tomk99r11 Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Not intending to start any "the V-1 is the best" thread. What is the best (Cheapest) source for radar detectors? TIA! Link to comment
smiller Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 I don't think 'best' and 'cheapest' really go together when you're talking about radar detectors. I'd tell you what the best long-term value is but you already said that you don't want to hear it. Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Ummm, what Seth said. Take whatever detector you decided to buy and add that to the price of the V1 you should have gotten to start with. That is what you eventually pay for your V1. They are only available direct from Valentine and worth every penny. Link to comment
chrisolson Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 What is the best (Cheapest) source for radar detectors? TIA! Since specials may come and go, it only takes a few minutes to google up any of the top detectors by name and compare prices of almost all online retailers...of course that assumes you know what you want ... Link to comment
Jake Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 It was around 1983, me in my VW Scirocco trying to keep up with a whale tail 911 on my way to college. Bend in the road, I go on the outside an hit the gas, and the Porsche drops waaaay behind me like he's going in reverse. Was the VeeDub that fast? Nope. My Super Snooper was THAT ineffective. His radar detector detected the FHP Trooper waiting around the bend, and the FHP Trooper detected me just in time to have a little discussion. It was a $100 lesson in how not to save cash, ultimately. Life's too short to buy cheap radar detectors. They're worth their weight in dash plastic. Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 24, 2006 Author Share Posted July 24, 2006 Gheez. You guys are consistent at least, or most! Link to comment
Jake Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 You're family, and we care. Sorry for piling on! (we actually don't know the answer to your question, but are just trying to look good in our collective ignorance ) Link to comment
smiller Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 You guys are consistent at leastPerhaps because our experiences with these products are consistent? Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 I appreciate the collective wisdom of "our" group. There are many many among us though who do not have the V-1 and get good performance/protection from their detectors. I am not particularly interested in the cheapest, mis-stated that earlier, since if I buy, I will buy whatever I want and not based solely on cheap! So, maybe others with +/- experience with other brands/models will chime in here. Link to comment
David Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 So, maybe others with +/- experience with other brands/models will chime in here. That would be me, then. Forgetting the price point for a minute, how about performance? I've put a 8500 and a V-1 next to each other on a windshield for more than 1,000 miles. The V-1 was better in exactly the same environment. Did the same with an X50 recently, and I sent it back. Anything else you want to know? It's not as if the other detectors don't work. They work well. Just not as well. If saving $150 bucks or so is a good trade off in exchange for nearly as good performance, go for it. It's not a bad choice. But it won't changet the slight dip in performance, either. Maybe that's not an issue or maybe it is. Link to comment
Gregori Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I wasted plenty of money (on citations and detectors) with the 'other brands' before getting the V1, and was sold on the superiority of it long before I stumbled in here. To answer your question: In the long run, the V1 (even at retail) IS the cheapest radar detector. And when it becomes outdated, you can upgrade it at a small portion of the original cost. (As opposed to the 'other brands' where you have to buy a whole new unit if you want their latest revision.) Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Ummmmmm, what everybody else said! Link to comment
bakerzdosen Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 <---- Extremely happy V-1 owner since approx 1996 - long before I started riding. Link to comment
ben1364 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 You should be able to pick up a device for $69.95 that purports to be a radar detector if that is what you are looking for. If however, you are in the mrket for radar protection the point of entry is Valentine Research, for now at least. At some point, someone may develop a better device and mass market it for less. I hope so! Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 Glad this didn't turn into a V-1 is best thread! Link to comment
crashtap Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I have a stinking suspicion that V1 owners also are HD enthusiasts. By the way, I've been very happy with my Escort. Link to comment
Aluminum_Butt Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Well, I'll have to add a +1 to the "you should buy a V-1". HOWEVER, in an attempt to answer the original question... If you are interested in an Escort, they seem to have a pretty aggressive "minimum advertised price" policy. When I was looking for an 8500, I couldn't find them anywhere for less than MAP, which was $299 for the red LED unit, IIRC. The only place I saw them for less was Ebay, where bidding frequently took them to $250 or $275, and shipping put them nearly back up to MAP. I'll have to tell you, though, I'm happy I got the V-1. The directional indicator alone is worth the extra $100 over the Escort. Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 THANK YOU! You offered the previous opinions, BUT addressed the original question. And, NO LECTURE! Link to comment
smiller Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 THANK YOU! You offered the previous opinions, BUT addressed the original question. And, NO LECTURE! We'll all try to do better by you next time. Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 Responses were fine and as I penned earlier, I appreciate the perspectives. Just struck me as comical the way the replies went vs the OP. Link to comment
Mike05 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Check out "Radar Roy"; I don't know about prices but this site has a lot of tests/comparisons/general info. regarding a whole host of different makes of radar detectors. Probably worth a look-see, if for no other reason then it'll confirm a lot about what has been posted here. Mike05 Link to comment
David Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Check out "Radar Roy"; I don't know about prices but this site has a lot of tests/comparisons/general info. regarding a whole host of different makes of radar detectors. Probably worth a look-see, if for no other reason then it'll confirm a lot about what has been posted here. Mike, just so you know, that site has the rap of not being objective. Apparently there's a personal agenda. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Check out "Radar Roy"; I don't know about prices but this site has a lot of tests/comparisons/general info. regarding a whole host of different makes of radar detectors. Probably worth a look-see, if for no other reason then it'll confirm a lot about what has been posted here. Mike, just so you know, that site has the rap of not being objective. Apparently there's a personal agenda. That's putting it kindly! He looks like he's on the Escort payroll--maybe they could make more of the fact that he's a retired cop as well as the rest of his "qualifications" . . . then again maybe not! Also interesting was the "Discussion Board' for radar users that is set up by the same people. They actually have a V-1 forum, though I haven't looked through it yet. What I found escpecially interesting was the first rule in the User's Agreement: Just a few simple rules: Rule #1: Absolutely NO discussion or references about K40 Electronics! This includes all of their products, such as the Calibre, Undetectable, RD650, RD850, laser Difuser, their CB antennas or accessories, or any other prioducts they might sell. NO EXCEPTIONS! Violators of this rule will have their posts deleted and WILL BE PERMANENTLY BANNED FROM THE FORUM! If rule #1 fails to appear for any reason, please contact Radar Roy immediately! This rule is what it is. It is NOT to be discussed or asked about in any way. That last part is interesting as the text for rule #1 is a graphic--not text. Perhaps so that it cannot be copied or found by 'bots. I wonder what the heck got them so worked up about K40?? Also a very interesting display of bias is trotting out the old (long since discredited) saw: The Valentine does have the advantage of having dual antennas, allowing its directional arrows identify the direction that the radar is coming from. However, Radar Roy and other reviewers have all agreed, that the filtering on the Valentine 1 is inferior. So much so that in the November 2004 issue of Autoweek magazine's review, they called the Valentine 1 the "Chicken Little of radar detectors". The rest of the article is here. I guess they're still sore at Mike for taking his technological expertise with him when he left. Link to comment
DavidEBSmith Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 As a total hijack, for everybody who says that you'll only pick up laser when you're being clocked because the beam is too narrow: that's not true with the V1. And for those who say that once the laser warning goes off, you're toast: that's also not true with the V1. And for anybody taking I-94 through Milwaukee, watch out for the construction zone, and for the second laser around the bend from the first one, right by the sign where the speed limit drops, behind the "YOUR SPEED IS" sign with the K-band radar on it. Link to comment
bakerzdosen Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Well, to continue on this hijacked thread... My V1 has saved me twice from laser. I have no idea how exactly, but I was going WAY too fast (once in WA, once here in Utah) and it went off, I slowed, then spotted the cop. No tickets. FWIW, I was in traffic both times. I'm not sure just cruising along on an open road would have garnered the same results. Now, to the V1's detriment, I've had probably dosens of false laser alarms over the years too (2-3 a year I guess.) Something about how the light hits the windshield I suppose... OK, back on track: While I obviously agree that it's worth just forking over the money for a V1, I must say that my little brother got a GREAT deal at Radio Shack on a non-escort, non-V1 (beyond that, does it matter? ) detector, and has sworn by it. In probably 6k highway miles driven (no mount on his bike), he's been saved quite a few times. (10?) It's not like cheaper ones don't work at all. Just not as well. Link to comment
David Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Now, to the V1's detriment, I've had probably dosens of false laser alarms over the years too (2-3 a year I guess.) I'll put money on the fact that each time you were following a braking Chevy SUV--I think it's the TrailBlazer POS that sets them off. Link to comment
bwr Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Another thread hijack here ... How do you mount a V1 on a bike? Are they waterproof? Do you need earphones? Link to comment
bakerzdosen Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Now, to the V1's detriment, I've had probably dosens of false laser alarms over the years too (2-3 a year I guess.) I'll put money on the fact that each time you were following a braking Chevy SUV--I think it's the TrailBlazer POS that sets them off. I never thought of that, but I know that it has HAD to be the sun some of the time. I've been the only car on the road in BFE (like Southern Utah or Wyoming) and not seeing any signs of human life at all - except the road - and wondering why in the world a cop would be checking my speed... Next time it happens in the city, I'll pay more attention. Thanks for the heads up. Link to comment
Aluminum_Butt Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 The Official Explanation from Valentine on Laser False Alarms Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 I saw that site and it did not sound particularly impartial. But, I still appreciate the heads up! Link to comment
Mike05 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Rider, Thanks for the heads up re: "Radar Roy" web site. Shoulda figured it out for myself. Mike05 Link to comment
Jerry_75_Guy Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 How do you mount a V1 on a bike? There are lots of options here, but many, myself included, mount them via aftermarket shelves you can install just above the instrument cluster. Are they waterproof? No. There are choices here too; everything from Saranwrap (yep, it works fine), to spendy purpose made boxes. Do you need earphones? Depends; you can listen to it through an intercom setup with the right additional equipment (that's what I do), or there are 'addon' light systems designed to draw your attention to the units display should it sense a radar/laser source. Link to comment
bakerzdosen Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Well, you could always get the Cobra "XRS 9300 11-Band Radar/Laser Detector" at amazon for $55 shipped. ("This one goes to eeeeleeeeven", so it must be good. ) Link to comment
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