Anybody have a suggestion for a good radar detector? I've heard the horror stories of buying the $25 ones and ending up with a myriad of speeding tickets. I'm tired of getting pulled over, so if anybody has a good working one that they'd like to suggest please do so

 

I run the Escort Passport 8500 in all 3 of my cars (Z28, RX8, and my daily Saturn Vue). I actually got all 3 of them off of eBay from Escort for a good deal because they're factory refurbished WITH warranty from Escort. Look up username escortradar on eBay. They've got the Escort Passport X50 for $199.95. They're just like new! I bought my first one back in 3/09 and have had NO problems with it in 5 years!

Of course, the best radar detector is usually considered to be the Valentine One, but it ain't cheap!

 

I agree with your original statement, the cheap radar detectors aren't going to do squat. I prefer Bel radar detectors myself, been using them for 20 years. I've had 1 replaced under warranty, and they even replaced one under warranty, that I admitted that I had dropped on a cement driveway! That kind of customer service goes a long way with me. I currently have a Vector 940, it was around $150 when I got it. I once picked up a radar signal (mounted on a sign in a construction zone) over 3 miles away. You can't go wrong with Bel or Escort (they've merged into the same company), they're probably 2nd to Valentine One.

Keep in mind that the best detector in the world won't help, when an officer is using instant-on radar. Keep your eyes open & watch for hiding spots or common enforcement points. I also use a couple of nice phone apps, Waze & Trapster. Both are crowd-sourcing apps. Waze users can report live police, speed & red light cameras, traffic jams (as well as alternate routing), traffic hazards, & more. Trapster does most of the same things (except routing), but it also shows Known Enforcement Points (spots where the police like to run radar).

 

9500ix , its the best , and uses gps so after going by fake signals two or three times it learns it . So i detector almost never goes off unless its a cop . Its 450 though which is a big chunk of cash but i cant stand driving without ..

So many times i find my self doing 60 coasting through a 45 and thats a good place to get wacked with a ticket. Get the 9500ix and you will love it .

Some will say the valentine 1 bc is has arrows that show where the signal is coming from . I personally dont give a **** , if it goes off im slowing down .

 

I agree with your 2nd statement. But that's not the only reason the Valentine is regarded as the best. It also has superior detection range, nearly always comes out on top of independent tests.

 

Slow down, its the only way to beat the radar gun.

100% of our patrol cars have instant on both k band and laser.

If they want you, they got you. By the time a radar detector goes off they are putting the cruiser in drive.


For the agencies still using standard K band, it is nice when the signal bounces and your radar detector picks it up. Getting rarer and rarer now.

 

Nope, you've been looking at old tests. The V1 hasn't been the best for a couple of years now. The Escort 9500 series is generally considered the best these days. Valentine still builds a good detector but it falses so much that it gets annoying and makes people tend to ignore alerts. Not too mention it's a big ugly block that looks 20 years old even when it's new.

 

Good to know, thanks WhiteBird. I have never been impressed by the looks of the Valentine.

 

Like Nascar said if the police have the instant on you're screwed either way. I have an old Bel that still works great. As long as you're not the only car on the road and they are clocking other people it will still alert.

 

I have always preferred remote (built-in) detectors because they are almost completely hidden (theft and Virginia). I have owned K40, Bel, Passport SR7, and most recently Passport 8500ci (used to be called QI45 for Quick Install 45 minutes - actually takes a couple of hours). It doesn't have all the features of the 9500 series (like GPS) but it has great range and very few false alerts. I just drove up from Florida to Buffalo and it kept me out of trouble several times - even through Virginia.

 

Escort Passport Max, Escort 9500ix, V1, Escort 8500x50.

Top 4 best in order IMO and from what ive read in a lot of reviews. I personally use a 8500x50 (with a blendmount) and love it to death, it picks up tons of laser somehow and all the cops near me use standard k band it seems. I do plan on upgrading to the 9500ix bc of the added features and the fact that the price of it has gone down but i hear it has the same antenna as the 8500x50 so i just havent pulled the trigger yet.

 

No complaints about the Passport Max.

 

I have the same one. Picked it up about a month ago from best buy $450. Well worth it. The GPS feature pretty much eliminates false alarms.