Ok, since my daily driver of 3 years is about to be relegated to second choice it's time to get a radar detector. I have not owned one for over 12 years. I need suggestions for a quality model that fits nicely. Thanks for your help.

 

.....Valentine one....nuf said.

peter

 

I actually sell them and bought a PMI Traveller II for my car. Unfortunately though, The damned thing alerted me to the local Burger King rather than to Cops that were blatantly radaring motorists. Needless to say I brought it back to my store. I ended up never buying another one, but if I did it would probably be an Escort or a Bel.

 

Always an argument here, but I still say Valentine One

That being said, no radar detector is going to protect you from an isolated instant-on radar gun and laser detection is only useful for letting you know that you are about to be pulled over for speeding.

Nonetheless, on long drives, I dont leave home without the V1. Around town, I just dont bother and don't really speed on city streets.

 

>>Ok, since my daily driver of 3 years is about to be relegated to second choice it's time to get a radar detector. I have not owned one for over 12 years. I need suggestions for a quality model that fits nicely. Thanks for your help.

VALENTINE ONE
You'll go nuts with others that don't tell you which direction the radar's coming from

 

The PNI Traveler is a great radar detector, and by far the least expensive, most feature packed cordless available on the market. I like the cordless because I'm much more likely to use it on a day to day basis if I'm not constantly fumbling with a cord...but yeah, the Valentine One would be my choice if I had more $$$.

 

Valentine One. The best by far. Worth the price just for the directional arrows. Let's you know where Smokey the Bear is hiding. Covers X, K and Ka bands in a superior fashion to the rest. Laser detector is better than the rest too, but watch out for Laser, its mean stuff. I recommend Car and Driver's last radar detector shoot-out article, 2002 publication, I think.

 

I also vote for Valentine One. The BEST!!

Cabbagetoe

Valentine One

 

The Valentine One :smile: I have an Escort 7500 (the 8500 is improved). Driving around with my friends V1 next to mine, I would say the V1 gives about 30% better distance usually- sometimes upwards of 50%!

Still pricey tho even after all these years. I read something at speedtrap.com about a revised Valentine model in early 04'...But, speed detection methods don't seem to be chaging much these days, as compared to the early/mid 1990's...

-Matt Dolch

 

valentine 1,

unreal customer service, broken or need an update, send it back. Detection, sometime you actually get it too early. the arrows, oh yeah, they rule. I have had 2 in ten years, and only replaced the first one caues I dropped a few times too many. The one defect, the suction cups don't suck.

bc

 

Valentine one, hands down. That being said most radar detectors are useless today. Most cops are switching to instant on laser and you cant detect that until its WAY too late. (I found out the hard way). If your willing to spend $2000 you can get a laser diffuser.

 

Valentine 1, it simply does the job without a lot of fanfare and bells and whistles. There still is no substitute for consent vigilance while driving however. Any radar detector is simply an aid to avoiding a speeding ticket, it is not a guarantee.

 

Valentine 1 gets my vote, but on lightly used roads watch for instant-on radar. If you are in the lead, then you are the likely victim and those behind you get the benefit warning from the cops radar targetting you.

I love folks who play "the hare" and allow me to drop in behind them as they speed ahead into potential radar traps. More than once, they have selflessly sacrificed their driving records, pocket books and insurance rates to flush out the radar traps for me.

 

Thanks to all of you and bless the hare.

 

Valentine 1.

And just to modify the bit about instant on laser, yes, a good detector (i.e., the Val 1) DOES work against instant on laser IF you are not the lead car in the pack and/or on a no-traffic road and/or not paying attention. A good detector will find the instant on being used against cars ahead of you and subsequently alert you. But again, if there aren't any cars ahead of you or if you aren't paying attention to your surroundings (e.g., you fail to realize when you are the leader of the pack and/or other traffic has vanished)...then, sure, you're toast no matter what you're using.

 

 

Oh my god, that poor kid!!!

 

I read all the reviews on the 'Web and plan on getting the V1, but still will only tend to speed when those wonderful hares pass me by.

 

Here is a good example of how one can get into trouble if you depend more on your detector than your good sense.

I was speeding across Kansas, picking up every single speed trap with my V1 well in advance to slow down and evade capture. I got so confident that I did not consider that a patrolman with an instant-on radar might be coming from the other direction. I did not slow down as I was coming up a rise where I could not see what lay beyond, and the trooper came up over the hill and zapped me. The V1 did a great job of screaming in my ear that I had just gotten popped! In fact, I saw the trooper and began slowing down a few seconds before he clocked me at 106 in a 70 mph.

Cost of ticket: $329

Now I am much more attentive to the actual road conditions and if I cannot see what is ahead of me or if there is a good hiding spot for a trooper, I take it easy. When the road is wide open so is my throttle!

 

I second the motion that the V1 is the best money can buy, if you search for a v1 thread you can see a huge post i made on the subject matter, I have a clean driving record after having a v1 for over 5 years. Here's a pic of my install in my MCS, most car stereo places can hardwire it for like $20.

Blake