Should I get a Valentine One Radar Detector? I have heard only good things about them, and have been thinking about getting one. Any insight? Thanks!

 

They're awesome! I don't have one but my bro does and it's very good. It tells ya which direction the radar/laser is coming from and that's extremely helpful. The only thing I don't like about it is it's size. If you got the bucks, go for it.

 

Bought one for a recent road trip from L.A. to the Grand Canyon. Outright saved me from 3 tickets, and gave me early warning (i.e., I would have noticed myself, but much later) on 4 or 5 more. The directional arrows and counter are a great feature. I took my old POS Bel out for target practice with the Sig (just kidding). IMO, buy a V1 or save your money.

 

I got one about a month ago, its great already picked up way more cops than i expected it would, and the range is incredible.

 

Nice! Well thanks for all the info guys! I gonna go ahead and get it. Thanks again. -wReX

 

No.

 

Yes but be safe.

 

Why do you say that?

 

YES. Get the remote display kit too.

If you have a touring, hide it in the Bose subwoofer outlet port. Cops don't like to see radar detector.

 

Because theyre overpriced, and hyped way too much.

 

Overpriced, maybe, $400 can buy you a lawyer for (1) negligent offense, but won't pay the fine. Agreed there may be other detectors out there that are as sensitive, but once you have the directional arrows and bogey counter of the V1, you'll never want for another type of detector! As far as hype, the only hype I've seen are from owners. That's pretty good advertising right there.

Frank

 

Yeah that's me, the hypester. Show me a radar detector that works as well and is not overpriced. In the meantime I'll stick with the V1.

 

That radar detector is the Passport 8500. I have one.

I also got a ticket a few weeks ago, going 55 in a 40. My radar never went off. Why? Because the bitch was sitting on a side street, and estimated my speed. Her radar wasnt even on. Would the V1 have saved my *** then? Didnt think so.

As for the bogey counter, the 8500 can also detect and show multiple frequencies at the same time. And if your stupid enough to need an arrow to point to the police, you deserve to be throwing your money away.

 

If she estimated your speed, and didn't use radar, then your Passport 8500 would not have saved your *** either.

Hey look, there's no need to get all worked up just because you can't afford the V1. Detecting and showing multiple frequencies at the same time is less useful than the bogey counter, since what you really need to know is how many sources and where they are coming from. What type (frequency) they are, is for all practical purposes irrelevant, since you still have to eliminate them as actual threats (with the exception of safety radar, and frankly, in the limited number of places you'll find a schoolbus or something else using it, you're probably not going to have much trouble seeing the source). The V1's directional arrows cut down on the areas you need to look, which saves you time.

 

The 8500 is $100 less than the V1. Anyone who can buy one could probably afford the other.

FWIW, I've got an 8500 and it's been working pretty well so far. Saved my butt from two speedtraps in less than a month. My dad has a V1 and the "directional arrow" thing is fine, but I think it's more of a gimmick than anything really useful. If the detector goes off, I'm going to slow down, regardless of what direction the signal is coming from.

Anyone who's shopping may want to read this review. The 8500 trounced the V1:

http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=1064

 

My comment's really directed at TonyTurboII, since he's so price sensitive. Glad you're happy with your 8500. Regarding the arrows, with modern detector sensitivity, you often get a warning far away from the source. The arrows give you better information regarding when you're away from the source than a signal strength meter alone.

And this review from C&D (the V1 "trounced" the 8500 here):

http://www.valentineone.com/lab/detectortests.asp

More on radartest.com "testing":

http://www.valentineone.com/lab/V1Hater.asp

And Mike Valentine's right. The people at radartest.com can't even describe the V1's features correctly-- why should we believe that their testing is any more rigorous or accurate?

 

hmmmm...these where tested in the same month and year...but with different results...

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caran...dar%20detector


V1 came out ahead

 

Exactly.


Again, spoken like someone who doesent know. Im just tired of people pushing the V1 like its crack.

 

Tony...

this is by no means meant to be inflammatory...

just curious on why you think Car and Driver got different results???

Both sites seemed to have done scientific testing. Anyone have both to compare in "real life"??

I have the Bel 845sti (old one recommended by some mag) and my friend and I use to see how soon we could pic up the radar that comes from those "signs' that flash your speed and tell you to slow down. Mine SUCKED my friends picked up before the sign flashed his speed. Ah...new technology!

They both seem like good detectors IMHO

 

I have a Bel 985 and it saved my *** 4 times to date.

NO regrets about buying it.

Cheaper then Excort 8500 and V1.

And it performs equally well.

I tested it's range and looked for one of those "Your Speed is..." radars that has a LED depicting ur speed.

They use K and Ka bands, the smae radar that the polic uses.

I purposely drove fast to see what my detector's range and sensitivity is and so forth.

Here are some results:

My radar detector picked up signal around the turn of the street or road where u can't visually see the radar gun.

I had a few hundred feet to 1/3 of a block of reaction time before the Radar clocked me in and started to read my speeds.

I don't really see the value of spending extra $$$ on the V1 when the Escort 8500 and Bel 985 seem to perform equal or better then the V1.

Sure some folks like to see where it's coming from. But in reality if ur detector goes off shouldn't u slow down first and assume that there are instant on radars not that far away? Having a V1 can really give u too much of a false sense of security so u now know where the source is. Then u go and drive off with ur guard down?

 

Agreed 100%........ $100 delta is very justifiable for a radar detector is it indeed makes a diffrerence in detecting the radar. And always slow down regardless which direction it's coming from. I have seen more then one cop in the area of the radar detector......

Both Bel 985 and the Escort 8500 are upgradable to new radar technology. The V1 is in need of upgrading it's technology soon.......

 

First off......... both radartest and V1 did their respective tests. Were they bias? Probably.......... it's a freaking business afterall.

Here are some excerpts on the Bel:

"BEL 980 almost supernatural in its ability to sniff out distant police radar. Even in hilly terrain it detected the deadly new Ka-band digital radar gun at 7.6 miles, nearly double the range of the Valentine One and over twice that of the last-place K40. In disbelief we ran the test two more times, with identical results. "

"It ferreted out the lethal digital Ka-band radar gun at 40,222 feet, a virtual tie with the BEL 980 but fully 3.2 miles before the Valentine One"

So in the end who is butt ******* who?

 

The V1 was been updated several times, you can also send it back to have it upgraded in the future.
The V1 was the first one to do this.
Bottom line, if you want the best of the best, get the V1.
If you want to take your chances and save a few dollars get something else. Radioshack sells some great ones for $40.00 or so.

 

I think the Bel845 was prior to Escort and Bel merging. Now with shared technology the Bel kicks ***......... and like the FD is a Bang for the Buck in performance against the other 2.

I liked it since it also has warnings of construction zones nearby (most of my tickets with radars are around this area) and other features like voice and so forth.......

 

While I respect that you guys may have your opinions, the V1 is the best. I was rolling down the road in a 35 zone, doing about 45, and my v1 goes off. It shows (1) bogey. I slow down and pretty soon a sheriff is coming the other way and passes me. Just as I figure on speeding up again I look at my v1 and the arrow is still pointing forward and still only (1) bogey, right away I slow down again. Following the first sheriff is another one, about 1/8-1/4 mile back. It would be very east to assume that the first sheriff had his radar on, unless you had a directional indicator. I have witnessed these same (2) sheriffs in this rolling speed trap/tag team several times since then too. Now I'm not sure if the 8500 tells you how many signals or where they come from, but the v1 does, and it has saved my bacon from the bacon a few times.

Regards,
Frank