hey all!
i was planning on getting a radar detector, wanting to spend around $200 or so (don't know if that is enought to get a somewhat good one?)

anyone have one or know of a good one to get for around that pice?

any help would be great

thanks!

 

get the valentine one... its absolutely amazing, Im sure you can get a used one for that price on ebay...

 

that one looks good! you have one yourself? works good? was checkin on ebay and looks like i can pick one up for about 250..

Anyone have any others sugestions? I'm thinking about buying one in a week or so

 

Yes i do have one, i have to say its absolutely freaking amazing! I have absolutely ZERO complaints about it... and Its pointed out a ton of cops to me lol and I just chuckle everytime it finds one.... telling you the direction its comming from is huge, it picks up signals from really far away too

Its amazing period, there are some really cool youtube videos on it too and check there website too if you havent already.

 

http://www.consumersearch.com/radar-detectors

http://www.007radardetectors.com/

http://www.1stradardetectors.com/bes...ctor/index.php

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?LH_ItemC...&_sop=16&_sc=1

hope this helps

i used the cobra for a while, i liked that it had the frequency on it - you can learn your local pd's frequency, which will help against the false alerts. otherwise, +1 on valentine

 

Agreed, I have one hardwired into my s80. I love it. If you buy it new from the v1 site (412$ shipped) you get everything you could need. Cords to hard wire or plug it into the cigarette lighter. Extra suction cups, mount for the window or to the visor clip. Worth every penny buying new but if you want to save a little then buying used would be the way to go.

 

I know that I'm way behind the time but I have an Escort detector from the early 80's. The thing still works. Not sure how good but it does find cops. Last time I did some reasearch police were using X, K, K? and Laser. I'm not sure what they are using now. When I got my 1st ticket last year (stupid move, I knew the cops were up there), I glanced at Escorts website and see that they have done a lot to try to liimit false alerts. They also network detector activity and so much more.

My deal is that I did not mind false alerts that much. I never drove that fast, usually 8 to 10 over, and did not mind slowing down for a minute or two just to make sure I wasn't getting scanned. I wonder how effective my old detector is. I think I'll hook it back up and use if for a while to see if it spots a lot of police. I'm starting to see a lot more police out there trying to give tickets.

What are police using these days? I don't think they have done much to improve their ability to catch speeders but I could be wrong. So many people drive un-protected, I don't think it is necessary for their radar technology to be improved to avoid getting detected themselves.

The last ticket I got a few weeks ago had a special line on it for radar detector fines. From what I could tell, if the police would have found a radar detector connected in my car I would have had an additional fine for $275.

 

Well what part about them are illegal? I'm still searching for one.

 

On the valentine (or any other radar) does it need to be updated? if so how would you go about doing that and how much would it be?

i see that for the valentine i think the new version is the v1.8? but on ebay some are v1.7.. how big of a differene will that make or does it even matter?

any reply would be great THANKS!!

 

For radar detectors, I'd say Valentine or Escort should be pretty solid depending on what you're looking for. This experience isn't coming from me personally, (I have gotten a 240 up to 95mph though ) but a few good friends who are chronic speeders and seem to evade tickets successfully. My friend Carl jokes that cheap fuzz busters simply "tell you when you're going to get a ticket."

As for what states use, I believe here in NY the state police have moved to laser, not sure about local authorities. Signs around the town of Lynbrook still say "Speed checked by radar" but they've been there for years. This is one of those annoying situations where you're on a road and the speed limit drops from 45 to 30 the second you enter the town border, and a local cop is right there waiting. Also the only place I ever got pulled for a brake light being out. Anyway, I'd err on the side of caution and get a detector which covers everything.

 

States currently still have the right to enact laws regulating traffic flow, etc. Virginia has outlawed radar detectors for decades. Apparently now Arkansas has also. There are a few other states as well.
Cops will never go 100% to laser. It has to have a good, solid flat surface to hit; typically the front license plate.

 

I think they all cover everything now days. the difference is the sensitivity & features. The one Escort can be updated to let you know where traps are and where false alarms are. They also tell you if the cop is ahead or behind you.

I went for years without a ticket because I would only go 5 to 10 over and I usually only speed when someone goes by me then I pace them (from 1/4 mile back). Wisdom goes a long way.

It seens that people rarely pass me now so I have not been pacing people lately so I've been taking risks which has cost me. I think my troopers are using laser because my old radar detector has not gone off while I pass them.

 

Where did you hear that it's illegal to use a detector in Arkansas? This page says otherwise: http://www.1stradardetectors.com/rad...ector-laws.php but maybe you have some more current information.

 

I decided to get an Escort Passport 8500 x50. I picked it up from CraigsList.org. However, Escort is offering $80 off of most of their detectors if you have one to trade in. The Escort that I purchased 25+ years ago would be a good trade in because it is useless. I think I'll run them side by side to see how it preforms next time I go on the road.

I ended up with a blue one by chance. Not sure why they made a blue one (lights) and red one and why the blue one is $40 more but oh well.

I took the S70 GLT to Pittsburgh last week and the detector went off about 20 times on the way there, about 5 times on the way back. I seen police about 75% of the time. No ticket, that was the goal. The last 4 road trips I went on I got 2 tickets. Hopefully I won't get another.

Hopefully I will be able to get the Escort Passport 9500 ix. That seems to be the end of the road in detectors. I would give the x50 to my daughter.

 

I think it is well worth the money for the valentine 1.8. Tickets a very pricey today.

 

How much did you get your passport 8500 x50 for if you don't mind me asking


Still have not bought one yet and i see a few on craigslist for much cheaper than the new price of it..

 

I paid $180.

 

Welp, got a ticket for FU#$@ING going 80 on the freeway today! ASIDHFASEDFH@#$@# AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

Man, sorry to hear that. I haven't seen many cops running radar around here since I got my detector. It's like they all said, he's covered, lets go do something else. Before I got my detector I was seeing cops running traps every other day.

 

Well the ****ty thing was i saw a person pulled over like 1/2 mile down the freeway before this guy was hiding, so i didn't think there would be more..

and the other thing is i was in the middle lane and there were people passing me in the fast lane!!! i was kinda mad about that..

so 81 in a 65 is what it is.. ( which was the flow of traffic! =x )