Which detector should I buy?

[TPC303]

Which detector should I buy? I have searched and searched and found a lot of info, but I wanted to hear first hand what people here think.Please give reasons for your choice.

[s42k5b]

Valentine. Well worth the money

[Klum00]

i rock the V1 and have been saved on MANY occasions.

[veggiemonster]

no radar FTW. keeps money in your pocket when you don't speed

[YZracer]

^^^FTL. There is no point in owning a sports car if you wont use it. At least from time to time at least.

Get the Bell STi Driver. I believe it to be the only detector thats not built into the bumpers that is better than the valentine 1. I personally have a Valentine 1 but I'm looking to upgrade sometime soon.

[wheel366]

I have had a Bel for years. Got the 985 right now. It's getting old but I am thinking about getting a newer one.

[veggiemonster]

^^^FTL. There is no point in owning a sports car if you wont use it. At least from time to time at least.

Get the Bell STi Driver. I believe it to be the only detector thats not built into the bumpers that is better than the valentine 1. I personally have a Valentine 1 but I'm looking to upgrade sometime soon.

radar detectors give you a false sense of security. now i do not go over 5 over just driving somewhere but when i do speed i sustain over 115-130 for quite some time.

yesterday i actually went past a unmarked at about 105

[saucys4]

I had a radar detector for two years and in those two years I received three tickets. Two of those tickets the cop didnt use radar and the other was laser. For the last three years I have been driving with no detector and I have received zero tickets. Radar detectors do give you a huge false sense of security. I still drive as aggressive as before but when I speed I keep my eyes open and play smart.

[Auburnsky1287]

You are crazy if you would consider anything other than a Valentine 1....

[stamps]

v1, will pay for itself if you speed.
maybe even try some custom shit:
http://carinstallations.com/SatelliteRadio.html

[booost]

ESCORT

[Iosilver]

V1 if you want to hardwire but Escort is easy to program yourself.

[veggiemonster]

I had a radar detector for two years and in those two years I received three tickets. Two of those tickets the cop didnt use radar and the other was laser. For the last three years I have been driving with no detector and I have received zero tickets. Radar detectors do give you a huge false sense of security. I still drive as aggressive as before but when I speed I keep my eyes open and play smart.

amen. plus every asshole teenager wants to steal it. plus then you dont look mr. speeder or w/e when you do get pulled over

[YZracer]

It all depends how you use the radar detector. I have gotten zero speeding tickets in the last year, and my radar detector has saved my butt more time than I can count. But you cannot let it make up all your awareness, your eyes are the best radar detector you can't buy. Your eyes will save you way more times than your radar detector can.

It's just the more security you have the better. Just more self defense, that's all it is. Cause if your radar detector doesn't go off, and you pass a cop, fight the ticket. If it didn't go off he is just making stuff up about how fast you were going. Chances are he knows this but most people don't have the cajones to fight it.

[TPC303]

It all depends how you use the radar detector. I have gotten zero speeding tickets in the last year, and my radar detector has saved my butt more time than I can count. But you cannot let it make up all your awareness, your eyes are the best radar detector you can't buy. Your eyes will save you way more times than your radar detector can.

It's just the more security you have the better. Just more self defense, that's all it is. Cause if your radar detector doesn't go off, and you pass a cop, fight the ticket. If it didn't go off he is just making stuff up about how fast you were going. Chances are he knows this but most people don't have the cajones to fight it.

That's exactly how I look at it. I am not looking for a Radar Detector so I can just turn it on and drive as fast as I want without paying attention. I am looking for something to help alert me to what I may not see.

[TPC303]

v1, will pay for itself if you speed.
maybe even try some custom shit:
http://carinstallations.com/SatelliteRadio.html

I need to find a place in Denver,CO that does this kind of work.

[diaftia]

Love my V1. Hands down a pricey but fantastic detector. Knowing the direction the radar is coming from wins every time.

[o3spec]

v1 all the way

[SurferD]

I have had a V1 of every type since 1997 and it has saved my butt countless times. I now have the latest and it's great. They aren't as flashy and have all the gimmicks as the others but they do the one thing they are designed for very well. Plus the customer service is 1st class. For example, the warranty on my wife's was at least 5 years past and they repaired a faulty LED at no cost plus did a full diagnostic. They aren't cheap but you get what you pay for.

[Rajan147]

valentine FTW,

but get a jammer- go the extra step :)

[s2the4]

Which detector should I buy? I have searched and searched and found a lot of info, but I wanted to hear first hand what people here think.Please give reasons for your choice.

you would be a fool not to buy the valentine 1. Don't waste your money with the others.

[SourDieselS4]

I have a V1 hardwired to the right of the rearview mirror. My next step will be a laser jammer front and rear.

I drove across country with a Escort Passport 9500 (GPS one) and didnt like it one bit. The V1 is perfect in its simplicity, it shows you everything you want to know, all at one time. Theres nothing better.

If you live where you arent allowed to have a radar detector the Bel STi is best because its invisible to radar-detector detectors. Otherwise V1 or bust.

[tdn]

I also have the v1 and everything I would have said has already been said.

[torment]

Got an Escort Passport 8500 x50 hardwired in the top left corner of the windshield. Works great!

[S4 in_lowplaces]

buddy got stopped uth V1 in his car, got speeding ticket, and a ticket for RD in his car. I choose nothing. Save your cash. For the price of a detector you just paid for two speeding tickets, waste if you ask me.

[LJH]

I have been using radar detectors for some 20+ years, will they save you 100% of the time? NO. but they will save you most of the time. When it was time for me to buy a new RD I chose the V1 after owning many Passports. I think all the high end detectors are very close in performance but I love the arrows on the V1, having had it for a year now I would be hard pressed to go to a RD without the arrows.

A few weeks ago I was on my way up the the office in RI and I was on 95 around Stonington, it was early in the AM and I came around a bend/crest and bam there is a LEO on the shoulder, I hit the brakes, V1 shows Laser and I was done. I had the CC set at 86 and he wrote me up for 81. If you are the only one on the road it is very hard to defeat Laser without a jammer. Since I now drive 30+K miles a year just for work I have had to change my driving style, no more the 78 on 65MPH marked hiways and no more then 71 in 55MPH zones.

If you want to read everything about RD's and speed enforcement check out www.radardetectors.net it is a pretty cool site.


Cheers,
Jim

[Mattgfx]

passport 8500 .... i dont drive crazy, and dont trust radar. its just another way to find the cops before they find you ;)

[gaspeedracer]

Cant go wrong with a Beltronics RX65

[Kruat]

Nothing, waste of money. Just man up, if you don't wanna pay the tickets, don't speed. Easy as that.
I've never had a RD, been driving for over 10 years, only gotten 3 speeding tickets. Didn't fight a single one, I was guility of speeding. Just pay the fine and move on. I hate listening to people complain about geting pulled over for speeding, well then, don't f'ing speed....

[Klum00]

Nothing, waste of money. Just man up, if you don't wanna pay the tickets, don't speed. Easy as that.
I've never had a RD, been driving for over 10 years, only gotten 3 speeding tickets. Didn't fight a single one, I was guility of speeding. Just pay the fine and move on. I hate listening to people complain about geting pulled over for speeding, well then, don't f'ing speed....

why not report yourself while you're at it? Why would you not want to avoid getting a ticket?

[Kruat]

why not report yourself while you're at it? Why would you not want to avoid getting a ticket?

Now lets not go overboard. I speed all the time, just only been pulled over three times. The cops just doing his job. My point is why spend the money to get away from breaking the law? If your scared of being caught breaking the law by speeding, then don't speed. Simple as that.

It's common sense. Like someone said above, your eyes are the best RD, along with common sense. I don't think twice about going 5-15mph over the limit, but much more then that I'd have to look at the situation. But if I were to get pulled over for 5-15mph over, then so be it....as a matter of fact, my last speeding ticket was for going 5mph over...

[tbone5446]

I run a 9500i now and I love it, BUT if I were to do it all over again I would agree with the other people on here and go with the V1.
best bang for the buck no question.

I got a smoking deal on my Passport so that is the only reason I have that instead of the V1.

[DefiantS4]

I drove without one for several years thinking that they were all worthless noisemakers. During that time I took defensive driving 4 times to dismiss tickets.

Got a V1 when I got my stage III, and now absolutely refuse to drive long distances without it. It has paid for itself several times over. Not one traffic stop since I've had it. Of course I still use my eyes and common sense, but the V1 gives me early warning and tells me where the threat is so I can prepare accordingly. Eyes alone won't get you enough advance warning on the open roads around here.

[GetAudiHere]

Yes no question V1!

Also like stated above get a jammer.

Does anyone know how obvious a jammer is when a cop hits you with laser? I know it shows an error but could he pull you over just for getting that error and give you a ticket for having a jammer?

anyone have any experience with this?

[DefiantS4]

Yes no question V1!

Also like stated above get a jammer.

Does anyone know how obvious a jammer is when a cop hits you with laser? I know it shows an error but could he pull you over just for getting that error and give you a ticket for having a jammer?

anyone have any experience with this?

I heard about someone with a jammer/scrambler who got pulled over after the laser registered over 400mph.... Cop gave him a ticket to be an ass, and they battled it out in court.

[tdn]

Yes no question V1!

Also like stated above get a jammer.

Does anyone know how obvious a jammer is when a cop hits you with laser? I know it shows an error but could he pull you over just for getting that error and give you a ticket for having a jammer?

anyone have any experience with this?

Not all jammers are the same, so they do not all give lidar a jamming error. Also, with a jammer, once you get hit, you're suppose to slow down immediately, then turn the jammer off so the cop can get a legal reading off of you. Even people without a jammers can throw cops off, until the readjust and get reading.. the objective is to get the cop to think there was a problem and now it's all set. For the most part, jammers aren't illegal in any state that I'm aware of yet.

And there are legit devices that throw jammers off.. like parking sensors. In fact there are a couple jammers marketed as parking sensors (that work)... so for the money, you're getting a legit parking sensor, which happens to jam lidar.

anyway there's a lot to be learned..

www.radardetector.net

it's a great site with a ton of info, as someone above me already mentioned.

[tdn]

Now lets not go overboard. I speed all the time, just only been pulled over three times. The cops just doing his job. My point is why spend the money to get away from breaking the law? If your scared of being caught breaking the law by speeding, then don't speed. Simple as that.

It's common sense. Like someone said above, your eyes are the best RD, along with common sense. I don't think twice about going 5-15mph over the limit, but much more then that I'd have to look at the situation. But if I were to get pulled over for 5-15mph over, then so be it....as a matter of fact, my last speeding ticket was for going 5mph over...

What you're saying doesn't make much sense, and it seems you may have answered your own question. It's nothing to do with being "scared' as you put it. It's about money for most of us. Your eyes (and common sense) must be failing then if you got three tickets.. you don't think it would be wise to get something to compliment your attentiveness?

Why do you speed? Well, that's why some of us do it too. What's the downside of getting caught? Money. We end up paying money via a ticket and insurance, which in my state stays on your record for four fucking years.. so even after paying that ticket, for FOUR GOD DAMN years you'd still be paying for that one ticket (or in your case 3).

Where does the RD come in? It can spot cops with radar, even in unmarked cars with plain clothed officers. So even though you may spend $400 on a v1, those three tickets you got.. well, the v1 may have already paid for itself (add up the fines plus + the insurance increase per year that applies) then consider the tickets you'll likely get in the future.

Radar can pick up around corners/bends, which you can't see around. Cops like to hide on the side of building, where you can't see them, but my radar picks them up if they have theirs own. My radar picks up cops on the other side of streets, where I can't see due to houses, fences etc.. sometimes I'll just drive up the other street just show my friends it is a cop (or a false alert). So please inform me how ones eyes are the best RD? Just your statement alone somehow insisting you can say radar is funny.. besides, I'd be pretty antsy without my detector, I drive by plenty of cops with their radar off, at 10 + over the limit simply because I know they aren't tracking (I don't make it obvious of course).

A radar detector should compliment your sense of awareness - not replace it, because as I've mentioned before, there are plenty of other ways to be caught, but to go on without one and rely soley on your eyes.. well, as you can see with your three tickets, doesn't work that great at times.

[GetAudiHere]

Not all jammers are the same, so they do not all give lidar a jamming error. Also, with a jammer, once you get hit, you're suppose to slow down immediately, then turn the jammer off so the cop can get a legal reading off of you. Even people without a jammers can throw cops off, until the readjust and get reading.. the objective is to get the cop to think there was a problem and now it's all set. For the most part, jammers aren't illegal in any state that I'm aware of yet.

And there are legit devices that throw jammers off.. like parking sensors. In fact there are a couple jammers marketed as parking sensors (that work)... so for the money, you're getting a legit parking sensor, which happens to jam lidar.

anyway there's a lot to be learned..

www.radardetector.net

it's a great site with a ton of info, as someone above me already mentioned.

Laser jammers are illegal to operate in the states of: Nebraska, Minnesota, Utah, California, Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado and Washington DC.

Do you think a cop would pull you over if you slowed down and turned it off just in suspicion?

[Kruat]

What you're saying doesn't make much sense, and it seems you may have answered your own question. It's nothing to do with being "scared' as you put it. It's about money for most of us. Your eyes (and common sense) must be failing then if you got three tickets.. you don't think it would be wise to get something to compliment your attentiveness?

Ok, three tickets in ten years isn't bad...two of which was when I was 18, one was last month. I don't need to waste my money on something to "compliment my attentiveness" thank you....

Where does the RD come in? It can spot cops with radar, even in unmarked cars with plain clothed officers. So even though you may spend $400 on a v1, those three tickets you got.. well, the v1 may have already paid for itself (add up the fines plus + the insurance increase per year that applies) then consider the tickets you'll likely get in the future.

Radar can pick up around corners/bends, which you can't see around. Cops like to hide on the side of building, where you can't see them, but my radar picks them up if they have theirs own. My radar picks up cops on the other side of streets, where I can't see due to houses, fences etc.. sometimes I'll just drive up the other street just show my friends it is a cop (or a false alert). So please inform me how ones eyes are the best RD?

RD's only work when a cop is using his radar/laser. IE, shooting at a car. If he is not, or your the only one on the road, it's not gonna go off. If it goes off as he shoots you, it too late. Otherwise I agree with your statments.

A radar detector should compliment your sense of awareness - not replace it, because as I've mentioned before, there are plenty of other ways to be caught, but to go on without one and rely soley on your eyes.. well, as you can see with your three tickets, doesn't work that great at times.

Again, three tickets over 10 years..you do the math. My "eyes" have worked just fine.

My point is, I don't need to spend money for something that allows me to get an advantage for breaking the law. Call me a square or whatever, but if I break the law, I'll pay for my actions. Thats why, IMHO, they are a waste of money. And besides, alot of times, the money spent on tickets goes toward budgeting for better roads and what not, so in a way, I'm just helping out..

[tdn]

Ah, states I have no intention of driving through anytime soon.

As for if the cop will pull you over on suspicion, even if you slowed down and shut the jammer off - that depends entirely on the cop. If theres plenty of other cars that could be speeding, I bet he'll move on to another car. If you're the only one on the road, it's very obvious you're speeding.. (ex 20+mph over the limit) I'd be prepared to be pulled over.

It's all relative. I've been in car that completely jammed a cop the entire time and the cop after staring us down, moved on to another car.