Radar Detectors

Tell all about your experiences with radar detectors. If it was good, bad.. which are the best?

I have a cobra, it is 10 band with lasar and VG2 invisible. Its good, but it USUSALLY doesn't pick up the police radar until i can see the cop anyway. Are all detectors like this? How can i improve on this? I like that it distinguishes between the different bands of radar so i know which are cops and which aren't. Also, where is the best place to put it on your windshield?

[GT40FIED]

I borrowed one from a friend a while back on a trip home from school...I think it was a Valentine or something like that...I never bothered to read up much on detectors (I have eyes for that) but it's supposed to be pretty damn good. It actually worked pretty well on the highway...saved me from what would've been 2 fairly large tickets with a good amount of advanced warning. In the city, however, there was an occassion where I drove right by a cop and it didn't do a damn thing. Go figure. If I remember correctly there's something you can buy and fit over your liscence plate holder that will totally scramble any radar signals. Also doesn't hurt to drive a black car...it will absorb most laser-based radar and show up as "0 mph". Hehe. Damn the man!

Wasn't long ago I did some research on radar detectors. I got sick of doing under 90 on the highway but couldn't afford a ticket. Valentine One is supposed to be the best, but its like $400. I can't remember what the second place one was. Started with an "E" I think. Anyway, Wabster the reason your detector didn't go off when you drove by cops in town was that they probably didn't have their radar on. Radar detectors don't detect cops, just radar if they have it on. Man, I would kill for a cop detector though.

i wish i had had one last night, i got busted with a 140 dollar ticket

I never wondered why it didn't go off, that was "GT40FIED". I think my detector is basically useless, i should sell it.

[thermal]

Originally posted by Sol's Eye
........Radar detectors don't detect cops, just radar if they have it on. Man, I would kill for a cop detector though....

that is some funny stuff man......

[ebpda9]

most of the cops don't keep the radars on anymore. they just shoot when they have you in sight, and by the time the radar detector goes off it's too late. i have a passport something(not the escort 8500) and it's pretty good. it picks signals even before i enter turns if there is a cop there shooting.

and as for the radar jammer, what gt40fied was walking it's a laser jammer only. it will mess up the laser but not the k/ka and vg2's

[dasica]

I hate those stupid things, by the time they go off it's too late. Even if they leave the rader on and it goes off, most of the time they get you. I only have luck with them when it's busy with lots of cars and he can't pick you off. I was coming home from MI one night, I learn't my lesson I got a $301 fine for speeding and a extra 110 slapped on for having a detector. They're illegal in most places in Canada. What do jammers actually do?

[TeriyakiBroccoli]

scramble the laser signal, and registers your car at a stupid number like 999 or ERR or some stupid shit.

works well though, ... probably more illegal than having a simple detector

i know a guy that has a liscense plate that flips up, so the cops can't get his tag number, before he dissappears in a large pack of cars

[mylittlecivic]

that would be cool! has anyone one seen the transporter? where he can switch his lisecnce plate 3 different times? that would be rad. And ya i agree radar detecters dont really work so well they may save your butt once or twice but you cant depend on them.

Valentine One, once you go valentine nothing is EVER the same again

[GT40FIED]

Originally posted by Sol's Eye
Anyway, Wabster the reason your detector didn't go off when you drove by cops in town was that they probably didn't have their radar on. Radar detectors don't detect cops, just radar if they have it on. Man, I would kill for a cop detector though.

Too true. Most cops have "instant on" guns and cops around here actually have them tied into their speedometers so they can nail you while they're moving too. I guess the problem with guns that were always on, besides being easily detectable was that most cops sit with them in their laps and some actually got a special "private" kind of cancer from prolonged exposure.

Hey 93Honda...this friend with the flip-up plate...would he happen to drive a black Trans Am and be named Michael Knight? Hehe. Seriously though...it's just dumb to run from cops...doesn't anyone ever watch World's Wildest Police Videos?

[thermal]

It doesnt matter anymore man. Cops these days have a "ricer detector". That's all they need to pull you over.......

[dasica]

Originally posted by thermalfi'd16
It doesnt matter anymore man. Cops these days have a "ricer detector". That's all they need to pull you over.......

Haha I'm with you on that one! I got pulled over by a PT Cruiser cop car, b/c of the PD's "illegal street racing team" more like if "your young and driving an import team". They thought the PT cruiser would get the kids respect. Wish they did some research on that.

[pimpinprelude]

my brother had one... it was a cobra or something.. but yea everytime we went past a store with automatic doors it went off.. cuz thay use a laser to sence ppl wanting to go in.. so it was allways going off..

yea, too many false alerts for jus normal everyday driving for me. i have one but only use it now for longer trips where i'll be on the freeways a lot.

[AzCivic]

get a cheap detector... get cheap results.

I have one, but haven't used it in over a year. Reason being that I know where the cops sit, so why not just spend a minute to slow it down a bit in those places. The other is I can't travel fast enough during rush hour to worry about a speeding ticket.

Also, those orange or green mobile signs which they sit on the side of the road have guns on them which will set the detector off even if there is no cop around. More annoying reads.

[thermal]

radar detectors are illegal in Va where I'm at....

Originally posted by AzCivic
get a cheap detector... get cheap results.

best advice EVAR!

[GT40FIED]

Originally posted by pimpinprelude
but yea everytime we went past a store with automatic doors it went off.. cuz thay use a laser to sence ppl wanting to go in.. so it was allways going off..

Those things will actually diable an older radar gun. And by disable I mean overload all of the circuitry and make it useless. Not sure why...but I've been told it works. A lot of old radar detectors will also go off if someone in the area is using a microwave.

dont buy cobras bc they suck at detecting Ka band which most cops use.......i have a bel, they make solid detectors. Valenetine and the Escort Passport are the two best but not everyone can drop $400. Mine was $110 and has saved me thousands in tickets so i cant complain. The best example was when i was dricing back roads at 3am diong about 110 in a 40 and i came around a corner and it flipped out.....i slammed on the brakes and passed a cop about 15 seconds later, more than enough time to slow down.

www.radarreview.com is a solid site with good info

Originally posted by thermalfi'd16
It doesnt matter anymore man. Cops these days have a "ricer detector". That's all they need to pull you over.......

to true.

btw i checked out those valentine1 dectors........holy shit im getting one.

[94_AcCoRd_EX]

Originally posted by HndaTch627
Valentine One, once you go valentine nothing is EVER the same again

Have you personally compared it to the Passport 8500? I'm thinking about getting a new one, my Whistler's not so great anymore and I'm stuck between the V1 and the 8500.

[Duckydos]

If you're going to drop that kind of money on a detector, I would go with the V1. The other forums I am on (all BMW forums) swear up and down by them.

I have a Bel Vector 960. It gives me a lot of false alarms, but I cruise on HIGHWAY so I guess it's my own fault. It's fully programable, I just need to get in there and figure out how to turn off X band. I have had if for 3 months, and it's saved me from 2 tickets already. I have picked up KA bands from over a mile away.

-Ducky

If u guys ever are wanted to buy a radar/laser detector then goto www.radartest.com and see their results fiirst....first of all never get cobra...i think thier shit, bell, valintine, and a couple whisters are awsome...this site tests all the major brands and puts out the results...cobra didn't doo so well so that's why i say not to get them....but if u want something good then be willing to dish out 250+

[GT40FIED]

Is it the Valentine or Escort that will pay your fine (within reason) if you get nailed and you've got one of their detectors?

[VR4_Craver]

Originally posted by GT40FIED
Is it the Valentine or Escort that will pay your fine (within reason) if you get nailed and you've got one of their detectors?

I have heard this to and no it is not true...
My cobra works fine but the auto doors and burglar alarms set of X which mainly counties use anyway. K and KA is what pretty much all others use. ANd laser....welll if laser goes off slam on your brakes because that is a hard one to detect and is almost certainly a cop.
My is good though i got busted the first day i had it because i passed an undercover cop in a camaro on the bypass...got off though because he didnt "clock" me he paced me and then used it to make me look around and see him behind me. Thden another on spring break at 71 in a 55 and the gop made me sit in his car so i thought i was going to jail. Then he said "didnt your radar pick me up clocking?" I said "Yea but i thought it was picking up the marked one not your unmarked car" He said (exact words) "Oh well they are useless any. Who made your radar detecot?" i said "Cobra" he smiled an says" Well *pulling down radar gun* would you look at that?*points to brand name* sure enough they are the same company. YOu see cobra and Valentine make all of our radars. And now we have a radar to use that not a single radar detector on the market can pick up. It is the one that helicopters and planes use. Watch,*clocks a car that passes us using the new one and my detector never made a sound* See?" but that i know of they necver really use those....

Originally posted by 94_AcCoRd_EX
Have you personally compared it to the Passport 8500? I'm thinking about getting a new one, my Whistler's not so great anymore and I'm stuck between the V1 and the 8500.

valentine rocks the passports world, the passports i have seen be twitchy as hell and work great(ask my friend who;s a mobile car guy at best buy, he talked me out of the 8500). the V1 is worth the money, Valentine is the one who will pay for the ticket(i think??) but i would NEVER choose a Passport over a V1, the V1 get;s free software updates and doesn't bleed K band like the Passports.'

jeremy

[94_AcCoRd_EX]

Originally posted by HndaTch627
valentine rocks the passports world, the passports i have seen be twitchy as hell and work great(ask my friend who;s a mobile car guy at best buy, he talked me out of the 8500). the V1 is worth the money, Valentine is the one who will pay for the ticket(i think??) but i would NEVER choose a Passport over a V1, the V1 get;s free software updates and doesn't bleed K band like the Passports.'

jeremy

The Passport also gets free software updates. What do you mean by the passports are twitchy and work great?

I don't like the fact that the V1 is so massive, and I've seen several so-called "independent" tests that rate the 8500 higher. I think the directional arrow is kind of a joke on the V1, and the design is approaching 10 years old now. I'm just not so sure its worth the extra $100 to get it.

no the 8500's have verypoor quality control is what i was trying to say, one will work great and the next will pick up anything and everything. even though the V1 is approaching 10 years old it still out performs the passport IMHO. i had a passport 7500 given to me, replaced it with my V1. yes the size sucks, but i have it pretty much out of view of most people. the directional indicator is nice but not always accurate. the rear facing radar is much more accurate then the passports. also you get the cig lighter cable, the hard wire cables, the visor clip, the window clip and extra suction cups. you get thet $100 just in add ons. get the remote display(which i have) and the unit looks blank and off but works just as well .

i guess it's personal choice, but i just bought my brother his V1(i need to install it). he loves my V1, all my friends have em *shrug*

jeremy

Can I buy the Radar Detectors?