roads ( from VA to MA) and have done a good job of remembering where the speed traps are. Plus, I find myself a more alert highway driver by constantly scanning ahead with my eyes to spot them. Doesn't work all the time, but as mentioned above, it hasn't worked too poorly either.

If a $300-600 peice of equipment buys you the piece of mind to drive the way you want, then by all means get one.

AZ UFO · 07-16-2007, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeechSierra

The most amazing thing is, for someone your age, you know who Fireball Roberts was!

Hehe my father use to say it alot when i was a kid and it just stuck with me, i have no idea who he is but after i post this im looking him up.

07-17-2007, 12:51 AM

Valentine 1. I got lucky and hit a hidden speed trap for the first time within a week or 2 of my purchase. It saved my butt and legitimately paid for itself as soon as I got it, the one time I would have been screwed, I had protection (dont read that too closely, lol). I was going 90+ on the highway and it went off so I hit the brakes, went 65 for what seemed like more than a mile and finally passed the cop. The range is so good its fooled me a couple times because I never see the cop until I drive a mile, the whole time im like "wheres the cop", then i finally see them. It is also pretty useful in city too, but only if your familiar. My experience has shown if its reading full strength K its a cop, KA is usually a cop (full strength is always a cop), and lazer detection... its worked. I was going the speed limit but I got hit from behind so I knew. Get a Valentine 1!

OldBlevins · 07-17-2007, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ UFO

Hehe my father use to say it alot when i was a kid and it just stuck with me, i have no idea who he is but after i post this im looking him up.

You mean Fireball Roberts, not your father - right?

AZ UFO · 07-17-2007, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldBlevins

You mean Fireball Roberts, not your father - right?

ROFL

MY FATHER IS NOT FIREBALL ROBERTS LOL

Spy4cia · 07-17-2007, 08:35 AM

I own the K40 system...front and rear...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It has saved me 12 times...12 times I would have been ticketed...

It "blocks" lazer and radar, and what the cops sees on the readout is he "missed" my vehicle...

The system is worth every single penny, IF YOU DRIVE FAST, OFTEN.

I do so when it is (relatively) safe. No onramps/offramps or other traffic near me when I speed.

I have my "warning" LED's along the edge of my dashboard border...so I can easily see when I get a "hit".

Once, I was warned well over two miles (3 minutes) before I saw the cop.

Only downside: it's expensive

AMAZING SYSTEM...

eVoMotion · 07-20-2007, 09:48 AM

Did you compare it to the Escort SRX system?
http://www.escortradar.com/srx.htm
I have been wondering what would be best.
Looks like the K40 only works with a license plate front mount?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spy4cia

I own the K40 system...front and rear...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It has saved me 12 times...12 times I would have been ticketed...

It "blocks" lazer and radar, and what the cops sees on the readout is he "missed" my vehicle...

The system is worth every single penny, IF YOU DRIVE FAST, OFTEN.

I do so when it is (relatively) safe. No onramps/offramps or other traffic near me when I speed.

I have my "warning" LED's along the edge of my dashboard border...so I can easily see when I get a "hit".

Once, I was warned well over two miles (3 minutes) before I saw the cop.

Only downside: it's expensive

AMAZING SYSTEM...

RandallNeighbour · 07-20-2007, 12:40 PM

Boy howdy, the V1 has been hotly debated on this forum. Do a thread search and you'll see my comments. Sensitivity issues aside, I love the fact that I was able to completely disable X band... which is only still used in Ohio, I believe.

This made my V1 quiet around the city and doesn't go off every time I go by a Target, Kmart or WallyWorld.

Oh yes, the arrows, while not terribly necessary, are wonderful.

eslai · 07-20-2007, 01:03 PM

Now if only the V1's industrial designers would step out of the eighties...

eVoMotion · 07-20-2007, 01:05 PM

ditto...if only they did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eslai

Now if only the V1's industrial designers would step out of the eighties...

Spy4cia · 07-20-2007, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eVoMotion

Did you compare it to the Escort SRX system?
http://www.escortradar.com/srx.htm
I have been wondering what would be best.
Looks like the K40 only works with a license plate front mount?

I don't have a license plate bracket...I simply put the device (which is small, and black) inside the front air duct area. Nobody has ever noticed it, or even asked what it is. Even when I won the Concours, nobody noticed it or asked what it was...

I did NOT compare it with the Escort SRX system...don't know anything about that system...

Michael

RaDaRkInG · 08-05-2007, 10:05 PM

The Valentine One is still the best.

http://guysoflidar.com/march-2007/radar-detector-test.html

http://guysoflidar.com/july-2007/off-axis-radar-detector-test.html

djomlas · 08-06-2007, 06:25 AM

yes the V1 is great, but passport is also awesome, i love mine.
another downside to V1 is that it just looks so retarted, big, and boxy, and ugly. but does the job tho.
my radar saved me toooo many times to mention it, so yea...and i also fell weird without having one, or driving without one.

i say get it.
and also, i noticed that i actually drive slower with it than without it. pretty much all the tickets i got after having a radar was when i didn't have it on me, or in different car, or just not having it plugged in. weird

RaDaRkInG · 08-06-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djomlas

another downside to V1 is that it just looks so retarted, big, and boxy, and ugly.

I would rather have a V1 that has a black magnesium case, is unique looking, and is rated #1 over another brand with a cheesy silver plastic case that looks like an electric shaver for women that doesn't detect as well as the V1.

Size (from smallest to largest):

Valentine One -> 16.20 cu. in.
Bel RX65 Pro -> 16.33 cu. in.
Bel STi -> 16.33 cu. in.
Escort 8500 X50 -> 18.95 cu. in.
Escort 9500i -> 21.72 cu. in.

Weight (from lightest to heaviest):

Valentine One -> 181.5g (6.40 ounces)
Beltronics RX65 Pro -> 236.6g (8.35 ounces)
Escort 8500 X50 -> 253.7g (8.95 ounces)
Escort 9500i -> 269.2g (9.49 ounces)
Beltronics STi Driver -> 291.6g (10.29 ounces)

As you can see, the 9500i is the largest in size and the Bel STi Driver is the heaviest. The Valentine One is the smallest and lightest radar detector of the Top 4 radar detectors made today.

jwilson95 · 08-06-2007, 01:51 PM

I only wish they were legal in VA where you can be pulled for having one when you are not speeding.

Also, we just got the country's stiffest speeding ticket fines recently. I saw a show on local news where you could rack up up to $5500 speeding ticket you have to pay over 3 years!

Gotta love it,