What is the best radar detector? And why?

How much?

 

the Valentine 1 is a pretty good unit. I think its around the
$300-400 range.

 

No question, Valentine 1, $399.00

 

When you fiond the right one, you might want to consider this...

Hard-wire how-to

 

Nice job madhouse thanks another project. Artie

 

Valentine One. $400, but WELL worth it. They just tested them again in Car and Driver and it came out in 1st place again even though it hasn't changed much over the years. I tried the Cobra (2nd or 3rd place?) and it's junk. The Valentine has a metal case, better suction cups, easier window release, excellent REAR radar, etc etc...

 

Check out http://www.radartest.com

My choice are the Escort units, I have been using them since the early 80's and have always been completely satisfied.

 

That guy at radartest has his head up his a$$. Had 'em both, Escort and V1. No comparison, V1 is the best. Check out http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caran..._detectors.xml

 

I don't dispute the V1 is a good unit, but I had one (2 yrs ago) and the false signals drove me to mentally "tune out" the alarm signal resulting in a speeding ticket.
For the area I live and drive, I get less "falsing" with the Escort.


You have some good referances, it all comes down to preferance. I would definately not go for a "bargain basement" type of unit. A good detector may be expensive but it's cheap insurance.

I know mine has paid for its self several times over.

 

before u buy check out

RadarTest.com

i went there before i bought my detector and i was amazed . I was set on a Valentine1 but i went with an Escort Passport 8500.

This radar detector is the *****. Totally adjustable and sensitivity is great.

 

i like my radar jammer. looks ugly as hell, but it works. the only problem i have with it is i need to figure out another way to attach it to the window because occasionaly it comes off when i nail it.

 

speaking of the V1....anyone know where I can get one cheap??

 

Look on E-Bay

 

I am sorry I do not have a pic of this, but it is so easy, it is scarry. Do you get tired of you dector falling off the window? I did about 2 years ago, and was determind to find a way to make it stay w/out punlgers or velcrow. It is simple! Find you a small pices of metal. Flexable, but very stiff to bend. Mesure the distance from your visor screw to how far you want the dector to go forward to the glass. Drill a hole in the metal so that you can unscrew one screw in the sun visor, and mount the metal underneath the sun visor base. Make it to were you can attatch the detector to the other end. What I wound up doing is drilling another hole on the other side nearest the glass, and mounting the hanger that came w/the detector to the metal w/a screw. No vibrations, and it will not come down.

Madhouse had a good suggestion about the wiring of the unit, but that is kind of alot of work. You can pick up a power wire, as long as you want it, from Radio shack. This will let you keep your stock wire from being modified. Run the wire down from the dectore, down the "A" pillar, and into a keyed hot on the fuse box.

Hope this helps, and one more suggestion. Do not buy a "Cobra" detector. I bought two, thinking the other one was broke, and had my sherif buddy test it for me. He tested all the bands on his gun, and the dector never went off the first time. I found this out about two weeks before the test when my wife was driving my car home from work, and got a ticket. A sherif was coming over the hill towards her, and she was going towards him when the dector never went off. He tested my old one, and the new one, same late model, and the both had the same result.

 

Valentine Research also offers upgrades on old units for $150 roughly. Not bad if they do major redesign.