Radar Detectors, do they work???

[Chuckt]

if you have a radar detector, how well does it work. I would like to know when there are cops around me. i have had 3 speeding tickets and the last one, i didnt even know i was speeding. Which detector do you have, and how well doe it work, thanks

 

[P8ntBalla]

i have the valentine one. when i forst got it, i was annoyed almost to the point of selling it by the false alarms. but now that i know how to read the false alarms and pick out the cops, i wouldnt be without this thing. it has saved me im guessing near 600$ in tickets.

instant on k and ka as well as laser is usually used on desolate roads when theres not alot of traffic(when theres a better chance that a car is speeding). the instant on k and ka can easily be picked up off other cars that the cop shoots in front of you (if there are cars in front of you), however 99.9% of the time you get hit by laser you are essentially screwed.

i RARELY ever get a false ka. they are usually k's and x's. and once you learn the beep patterns for a false alarm you are golden. i actually pick up false lasers on a regular basis. turns out that theres a walgreens around here that has a laser guided automatic sliding door that trips the laser alarm on my V1. who knew.

people rant and rave about the cobras voice alert. it is bullsh!t. the thing says WARNING before it says the band. it takes it about a half second to say that, could be the difference. sure, you could just slow down for every false alarm, but why?

no, i dont work for valentine, just a happy customer

 

[boostmaster123]

i have had the valentine1 for about 2 months...it cost me 400 bucks but believe me it has paid itself off already. it can detect all kinds of radar from very long distances. in my opinion, well worth the $

 

[jagrjones]

I have had a passport 8500 for about 6 months. I pad $280 for it. It's nice cause you can turn of certain bands (x radar) and you can also detect up to 9 different radars at once which is useful in the city. It has good range and not that many false alarms, except in shopping centers. It's saved my butt countless times, awesome range.

-Jagr

 

[SoonToBeGS-T'ed]

Originally posted by P8ntBalla

people rant and rave about the cobras voice alert. it is bullsh!t. the thing says WARNING before it says the band. it takes it about a half second to say that

very untrue. i have a whistler 1665 ca, and it talks, but says the band and only the band. like itll say Ka BAND if i hit a ka radar, and so on

 

[eclipse13]

is a cobra esd 6060 6-band good
how about a whistler de1790se?

 

[doug]

Originally posted by P8ntBalla
i RARELY ever get a false ka. they are usually k's and x's.

I get false Ka's from some other radar detectors I pass or meet on the highway. Anybody else get this? I've read that this is a sign of good Ka performance. I hardly ever get a false K anywhere, though.

 

[c5chris]

I have a Valentine 1 for the Corvette and Passport 8500 for the GSX. Both radars offer superb detection, but I like the V1's bogey locator so I can keem py eyes where the cops are. Of course they are not license to speed, you still need to keep your speed at a sensible (and safe) limit.

 

[johnfsmith]

I've had several and I now have a Valentine One and it's the best I've ever used. It's saved me many times.

 

[newports01]

hey hellcat i like your picture in your signature but if your a dsm fan shouldnt we be ahead of the rotary?

 

[BQuicksilver]

Originally posted by c5chris
I have a Valentine 1 for the Corvette and Passport 8500 for the GSX. Both radars offer superb detection, but I like the V1's bogey locator so I can keem py eyes where the cops are. Of course they are not license to speed, you still need to keep your speed at a sensible (and safe) limit.

That about sums it up. The V1 is undoubtedly the best out there, but it does false a lot (especially near commercial areas). I previously used a Passport 8500, which was great as well...but lacked the handy arrows. Both gave me 1-2 mile warnings here in the flat part of Indiana as long as instant on or laser wasn't being used. Some of the new BEL's are great, but the older ones (had one of them as well) are only okay, same for most cobra, whistler, etc.

I'd say the V1 is worth the $400, but if you're on a budget, think about getting a used passport 7500 on EBay for about $120.

Good luck. They DO help.