# Radar



## HEAVENS PAIN (Oct 20, 2004)

Anybody know a better radar than valentine 1 heres the site check it outwww.valentine1.com


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

The passport 8500 and the V1 are neck and neck. I like my V1, but some other people swear by Escorts.

Do a search of the site, there is a thread on them floating around here somewhere, but not in the Altima section. I think it was in the General section.


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## HEAVENS PAIN (Oct 20, 2004)

thanks man im going to check it out now :cheers:


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

I've talked about them both extensively in previous posts. They were rather long reviews and searching on "escort passport 8500" will bring results.

I will give you a quick sum:

V1-400 bucks, magnesium casing but a good bit thicker, arrows (something no other detector has) and a bogey counter, proven to be the best in X band in tests done and by my experience better in LIDAR detection than any other brand, supposedly better for mobile photo radar although I highly question this. The last gen I played with did not allow you to turn off certain bands which would be the only reason I would not buy one as X band is not used in Maryland yet X band is the most prone to falsing. This was with the V1.7; the V1.8 may be different. V1.7 did not detect POP3 radar and was lacking badley with instant on; supposedly the V1.8 does POP detection and IO very well. All Valentines are upgradable.

Escort 8500 X50-300 for red, 340 for blue, slightly better results for both constant on and instant on K and moreso with KA band radar, platinum colored casing, heavy, includes a smart cord and hard carrying case, allows you to turn off certain bands for certain custom settings, the only radar detector that is easy to use out of the box (although once you get acquainted, using the expert meter has many advantages). Escort claims they have upgradable capability but I have not seen anything further than claims.

Bel RX-65-same as Escort, different casing, bit cheaper cost.


Other than these, dont bother buying a detector. K40 sucks despite what people may write. Valentine and Escort are they only way to go, especially if K, KA and LIDAR are used in your area. If you get a lot of LIDAR, get a jammer because you are generally pretty fucked with LIDAR. The Blinder has the best reviews. Speed Measurement Lab measures both radars and radar detectors each year. Given they are not owned by any makers, they are pretty unbiased. The Escort and Valentine did about parallel. They were both outdone by a prototype model whos name and maker were not released. Everyone else was a step down the ladder.

And oh yea, if you live in VA or DC, dont buy one. No detector made to date has eluded the Spectre radar detector detectors. Supposedly their newer Spectre 3 can even temp disable your RD. Get caught in VA or DC with an RD and they will take them.


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

I knew Zac would pop in and back up the Passport. :thumbup:

Like I've always said, ever since I got my Passport I have yet to get a ticket.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

Passport is good and V1 is also. I favored the Escort mainly because of turning off the select bands. I've owned a 7500S, 8500 Classic and 2 8500 X50s and I have been happy with all. I turn X band off completely on the city mode, and have ultra high sensative settings for highway mode, including POP3 mode on (POP3 mode makes that sucker false a lot more tho ) I have the blue X50 now, and honestly I like it a lot more than red (and in the case of the 7500, orange) for a few reasons. I think the color is cooler and lower profile. Fewer people follow me like 12 inches from my bumper at 80+ MPH because I have a RD. The blue in night mode is a boat load harder to see not to mention people dont know to look for blue RD screens, well at least not yet. The blue matches the neons I have under the seat. And best of all it is just different. Performance wise, blue and red are the same.

My number one complaint of the 8500X50 vs the 8500 Classic is the Classic was a hell of a lot louder. The Classic had a piercingly loud sound, the X50 is simply not as loud. Chances are Escort dropped the intensity of the alarm because most people dont need or want it. While this may not impact many people, when you have a 1500 watt sub that you generally bump to high hell, you need a piercing sound to hear alerts. And oh yea, LIDAR falses more often but that isnt Escort's fault, newer beacons are actual lasers instead of lights. It's always amusing when I get a LIDAR alert and it turns out to be Tom's Towtruck


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## HEAVENS PAIN (Oct 20, 2004)

What I will do is I will get both and test them out. I like how the valentine 1 looks but I need the one that work the best 80 west and east is no joke. With the monthly tickets I get I can get both one of these bad boys will save me crazy money :cheers:


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

HEAVENS PAIN said:


> What I will do is I will get both and test them out. I like how the valentine 1 looks but I need the one that work the best 80 west and east is no joke. With the monthly tickets I get I can get both one of these bad boys will save me crazy money :cheers:


Considering they both have a 30 day money back guarentee, that sounds like a good route :thumbup: Play with them a bit, see which one you find more user friendly. If you need help tweaking either of them, I'll be glad to assist you.

Now let me forewarn you, do not run them together simultaneously. You could be causing interference between the 2. The V1 I would imagine would be less likely to get interference from its casing which may explain why many guys who have tested the V1 and 8500 side by side swear by the V1, although performance of the 2 detectors are very similar. Try them both out but individually. If you have a friend who is a cop and is certified to shoot radar, by all means test them. Be sure to have an idea which band radar is shot and if LIDAR is also. If cops shoot LIDAR, they are generally outside of their car. LIDAR guns can be handheld and are sometimes on a tripod. They cannot be used through glass, while moving or in inclement weather. Cops generally shoot radar while they are in their car and LIDAR when they are outside. If they shoot a lot of LIDAR, buy a jammer; it will save you a boat load of cash in the long haul. If VASCAR is used in your area, no radar detector will help you as no electronics are involved.

As far as mounting, I reccomend mounting high.


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## HEAVENS PAIN (Oct 20, 2004)

Cool thanks for the info :thumbup:


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## craigqc (Feb 10, 2005)

just from experience of owning the v1, i dont think you can beat it. once you see how the arrows work with the bogey counter, youll wonder why you didnt get it sooner.
if you drive by a grocery store every day with a regular detector, it will just beep at you. with the v1 it will beep and tell you how many radars are being used for the motion sensors on the doors. if you always drive by and there are 6 going off, then one day you go buy and there are 7, you know there may be a cop with his radar on in the parking lot waiting for you.
i give it 2 thumbs up. wll worth the investment


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## kit (Dec 6, 2004)

If you're worried about a cop taking your radar detector try this

keep a UPS envolope with your address or a freind address,if a cop pulls you over grab the radar (and the cord if you can cause they can take it) throw it in the envolope and seal it. most states won't allow cops to open mail without a warrant and most cops won't bother getting one :cheers:


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

kit said:


> If you're worried about a cop taking your radar detector try this
> 
> keep a UPS envolope with your address or a freind address,if a cop pulls you over grab the radar (and the cord if you can cause they can take it) throw it in the envolope and seal it. most states won't allow cops to open mail without a warrant and most cops won't bother getting one :cheers:


Damn. Now that is smart. You get mad props. :thumbup:


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## raf (Feb 10, 2005)

I did a bunch of research on radar detectors before choosing the Escort 8500. I couldn't be happier. However, I did get hit with an instant on radar gun the other day (no ticket, woohoo!) and that's one that no detector can protect against. Anyway, I'm sure either will give you the protection you need but I don't know that the VI could be $100 better. In fact, I'd buy the Escort again even if both were the same price.


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## craigqc (Feb 10, 2005)

v1 just added new technology that is more sensitive to p.o.p. radar (instant on). i get it all the time in advance. i get a faint warning a mile or so ahead, silence for a few seconds, a stronger signal, silence, an even stronger signal, and so on. the arrows are all coming from ahead so i know a cop is ahead switchin his radar on and off. i can only get nabbed if he leaves his radar off for like five minutes and i am the car he pops. but at least my chances of that happening are lessened. im happy.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

craigqc said:


> v1 just added new technology that is more sensitive to p.o.p. radar (instant on). i get it all the time in advance. i get a faint warning a mile or so ahead, silence for a few seconds, a stronger signal, silence, an even stronger signal, and so on. the arrows are all coming from ahead so i know a cop is ahead switchin his radar on and off. i can only get nabbed if he leaves his radar off for like five minutes and i am the car he pops. but at least my chances of that happening are lessened. im happy.


That isnt necessarily POP but I am not saying that it isnt either. POP isnt that widespread yet and is a patended design of Bee IIRC. IIRC current law will not let cops write tickets with just POP mode, whereas they can using an Instant On gun. IIRC the POP burst is even faster than instant on which is why older V1s would pick up IO, but not POP.


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## craigqc (Feb 10, 2005)

NickZac said:


> That isnt necessarily POP but I am not saying that it isnt either. POP isnt that widespread yet and is a patended design of Bee IIRC. IIRC current law will not let cops write tickets with just POP mode, whereas they can using an Instant On gun. IIRC the POP burst is even faster than instant on which is why older V1s would pick up IO, but not POP.


thanks for the clarification


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

craigqc said:


> thanks for the clarification


No problem mate. Summed up thou, if you have the X50 or V1.8, your running under the best protection out their :thumbup: 

Compare radar detectors to condoms. Escort and Valentine are the known, trusted, and effective names. All the others are generic. With stakes so high, you dont wanna risk getting screwed over.


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## craigqc (Feb 10, 2005)

yeah but i still feel that the v1 is ribbed for my pleasure. its all a prefrence i suppose.
i would like to see someone buy both and do a head to head comparison. i have yet to see it done on any boards. tell us the results and return the one that sucks. easy as that


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

craigqc said:


> yeah but i still feel that the v1 is ribbed for my pleasure. its all a prefrence i suppose.
> i would like to see someone buy both and do a head to head comparison. i have yet to see it done on any boards. tell us the results and return the one that sucks. easy as that


I toyed with a V1.7, but am yet to with a V1.8. To what I understand, the 1.8 has improved in what the 1.7 lacked, KA sensativity, instant on and pop3. IMO the V1 has always been the best for LIDAR detection and facts prove it is the ultimate champ of X band (about 2 times the second best). SML (Speed Measurement Labs) found the V1.8 and X50 almost identical in performance with the X50 slightly better in KA and V1 in X. I'de love to do an objective test but I dont believe in mounting detectors side by side and running simultaneously. I think only one should ever be tested at the same time due to the possibility of interference (LIDAR is the exception as sunlight can affect LIDAR significantly so testing at 2 different times may not be objective). Car and Driver aparently didnt think testing alone was a good idea in 2002 and I believe this may have hurt the 8500's points. If the 8500 did not suffer from some type of interference, then somebody down the road lied. Considering that every other magazine was in sharp contrast to Car and Driver's review (including my own toying), this in my opinion really hurt their credentials (not just in terms of testing electronics but prettymuch in terms of any review they did as their radar test was so far off). Consequently, I did not renew my subscription. (In a related story, the brother or C&D, Road and Track has made some statements which are completely untrue and has showed a lot of bias towards certain companies and products. They will not be seeing a subscription renewel from me either.)

I want to test but I will need a V1.8, 8500X50 (have one) (and preferably a 8500 Classic and V1.7 too for comparison); a traditional constant on X and K band (have these available in the Falcon); an instant on K band; a standard police issue Stalker KA band radar (IIRC these can operate in IO or CO); and preferably at least one LIDAR gun. I know people certified to use them and have a great 3 mile straight to do testing that at certain times of the day is nearly deserted. POP3 I wouldnt worry too much about testing as it has been established that both of the 2 big names' models can pick it up and also that the odds of being hit by it are rather rare.

Ehh, maybe sometime down the line I'll get to do a test like this. If so, I'll be sure to share the info


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