I know there are plenty of places on line to read radar reviews.
I know us crossfire owners are pretty finicky about our cars so I am seeking some advise.
I want a radar detector that is hard wired.
I would like one that does not have to hang in the window, remote sensors would be good.
Anyone have any ideas? Or recommendation?
Oh and the display can't be to ugly and ruin the look of my interior.
Am I dreaming or does it exist?
Thanks.

 

I want one of those too.

 

This is what I keep coming back to.
http://www.beltronicspro.com/rx75.html
It is a bit pricey though...
I found one on ebay.
Who else makes a similar product?

Here is a cool site...
http://www.radarbusters.com/default.asp

 

Honestly on dash or in dash...valentine1 is the best there is just nothing that comes close... Once you live with arrows you will never go back to being without em... i seen people custom install it under their rear view mirror... if you are willing to do that... that is the best solution.

These detectors go for $400 on the valentine1.com
Trust me... don't settle for anything less....

Its better to have a useful product that doesn't look good than a useless product that looks nice inside the dash.

But if you are hellbent on getting something that looks good beltronics would be the right choice, even though they are less effective and do not come with arrows they are still rather reliable, but other than that all other radar detectors... that are sold for low prices are completly useless...

 

Is the valentine 1 really that much better than today's remote units?
I have read the internet hype but is it still true?
I figured the others would have caught up by now, the valentine one has been out since the early 90's
I know it has been updated often.
The arrows are cool.

 

I honestly don't know for a fact, but I do know a lot of mechanics and have many friends that use them... all of them go with the V1... I personally used mine for 3 years now and it has worked for me countless times... and about the arrows it might not seam like much, but it is something you are going to notice overtime. The valentine1 also has 2 radar sensors mounted to it, while all others just have one.

For me the V1 is a tried and true product, I don't think cheaper companies can offer a more...refined product... I mean sure it is not bad until proven bad, but why bother being the one to test. When you can purchase a product which is well known to work.

Either way you will likely end up saving money by avoiding tickets and insurance cost increases..

One thing to note as well... These work best for Highway driving as few cops use bands to give tickets in city driving... they just catch by eye and give a ticket for reckless driving not speeding.

 

I have an Escort and it works great.

I installed mine permanently - described here...

 

Check out the K40 with laser diffuser! www.k40.com

- If you get a ticket using a k40 caliibre, k40 will pay the ticket for up to one year!
- If you get the laser diffuser and get a ticket, k40 will pay the ticket for up to two years!

Valentine is an ok unit but it is a unit bought online only and there is no aftermarket dealers. Strictly online service.

Escort is also a good company for radar detectors.

Regards.

 

With the K40, is there any legality issues? I'm in MIchigan (maybe i'm blind?) and I couldn't find any information on their site.

 

Nox1s,

I just spoke to K40 (JayJay) and he checked information for your state "MI" and there are NO Legal issues. The only states I know of from first hand experience are VA & Washington DC.

I also spoke to them about adding to there website state by state legality links. They thought that was a great idea.

Good luck, FYI we sell and have had tremendous luck with these units.

Regards.

 

I was told be a friend from Massachusetts that detectors are not illegal, but if you get stopped for something else you can be fined for having the detector. I'm not sure if it's true, or how it would work if it is...

 

Keep this in mind before spending a big wad on a detector system.

In California (not sure about other states) they are not required to show you a radar detector readout to give you a ticket. They are not required to use radar to prove you were speeding. All they have to do is use their observation of you versus other traffic flowing nearby or pace you themselves.

Radar detectors will only help you if you are coming up on a radar 'trap' and can get some of the 'scatter' from previous traffic passing. If it's just you... forget it. Modern radar guns can lock and tag you before your detector even burps. This also applies for modern laser guns too.

I'm not denying the functionality of any detector, but it's also up to the local/state jurisdiction as to whether they are 'required' to give you a speeding ticket. Please, no flaming.

(NOTE: This information was gathered from various officers and several judges around the San Francisco bay area. Your mileage may vary).

 

No disagreement with what you said. The one time I got pulled over the state trooper was behind me and clocked me going 65 in a 25 zone. No radar needed (He let me go with a verbal warning). However, I have to say that my Escort has saved me numerous times from getting caught by radar traps.

 

A few years back Car & Driver did a test of radar detectors, I can't remember what came out on top but I think is was Escort. If you could find that old test it might help you out.

 

The test is: here. It's a few years old but still pretty relevant.

 

The V1 and the Escort 8500X50 are just as good as one another. The V1 is larger, and it gives you a direction, but why pay $100 more for a detector that has the same performance and is bulkier? the 8500 can also be connected to the Escort Laser shifter to diffuse laser and displays on the radar detector. I have the 8500 and since I got it with the laser shifter, I have not gotten 1 ticket for speeding, and i speed EVERYWHERE. Go for the 8500. As for the K40, terrible. Do not buy a K40. as for a hide-away, the escort SR7 is the way to go. Beltronics and Escort are now the same company, so they have many similar products.

 

I've been using the Escort 8500 for 2 years now. I velcro taped it to the fuel cell hump and put it in dark mode. I purchased a telephone extension cord from Radio Shack and routed it down under the passenger seat and I plug it into the lighter.
I really don't care what band I'm being hit with, or what direction it's coming from, or what the signal strength is, or how cool my passenger thinks I am because I have one model or another, or blue LEDs or red, or whatever. I use one because I have a tendency to speed (especially in this little CF), and it HELPs me avoid tickets (when the radar silver bullet is available, I'll buy it!). I guess I'm more interested in the performance and less interested in the hype factor these days.

I'm not going to buy a lazar jammer because even though it's legal in my state today, I'm sure it won't be forever.

As pointed out already, the lazar detector can only inform us when our speed has been detected and, I suspect, measured. I have been chatting with a gal I work with who is about to enter the state patrol academy, and she has informed me that:

When in sight an officer will attempt a detection AFTER they have already decided that a car is speeding. If they can't get a good reading, they just give the ticket for what they estimate the car was doing. So, since lazar is by sight, the car has already been spotted and a speed has been determined and a ticket or not is not related.
Radar, as pointed out above, is scattered everywhere and if an officer is shooting traffic in front of or behind us, we can SLOW DOWN before a visual can be obtained. That, as far as I know, is the only possible response to radar detector warnings.

The officer often sits in the car facing the same direction as the traffic, and shoots the lazar gun at the traffic in the side view mirror. I seems weird but the limited experience I have with lasers it is perfectly valid. Even the sighting method used with the lazar gun would seem easier because the officer is sitting down and could lean up against the inside of the door to steady the gun.
According to this gal, the officers frequently POP the pack of cars, then wait for them to pass by (while still in their hiding spot). Then they come out behind the pack and watch the pack to see which car in the pack is moving the fastest, and bring down that car. Even though they weren't able to measure the speed of any one car, they know the speed of the pack, and now they know which car is the fastest car in the pack!

I can just hear the forum lawyers now. But remember boys and girls, the officer can only ACCUSE us of doing something we're not supposed to be doing. It's the judges that decide if we're going to be punished or not (based on what the officer says to the judge).