Radar Detectors

[Bootlegger]

Who uses one and which brand did you purchase? I just clunked down a few hundred dead presidents to keep me in the know. Ended up with an Escort 8500 X50. Interested to hear what others use and how well it works.

[Fintro11]

escort 9500i Love the firmware updates escort i think is the best

[TypeA]

Valentine One is on the to-get list, currently using a pos cobra that usually gets shut off.

[Fintro11]

Originally Posted by TypeA

Valentine One is on the to-get list, currently using a pos cobra that usually gets shut off.

don't you have to send them back to get them upgraded though?

[TypeA]

Originally Posted by Fintro11

don't you have to send them back to get them upgraded though?

Yep and its not free, its $45. Its also one of the most expensive detectors on the market. Thats the price you pay for owning, IMO, the best on the market. The Escort Redline is supposed to rival the Valentine but lacks the directional indicators found on the Valentine....

[particlewave]

I just obey the speed limits...usually...sometimes...ok, maybe I need a radar detector

Seriously. Obey the speed limit.

[Chuck W.]

Have had a Valentine One for several years. I only use it on road trips. It is very good. However, many law enforcement agencies are going to lasers. Get hit with one of those and you're done for.

[lkchris]

I have the battery powered Escort Solo ... very convenient. Fits in map pocket of my motorcycle tank bag and I can Bluetooth via the earphone jack and a Sena unit to my helmet.

[Mark_T]

They aren't legal here so something with anti-radar-detector-detector technology is needed if I was going to use one.

[thatguychad]

I bought an '01 S that came with a hardwired V1. If I were to purchase one, however.....it'd be a V1. I've personally seen the bogey counter save my buddy a ticket (the motorcycle officer was parked beneath a bridge that always gives a false positive, so when we saw the bogey counter hit 2, that was abnormal) and the arrows are another great feature.

[j.fro]

Not quite a radar detector, but I use the app Waze. Here in VA, detectors are illegal. In about 8 months using Waze on the highway, I have not passed a cop w/ radar that I did not already know about.

[b55er]

1998 Boxster Base here with an Escort Solo S3 suspended by a BlendMount mounting system from the rear view mirror. Works well, looks good.

[Luckyed]

Escort 9500i
I like the fact that the GPS feature can store false alarm spots.
Typically, if it goes off.....there is a cop somewhere nearby.

[RandallNeighbour]

One more vote for the Valentine 1. The fact that I can send it back for a hardware upgrade to the latest protection and the fact that it has those arrows and a bogey counter is why I keep it.

If you use a detector for your commute and you have annoying false readings here and there, another detector with GPS may be your best bet. I battle false alarms by programming the V1 to turn off X band because it's only used in Ohio from what I've read and it's frequently used in automatic doors at Walmart, etc.. I just hope X band hasn't made a comeback!

The new laser technology built into high end cars for adaptive cruise control sets off my V1 now... as this becomes a mainstream feature in automobiles I have no idea what I'm going to do.

And oddly enough, I don't speed in the boxster. However, I tend to push it in the F150 way beyond the speed limit!

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

One more vote for the Valentine 1. The fact that I can send it back for a hardware upgrade to the latest protection and the fact that it has those arrows and a bogey counter is why I keep it.

If you use a detector for your commute and you have annoying false readings here and there, another detector with GPS may be your best bet. I battle false alarms by programming the V1 to turn off X band because it's only used in Ohio from what I've read and it's frequently used in automatic doors at Walmart, etc.. I just hope X band hasn't made a comeback!

The new laser technology built into high end cars for adaptive cruise control sets off my V1 now... as this becomes a mainstream feature in automobiles I have no idea what I'm going to do.

And oddly enough, I don't speed in the boxster. However, I tend to push it in the F150 way beyond the speed limit!

Get their latest firmware update, it dramatically reduces the false alarms from adaptive cruise and lane change warning systems. Before that update, I would get inundated with false alerts, and now get none. Their app for the iPhone is pretty slick as well, visually telling you which alerts are real and which ones are something else..

[NewArt]

+1 for Waze. It's free, it's legal, and it's quite effective. Long live crowd sourcing!

[RandallNeighbour]

Thanks JFP!!!!

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Thanks JFP!!!!

Anytime. I often drive around the DC area, where traffic is always very heavy even late at night, and the false alarms from cruise control and lane assist radars meant you got to listen to the V1 pretty much from Baltimore until Richmond. Now, it rarely makes a peep on the same drive. Major improvement.

The iPhone or Android phone app shows narrow boxes which represent the exact frequencies police radar have to be on (law requires that they are tested and certified to be on those frequencies), so if the arrow appears "outside the box", the signal is not from law enforcement radar. Neat tool.

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

I've owned an Escort Passport, loved it. Lasted a good amount of time and even saved my butt once from laser. I think I got lucky with that one though.

[BFeller]

My car came with a remotely installed radar detector. I haven't a clue about what model. It does go off constantly for the drive systems on other car. I should dig up some info and see it it could be upgraded.