Are radars worth the money? Do they actually work? My friends say i should get one but i dont really trust them. Im trying to decide if i should get one and which one. Which do you have and does it work well? I dont want to spend over $150.

 

For under 150 i'd just not get one. I'll have to look and see but there is a good one for 200 bucks, then there is the escort x50 i believe it is for 300 which is a good one and then the valentine 1 for 400...I just got my valentine 1 recently and it's easily paid for itself and i really dont drive any different than i did before i had it, it just catches cops WAY early. I say get one definitely but wait till you wanna spend 200 or more.

Just my opinion,
William

 

i dont think i will ever get one, i pretty much go by this saying on a radar detector, "if your doing something wrong and your radar detector goes off its to late they already got ya" only thing its really good for is if your cruising around and your about to do something wrong and it goes off. i wont get one cause when i am doing something not quite legal im very careful and make sure there is no cops around..... all the rest of the time i drive the speed limit and such.

 

i would say get one just to be safe but dont expect to be able to drive 100+ everywere and not get caught just cuz you have the detector

 

Get the escort 8500 or the valentine 1. These will only protect you at about 13 mph (enough time to step on the brake pedal and come close to legal speed). Try doing 50 mph over and get clocked, then tell me what happens.

 

With that kind of budget it's not worth it.

(IMHO)Frankly, the most informative fuzzbuster is the Valentine1. It's well worth the $400 and the wait to afford one.

B

 

Yea i love the V1 since i got it. It catches them a long way away. Even valentine is the first place that will tell you it's not a fool proof way to avoid getting tickets, it's just a tool to use and when used correctly and effectively it limits the chances. With laser there is no hope unless you luck out and catch it reflecting off a car (very rare) but with other kinda of radars you can pick them up pretty easily and as long as your not the only car on the road you'll get enough time to slow down.

William

 

I use the V1, very sleek and useful aswell. not only does it flow well with the interior of our cars, but it's just a nifty little thing that has saved my *** a few times.

In highway scenarios, its unbeatable. if the cop is ahead of you trying to catch people, it will tell you well before hand.

Although, there are some smart cops that cruise with their radars off, and sneak up behind you and shoot ya real fast. that's not fun and one of the only scenarios i would see it not working.

 

They work very well. BUT

You have to get a good one
&
You have to fully understand how they work to get the best use out of them.

Passport 8500, Bel 980 or 985, Valentine 1 ... are all good ones. I've had my bel 980 for 4 years now, and have only gotten speeding tickets.

They work by detecting radar that deflects off cars in front of, back of, or around you. If you are the only car on the road, and the cop doens't have the radar on while cruising (has instant on or whatever), or is sittin on the side of the road waiting for someone to come along, then the same second your radar detector lights up K |||||||||||| 9 ... his radar gun is reading 105mph

 

I know the escorts/bels and v1s are the best but i cant afford one thats 200 or more. So maybe i should rephrase my question, is it worth getting a radar that is in the 100-200 range? Maybe a Bel 895, i can get one for 145 shipped, anyone used one of these?

 

I honestly would just save up a little more and get the bel 980 (i think that's the one, just over 200 or something) or if you wanna go all out save up alot more and get either the x50 or the v1...That's about as best i can put it. For the money if you dont wanna spend much just get a really cheap one because it'll work about the same as any other one under 200 bucks. My gf had a cobra one she got from best buy that was right at 100 bucks and it worked well until we replaced it with the v1.

William

 

Just remember it's a radar detector and not a cop detector. Pisses me off to hear "Oh there's cop it's not making a noise." They have to have their radar on for you to know about it. For the most part.

 

Dude just save your money, wait til you have another $200, then plop it down on the V1 or Passport.

I say go with the V1, its the best out there. All my friends use them I just don't have the funds for it right now.

So, if you were wondering, NO. Don't waste your money on a radar detector priced in the $100-$200 range.

 

I just saved for the V1, I don't think aything in that range would be worth it IMO.

 

another vote for saving your money for the V1. Mine has already paid for itself.

 

I have the 8500. Really the only reason I have one is because DWG ***** leave their radar guns on and I can tell miles away when to turn off so they don't **** with me when they notice its meeeee

DWG, Beford, most troopers Ive encountered, Weatherford and a few others still use the always on radar gun.

Arlington and FW use laser or instant on. (many others too) Most Arlington cops use laser Ive seen

 

The V1 saved me 2 times prior to selling. It paid for itself. That "instant on" feature that cops have now is crazy. There is no hiding.

 

My v1 has saved me many of times.

 

Its not worth it IMO. I got more tickets with it than without. By the time the radar hits you, its all over with anyway.

I just started driving the speed limit and the end result was I stopped getting tickets.

 

Learn to use the detector and not just rely on it and it'll definitely save you. The only thing the V1 really cant help with is laser, and it catches that on a rare occasion or two. Even with instant on, as long as you're not the only car on the road, it'll pick it up. My friend Josh (desert fox) was driving and the V1 saved our *** atleast 3 times on the way back from Ennis this past weekend.

William