Slow94Formula

iTrader: (18)

I am looking at buying a radar detector sometime this summer, I am going to spend less than $150 for sure. What model do you guys recommend for me to purchase? I tried to do some research but most of the websites that I came across had not been updated lately, so I am looking for some opinions from you guys.

patooyee

iTrader: (1)

DO NOT BUY PASSPORT! My dad buys them because they are suppossed to be the best. He gives them to me when he's done with them and every single one eventually starts giving false laser warnings which are the scariest, most annoying alarm they have. Its like a bomb going off in the car and it does it every minute or so and doesn't stop once it starts. This has been the same with about 8 Passports that I've had so far. It happens after about 2 or 3 years of use. DO NOT BUY PASSPORT.

Other than that I had good luck with a Cobra that I had once. It was a base mdoel for about $150 and lasted a few years before it quit working which is about what I was getting out of the $400 Passports. The Cobra picked up signals from further away, too.

J. J.

peterlawl84

iTrader: (12)

If you are willing to spend a few extra bucks, you can try and pick up a used V1 for around $200-250. I picked up a second one for $200 shipped so that I don't have to switch the detector from car to car.
I used to have an escort 8500, and the V1 has much better range and the arrows are very helpful, I didn't think it would be such a big deal until I got a V1.
My passport crapped out after a couple years as well.
I have had a V1 for probably 7 yrs with no issues.

The way I see it, buying a detector to prevent tickets, might as well try and get the best range, which to me is worth the extra 100 or so.

bobbyd

iTrader: (10)

you have to send them in to get tune.

Slow94Formula

iTrader: (18)

The main purpose of having this radar detector is to have on a trip from Minnesota to Florida. I don't know if that changes what the best one is or not.

bobbyd

iTrader: (10)

just get a v1. you would love it. once you get it you can't ever go back to anything else. the arrows ftw.

patooyee

iTrader: (1)

That's dumb. If I pay $400 for a top of the line product I shouldn't have to send it in for repair every 3 years.

I have a friend who has a V1 and he loves it. It beats the hell out of all of my Passports.

J. J.

bobbyd

iTrader: (10)

the reason for this is that they can and will fall out of tune.

not sure how much escort charges for the tunes but valentine the first year is free and then there after is $40. not bad really.

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

there are 3 or 4 different websites that review radar detectors. every year and/or model the passport and the v1 are usually a neck and neck tie for 1st place. bel has a model that is a close 3rd. most of the detectors you look at thereafter are significantly less in price but also in performance. i have owned the cheaper detectors before, and i have gotten tickets with all of them. i purchased a passport x50 6 years ago and to this day have never gotten a ticket, and i do speed. i have never had mine tuned either. in 6 years my laser detector has gone off one time, and it was in fact a motorcycle cop shooting people with a laser gun.

you'll find people are fans of v1 on ls1tech more than passport...i'm not sure why. probably the same reason zaino is touted more than meguiar's. they aren't necessarily better, just with different features. i believe the latest passport 9500ix beat out the v1 this time around.

if you are looking to spend only $150, this is coming from someone that has gone down that road. don't buy a detector with that money, save the money for the next ticket you get. there really is no point in spending money on a detector if you aren't willing to get one of the top 3, because in reality all of the inferior ones just won't do the job the same, and will leave you a lot more exposed than you think.

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

just for reference:

http://www.radarbusters.com/
http://www.radartest.com/

2 well-known sources. both place the passport at the top. as you can also see the bel's are a good option for cheaper detectors.

bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

My vote is for passport, my escort 9500 never let me down.

What do the arrows do exactly, Im curios now.

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

they tell you which direction the band warning is coming from. the passport has 360 protection also, just doesn't tell you which direction the radar is coming from when the detector goes off. really the odds of a threatening radar coming from any direction other than directly in front of you (or possibly a quickly approaching cop car from behind) is really rare, so the arrows are more fluff than anything.

TruBloodTransAm

iTrader: (24)

Another vote for the Valentine 1.

peterlawl84

iTrader: (12)

I'm going to assume you never drove with the V1 then with a comment like that.

While I was apprehensive at first about the arrows, I will not go to a detector without them from now on. Just a few months ago a cop caught up from behind me while using his radar detector, if I didn't have the arrows, I would of hit the brakes fast rather than coast down as he made his way through traffic.
I have had cops come up from behind several times.
The arrows help you decide if you should coast or hit the brakes...not saying it will work 100% of the time, but it gives you additional info that those without the arrows lack.

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

what does it matter if you slam on your brakes or coast? if the cop doesn't have you clocked, in most cases he's not going to pull you over. i would think slamming on your brakes, or at least applying them, would be wiser in any scenario regardless of knowing what direction the cop is coming from simply because it gets you from speeding to not faster than a coast. really strange logic i must add.

peterlawl84

iTrader: (12)

The brake lights draw attn to the car, which the last time he already was singling me out and trailed me for ~10 miles while other cars sped by. Now if he was aimed directly at me from the beginning, it wouldn't matter what I did, I would of been caught. But since he had it on and there was traffic between us, I was able to just coast down to speed limit before he got directly behind me without drawing extra attention.

If you think brake lights lighting up when there is no traffic infront of you doesn't draw attention, then by all means hit your brakes. If you want to comment on a detector you have used, then that's helpful, but for someone to say the arrows are worthless and never have used a detector with them, that's not a fair statement for the OP to judge what he should spend his money on.

I already mentioned that I had an escort previously and did not believe the arrows would matter until I got a v1. Now its required by me if I am investing in radar detector whose sole purpose is to help me avoid tickets., which seems to be the reason OP posted this as he wants something for a cross country trip.

projectX

iTrader: (51)

Agreed. I heard V1 is great!

Slow94Formula

iTrader: (18)

Thanks for all of the helpful replies. I will be looking for a used V1 based on what has been said about them. I already knew that this was probably what I would be told, but I thought I would check to see if there were other better suggestions. Too bad they are so expensive new (and used). LoL I guess since they are that good they can be that expensive though.

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

dude, read the damn thread. i just posted not only my opinion of owning the passport for 6 years, but also listed 2 websites that RANK radar detectors, both putting the passport on the top. clearly the arrows don't compensate enough to put the v1 on the top.

sure, brakes can draw attention to your car, but that doesn't mean the cop clocked you speeding--and THAT'S why cops are supposed to pull you over, not because you use your brakes. what if an animal/object was in the road and you were slamming on your brakes and the cop saw it? how's your v1 gonna help then? your logic is just silly, that coasting is smarter than putting on your brakes, yet coasting means you are going faster and have a higher potential of being actually clocked speeding. you are playing with so many variables now it doesn't matter if your detector can make you coffee, you're just making assumptions and reactions based on what you think is the best thing to do. like every v1 user even agrees with you that's what the arrows are for...c'mon.

so you are buying based on the opinion of 2 guys on ls1tech that most likely are not experts on the topic instead of the opinion of professionals that rank detectors? did you even check out my thread/links? i don't see how there could have been a more unbiased response to your thread, and yet you completely ignore it. jeez...why did you even ask the question?

Slow94Formula

iTrader: (18)

No, I am making my decision based on what FIVE people said. They didn't all write a review, they just threw out their vote.

Yes I did read your links, but I trust the people that are ALL telling me to go with V1.

^ he even says that the V1 beats his passports. I listen to people in the real world more often than reviewers. I have just had the best luck with things that my friends suggest, even if the reviews say the item sucks.

Only 2 people in this thread have voted for passport: tuffluk, and bad_408_vert. So yea, if I was basing my decision off of what two people voted for I would be going with a passport.