Let's discuss Radar Detectors...

So I have finally decided that I need to invest in one... But not just some crappy one thats alerting me that it's too late and I'm fucked already. I want one that is actually gonna save me from getting a ticket. I am looking for one that'll detect this crap like a mile or so ahead of me so that I can get slowed down in time. Also I want one that'll get it from the sides and rear rather than just in front of me... I was looking around and there are so many expensive ones, but I have no clue which ones are of quality and which ones are just expensive for no reason at all...

So let's hear some opinions and thoughts on the topic at hand. :)

I dont know much about them but I just have to say I have never understood them. My dad has one in the camaro, and we will be driving and ill here it go off, and notice he doesnt react. I ask him and he says "No thats not the tone for cops, probably some other radar device." Am I tone deaf or something, because every beep sounds the same lol.

I do know that they have different tones for different bands, whether it be cops, automatic doors at walmart, or an ambulance or something to that nature. I did know there were different tones and I would like to get one like that so I don't have a zillion false alarms. But then again, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Almost got busted speeding in the Cobalt the other night on my way to work...

I have an Escort with 360* protection and I love it. Saved me from many tickets. Some tickets are unavoidable though. If the cop "guns" you (doesn't turn on the radar until you are right in front of him), your radar will go off in a frenzy, but i'll be too late because he'll already have your speed. But in most cases where the cop has it on all the time, they work like a charm.

Valentine makes a really really good one, but it costs an arm and a leg. I used to think Cobra ones were good, but now I think they're just mass-marketed and they aren't really as good as they seem, it's just that so many people have them. If you can find a good Escort in your price range, def. snap that shit up.

I got a cheap one from Fred Meyer way back in the day. Think I paid $40 for it. If I was on a straight away, it would warn me of a cop from like a mile away. If there are hills or curves though it was pretty much useless though. On my cross country trip back to SC I got pulled over in Wyoming doing 90 in a 75, but I was going down a hill and the detector went off at the last possible minute. I got tired of it going off near banks and stores and the cops making me unplug it when going on base, so it stays in my glove compartment all the time. You also have to take into account that if they keep their radar on and go trolling for speeders you will have a warning alot sooner than when the cops hide in corners and point and click as you go by. You have no warning at all then no matter what radar detector you get.

Yeah, my friend had a run in with a cop who turned it on at the last second and busted him even though he had a radar detector. I usually don't speed around town or places where they could get me with an instant on. I am more concerned with my highway traveling where cops will sit in the middle with it on all the time. Or in the country here where all the roads are straight and long... I understand they won't protect me 100% of the time, but it will be nice to have a little more peace of mind when I'm speeding on main highways and such...

VALENTINE ONE!!!!! I can tell you from experience, you will never drive without it. Best recorded distance was 2.1 miles detecting the Ka band.

I have a Cobra and it has saved me on numerous occasions. The only thing is that you cant get the cheap ones. I think I spent like 140 on mine and it has saved me from at least 6 tickets. It really pays for itself the first ticket it saves you from. My friend has and Escort and those seem to be the way to go if you want the best on the market.

As far as what bands you need to look for. I know here in California they only use K band and Ka band.

I was talkin to my one friend and he said Beltronics is the way to go...

So now I have heard a little bit of each from everybody... Hmmm... I donno if I'm more confused than I was before or what. lol

IMO COBRA SUCKS!!!! Goes off at random times on back cow ass country roads for no reason! Buddy has an escort..not sure what model but i would def get the one he has...

If you want the best, get a Valentine 1. Personally, I got a Cobra. I dont care if I cant detect shit 2.1 miles away, all I need to know is if there is cops in the vicinity in the event I am about to race or I am driving too fast on the highway at night. They sure are nice though.

Ok so I rock with radar detectors... I've had a bunch, installed a bunch, driven with a bunch. It all comes down to you get what you paid for.

X Band is pretty much useless now. Only little small hick towns use it (not a one around here), however this is the one that goes off the most. Wal-Greens, CVS... pretty much any store with the theft devices at the door will make it go off. While driving through a strip-mall parking lot it'll be constantly going off. A lot of radar detectors have built in X-Band blocking, where unless the signal is massively strong, the X-band alert won't go off. On my current unit, it won't go off until the strength hits 5 (scale of 1-9), and I can also turn off X-band all together. I ignore X altogether unless I'm in a town where I don't know what they use.

Around here and pretty much every place else, K and Ka band is what's used the most. Ka more commonly because of the newer technology.

Radar is a wide-range signal that bounces which is why you can pickup a cop thats a mile away but not in direct view. The signal is "sloppy" and bounces off everything. These can be used in moving vehicles and gets a pretty accurate speed. They do have to be calibrated which is why if you get pulled over with radar and you goto court, you can ask for a calibration record on the gun to see when it was last calibrated. If it hasn't been a long time, you can actually win.

Laser is line-of-sight. Instead of being a wide shot, it's a laser-line to whatever it's pointing at. If you get laser showing up, that means that there's a laser pointing right at the device itself. There's very little spread to it making it almost impossible to catch before hand. If it says laser and you're doing something you shouldn't be, you're screwed. Good thing with laser is that it has to be stationary. The cop literally has to hold it and point it at whatever while the car is NOT moving. If used while moving, the reading because very inaccurate and useless. Won't even be close.

I started off with a Cobra. Was about $80 and was a basic unit from Circuit City. They all come with 360 degree view, laser, X, K and Ka. It was an ok unit. I got pulled over with it because I came down the street speeding. The cop was parked on the side with some cars and they turned it on as I drove back. With that, no matter how much money you spend on one, you're still screwed. I had no way to get out of that one.

I ended up shorting it out (bad wiring FTW) and got a hold of a model that's slipping my mind right now. I think a Bel-975. I'll have to check on this later. MUCH better than the Cobra. Range is phenomenal and picks up everything. Was coming back from dentist one times down kinda busy road thats wide open and was clear. 3 miles it pickup with Ka and started with strength of 2 and was up at 9 about a mile away still. Well worth the money, and have yet to get another ticket with it.

When that one goes, I'm spending the money and getting the radar with the arrows built in that points out where the cop is. It just makes so much sense to get that one so then I'm not guessing when I don't see it.

I like having the radar all visible too because when I get pulled over by a cop that's no using radar, they know that I can fight the ticket because they have no proof (unless they were pacing, which they weren't). I've got mine mounted basically in my eyes right next to the mirror and got it hard wired through so there's no wires showing. Very nicely done I might add. Suction cups held on with mirror glue.

Common sense still has to be used with radars. People feel that because something else is "looking" for the cops that they don't have to... that's wrong. You still have to look especially for those "instant on" instances.

Kinda old pic of mine but it's mounted right in my face. At night you can see the red lights on it if you're behind me so cops know I have it and know if they pegged me or not.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g291/david-b/JULY-04-200732Custom.jpg

I just got done reading an article about 2 hours ago that said you should have them mounted either very close to the dash, or right on the dash because of something to do with bouncing and signals getting all scrambled or something. I'll see if I can find it.

http://www.radarbusters.com/mountdetectorproperlyarticle.cfm

See I kinda oppose to that though. Mounting higher works better for me.
1) Controls are closer to me
2) Don't have to take eyes off road since it's in my face but at the same time
3) Doesn't obstruct my vision

With it being higher up, it's more clear because the hood isn't getting in the way. And mine is mounted right below that tint strip.

Beltronics FTW.

Just as good as Valentine or Escort, at 2/3 the price. I have a shitty Cobra from like 4 years ago that was one of their better models and has been nearly broken for the last year or so. The display took a shit, and now all it does is make noise and dosn't work half the time even doing that. I went searching for the best bang-for-the-buck radar detector and decided on Beltronics by reading reviews from people who owned them and companies that tested radar detectors. A friend of mine bought one of their best models, and loves it. I wish I could spare the money for one.

i have a passport 8500 X-50 and its off the chain! omg, i love that thing! i take it from my eclipse, to my DD, to my girls car, everywhere! it works perfectly! no false alarms, i've had one or to, but the thing is usually quiet, but when their is a cop, it sure as hell lets me know in more then enough time! BEST RADAR by far in my book! wouldnt have anything else (accept for the new passport obviously!) *for sale, $150.00 + shipping* and i'll let you have it so i can get the new one...

As of right now I too am leaning towards the Beltronics after reading up on most of these detectors and comparing features to prices... I wanted to get one before my weekend travels but who knows...

I have a cobra one. It works decent I guess, has saved me a few times. But I have also gotten 2 tickets with it, not sure if it didn't pick the cops up or if I just didn't hear it. I ride with the windows down and the music up pretty load so I if dont see the screen change Im SOL. I only paid like $60 for it. I got a cheap one.

Well, I went to the mall to get something for the girl and I ended up stopping at Circuit City and blowing a wad in there... Bought the Beltronics Vector 940. It is a really nice detector for a nice price. $150 and it even saved my ass tonight. Then again, maybe I wouldn't have been speeding if I didn't have it. Who knows... But anywho, I really like how simple it is to use and would recommend it to anybody else looking for a sensibly priced replacement.

girL? when did you get a girL~!? lol

girL? when did you get a girL~!? lol

His Mom

Blackcrow thats one of the quicker turn arounds I have ever seen. I mean there have only been 21 posts in the last like2 or 3 days and you already have one...ata boy

nothing wrong with calling your mom "your girl":icon16:

His Mom

:lol: You should hear some of the stories he's been tellin me 'bout her........:eek:

Oh STFU guys. lol...

I actually met an awesome girl a few weeks ago and have been seeing her a lot... Problem is, she lives halfway across the state... Oh well, good thing the Cobalt gets awesome gas mileage for those weekend trips. lol...

Ah what men will do for a little somethin somethin lol.

Ah what men will do for a little somethin somethin lol.
I'm not even gettin a little "somethin somethin" from her yet. This is actually a very serious relationship so far and I don't wanna ruin it by rushing things...

I'm not even gettin a little "somethin somethin" from her yet. This is actually a very serious relationship so far and I don't wanna ruin it by rushing things...

I wasn't aware that you had such strong feelings for your sister. :cwm27:


Haha j/k man.

I ended up stopping at Circuit City and blowing a wad in there...
Weird dude. Not gonna lie, I've done it in weird places before but a business? Thats pushing it a bit.
Oh STFU guys. lol...

I actually met an awesome girl a few weeks ago and have been seeing her a lot... Problem is, it's Thor's mom... Oh well, good thing the Cobalt's hood is sturdy, I can put her ass up on there and go to town on it. lol...
There, I fixed that for ya....

GIT R DUN! lol excuse the improper english...

Lmao @ Thor06

There, I fixed that for ya....
:dunno:


If you say so... :icon16:

LOL, Score for three points for Thor. LMFAO

LMAO!! Thor was was great..

I actually met an awesome girl a few weeks ago and have been seeing her a lot... Problem is, it's Thor's mom... Oh well, good thing the Cobalt's hood is sturdy, I can put her ass up on there and go to town on it. lol...

PICS OR BAN!!!!
:useless:


Sorry, I had to. :D

Lol this thread isnt for the faint of heart, or people with weak stomaches lol.

Ah how easily we can move from radar detectors to Thor's mother lol.

Aw shit, looks like I missed this thread... Brian you are a bitch for editing my post by the way. Not even gonna play that game. Good thing atleast a few people saw it though, not joking that took me like 20 minutes to think of that/get the wording right :icon16:.

My radar detector : If im driving down the road and i say hmmm this looks like a great place for a cop to hide... i start lookin. On a side note almost all the cops in denver use laser now so it pointless for me to get a radar detector.

They have laser jammers to. Not sure how well they work.

Laser jammers? Sounds interesting....please explain.

On a side note almost all the cops in denver use laser now so it pointless for me to get a radar detector.
Just get a newer/higher model of detector. The one I got then detects all radar and laser bands that are out there. It was very nice to have on my last 3 days of traveling across the state. Saved me a few times.

Brian you are a bitch for editing my post by the way.
I know I am... :lol:

Aw shit, looks like I missed this thread... Brian you are a bitch for editing my post by the way. Not even gonna play that game. Good thing atleast a few people saw it though, not joking that took me like 20 minutes to think of that/get the wording right :icon16:.

I seen it man....it was funny.

I've been looking into radar detectors too and as I've been searching I really like the Escort one's. I really think the solo s2, I think it is, would be the best one because it's cordless and runs on batteries so it would be a super easy install. This video helped me come to this conclusion as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atiW1pVAeDQ

I have an Escort and it saved my ass today from an 89 in a 75 ticket, I love my detector.

I really think the solo s2, I think it is, would be the best one because it's cordless and runs on batteries so it would be a super easy install.

What kind of radar detectors are you looking at that there is installation? You just plug them in and mount on your windshield. The only difference with one that runs on batteries is that you don't plug it in...:screwy:

I have mine hardwired in, that way I don't have the powercord danging across my dash. Much cleaner.

I have mine hardwired in, that way I don't have the powercord danging across my dash. Much cleaner.
Same as I did too.

Mines hardwired also. I found the model today too. Its a Beltronics Vector 985. Great unit. I love it.