car radar detectors

[cheekybobcat]

After rounding up about $650 from a spare change, well tub now, I decided to spend it on a good radar detector for my car. However, I have zero experience with radar detector use so I have no idea which to buy. I was looking on Radar Busters (http://www.radarbusters.com/) which seems to have every radar detector in production. Anyway... I wanted some "real" reviews and if anyone has an opinion on which brand/model is best, I'd like to know. I read most of the reviews on the website but if anyone has any suggestions, that would be awesome. Thanks.

[swiftaw]

You should also check to make sure they are legal in your state.

[cheekybobcat]

You should also check to make sure they are legal in your state.

One step ahead of you there :) In NJ, they are legal so we're all good.

[epochblue]

swiftaw is right. Before you buy anything, you should make sure they're legal in your state.

Once you're sure they're legal, I've owned a Valentine One (http://www.valentine1.com/) for years and have been nothing but pleased with it. Covers the spectrum of radar bands (including Laser), can detect radar signals in front and behind you, and has directional arrows to tell you where the signal is coming from. They aren't the cheapest detectors out there, but they're well worth the cost, IMO.

[cheekybobcat]

swiftaw is right. Before you buy anything, you should make sure they're legal in your state.

Once you're sure they're legal, I've owned a Valentine One (http://www.valentine1.com/) for years and have been nothing but pleased with it. Covers the spectrum of radar bands (including Laser), can detect radar signals in front and behind you, and has directional arrows to tell you where the signal is coming from. They aren't the cheapest detectors out there, but they're well worth the cost, IMO.

Looks like we were replying at the same time, epoch :p

Back to business, how much do they run? I didn't see a price on the site. I probably wasn't looking too well...

Edit: I found it, I didn't at first realize it was the homepage :o
$399 seems relatively reasonable to me. I mean, if you do get a speeding ticket, you'll be spending that much, if not more, on the ticket and the proceeding court hearing or other charges.

[epochblue]

Back to business, how much do they run? I didn't see a price on the site. I probably wasn't looking too well...

It's been years since I bought mine, but when I bought mine they were ~$500. Based on your OP, you have enough to cover the cost, that was more for anyone reading the thread that was interested in buying one but didn't already have $650 set aside.

[cheekybobcat]

The Valentine is looking good. I really like how it has the arrows telling you which direction the radar/laser is coming from. Thanks epoch!

[jk111]

I would recommend the Bel Sti Driver.

http://www.beltronics.com

[majordude]

I have and use a Valentine 1. It's saved my arse MANY times! :D

At first I bought an Escort Solo S2 (the battery powered one because I didn't want wires showing) but it gave me too many false warnings on laser. If the sun reflected off of a window a certain way it thought it was a cop with a gun. :mad:

So I returned it within their trial period.

I then bought the Valentine and really, I will never go back to any single radar unit (the V1 has two built in).

No radar detector is perfect. Start with that. It's like an AM radio picking up long distance signals. A lot depends on the machine, the weather, the line-of-sight, bouncing off of other things... and so on. But the beauty of the V1 is that YOU learn what is real or not instead of the detector trying to be perfect. It will tell you if something is ahead of you, on the side of you or behind you. It tells you the band so you can figure out if it is a cop or one of those "You are going too fast!" signs.

And don't believe any of those radar test sites. V1 only sells direct so they can't get a cut by saying how good it is. They can if the sell Escorts and Cobras and whatever.

And even if some of the data isn't tainted with money, look at it logically... lets say that a Cobra can detect Ka band at 1.2 miles and V1 detects it at only 1.0... you still have a quarter of a mile to slow down before you are in the cops sight. So who cares? As long as you have time to slow down that's all that matters.

Get a V1.

[Consultant]

swiftaw is right. Before you buy anything, you should make sure they're legal in your state.

Once you're sure they're legal, I've owned a Valentine One (http://www.valentine1.com/) for years and have been nothing but pleased with it. Covers the spectrum of radar bands (including Laser), can detect radar signals in front and behind you, and has directional arrows to tell you where the signal is coming from. They aren't the cheapest detectors out there, but they're well worth the cost, IMO.

Valentine One seems to work for my friend with a Porsche.

There are also ones with GPS now, not sure how well those work.

[OutThere]

Edit: I found it, I didn't at first realize it was the homepage :o
$399 seems relatively reasonable to me. I mean, if you do get a speeding ticket, you'll be spending that much, if not more, on the ticket and the proceeding court hearing or other charges.

Valentine 1 will pay your ticket if you get caught while using their detector, as well.

A friend of a friend uses one with his Lotus, got caught and they paid. :D

[gregdrummeraz]

What are radar detectors for? Cop warning or something?

[Fearless Leader]

What are radar detectors for? Cop warning or something?

if I understand correctly they pickup stray signals from the toys the cops get to use and then let you know about them, before they get directed at you.

[ntrigue]

ValentineOne. End of discussion. This coming from the land of the CHP.

http://www.valentine1.com/

[cheekybobcat]

Considering the cost of a speeding ticket being around $200-$400, $399 for something that will help prevent one of those little tickets seems plenty reasonable. Plus, the idea that Valentine will pay for tickets given after the purchase of the Valentine is amazing! Plus, I can use the extra $250 to put towards a GPS :)

Thanks for all the help everyone. If anyone else has suggestions or "reviews", they would be greatly appreciated.

I'm almost positive that I am going to get the Valentine though.


Oh... and Fearless Leader was right. Radar detectors pick up a signal around your vehicle. Normally, when other vehicles near you are being targeted, your detector will go off. However, unless a radar detector has a jammer also, if you are targeted by a radar gun, you are more than likely caught.

[Sideonecincy]

I've got an Escort 8500 and it catches the cops who are running radar typically before I can even see them. Of course if they hit you with laser your screwed no matter what your running. The new Escort radar detectors are going to tell you about red light cameras.

I would consider putting a jammer in my car, but the only problem is that if you get pulled over with a jammer, then your going to be in some trouble.

[dilailamams]

that's an illegal.

[Sideonecincy]

that's an illegal.

Whats illegal, radar detectors? They are illegal in some states not all.
Jammers, I believe are illegal everywhere though.

[iJon]

Valentine V1 is the only radar you should look at. Enough said!

jon

[bobr1952]

Valentine V1 is the only radar you should look at. Enough said!

jon

I looked long and hard before I bought--and the V1 was the only serious contender in the end.

[cheekybobcat]

To my knowledge, radar jammers are legal in some states such as detectors. They sell them at the Target near me :p

[majordude]

To my knowledge, radar jammers are legal in some states such as detectors. They sell them at the Target near me :p

Actually, I think jammers are are only illegal in Nebraska, Minnesota, Utah, California, Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois and Washington DC.

But if they are sold in Target my guess is that no one cares if you use them. They prolly don't work! :rolleyes:

[OutThere]

Whats illegal, radar detectors? They are illegal in some states not all.

They're illegal in Virginia and DC, and you'll be busted with VG2 radar detector-detectors if you use one there. Otherwise they're only illegal in commercial vehicles and some states have restrictions on certain heavy vehicles using them.

[Rodimus Prime]

it will be worthless if the cop is using the ladar. All it will do is tell you that you have been clocked. Test after test shows that even the all mighty V1 will not react to it reflected off another car. Now it does react when they are clocking your car.

The beam for the ladar is only 4ft wide at 1000ft so it never gets wide enough

Good for radar but worthless for ladar. My radar dector saved me a few times but did nothing when I got hit by a ladar but make a lot of noise and tell me that I have been clocked. Followed by me hiding it and then being handed a ticket for speeding.

As for V1 paying the speeding ticket. Read the fine print. They will ONLY pay it if you where speeding by less than 7% which at 70mph is 5 mph. A speed COPS general will never pull you over at. making it worthless. Plus you have to accept the ticket which means it goes on your record so they never really do much about it.

[Rodimus Prime]

Actually, I think jammers are are only illegal in Nebraska, Minnesota, Utah, California, Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois and Washington DC.

But if they are sold in Target my guess is that no one cares if you use them. They prolly don't work! :rolleyes:

radar jammers are against the law in all states. It breaks FCC laws I believe since are are required to have a licensee to broad cast on those frequencies. So it is not state laws you are breaking it is federal laws.

[wronski]

Valentine One or Beltronics STi. The Valentine has a patent for the arrows and these have nothing to do with radar jammers.

[iJon]

Take it from someone who has family in the police force. When you drive by a officer with a jammer and his radar displays something completely different than what it normally says and if you're speeding expect to get pulled over.

jon

[majordude]

Active jammers are illegal in all states, passive jammers are legal in some.

[Sideonecincy]

Active jammers are illegal in all states, passive jammers are legal in some.
Whats the difference between an active jammer and a passive jammer?

[IJ Reilly]

The cheapest option of all: obey the law.

Oh, sorry. That's such a ridiculous suggestion.

[majordude]

Whats the difference between an active jammer and a passive jammer?

From http://www.radarbusters.com/jammersdontworkarticle.cfm

"Passive jammers are designed on the theory that when an officer shoots your car with either a radar or laser gun, the signal from this radar/laser gun is reflected back to the officers device, with an added FM chirp.

"In contrast, active jammers send out their own radio and/or laser signal that is on the same frequency as the police radar/laser gun."

[Sideonecincy]

From http://www.radarbusters.com/jammersdontworkarticle.cfm

"Passive jammers are designed on the theory that when an officer shoots your car with either a radar or laser gun, the signal from this radar/laser gun is reflected back to the officers device, with an added FM chirp.

"In contrast, active jammers send out their own radio and/or laser signal that is on the same frequency as the police radar/laser gun."

Interesting, I never knew that someone made a Laser jammer. Also wasn't aware that the laws on owning a radar jammer were so strict.

[Rodimus Prime]

Active jammers are illegal in all states, passive jammers are legal in some.

passive jammers are a load of crap and do nothing.

[JNB]

"Passive Jammer" is an oxymoron. If it emits any RF energy whatsoever, it's active, period. An "added FM chirp", my butt.

[majordude]

passive jammers are a load of crap and do nothing.

Pretty much. And the ones that work, the active ones, will end you up jail!

[cheekybobcat]

Wow... 7% above the limit? I might be generalizing a bit but I think dang near everyone goes about 2-5 mph over the limit!
I've gotten a whole heck of a lot more information than I was expecting though! Thanks!!!

And as for a jammer, I wasn't really planning on buying one; just looking for a good detector the help prevent being pulled over on some occasions. I know I am never 100% safe unless I obey the law. I won't lie though, I speed about 10-15 mph over the limit if conditions permit. Meaning no other cars on the hundreds of rural roads that are everywhere around me.

[puckhead193]

i got one from my dealer when buying my car. (lexus) link (http://k40.com/home_main.html) which model i have no idea. its built in. The sensor is on the front of the car on the license plate. Inside is a knob to adjust volume and city/Highway. According to the sales person it stops all forms and defuzes some type of radar so the cop can't get a reading off the radar gun. I normally don't play games with it so when it goes off on the highway i slow down. But i found it just beeps at random times when driving around town so i normally turn it off.

[pseudobrit]

The V1 used to be top dog in the late 90s but I from what I'd gathered they've not updated their technology since.

I don't need a radar detector because there's no point in going much faster than 75, and I can tell you from tens of thousands of long distance miles that cops on the interstate won't bother with you for a 9 mph ticket.

If I had a red car my experiences might be different.

[Sideonecincy]

i got one from my dealer when buying my car. (lexus) link (http://k40.com/home_main.html) which model i have no idea. its built in. The sensor is on the front of the car on the license plate. Inside is a knob to adjust volume and city/Highway. According to the sales person it stops all forms and defuzes some type of radar so the cop can't get a reading off the radar gun. I normally don't play games with it so when it goes off on the highway i slow down. But i found it just beeps at random times when driving around town so i normally turn it off.
Might be from things like security sensors in stores. My radar detectors goes off at random times sometimes, especially when I am near retail or grocery stores. I always assumed it was from security systems in the store.

[pseudobrit]

Might be from things like security sensors in stores. My radar detectors goes off at random times sometimes, especially when I am near retail or grocery stores. I always assumed it was from security systems in the store.

It's the automatic doors.

[OutThere]

Might be from things like security sensors in stores. My radar detectors goes off at random times sometimes, especially when I am near retail or grocery stores. I always assumed it was from security systems in the store.

I think a lot of it comes from the automatic door sensors, actually.

I generally only use the radar detector on the highway anyway, since I know where the cops like to hang out in my area and drive slowly past there. I also ease up on the throttle at the end of the month when they get rabid...I saw 4 people get pulled over in town on the last two days of July. :eek:

[alphaod]

I find the best way is to keep your eyes open and be on the look out. If all hell breaks loose, that police beneficiary card is really useful.

[YS2003]

I also vote for Valentine One. When I was in the States, I had that in my car. It saved me from the state troopers on many occasions. I am in Japan now and I have one of those GPS based unit which alerts me when I get close to camera equipped speed traps. I guess it is a cat-and-mouse game, outsmarting the other.

[ntrigue]

The Valentine1 is extremely capable. On flat unobstructed roads I have received 3 minutes of warning. The radar often bounces off highway signs and is picked up. Many times I have been saved at the last minute before entering a sharp bend; saved nonetheless. Fact is I have NEVER received a ticket in 10 years and I go 80MPH often (20,000 miles/year).

In a particular 200 mile trip I was saved 11 times from a ticket. 6 times the warning was over 2 minutes. 4 times 30 to 60 seconds. 1 time he must have been using pop radar because I could see him 1/2 mile.

[Counterfit]

The V1 used to be top dog in the late 90s but I from what I'd gathered they've not updated their technology since.

Yes they have. (http://www.valentine1.com/upgrades/)

Guys of LIDAR (http://www.guysoflidar.com/) is a great site for any information on RADAR/LIDAR detectors and LIDAR jammers.

[cheekybobcat]

After reading what everyone has said and doing a little of my own research, jammers are obviously illegal. I think I stated earlier that I didn't plan on buying a jammer but just a detector. V1 seems like a great choice from what you guys have said. I really appreciate everything.
I have one more question though. On the V1 site, the detector looks relatively large. To any V1 users, approximately how big is it? I was guessing about 5in.x4in.?

[ntrigue]

After reading what everyone has said and doing a little of my own research, jammers are obviously illegal. I think I stated earlier that I didn't plan on buying a jammer but just a detector. V1 seems like a great choice from what you guys have said. I really appreciate everything.
I have one more question though. On the V1 site, the detector looks relatively large. To any V1 users, approximately how big is it? I was guessing about 5in.x4in.?

It's a Macbook Pro not a Macbook Air. The design hasn't changed is a few decades but it doesn't bother me.

[LumbermanSVO]

Step 1: Get a CB radio
Step 2: Tune the antenna properly
Step 3: Turn to channel 19, (ch17 on I-5)
Step 4: Ask for bear reports every half hour or so
Step 5: Learn the lingo

I might be generalizing a bit but I think dang near everyone goes about 2-5 mph over the limit!

I actually try to never speed. On the highway I do the speed limit or lower if the speed limit is over 65. In cities and towns I ALWAYS do 5 under the limit or slower if I'm looking for an address/street. But then again, I earn a living with

That said, everyone but Prius drivers seem to speed. Prius drivers make us truck drivers looks fast.

[cheekybobcat]

I actually try to never speed. On the highway I do the speed limit or lower if the speed limit is over 65. In cities and towns I ALWAYS do 5 under the limit or slower if I'm looking for an address/street. But then again, I earn a living with .

Like I said, I might be generalizing a bit...
But any word on the size of the V1?

[cheekybobcat]

I actually try to never speed. On the highway I do the speed limit or lower if the speed limit is over 65. In cities and towns I ALWAYS do 5 under the limit or slower if I'm looking for an address/street. But then again, I earn a living with .

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