Docspringfield

Wow! I have not been this confused about a purchase in years.
I have been researching Radar detectors and still have several questions.


1.) I am looking for the best performing detector out there I only want to do this once so price is less of an issue.


2.) I really want to keep the install clean as possible so looks are important to me as well.


3.) I want to keep false alerts (with all the in car radars) to a minimum


The passport 360 max I almost settled on, but the reviews are not that good and it seems like they are invading your privacy.
The Escort redline seems to be the best long range, but seems to have a lot of false alerts.


Any Ideas?

davepl

I would STRONGLY recommend you get one with a GPS database so you can mark false alarms and exclude them, like the Escort 9500ix. It's a great feature that, after a little training, eliminates the annoying daily false alarms on your normal route.

After living with the database on my Escort, and missing it on my V1, I set my V1 to Ka/Laser only because I couldn't take all the K band falses that the Escort filters out.

Mine are old, so they could all have arrows and GPS in one unit now.

There's nothing like searching for Escorts on the Internet. Just be sure to clear your search history when you're done!

jcosta79

Valentine 1

Anyone who says they throw off too many false alarms either has an old unit (they have been updated over 10 times over the years) or they do not know how to set it in full LOGIC mode (eliminates 90% of false alarms).

I am on my 3rd V1 and everything else is simply not as good.

graj6

Look into the Beltronics Magnum, it's a Redline internally with better blind spot monitor filtering, K band might be very very very slightly weaker in some situations, but it's actually the same thing internally as a Redline.

There's the V1 which is pretty good with the YaV1 app on Android connected to it over Bluetooth (be sure to order the Bluetooth module). Arrows help, still the Redline and magnum best it on range and off axis radar hits.

The Radenso Pro SE is a strikingly good detector especially after its latest firmware update. They had some teething trouble but it seems sorted out now. Amazing range and great filtering, Redline level performance in many tests with a whole bunch of nice features. Check out rdforum for more reviews and comparisons of all these.

Check out the DFR7 (mightmight be the DRF7) or Uniden 950. Not as amazing on range as the above options but almost as awesome performance, great filtering with a lot of new features for a sub 300 price. There's also supposed to be a new ultra high performance Uniden coming out end of the year to early next.

I'm running the old Escort Smart radar myself while considering all the above options (after weeks of reading and watching comparisons and reviews). Please don't buy the Max series of detectors, they're terrible, especially for the price. Even the Uniden detector I named above beats the 360 on most tests.

Hope this helps.

davepl

OK, so mine falses all the time, running on L, and you say it's been updated 10 times. What do they charge for these "updates", $100? So I"d be into it for $1000 in updates?

Or are they free? That'd be swell. Still cost you the shipping and insurance, but beats subscribing to paid updates.

bcegaleace

So far, three recommendations, all different radars!

Jimnc

Go with the Escort 360 Max. Had a V1 for years. The false alarms made it almost useless. Got the 360 Max a few months ago and love it.

Flame Red

Max 360 with Blendmount, Mirror Tap and use either Escargot Drive or Escort Live.

dcher

I agree. I have had a number of other radar detectors over the years. The max 360 is the best all around detector without a doubt. Also, the unit is better built than the 9500 and thus does not rattle or squeak on bumpy roads.

Docspringfield

This package was what I almost got, but the independent reviews are pretty bad.
What about the privacy issue are you running the GPS updates where the gather data that they can use and sell to third parties?
What is Escort Drive?

MikeinAZ

I have read great things about the 360 and seems to be one of the best ones out there but I have the Escort 9500 and love that it locks out false alarms after you pass them three times. It never goes off again for that false alarm, great feature. Also uses GPS and knows where cameras are at as well.

My brother is a LEO and so I will have him shoot radar and try to hide somewhere clever and I have 'detected' him over two miles away with the 9500, in town! For the price its hard to beat and not sure some of the higher priced detectors will do much better. It has saved me a few times, times it was gong off for a long time and there was nothing in front of me and I thought it was a false alarm only to have highway patrol come at me from behind. I think any of the detectors mentioned are all in the top 5, you cant go wrong with any, just preference. I am partial to my 9500 obviously.

graj6

I think he meant Escort Live. That's the phone app that connects to your bluetooth enabled radar detector. It lets you assign lockouts (on something like the Redline or SmartRadar that doesn't come with GPS built in to the detector), pulls alerts from the Escort Live network from other users in the area and shows you information from the detector (what band you're detecting, where it's coming from). Escort Live is a paid subscription after the first year of having your new detector.

This, meanwhile, is Escargot Drive - https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...droid.ed&hl=en . It's an independently made app by some developer that helps you source alerts in the area from Waze (which frankly has way more information than Escort Live ever did) and shows you the same kind of detector and speed info that Escort Live would show you.

PapaLeo67

Whatever you decide, please post pictures... I have only been a Corvette owner for less than a week, and I need a very clean looking accurate detector as well. Im going to get a ticket before I get out of second gear.

jcosta79

Depends on how old your model is. Some updates can be downloaded for free, others require you to send the unit to them and they basically send you a new unit for $200. You can check by entering your serial number online. If your model is more than 2-3 years old, it's worth the upgrade if you don't enjoy the false alarms. Especially if you get a lot of false alarms from Audis and Infinitis.

Docspringfield

Will do!

PapaLeo67

This mount looks pretty cool

PapaLeo67

Has anyone wired the radar detector directly into the mirror with something like this?

Is it possibe to tap into the power there? That would make a nice clen factory look install with the aluminum mirror mount.

graj6

Here you go:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-2015-c7.html

PapaLeo67

This is what I want with a Escort MAX 360 wired into the mirror.

http://www.blendmount.com/escortradarmount.html

alamo1974

Sent in my old V1 last year and received a new one for $301.00