Radar Detectors | FerrariChat

Radar Detectors

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Ski, Jul 27, 2005.

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  1. Ski

    Ski Rookie

    Jul 27, 2005
    1
    I'm trying to find out who is making the best radar detector. The last one I had was a Valintine but I hard wired it so I sold it with my last car. Any help is appreciated.
     
  2. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    It's time to bite the bullet again... V1 it is.
     
  3. HarFerrari

    HarFerrari Karting

    May 27, 2005
    58
    Rochester, NY
    Full Name:
    Isaiah Harf
    Ton's of forums and reviews just on radar dectors alone...V1 and Bell 8500 seem to be the top of everyone's list, I hear this POP is a bunch of bull. I also hear the older V1's are even better - only found on Ebay.

    Isaiah
     
  4. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2003
    13,965
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Gabe V.
  5. holminator

    holminator Formula 3
    BANNED

    Jun 3, 2005
    1,119
    Washington, DC
    Full Name:
    Prince Falafel
  6. RevUrGT3

    RevUrGT3 Rookie

    Jun 15, 2005
    11
    San Antonio, TX
    I have used the V1 for years. I has never let me down... :)
     
  7. REMIX

    REMIX Two Time F1 World Champ

    V1 - I have three, one for each vehicle!!

    rmx
     
  8. 410SA

    410SA F1 Veteran

    Nov 2, 2003
    8,511
    West Coast
    Full Name:
    A
    radartest.com is a site sponsored or financed by Escort, to the best of my knowledge. Every independent published comparison test that I have read always has the Valentine V1 beating the Escorts.
    For me the arrows on the Valentine are invaluable, but I also have an Escort Solo Cordless for those of my cars that don't have standard lighter 12v inputs. It works well enough in detecting radar signals but I feel a little naked not knowing the direction where the signal is coming from.
     
  9. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2001
    6,336
    On the Limit
    Full Name:
    Dino
    V1 is the way to go. I also have the Solo and its pretty good, but the arrows and sensitivity rule!

    So Papas..........when are you coming home?
     
  10. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2003
    13,965
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Gabe V.
    You can't tell me

    http://www.speedzones.com/

    is in the back pocket of Escort too? That's two for two with the V1 still trailing.

    I know full well I'm going against the grain "here" not advocating V1. However, it is with the top three detectors in a competative market to keep up with police speed measuring devices.







    .
     
  11. shawsan

    shawsan Formula 3

    Jul 2, 2004
    1,090
    Vancouver, Canada
    Thanks for posting the Speedzones URL, claiming the Escort Passport 8500 X50 wins over other detectors, including the Valentine 1. I hadn't seen this, but did see several other tests that indicated to me the Passport 8500 X50 was the best. Just bought one and am about to try it out in my 98 355 Spider.
     
  12. 410SA

    410SA F1 Veteran

    Nov 2, 2003
    8,511
    West Coast
    Full Name:
    A
    When water stops boiling on the sidewalk....
     
  13. GHOSTWHISPER

    GHOSTWHISPER Rookie

    Jul 22, 2004
    44
    Porkland,OR
    Full Name:
    Lorn
    I love the V1 and the passport 8500 X50, i have them both, there have been times when i let my friends drive with one of my radar detectors, and I have came to the conclusion that my 8500 picks normal K,X,KA band much quicker, then the V1, but on POP i get a little bit more of a reminder like 3 beeps on K before POP goes off on the V1, and on my 8500 i only get 1. SO my choice when i am doing some late nite driving is the V1 so i know what direction it is coming from, but neither have failed me. But my only problem is with both of them is when i am listening to music quite loud i obviously cant hear them going off, and it is most of the time hard to catch out of the corner of your eye. I still think both need improving in the likes of just simple design, nothing technical just design features. I know the easiest answer is turn your music down, but when you get going with some frampton or some Dark side of the moon, you just cant turn it down.

    I would love if both of them dimmed when they were not going off, then once i hit some type of rader, it lights back up, or initaily changes to a different color, and since both are hardwired i dont catch any glimpses of the aux now, so I am SOL for that featurette.

    I think i am going to buy a broken 8500 and make a pod in my gauge cluster so i can make another led bar in it, so i can see it a bit better.
     
  14. kpl

    kpl Karting

    Jun 9, 2005
    195
    I have used both the V1 and the Escort SRX.

    Radar sensitivity on both models is so close as to be practically the same. The V1 mounts on the windshield. The SRX is remote mounted, with a small cockpit display/control panel.

    I prefer the V1 because of the directional arrows. This really helps in identifying the source of the alarm.

    If I was just getting radar protection, I'd get the V1.

    However, the Escort SRX also comes with an extremely effective laser jammer. Because laser is much more difficult to detect than radar (and neither the V1 or the Escort can detect it consistently enough to allow you to avoid being targeted) a jammer is the only truly effective defense against laser.

    So, if you live in a place where the cops use a lot of laser (and it's becoming more and more prevalent) then an Escort laser jammer might be worth while. If you really want the V1's radar arrows, you can buy the Escort ZR3 laser jammer separately, and just use the V1 and the ZR3.

    Some states (Colorado and Utah are the ones I know of) have outlawed laser jammers, so a laser jammer might not be an option for you.
     
  15. larrymz3

    larrymz3 Karting

    May 29, 2005
    70
  16. Tomf-1

    Tomf-1 F1 Rookie

    Jan 17, 2004
    4,528
    Leawood KS/ South FL
    Full Name:
    Thomas
    i am less than distinct w/ these highly recommended radar detectors (V1 and Escort SRX for example)....how simple are they to install? is it a matter of plugging it into your cigarette lighter and turn it on? thanks.
     
  17. kpl

    kpl Karting

    Jun 9, 2005
    195
    V1 just plugs into your lighter socket and attaches to your window with suction cups (although you can also hard wire it in, so you don't have the cord running from your lighter to the unit.) The SRX is a remote mounted system that requires professional installation (any competent car audio installer could do it.)
     
  18. yellow 355

    yellow 355 Formula Junior

    Mar 25, 2005
    503
    ocean city,nj
    Full Name:
    Ben Murphy
    K40 front and rear works great no tickets!!!!
     
  19. Air_Cooled_Nut

    Air_Cooled_Nut Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2004
    952
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Toby Erkson
    Yup, for as long as it's been around it's NEVER liked Valentine. I consider that site dead. It contains no relevant, important, valid testing, only one-sided opinion not worthy of even being used for argument.
     
  20. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2001
    6,336
    On the Limit
    Full Name:
    Dino
    Why would you wait............without boiling water..............you have no pasta!!!

    Ciao........Dino
     
  21. Tomf-1

    Tomf-1 F1 Rookie

    Jan 17, 2004
    4,528
    Leawood KS/ South FL
    Full Name:
    Thomas

    cool....i need to get me one. thanks.
     
  22. loki

    loki Guest

    Jul 25, 2005
    227
    I am really suprised that only one person talked about the K-40 system. I will agree that the V1 and others are great detectors, but the K-40 really tops them all. All radar detectors start there life the same way, they are nothing more then an antenna picking up radio waves. The thing that sets K-40 apart is the prosessor, it "thinks" faster and better then the others, which means less false alarms. The V1 says it tells you which direction the radar is comming from but lets face it, who cares where the cop is as long as you have time to slow down to do the speed limit.
     
  23. shawsan

    shawsan Formula 3

    Jul 2, 2004
    1,090
    Vancouver, Canada
    Escort's Passport 8500 X50 also plugs into cigarette lighter and affixes to windshield via suction cups. BTW, the 8500 X50 is 2 steps up from the prior 8500, so expect it to equal if not surpass the V1.
     
  24. JaguarXJ6

    JaguarXJ6 F1 Veteran

    Feb 12, 2003
    5,459
    Black Hawk, CO
    Full Name:
    Sunny
    The X50 is equal. The V1 has arrows but the X50 has more options. Also, the V1 is less detectable by a radar detector detector and has rear facing antennas for radar and laser.

    Everything anyone needs to know is right there in the previous threads including a week long comparison of the X50 vs the V1 going into speed traps over and over across state lines.

    Sunny
     

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