I have owned all the top 3 and fell like a total idiot that i didn't go with the Valentine right off the bat. At $400 it was more than i wanted to spend, but believe me, NO comparison. If you didn't read the Car and Driver article, read it, it's 100% correct. Check out the rear radar of the V1, consider that you bought a $200 front radar and $200 rear radar. The quality is unmatched, steel case, best suction cup assembly (the Bel always fell off) and there are different sensitivity sentings so it won't false as much as others on the least sensitive setting. It also shows whether radar is from the front, back, OR SIDES!!! I retired the Bel to my fiance and it drives me nuts when we take her car not knowing where the cop is. If nothing else, that's worth its weight in gold. Not to mention an adjustable volume **** oposed to buttons and adjustable mute volume. With the Bel, you have to press and hold the botton to wait for it to turn down, then back up if you want it louder.
As far as Ebay, they sell too close to new price to not buy it new. If after a year you don't want it? You'll get most of your money back out when you sell it...

 

My radar jammer works great, which by the way i am selling. Has saved me from a lot of tickets and boy do they look dumb when they can't get a speed on me.

 

The V1 mounts up nice in the '00 and above

 

Does anyone have any suggestions where to put the escort8500. I love it, but it does fall off the glass easily. I have the visor attachment, but can't stand having a cord stretching across the interior of the truck.
-Thanks

 

In the garbage. Get a V1.

 

I have the Passport 8500 too, I mounted it down low in the middle of the windshield. I got the hard wire kit, and just run the wire in the gap between the windshield and the dash. You can't see any of the wire except the few inches or so that go into the unit.

 

Thanks for the tip.

 

I wired mine from the overhead console.I pulled the console apart and tapped into a wire that was hot with the ignition on and open with the ignition off.Now my detector fires up when the truck does.This leaves about a 3 inch wire sticking out from the front of the console to the windshield mounted detector.This is a very clean and convenient install for a window mount detector.

 

Another cool idea, thanks.