Which detector ? Cast your vote

After following similar post about wether to use detector or not, I'm wanting one. Which one and why it ? I think I want a portable one so I can use it in rentals. Please let me know which you prefer and why

I have had the passport for years, suction cups and removal is easy and placement into another car is simple. I cannot comment on the new passport Max or the smart cable that is used with social media. As a side thought, have you tried/considered "Trapster" it is a free (IIRC) downloadable app, and works based upon others (social media) reporting in. I wish I would have thought about it when I went to Canada recently, as you cannot have a "working" radar detector in your vehicle, the gendarme have "detector" detectors. While I did not get any tickets, I would have liked to see if it worked. just my .02

I too am interested.

I only ever bought one and it seems to be doing OK for me. Apart from it telling me that a train was approaching across Costco's car park a couple of times haha. Mine is the Cobra and I have it wired so it comes on with the ignition switch. By your right foot there is a panel that comes away and inside is a 4 pin connector half of which comes live as the ignition switches on. The other half is live all the time. I have mine connected to that half of the 4 pin connector which only comes live when the ignition is turned on. That is because I forgot to plug it into the cig lighter one day and was way over the speed limit on that drive. Didn't realize it until I got back into the garage that I didn't have the detector switched on. That can't happen again. I can touch screen for commands to the Cobra. ie:- City or Highway cover. K. KA etc of which I don't really know whats what. Any warning what so ever and my foot comes of the accelerator in a heart beat. Some or most states don't allow you to have them stuck onto the wind screen so I have mine on the dash looking forward and also towards the rear window. I don't know if it picks up all around or not. I get pop alerts now and then (That alert being the most important one) but can't see the cop car. One day I did and he was hiding behind a church sign the little devil. lol. But I am satisfied with mine but can guarantee that there are far better than mine on the market as mine was not very expensive. I still have all my wits about me and don't toe it just because I have a detector on board.

Got $400+, get a Valentine or top end Passport or BEL (same company) If you want to spend less, BEL's are the best. my $150 BEL V155 gets the same signals, but I pick them up 1-2 miles away, while the top ones pick them up 2.5 or so....not worth it to me. What is nice, is some have memory, can remember false alerts, warn on speed cameras, etc. Radar Roy's site is a good place to learn.... Stay away from the crap blister pack Cobra's etc in Target, Cosco, etc...

I've been using a Valentine since 98. It got replaced once as it wasn't working right after a VA cop got his hands on it, but otherwise it's solid. My wife's is from 99, never been upgraded, and still works like a charm (though it gets a lot more bogus laser signals than mine). I get great distance with it (best was about 3-4 miles). It uses standard phone cord so it's easy to make a custom cord or fix a broken one. In VA (or at least in NoVA) only the State ponies up for the expensive detector that can pick up the V1 (but even then they have to be pretty close), the locals get a cheaper model that can't see it (no idea if DC cops bother or not). The things are solid (taken a few bad drops and keep on working). Comes with all the stuff to be portable to cars that you haven't hardwired it into. It's also easy to move the hardwiring to another car (the power supply in my 958 is on it's 5th car and is older than either of our units). Back shortly after I got my original one a co-worker got the top end Passport of the time. We slapped both in a car and went out. The V1 picked up signals sooner and found more of them. The arrows and hit counter was a step ahead too. I have no idea how the changes in the last 15 years have them stacking up though. If I suddenly needed to replace my unit I'd probably look at the competitors, but I expect I'd get another V1. It doesn't have a lot of the flashy stuff, but I don't find I need it and the V1 has a long history of doing exactly what it's supposed to.

V1

I've had a V1 since around 2000. It's definitely paid for itself several times over. I like that it will detect multiple radars and identify in which direction they are.

wait they make something other then Valentine?? If some of you are old enoguh.. which sure you are, Valentine offer to pay any ticket you got if you own a Valentine when they first came out... early 90's..They don do that anymore but its a statement on how well there product worked.. plus.. much like i feel about clutches and trans.. they only offer one item V1.. not 17.. stages 3,4,5 9600.. ect

Beltronics RX65 with SmartCord Live. Awesome detection, voice prompts, and the smart cord live uses bluetooth to download speed camera, red light camera, and speed trap info via your phone's data plan. Put the detector display in "advanced" mode and it can track multiple sources for each band - like V1, except it doesn't indicate whether the threat is ahead or behind. The detector plus a hardwire installation and a good rear view mirror mount is a great setup. In CA, a detector isn't illegal, but having one suction-cupped to your windshield is.

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+996 plus it's been software updateable for awhile now so you don't have to worry about it going obsolete or having to get a new version. Edit: plus Valentine offers seamless integration if you get their rear view mirror option(pretty cool imo). http://www.radar-mirror.com/Store_V1_Mirrors.html

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That's true to a point, but some of the features over the years have needed new hardware. That said (at least when I had to replace mine) Mike has a very good upgrade/repair policy so it is usually far less than having to buy a new one and then you are left with a new one at that point.

I have had the passport 8500 x50 for over 5 years now. Has been working flawless and has saved me from over a dozen tickets. Works best on highways as most cops don't even use radar on city streets and the ones that do most of the time you already know the hiding spots around town.

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This. I've had mine since 2005, love it!

Escort 9500ix. It has built in GPS and remembers where false signals are so they dont show up the next time you are there. It is completely silent (except when a real signal shows up). It also has a database of fixed trap/red light locations. Wont save you from Laser though. You need a Laser Interceptor or Blinder for that.

I have the Shifter ZR4 Laser Jammer and Detector. (2 mounts in front bumper, 1 over rear license plate) I always prefered the stealth ones that are hardwired into the car. I can see the need for more mobile ones for switching cars etc. I only run a laser jammer/ detector because that is all the cops use here. Literally, all they have is laser here so it makes it easier to choose a jammer. I wouldn't trust it anywhere else though as the only means of protection... If you know the cops in your area ONLY shoot laser, or do often, I reccomend it for medium to smaller cars. There is a better option for better coverage of larger vehicles and that's the Blinder M47 (covers a larger area to protect). My ZR4 has saved me numerous times from speed traps going downhill on highways that drop from 60 to 45 here. Gives me just enough notice to hit my brakes and slow down before seen, and if they do see me I'll be slowed down before they even get a reading on my car finding a spot that won't be covered. (Trained to shoot license plates, headlights, then windshield) The ZR4 can be plugged to a radar detector too for different type of decives. I wouldn't reccomend a the K-40 hardwired radar detector. I had it on my E46 M3 and previous owner had it professionally installed with the little lights built into my gauges. It worked rarely, and I've been tagged with it on in the Northeast. I couldn't live without it here... I am a very good, cautious, courtious driver, always stay to the right except to pass etc... but anyone else that has been on Oahu knows that the speed limits here are absolutely rediculous. Driving on a completely sectioned off highway that has a speed limit of 35, most streets that are normally 35 on the mainland are all 20 or 25 mph.

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My last ticket (not the 911) got me with laser as I came around a corner. I immediately pulled over and he didn't even have to move his car. When he came up to me the conversation went like this: Cop: You know how fast you were going? Me: 65 or so (more like 85 in a 55) Cop: A bit faster than that. What's that in your window? Me:: This? (pointing to V1) Cop: Yes Me: Radar detector Cop: You know those are illegal. Me: Yeap Cop: Didn't do you much good did it? Me: You didn't have to chase me did you? Cop: <laughs his *** off for a minute> Cop: Fair enough, I got you for 86, but I'll write it as 74 so it's not reckless. Cop: By the way, watch out for the State Troopers. They'll give you a lot of crap for it. As I always tell people, all the laser warning does is tell you that you need to pull over as there is a high probability you were the target.

I got pulled over once in the 996 - highway patrol, my detector and phone (which acts as a display when using the Smart Cord Live app) are still both going apesh*t, which catches LEO's eye. We had a cool 10-minute conversation about the detector and my "new" 911 (still had the temp sticker in the window), and I left with a "Have a nice evening, sir." I got this memento blasting along the 15 in the Boxster, just outside of Gila Bend, AZ, in my pre-detector days. Two troopers in a sedan were waiting to see if I would open it up to 100+... if yes, they planned to impound; since I didn't, I wound up with a warning. I'd been watching the headlights in my mirror for a while, so I had an idea of what was coming, but still...pretty decent guys. "75+" was more than fair, and the limit just east of Gila Bend is 45, not 65.

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The only upgrade they have had in years is something to do with radar in Europe..or thats what they told me... I had an issue with mine, sent it in and had it repaired for $45 or so.. and i leave mine plugged in sometimes for weeks at a time and in the hot Texas heat.. that thing is built to last.

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I will not consider a media biased detector AP It will only work when your connect

Professional RX65. Saved me more $$$ than it cost me to buy it.

I have three V1's permanently mounted in three different vehicles. And a Passport 8500 that sits in my garage electronic junk box....

No question! Bel tronics, I have had quite a few and so far this one stands out,in conjunction with my Laser Jammers its a great system,you just have to spend a few dollars! no shock there....LOL,check out the custom install of the switches and display the guy made it fit right into the ashtray.

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Yep, a detector only works if there is somebody ELSE for the cops to hit. Has to be somebody in front of you, they don't work if you are the only car on the road. ETA: Yes they do work if you are the only car on the road, but it just lets you know you need to pull over for your ticket, lol....

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Why a unit for each car? Why not one per driver and then just move it around as needed?

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As he states they are permanently mounted, he must like them to be as hidden as possible. Would also help preventing break-ins, nothing to see, thief goes to next car.

another happy Passport 9500iX owner/user here. I did a lot of reading around, this site is one of them: http://www.radarbusters.com/?source=pjn&subid=43737

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Cops know this in my area hence "instant on" technique = busted and radar detector useless in those cases. Oh boy, I can see this becoming like an oil thread...

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Guess to me "permanently mounted" means it's hardwired. No issues with theft for me and none of our cars are garaged. Maybe it's just that the average person in my area has no idea what it is since they are illegal here. If there are other people instant on still doesn't help them (cops) as you'll pick up the bursts before you get to them (at least I do with my V1). If you are alone on an empty road in the middle of the night, well then you're boned... There was a big use of instant on in my area back in the early 00s, but that seems to have gone away.

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This...

Cops in CA, at least in SoCal, seem content to just sit around blasting KA when they're looking for a victim. I can pick up a stationary cruiser a mile away. My wife and I play "spot the fuzz" every time the detector speaks up.

I want to offer my counter experience with laser detectors. I've got a V1 mounted high on my windshield and I've been "lazed" about 4 times in the last couple of years. Because of the shape of our cars, and because I don't have a front reflective plate, the laser doesn't seem to get an instant lock. That pointing around on my car by the CHP causes my V1 to kick off, and a quick tap of the breaks (after a very quick rear window check) puts me in the compliance zone. Again, this has happened about 4 times over the last years, and with a Speed Yellow car, it's not as if it isn't a target.

I ran a cobra and passport 8500 at the same time. The cheap cobra was a fraction of a second behind the passport. Not much but enough to convince me to run the passport alone in my daily driver. In the porsche, I hardwired the V1 in. I prefer the V1 hands down. Having the arrows is nice.

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This is what I was trying to convey but you can't assume just because there are cars in front of you that your radar detector will go off. Cops around me are VERY selective at times and only shoot a car they think might be speeding. If all the cars in front of you do not get shot and you're the first and lucky target...

The GPS feature that remembers the location of nuisance alarms is the only choice for me. A detector that squawks every time I pass a grocery store (or just about every other business) is intolerable . The door openers at Walgreens are even K-band. I went with the Passport 9500ix.

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One flaw with the GPS is what about if a Cop is actually parked at Walgreens scanning you with the same band?

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Yeah I prefer the "tell me everything and I'll mute what I don't care about" approach myself (and yes I live in automatic door hell too). That is my one complaint with the V1 though. If you mute a laser warning it goes back to full volume with a much shorter pause than the normal radar bands. Really aggravating as the ILS from the airport I live near likes to trigger it not to mention the older Trailblazer brake lights...

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Not true. If the 9500ix detects a second source where you have previously locked out a nuisance alarm (i.e. a cop near walgreens), it WILL sound the alarm.

V1 - hands down for me. I don't get any false alarms with it from door openers etc. It has saved me numerous times.

I have a stealth-mounted V1 with the display in the rear view mirror. I have no idea where the actual unit is, though I've tried to find it. I'm very happy with it, but I can't offer a comparison as I've never had another brand.

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Yes and no, some cops just sit with their Radar unit on all the time (usually Car units) and it has saved me quite a few times in situations like that. I've come down the 5, picking up Ka 2 miles ahead....drive past a Car backed up against a concrete overpass pointing his gun forward. I just drive by smiling.... I have only once gotten a ticket since having my radar detector, and it picked up nothing. It was a young trooper, he saw a low bright yellow Vette and made an assumption. He wrote that he used a speed measuring device, but I know he did not. Hired a lawyer, case was tossed for the trooper having no evidence. Stupid young trooper testing me. Also, not seen a cop use K since the 80s....So a store blasting K and a Cop blasting Ka are two different things, my BEL both has different sounds for every signal, it also speaks what the signal is.

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Interesting...so the 9500 can actually distinguish two different signals of the same band(x band for example) in the same area?

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K is still big here in the DC area. You get Ka more frequently these days, but it's still not the norm. The V1 also has different tones for the different warnings. It also seems that all the doors have moved from the X range to K.

I started this mess trying to Get a better understanding of why people choose the detectors they choose. I was hoping for more technical reasoning Any further help would be appreciated

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Yep. The unit actually talks and says "multiple signals detected". There is also a small display showing the strength of each signal. Even within the "k" band, for example, each source has a slightly different frequency. The band is a range of frequencies The V1 does that too, with it's "bogey counter". The 9500 can just remember (and ignore) one of the nuisance bogeys.

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Perhaps your question should have been "pros and cons" of each detector. Passport 9500 ix Cons: No directional arrows showing the location of the source. Cost. The damned thing is $450 Pros: GPS. This gives you the ability to: -remember and ignore nuisance signals in specific locations -remember and announce red light cameras, speed cameras, speed traps. -know your speed, even in a Porsche with it's inaccurate speedo -have the range sensitivity adjust based on speed. It even ignores most signals if you are traveling under 20mph (i.e. a parking lot) Neutral: Voice alerts. Sometimes convenient and sometimes annoying. But it can be shut off. I'll let some of the V1 experts weigh in on that unit.

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Thank you for the insightful Well written post I'm hoping for a similar response On the V1

I've used most of them and the V1 is superior in my experience; I have V1s hardwired into my two cars along with Blinder laser jammers. It's a great combination, but nothing works as well as situation awareness and good judgment. LEO's bat last.

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+996. This and some luck have kept me ticket free for the past 3 years without using any detectors. However I'm sure Murphy will come knocking soon. I just wonder how many off-duty cops in their personal vehicles I've passed up from time to time who have made it a mission to hunt me down when they get back on duty.

I like the Passport because of its "Expert mode". It will tell you the frequency of the radar signal. This isn't much help in SoCal because CHP only uses Ka band, so it's very obvious. But in my previous state, it was very useful in picking out the various departments. I like the Smartradar with bluetooth connection to my iphone because it is stealthy...you just have to quickly swipe the app off in case of a close encounter. I also like the Smartradar because of it's cool factor. Girls love the setup.

I have the Escort 9500ix and love it. I like that you can update it with a USB cable, and mark places like banks with alarms that can cause false alerts. To me, it seems more up to date than the V1, with it's simple arrows. It has worked well, and saved me about 2 tickets. I know there are huge V1 fans too, I have never owned one so I can't say, but I just like the design and features of the 9500ix more. I think they have a new version out too.

My V1 is 8 years old. Cruising North from L to Hwy 46 (to Paso) on the I-5 last weekend I noticed I wasn't picking up CHP cruisers from miles away. I was getting hit by instant on blasts, but then noticed that when I passed a parked cruiser his signal disappeared very soon thereafter. Are others noticing CHP's using more instant radar or does my V1 need a tune up?....

+1 for more instant on in Cali. Was hit by a CHP that was driving the opposite direction last year. My Escort went crazy and I may have reduced his reading a bit by hitting the brakes but at the end of the day I ended up with a ticket. Funny part was the gfriend's reaction. She actually started crying (on purpose) to try to get the CHP to show some sympathy. Didn't work, although if I hadn't been there it may have worked.

Instant on has always been used by the cops around here. They know that is one way to combat against radar detector usage. The cops though have to be very selective and know for sure someone is speeding for it to be effective.

I started this a month ago Looking for recommend Detectors and why it was preferred

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I thought many owners in the last 4 pages of this thread have already done so??? FWIW, I am another happy owner of the Passport 9500iX for the reasons already given by other owners of the same.

Hands down the V1. Nothing else is built as sold� and it's made right here in the USA!

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I completely agree, but I still wish they would update their physical design.. Integrate all the 'extra' bits that hang off the cabling, like audio output, V1 connection for phones, etc. Although they have upgraded the internals, they have been selling the same basic model for how many years??

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Don't change something if it ain't broke or making them money. I suspect once their sales figures starts dropping is the only time they will consider a redesign. It's people like you and other die-hard V1 enthusiasts that keep the old design going through evangelical posts like the ones we've seen. My only other opinion is you can't really go wrong between Passport or V1. I've owned both(older Passport model). The new Passports has a lot of nice new features and if you are into features, this would definitely fit the bill. V1 has had a very strong track record for performance. I will say that you see more people remain with V1 after switching to it vs. vice-a-versa with other brands.

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On the contrary, If they *did* do a significantly upgraded design, I think there would be a ton of sales for replacement units. I know I'd be down for at least two... Ironically, I think the doom of radar detectors will not be advanced cop technology, but all the cars with moronic "Hey dummy, you didn't look before changing lanes" radar systems polluting the spectrum.

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Assuming your sales have been or exceeding quota, I'd hate to be the product manager to suggest pouring in millions of r&d, new tooling and manufacturing to get little to no returns compared to the old version. But eventually, they will eventually have to come out with something new. Just not sure that time would be now from a financial perspective. As for dummy nannies, I expect them to be the norm and possibly even mashed up into the radar detector. Have you seen the newest MB S500 series? The laws are the only reason why it doesn't self drive, lol.

Bumping this as Amazon is having a gold box sale on Passport 9500ix detector for 30% off coming to $350 shipped. I haven't kept up with recent pricing but just throwing this out there. Amazon.com: Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector (Blue Display): Car Electronics Amazon.com: Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector (Blue Display): Car Electronics

Interesting tidbit, Dec issue of Car and Driver had a face off between Passport and Valentine. Bottom Line: Valentine had slightly better sensitivity and range. Passport had the better alarm selectivity.

Had a V1 since back around 2000 and it has paid for itself many times over. Not only in ticket avoidance but using it to help me stay more aware of my driving and that of other drivers in nearby vehicles. The unit has acted up twice. Both times I called and got info on how to send it in for repair along with a $45 check. The unit came back repaired in 2 weeks or so and the check returned un-cashed. When I called about the check I was told the repair was done at no cost.

Another vote for V1

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QFT. I am noticing more and more K band alarms that pop up when driving next to the newest cars (mostly minivans and SUVs). IMHO- the electronic nannies are already becoming beyond ridiculous. If you can't turn your head to check for other cars, or keep the car between two white lines, or you can't parallel park- you should not drive a car. Stay home, don't get behind the wheel.

Valentine One. HANDS DOWN the best radar by FAR.