Driwash

I am going to get a radar detector, and would like to now what you use and why.

Thanks, Tom

Bills03Coupe

Currently I have the Escort 8500 X50. A terrific unit, that has saved my Butt more times then I care to remember. My next purchase will be the Escort 9500ix with built in GPS. Has red light and speed camera locations, plus the GPS remembers false signals so the detector doesn't go off for every store alarm, etc. Another terrific unit is the Valentine 1 with the directional arrows. You really can't go wrong with any of the high end units.

Stomp'N'Go

Valentine V1, I use it because it works.

LoneStarFRC

V1

Gold standard

Btw, if you're also interested in a radar detector that also has "good" Laser detection, forget it. NONE of them do. Escort, BEL, Valentine, NONE of them do.

The only effective Laser units is/are Blinder or Escort Laser Shifter. They are separate, dedicated laser-only units. They work. Blinder M47 Xtreme is the gold standard.

HTH

ALLEGRO

I have been a life-long buyer of Passport detectors. Currently I have an 8500 X50 Blue. I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles and as long as you understand how radar works, and how YOU use a detector, you will be just fine.

Rule: Never be the first one in a line of cars. Keep a "runner" in front of you about 3/4 mile. Though you may still fall victim to "instant on" detection, you are WAY better off running a distant 2nd.

Good Luck

aTeam

I have to somewhat disagree with the v1 being the gold standard. The escort redline has superior detection and its immune to RDDs (radar detector detectors.) The v1 has arrows but the 20 year patten on the arrows expired a few months ago.

Also the 8th generation laser jammer (LI) is by far the best laser jammer. The quad and HP (high power) versions are expensive though

If you wanna talk about radar detectors GOL (guys of lidar), radar roy, and the members of http://www.radardetector.net/forums/ are all extremely knowledgeable.

Personally I'm gonna wait to see if escort does something with the arrows. The V1, redline, 9500 are all great detectors. If I was buying right now I'd get a 9500 with gps. Good luck choosing!

Hi/Tek/Vette

My Valentine One hasn't gone off for a Cop in NY in 3 years

only door openers set it off

every dam NY Cop use Laser

aTeam

If it hasn't gone off in 3 years how long have you had it? 4, 5 years, more? Radar detectors need to be tuned from time to time by the factory, especially if its that old. You can also have the firmware updated while its there. The V1 is one of the greatest detectors out there so something is definitely up, or out of tune.

ColeTrain'sC5

i just use my great eyesight. I haven't had a detector since i was 21 when i had my first Camaro. Now at almost 27 i've gone many years without a ticket and no need for a radar detector. I've never used a detector in my Vette. I just usually don't speed much.

aTeam

I'm with you on that. I've only been driving 4 years but slowing down over hills and around blind corners usually does the trick. I don't own a detector either and I commute 50 miles a day no problem. I've never gotten a ticket, knock on wood. I just go fast on the straights and slow down in spots I know LEOs like to hang out.

C5FORFUN2

My 9500IX is excellent! I have tried most brands in the past 30 years and this is the best all around unit. Also has regular updates available to download free.

jrose7004

I haven't had a radar detector in a few years. As I get older I just drive the speed limit and not worry about it.

BPG

9500ix... the best... period

04 commemorative

I have an old Cobra....bet it's 6 years old ...still works front, back & sides.

TheRadioFlyer

Escort 8500 here.

they're ~$150 all over ebay since the new models came out. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them.....kinda like when C5's prices dropped when the C6 came out.

V1, Beltronics and Escort are the top-performing brands out there.

This is a 2009 comprehensive comparison of various brands. Granted it's a little old by tech standards, but the tests are still valid for most states LEO equipment.

98blownvette

A lot of police departments are now running lidar. So you need to get something that picks that up also. Also lidar is instant on, meaning if the LEO knows what he is doing he is waiting to pull the trigger when he first sees the car. Your lidar/radar detector won't pick anything up unless he has the trigger squeezed. So if you gotta speed its best to do it when other cars are ahead of you somewhat so your detector picks the cop running whatever it is he brung.

TheRadioFlyer

A REAL laser jammer is required to get protection from Lidar guns, however these are expensive don't always look pretty and depending on where you live/drive aren't always something you really need.

For instance, I live in Spring just north of Houston. HPD uses Lidar all the time....cause they're being ********. Harris County Sheriffs are almost exclusively Ka band. Since HPD rarely gets out near where I live and I try to avoid Houston traffic, I really don't have a need for laser countermeasures.

88yellow

I have been using the V1 for about 8 years now. the best I have ever used. I get very few false readings. When our corvette club takes a road trip they usually want me to run front door. Most everyone in our club has the V1. Most often after a road trip, the ones using the Escorts order a new V1 becuase they seem to work better.

Jims79

Sorry to hear that. I'll take that POS off your hands for you. And buy you a drink or two to cheer you up.

MSG C5

I used to log over 30K miles a year on my daily drivers for business for over 10 years. With all that "experience" you learn the tricks and realize what traffic patterns mean as well.

The only ticket I received in the last 10 years was on a Tuesday night/Wednesday morning at 2AM when I was driving home from the airport. Posted speed limit was 70MPH and I was doing 85MPH. The only car(s) on the road were me and the LEO who pulled me over.

He asked me why I was speeding and I told him I had been traveling all day and I just returned from Seattle (arrived in Tampa) with numerous delays and just wanted to get home and go to bed. I am 100% positive that he pulled me over just to make sure I had not been drinking. To save face, he gave me a ticket, however when I showed up at court the judge threw it out.

I have often thought about purchasing a high end detector, however due to the amount of traffic I deal with 90% of the time, I really don't have the chance to open up the C5 unless it's when I'm on an open road by myself. If that's the case, a detector won't help me much if it's just me and the LEO.