Didn't know where to post this but anyway , been wanting to buy a radar detector, problem is don't know if they really work
Do any of you have one ? Do they work? What's a good brand to get ? I know there are dozens out there for low and high prices

 

Most feel you need to spend about $350 for a Valentine (or was that $500 - wasn't interested enough to make worth remembering) - I like my little cobra model @ 35 bucks. Leaves plenty left over for a ticket from LIDAR (laser) should that happen.

Click $4.00 mirror mount in my signature.. Or get the Valentine and spend another 55 bucks for the mount on it to do the same thing.

 

I was about to ask the same question... I was thinking of spending the cash for a remote mount one - so the head unit could go under the dash and not be seen and the antenna/detector could go in the grill.

(If you get caught speeding and the officer KNOWS you have a detector, I think it makes it harder to "charm" your way out of a ticket. I get stopped about once every 6 months. Haven't had a ticket since..... oh, about 2004 or so.)

I'll wait for a few more members to chime in.

 

That charm thing might be a topic for you to do a posting on. What are you doing?? The John Baynor thing or what, inquiring minds want to know. Thanks, Woody

 

I went with the Beltronics RX-65. It was a little less expensive and it has been very good to me in reminding me I may be going too fast when driving my Xfire. While there is no system out there that is fool-proof, the RX-65 has given me plenty of notice when radar waves are on. It has also been very good at letting me know when instant radar is sent in my direction. At least 2 times, I was already pulled over before the officer got turned around. I don't see how a more expensive unit would have performed any better.

 

Escort 8500 X-50. Very happy with it.

$150 refurbished:

Escort PASSPORT 8500 Radar Detector w/Factory Warranty* on eBay!

Has anyone heard about this:

ESCORT Live - Escort Inc.

I thought this was very cool...

 

Woody,

I'll answer more later, but the above is part of the "charm" I spoke of.
Again, I'll post more later...

 

Check out radardetector.net.... enthusiasts and you'll find out all you need! There are a few main choices

For windshield mounts the best are considered:

Valentine 1, Escort Redline, and Escort 9500ix. (V1 is great detector, Redline is awesome - pure performance, and the 9500ix is a great detector with GPS and a few slight drawbacks but is more quieter)

They do work, but ONLY for Radar. Laser is a whole nother ballpark and you will need a laser Jammer if your state does not ban them (they don't in Michigan!)

Do plenty of research! If you are going to get a radar detector get a good one, (do NOT get a Cobra), and get a laser jammer. Laser has little/NO scatter and if your detector detects "laser", you were the target and the police has ALREADY gotten your speed.

 

If your out to play johnny racer on the streets full time.. sure spend the money for a high dollar version.. maybe it will save you a ticket.. "Don't get a Cobra"... I can verify with my.. oh.. wait.. zero tickets. I pretty much look at mine as telling me when not to play.. and it has spotted patrols way before I ever did even when it's going off and I'm looking for them. Empty your bank account for one and hope you don't get a matching ticket. Between air patrol.. laser.. and the whatever they call it.. point a to point b timing lights.. it's a crap shoot anyways. Your only as safe as your common sense allows anyways.

 

better find some wood to knock on

 

LOL.. you can borrow my house (log home).. Haven't had a ticket sense 1 week before they upped the speed limits.. 1995. Like I say.. my radar detector is primarily to tell me when not to get frisky.. and when running late for work or whatever it has warned me with plenty of time when to back her down those 5-7 miles over..

 

I have the Escort 9500ix (and the Escort X-50 in other cars) and they work great.
I do have to say I frequently pick up laser signals from cars being scanned ahead of me.
So yes you can pick up laser before it is too late. Nice thing about laser it the user must be parked and in clear sight. Remember a detector does not give you a free pass.
BTW Escort has a nice remote control cord available the allows mounting in a easy to see spot and a mute button so you are not reaching up to silence an alarm. The GPS feature is also very handy to shutdown regular signals from doors or whatever.
I have detected signals from approximately 5 miles away on the Escorts, so range is among the best.
Valentines also work well but just look like they fell out of the '70s. IMO.

 

I'm not bragging! I know the next ticket is coming....

Every time I've been stopped I was doing between 5 and 15 over.

Had I ever been caught doing more than 20 over - I'd have, at least, a ticket to talk about.
Maybe more.

 

So what's the difference between radar and laser jammers, I've already done the research and neither of those are illegal here , I occasionally go out at night to have a little spirited driving fun on the highway and i just want something to let me know when I should let of the throttle a little bit ,my brother had a cobra in his g35 coupe and got pulled over doing 98 in a 55 , 200$ fine and 3pts. On his license(I think), was his first offense so he got lucky they didn't take his car, but the point is he told me the cobra didn't even work , so Im skeptical about that specific model

 

Cobra makes a variety of electronic products, every WalMart has them in stock.

Yea, WalMart - where the only thing about the product that matters to the customer is a low price.

Don't waste your time with something that says COBRA on it. I know little about Radar Detectors - but I know all about "Cobra".

 

Radar and Laser are just two different systems used to verify a car's speed, thats obvious. A radar detector does what the title entails, it detects a police car that has its radar detector on. A laser is usually used by state troopers, atleast in Jersey. You can't track laser through a radar detector, so you wont have a heads up that your speed is being tracked and that an officer is hiding up ahead, it does no good for you. But what a laser jammer does is it, prevents the officer from getting a fixed reading on your car's speed. However, from what I've heard, is that if a cop points the laser at your car and see's he cant get a reading, he knows you are using a jammer, and will pursue you anyway and give you a ticket for that. Unless you can legally use jammers in your state

 

Don't play at night ever.

Play in the morning on the weekend so you have daylight to let you see further down the street.

 

I've had my Escort 9500 for over two years since I got a bogus ticket in North Carolina and has saved me a few times. I usually don't go much over 7MPH over the speed limit on the highway, but it is nice to have that warning when you can get it. The 9500 has a GPS built into it that also warns you of known speed traps and stop light cameras.

 

My advice would be to use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. By the time the laser/radar or whatever tags you, it's too late.

 

I have had my Valentine one for about 9 years. It saved me many times. It works great.