I was one to move car to car....is this the best regardless of cost?
You can get a pretty neat V1 installation if you use the right guy. I have one in my 430 that you can't see at all - it's installed inside the rearview mirror, LED's are visible through the mirror when they light up.
Can you post a picture? I want to see what it looks like. I have never used V1 before but I have heard it from a lot of people that its really good. I use Cobra.
I just got a V1 for my car and it works great, it gives you very good advanced warning, and the arrows are helpful. The only downside is that it is so good that you pick up a bit false alerts if you keep it in A mode. It is not cheap, but it is worth it. You are going to find that many many people on this forum will suggest on getting the V1.
If you are asking FerrariChat, there is only the V1, nothing else exists. But in the real world, Mike is slipping. It's getting very competitive out there. For example, the Escort 9500i is just become the first generation type RD with GPS intelligence that remembers false alarms located on the planet. It's noted that future generation type RD detectors are going to interface with vehicle navigation screens to show radar sources on your LCD map! Mikes arrows are going to be where?
and then there is the Japanese ones that are wicked... but only work in Japan.. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
http://www.assura.jp/230XE/el.html#el click on the hyper links to see the different modes. I have one. I have yet to be caught.
The V1 and Escorts go neck and neck. If you don't act on the alarm, it won't save you/jam the source. I had a V1 for a while, ended up selling it due to hardship and wasn't using it enough. I envied the features and of the Escort but the directional indicators won me over personally. My best friend bought two Escorts to keep one in each car and after spending equal time with both models, my next will be an Escort. Sunny P.S. I like the save your Assh-ura! Too bad something like that isn't supported here yet.
The V1 (and all windshield mounted detectors) aren't going to help you with all the new lidar guns being used in CA all of the sudden. I was hit with lidar yesterday (I know this because I could see the cop standing in the emergency lane on I80 pointing the gun at me), my V1 did not go off. Nothing. Not that it would have been of any help, since if it had gone off all you would know is you have been already had. My other cars have the passport escort mounted next to the license plate (concealed) and they pickup lidar and also jam it for a few seconds. That is the ideal setup if you ask me.
I have a Beltronics Vector 995, which has saved my butt a few times, but I must admit I wish I'd paid the extra money for the V1. Anytime I see an exotic with a detector, it's the V1.
If you buy V1, also get the remote display. It is very good and after getting one, I retro-fitted my other V1's. Steve
The V1 is great and the arrows (and their patent protection) have kept it on top. But we can't be too far away from a combined GPS nav systems/radar & lidar detection all in one unit with a 3D view of where the signal is coming from. I bet that Escort, funded by Paul Allen, will lead the way with the next generation of equipment. Until that happens I am sticking with the V1
i have V1's in all of my cars. they work very well. save my lots of time. my V1 picks up lidar as well as radar. the problem is that the cop points and shoots his lidar gun and even though the V1 sounds an alarm it's too late. but i haven't seen too many lidar guns in so. cal. mostly radar so the V1 helps a lot. that said, i have been reading the reviews on the new escort 9500. i have to admit that i am very interested in trying one out. the escot website claims "free 30 day test drive if you buy directly from escort". the 9500i has some very cool features that are possible due to an internal GPS capability. the two features that i like best are: 1. allows you to mark known "false alarm" locations 2. automatically changes "sensitivity" depending on your speed (if you are cruising through a parking lot at 15 MPH you won't get bombarded with flase alarm alerts). the 9500i also "displays your speed" the instant a radar source is detected and an alert is sounded. the downside is that it is not cheap. it's about $450 which is even more than a V1 which is about $400. anybody out there have a 9500i? apparently they just came out last month. i'll probably give one a free 30 day test drive.
Not near the chance a $2,500 Stalker Dual police radar unit can fail on electrical disturbances while the revenue officer is on duty, as noted by the manual; Electrical interference may cause intermittant readings or reduced range such as radio transmitters, power lines/transformers and neon signs. The unit will no longer function and display "RFI" until the interference is no longer present.
Hi rick I have the 8500 x50 in my strad and I have also run the V1 in the same car at the same time (cant have enough protection IMO). The V1 will pick up lidar but only if the laser hits it directly. Its not like radar where you can pick up a signal from cars in front of you. Technically speaking the V1 will detect lidar, but in reality it will not because the laser will not be pointed at your windshield (cops are trained to hit the license plate). As you said it wouldn't matter anyway because they will have your speed instantly. However, my escort goes off and jams the signal briefly whereas the V1 did absolutely nothing. In the last 30 days I have seen a lot of norcal police running lidar guns. For 2 years I got no laser hits and now its every day for some reason. I cant imagine why anyone would run a V1 (or any windshield mounted unit) right now. Hopefully V1 will finally make a concealed unit that has sensors near the license plates, they have needed to do that for years.
Recently purchased my first ever radar detector - top of the line Bel (STi Driver)- saw some very favorable online reviews. Perhaps a mistake?