Radar Detectors--- Worth the money?

Hey Mark,

How are things going for you? From what I have read over the years of being here is that the V1 is the only one to pick up. But do keep in mind that no detector will save you from a laser zap if no one is in front of you. I have been thinking about picking one up myself as I just picked up my car last night and really don't want to get any tickets which I can see happening in this car.

Pat

 

In year prior to V1--2 tickets.
7 years after V1-- no tickets.

My cost is now about $5/month and dropping. Seems worth it.

Dave

 

I just a new car and I've been looking at the V1 and it looks the best. I'm going to get one in the next few days. Definitely worth the money in the long run.

 

I have a k40 in my gallardo and my brother has one in his C4S, we did a test to see if the laser diffuser really works and both times the officer clocked us with no prblems at all, we talked to the k40 installer and he is coming over this saturday, we told him that if this laser jammer thing didn't work that then we want to return the stuff and we want our money back. The officers told my brother that a week ago he clocked a guy with a valentine and the guy took the radar out and threw it against the ground. The officer said that theres nothing out there that he knows about that can really jam laser guns. The K40 installer is saying that probably our units are not working because they aren't centered in the front of the car but installed in the right side of the car behind the air vents.


Any of you own K40 radar systems that know for sure that they are working against laser guns?

 

My V1 has alerted me to police officers or CHP before I was able to see them. In each case, I was speeding but in the middle lanes going with the flow of traffic.

Out here, law enforcement are like the wild cats chasing after impala or the weakest of a group. You can't always guess where they are hiding with 100% accuracy and getting any serious communting accomplished means that people must speed or the highway system will cease to function out here.

Unless your Patrick, of course. V1's don't save you from the officers you recognize and speed past.

 

I have an Escort S2 in the 575. I don't think it does much as it seems to locate being tagged awfully late compared to the earlier versions I remember in the early 90s... Though these things are quirky. In an S class Mercedes I had the I-pass ( toll device ) and radar detector didnt work at all due to the pitch of the windshield. Placement of a radar detector in an M class Benz seemed to work like night and day in terms of trying to get a constant performance. But then again hassles with the cords and look of the detector were odd so placement was always being tinkered with.

Research I have done says that V1 is the way to go followed by the Passport X50 or S2. Since I have the S2 I would say it really doesnt seem like it is worth it. Definitely avoid anything from Cobra or Rocky Mountain Radar.

RocketBoy

 

Passport here and I'm quite happy with it. Saved my @ss several times now. FWIW, recently we were on a drive and I asked a buddy with a V1 if his detector had gone off back there for the CHP. He said no it hadn't. This may be an isolated incident but it made me glad I owned a Passport and it gave me a warning. We weren't exceeding the speed limit at the time

I won't drive a sports car without it.

 

I should note that I received what I consider a BS ticket doing 80 in a 65 following two vehicles, one a school bus with kids, on a 3 lane highway separated by at least 1,500ft in both directions from any other cars on the road.

The ticket I received before this, I was told I was doing 86 in a 65, traffic was doing up to 84, they slowed down, I didn't, so they pulled me over. I volunteered to rush 2 people from Santa Clara, CA to Irvine, CA during a heavy traffic day on a Sunday so they wouldn't miss their flights to the east coast. They wrote me up for 75 in a 65. That is a worth while ticket. The one above was a BS ticket.

I refuse to get radar'ed without my knowledge anymore and armed with that, I can choose when and where to speed with greater accuracy.

 

i still feel bad about that...

 

I really don't... I used traffic school for the 80 in a 65 a bored motorcycle cop gave to me about 10 months later and my rates didn't get affected! It was fun though, you have to admit!

 

Coming back from Vegas was the best...! Then we met Jean Louis for lunch at that place... It was an awesome time... Hey, are you going to the Rampage...?

 

Another vote for the V1!
Once you get used to the indicator arrows you can never go back!

 

I would be curious to know what you find out regarding the diffuser. I have the k40, front & rear, that seem to work well. My diffuser is in the front grill of my 360. I'm told the police usually aim for the front license plate and that's why the k40 diffuser is installed on a license plate frame. I like the cleaner look, so I had the diffuser removed from the frame and mounted in the grill. I'm hoping it works okay with that location. Please post a follow up if possible.

Jon

 

radar detector thread: check
V1 mentioned: check

 

From The You Need To Know Area:

In California, the presence of a radar detector in a motor vehicle is admissible in court as prima facie evidence of speeding!!

So, be careful! It can be expensive

Best have it hidden behind the grille out of sight!

 

I think they are worth the money. I have an older passport model and although it's always giving me false alarms, it still has it's still distinguisble tone to alert me it's forreal this time and gives me time to slow down.

I've never had a chance to buy a Valentine 1 or a passport 8500 but I do have a question. Do they give you a false alarm ever? Automatic slidings doors, railroad crossings and toll booths always give my older passport a hard time. Does this stuff happen to people with newer rader? Im guessing mine is too outdated. Time for a new one.

 

Sunrise is at 6:18...

 

Nope, can't afford it.

 

V1 rules. Saved many times.

 

Aw, that sucks...


Dave, i thought it was sunSET... Now it's sunRISE...?

 

i have a radar detecter, and it saved my ass 5 x in the past 2 days.

 

Laguna beach has instant on laser, no way out, you've been had.

 

I watched 5th Gear the other night when they were testing a device sold as a garage door opener. It worked against (UK) police laser by displaying an error message on the laser gun.

 

v1 saved me about 5 times on 5000 miles of roadtrips last year.

that's about once every day and half, not bad.