Radar Detector
4th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,568
From:
RE: Radar Detector
ORIGINAL: brendend
cobra radar detectors are CRAP!!!! theres a reason theyre so cheap
cobra radar detectors are CRAP!!!! theres a reason theyre so cheap
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 535
From: Nashville, TN
4th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,568
From:
RE: Radar Detector
http://www.007radardetectors.com/tests.htm
I happen to have the Cobra 9930. Here is the comparison chart. It's the best bang for the buck. All 130.00 of them.
'nuff said on this subject!
I happen to have the Cobra 9930. Here is the comparison chart. It's the best bang for the buck. All 130.00 of them.
'nuff said on this subject!
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 507
From: ohio
RE: Radar Detector
I have the Passport 7500, my wife has the Passport 8500. Both are great detectors. Buy the 7500. It's cheaper and for me, it picks up laser,X,K,Ka just fine. A good laser/radar detector should be your number 1 modification for any car that will be noticed.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 185
RE: Radar Detector
I have a Valentine 1 and I'm extremely happy with it. I don't ever speed (I just likeknowing where the Police are at), but I'm very impressed with its performance being able to tell where officers are set up.
When I was investigating which detector to get, I read that there were only two places in the US where radar detector use was illegal - Virginia and the District of Columbia, with Alaska and Hawaii having no regulartions on the legality or illegality of them, so I wouldn't be concerned with being able to conceal it (unless you are in VA or DC). Trying to keep it hidden will probably reduce the effectiveness of it anyway.
When I was investigating which detector to get, I read that there were only two places in the US where radar detector use was illegal - Virginia and the District of Columbia, with Alaska and Hawaii having no regulartions on the legality or illegality of them, so I wouldn't be concerned with being able to conceal it (unless you are in VA or DC). Trying to keep it hidden will probably reduce the effectiveness of it anyway.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,319
From:
RE: Radar Detector
ORIGINAL: blackened
+1 on the 8500 X50. I have mine mounted (semi-permanently) to the map light. I cut a very small slit in the front of the map light housing, large enough to slip the metal bracket through, then bent it back towards the back of the car - the detector attaches pretty much just as easily as if the bracket were on the suction cups. If you don't care to use the smart cord (i find it useless and will be redoing mine the following way) the wire can be snipped and connected right into one of the map light wires (constant source). that way all the mounting/wiring is right there within the map light. The detector will stay on for 30 min after you shut the car off. It's fairly well hidden and so far (knocking on wood) detects just fine.
The 9500 (GPS enabled) has the same capabilities as the 8500, it just allows you to input false alarm locations so that it doesn't go off every day in the same place. would be nice but wasn't worth the xtra $150.
Valentine, 8500, Bell RX65, all rank pretty much equally if you read the numerous reports, I believe bell has one out now that can see for 10 miles or some crap. But Ireally don't care to know about cops in the neighboring county. Valentine1's directional bogey thingy is cool but it's another $100. For me it came down to the 8500/RX65 and I flipped a coin. My coworker has the RX and is happy with it.
+1 on the 8500 X50. I have mine mounted (semi-permanently) to the map light. I cut a very small slit in the front of the map light housing, large enough to slip the metal bracket through, then bent it back towards the back of the car - the detector attaches pretty much just as easily as if the bracket were on the suction cups. If you don't care to use the smart cord (i find it useless and will be redoing mine the following way) the wire can be snipped and connected right into one of the map light wires (constant source). that way all the mounting/wiring is right there within the map light. The detector will stay on for 30 min after you shut the car off. It's fairly well hidden and so far (knocking on wood) detects just fine.
The 9500 (GPS enabled) has the same capabilities as the 8500, it just allows you to input false alarm locations so that it doesn't go off every day in the same place. would be nice but wasn't worth the xtra $150.
Valentine, 8500, Bell RX65, all rank pretty much equally if you read the numerous reports, I believe bell has one out now that can see for 10 miles or some crap. But Ireally don't care to know about cops in the neighboring county. Valentine1's directional bogey thingy is cool but it's another $100. For me it came down to the 8500/RX65 and I flipped a coin. My coworker has the RX and is happy with it.
4th Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,612
From: S.Florida
RE: Radar Detector
ORIGINAL: brendend
you can go get a radar built into your car. i dont know how much they are but im sure its expencive.
you can go get a radar built into your car. i dont know how much they are but im sure its expencive.
completely hidden, $273. there is also one for under 200 but i dont think it picks up laser.
1st Gear Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 134
From:
RE: Radar Detector
I have owned and used several over the last twenty years: Escort/Passport, Bel, Cobra, Whistler, Uniden, and Sensoro. In the 1980s, Cobra and Uniden were very good detectors, but now they are bargain models with only average capabilities. Bel detectors are decent nowdays.
As others have said, Passport and Valentine are truly the best if you're willing to spend the money, but please understand a painful lesson I've learned over and over -- no detector, no matter how expensive, is truly and consistently effective against instant-on radar that the state troopers use.
All the brands I've owned would detect police radar just fine under optimal conditions, but mostly a radar detector will justsuddenly go into full alert andinform you that you are about to get a ticket when the trooper or patrolman has just hit you with instant-on from a short distance. Cops are getting worse and worse about waiting until a Mustang is rightin the danger zone andshooting the car with instant-on. Almost nothing you can do about it. A state trooper told me once that if he sees that you have a detector,you get an automatic ticket -- even in states where a detector is legal. I argued with his ethics, but you know how it is to argue or reason with cops. He said a radar detector shows "criminal intent."
After several run-ins with troopers, I've learned not to be fooled into a false sense of security from a detector, no matter how expensive it is. Even the most expensive models that claim to detect "micro pulses" of police instant-on radar really don't live up to the claim in my experience. It's all mainly marketing.
As others have said, Passport and Valentine are truly the best if you're willing to spend the money, but please understand a painful lesson I've learned over and over -- no detector, no matter how expensive, is truly and consistently effective against instant-on radar that the state troopers use.
All the brands I've owned would detect police radar just fine under optimal conditions, but mostly a radar detector will justsuddenly go into full alert andinform you that you are about to get a ticket when the trooper or patrolman has just hit you with instant-on from a short distance. Cops are getting worse and worse about waiting until a Mustang is rightin the danger zone andshooting the car with instant-on. Almost nothing you can do about it. A state trooper told me once that if he sees that you have a detector,you get an automatic ticket -- even in states where a detector is legal. I argued with his ethics, but you know how it is to argue or reason with cops. He said a radar detector shows "criminal intent."
After several run-ins with troopers, I've learned not to be fooled into a false sense of security from a detector, no matter how expensive it is. Even the most expensive models that claim to detect "micro pulses" of police instant-on radar really don't live up to the claim in my experience. It's all mainly marketing.