Looking to buy need advice looked at bel, passport and valentine one.

 

If you decide on Valentine One, there is a unit that will allow you to see it in your LCD screen. TSRgeneral bought the device, still haven't heard his final impressions. It's called EFU4U, and has a bunch of other gauges in it like a boost gauge, oil temp gauge, ect...

 

Valentine One is getting old. It hasn't been updated since it was first released around 1990. I have a friend that has one that's two years old and it soemtimes doesn't pick up signals from some of the radar guns they have now (mine picks it up but not his.). They also sometimes overheat and have no cut off or self diagnostic system that will tell you it is malfunctioning.

In the $400-600 range, the The Escort STI driver and Passport 9300iare bothrated very highly, above even the Valentine One. However, neither one has the directional arrows or signal counters that the Valentine One has.

I personally just purchased the Passport about a month ago andI really like it.As I said before I have picked up a couple cops that my friend did not with his V1. For my way to and from work I have setto memory all the false signalareas so that I can leave it on long range scanning without having to worry about it going off all the timeon me. There is also a possible plan that they will start a data base that you can upload to it of all the non radar/laser speed trap areas as well.

Anyway, good luck with your purchase. Honestly, as long as you stay away from the Rocky Mountain Labs radar detectors/laser jammers any one of the premium detectors should be fine.

 

V1 I dont care how old its getting, it still performs above standard. The reality of all these detectors is that they all work and work great they will give you advanced notice, enought time for you to slow down. Its pretty much whatever you want. A good detector and some radar jammers from Blinder and Veil on your headlights and you will be all set.

 

I have the K-45 and this thing is amasing...it hides under the front plate frame and the rear dector is tucked under the back bumper.... I have two seperate led and audio all on the odo. You couldnt even tell its not stock...its great...the leds tell whch why they are coming from and it have the two settingf (hwy) (city) Works mint...a little pricy but worth it!!!

 

I would recommend going to radartest.com to do some researching. You will see how far V1 has fallen recently with the new guns that the police are using. (still a very good detector and still the target for most manufacturers.)

Here is one comparing the V1 versus the lower end Bel and Escort models (~$300) and the K40 SS3000. Go over his site and see how he tests the different dectors and what he does to them. It will also go over why I pick up some signals with my detector that the V1 can't.

A paragraph from that particular review. There are many many others as well as many in more detail.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=1064

 

I have the escort X50 it works pretty good I'm happy with it. I bought it on e-bay for $150 brand new.

 

This comment may get me shot[sm=bangbang.gif], but I just sprung for a Wal-Mart special (I think Cobra) and it hasn't let me down yet. I've driven cross country in my TT with this thing going and it picks up fuzz over hills and through brush even, so needless to say, I'm satisfied!
I read an article on Radar-Detectors and it spoke mostly of all the hype in brands and functionality...I think the end all point was that detectors are relitively similar in constuction and basic. (I'll have to dig that article up and post it)
I am interested in a system that integrates into my HUD...someone post that info!!!

 

dude i have a whistler cordless radar 12 band and pop mode and it works great....got it for free...has saved me many times

 

I have a v1 (maybe 3 months old) mounted with modshack bend vent holded & I couldn't be more happy with it. Saves me almost everyday.