Radar Detectors !

[BeRad]

I'm not really up on the best radar dectectors, any suggestions?
I'm gonna need one! Brad

[jmichna]

Checkout Escort detectors... I've used them exclusively since the original Escort model, way before they split off from Cincinnati Microwave.

Got myself the Passport 8500 X50 with blue LEDs (to match my Pacific Blue RL )... gave my niece my Passport 7500 for Christmas.

The Passports and the Valentines are generally recognized as the very top end of detectors... consistently produce best results in magazine reviews. The Escort models run about $100 less than the Valentines.

[BeRad]

Are there any retail stores that sell them? I'm not a patient man! Brad

[jmichna]

Originally Posted by BeRad

Are there any retail stores that sell them? I'm not a patient man! Brad

Not sure... I've always ordered from Escort... they're quick with shipping... you can call in an order and ask for a RUSH.

[IeatRice]

Did alot of research before I bought mine. Go to radarbusters.com. They review pretty much all of them and have forums. I'm sure if you have any questions they can answer them. I purchased a BelRX65, which is pretty much the exact same as the Escort 8500, only with a few extras. Just make sure you dont get some crappy, bottom of the line model that doesnt work. Oh, and stay away from Rocky Mountain Radar detectors.

[ftbraggsrt4]

I have an escort 8500 and it is by far the best thing ive bought for my car. It has saved my butt plenty of times. I need to upgrade to the x50 soon.

[Blu_Redline]

Buy a Bell Labs or a Uniden, Escorts are way overpriced for what they are. I always ran a Uniden and never got a ticket by radar, and that baby warned me many times. The last one was a good one, all 3 bands, VG alert, stealth, audio warnings, and .... laser. The last part is the thing that sucks. If your looking for radar detectors to ward off speeding tickets issued by radar guns, that is money well spent. On the other hand, if your looking for a Radar/Laser detector to prevent laser issued tickets, keep the money and put it into your "pay the ticket fund".

My last 4 tickets were laser pops. Detector never went off. It has gone off in a situation where I was not the intended target and infront of the glass window of my favorite convenient store. (laser scanner right in front of the window) My B-I-L, the ex-cop, says that the size of the dot at the preferred range (600-800 feet) is small enough to just hit their target and not get up into the windshield area at all. License plates are #1 target followed by right headlight. If no plate and headlights are covered, fog light will work, too. He says 90% of all cars are shootable & you don't have a chance against a "laser marksman".

[Jerm]

I have a Whistler that I bought from Best Buy. I hade the top of the line Escort but, when I rolled my car down a revien (sp) it got smashed.

Look at the winshield

http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/sho...cat/500/page/1

Here is a pic of my 01 SC2 that the radar detector was in.

The Whistler that I bought was $50 or something like that and it has laser and all the bands. It works just as good if not better than the Escort.

[jmichna]

Originally Posted by Jerm

...The Whistler that I bought was $50 or something like that and it has laser and all the bands. It works just as good if not better than the Escort.

Whatever... I suppose every brand has a fanboy...
BeRad,
You said earlier you want the best. Read the independent reviews before you buy... then decide on what seems best for what you want to spend.

[TXRLU]

I had a Valentine One a few years back, and I found the arrows to be quite useful. The way the Arrows work is if you get a radar signal, it tells you in what direction the signal is coming from, perfect especially against Instant-On radar. I have had many encounters where I'd get a sound and the "back" arrow would flash for atleast a mile. Sure enough it was a motorcycle cop hauling ass behind me. If I had disregarded the long beeping (as I probably would have with any other detector thinking it was just a false alarm) I probably would've began to speed up and not been aware that there was a motorcycle cop behind me. The one problem with the Valentine One is that it is rather pricey. But if you want the top of the line I would look into this particular unit. www.valentineone.com