what detector ? k40, 9500ci or 9500xi
 

hey all,

trying to decide what radar detector to get...totally confused....

it is between

the k40 360 remote install
escort 9500ci remote install
escort 9500xi with blendmount and dashtronix for HUD
and of course the v1 with blendmount and dashtronix

i am leaning towards the escorts over the k40 and the v1 due to the fact it has the gps and database functionality..not sure if its good or not but sounds good on paper....

the cost between the 9500xi and the 9500ci is a large amount since i want to use the blinder as the laser shifter...so if i get the CI it has the laser shifter but not the one i ideally would like...

i am thinking the 9500xi on the blendmount will be just as nice as the remote one...it is clean...thoughts??

help me decide this tough decision....

larry

Get the best. The Valentine One has the arrows to tell you where the bogey is and how many in what direction. That's essential. The other radar detectors can only beep and flash lights :lol:

Using the Valentine One along with the DashTronix Radar Projector puts all this information in the Heads Up Display (HUD) so the radar detector itself stays dark and stealth, but still gives the audio alarm. This is a great combination! :thumbs:

http://www.dashtronix.com/images/demo_screen_5.gif

9500ix hands down!!!! I absolutely love mine,especially around town, all your false signals are locked out by the GPS so you don't have to listen to it go off all the time. (drugstores and banks are the worse) Unlike the V1 which sings falses like a humming bird. And on road trips in other Towns and cities your notified where the red light cameras are,you receive weekly data base updates by connecting to your computer via USB. V1 owners are always touting the arrows so you know the direction,I say who cares? When the radar does go off you hit the brakes!!!

Do **not** get the Escort!.....

Yes, it is a great unit (I have one 9500ix) but Escort customer service is non-existent! If you do managed to wake them up and tend to your problem, they are expensive.:crazy:

Just my 2 cents....

9500ix all the way
 

Say goodby to the false alerts....and having the gps for the speed cameras and stop light cameras is awesome. I love mine! If you do a lot of traveling they send you updates frequently so that they can be downloaded. The update usually has the specific state involved.

I have the XI and with the blendmount it looks awesome! Works great too. I hope to test it a bit more this spring/summer with the vette.

I would curious to the person who got the redline how that works. That was a close second.

Personally I think the V1 is old and kind of dated. Not bad but, it needs a nice refresh for sure.

I thought I was the only one that thinks the V1 blows with all the false squawking. After 2.5 years I either didn't pay attention or just shut it off. I sold mine to a neighbor 3 weeks ago.

On a side note...
 

Does the dashtronix silence the detector when it's hooked up like the concealed unit does??In other words,does all the light and noise shift to the HUD UNIT??
I like the V1 for the arrows and if you go on their site you can fine tune the unit to block out completely or partially the x band if it's not used in your area and the K as well.There was a thread with video on this quite a while back so it is possible.No need for X band in most places,which coincidentally is the frequency of most false alarms.Although,I suppose a system that goes BEEP BEEP without indication of where they are or how many there may be is good for something...Who cares about traffic lights with cameras unless your plan is to run every red light you come to.Oh and I remember years ago they did a test on the X40 or similar system and it did not work as advertised.Take that for what it's worth.

I have run K40 radar detectors for many years now and they have saved me countless times. I am currently running the K40 Calibre in my Z06. It has both front and rear sensor mounted up behind the bumper skinds along with laser diffusers. Its controlled by a small wireless remote. The led's are installed in my air vents so its completely stealth. Left center vent is a front hit and right center vent is a rear hit.

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/DSC01466.jpg

My second choice if concealed wasn't a factor would be the Valentine 1 along with the Dashtronix module. I just don't like having anything that could invite a break in visible and the V1 needs to have a clear shot of the road.

:iagree:I was an early adopter of the 9500ix and love it, we take frequent trips from San Antonio to the Dallas Metroplex and now we get very few false alarms and lots of Red Light cameras in the Dallas area and I always know where they are athttp://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...pepperflag.gif

Yea,I remember those days.I don't use mine around town though because I do my best to stay within legal limits.On the highway is where it matters most to me and there aren't many falsies out there.Direction is everything however!I want to know if they are coming up behind me,in front of me or where!!With the beeps if they are miles behind you you could be driving slow all day before they finally get to you!Happened to me a couple of months ago.Got the warning with the arrow pointing backwards (behind me).I slowed down and sure enough a couple of minutes later there he went right by me.What beep beep will tell you that??I say again,who cares what red lights have cameras unless you plan on running every red light you come to!The other may be the latest fad,but really,all I care about is where the cops are and how soon I find out!

The valentine one has arrows. That's it's only claim to fame. I have yet to have a LELO sneak up from behind me. So the threat is in front of you.

I have the 9500ix and love it. After you pass by the same place 3 times it remembers the spot where this false alarm went off, and you don't hear it again. Also the red light camera warning and speed cameras are a real blessing. There is also a mark button to mark an area as a speed trap and then when you do your weekly update your information is updated in the data base and then you download other peoples updated spots as well.

Great detector and the updates do cost money for a yearly but it's reasonable IMHO.

Until there is a cop sitting there one day and you get nabbed.;)

I have an older k40 that was installed before I bought my Vette. It works just fine though I do get a lot of false noise if I don't have the thing set right. I've never gotten a speeding ticket with it. I have no experience with the others so I can't really comment.

:iagree::iagree: Love my Redline...sometimes it still amazes me with its range.:thumbs:

Redline??Something new??Pictures??:)

Yes I should live my life in a paranoid bubble like you seem to be? I keep my speed down around town and don't expect to get a ticket while doing the speed limit. What I was saying is that unlike the V1 the 9500ix will automatically mark these spots as common false alert. V1 won't do that and keep blaring at you no matter how many times you pass the same bank that sets off a detector.

http://www.escortradar.com/store/ESC...-Detector.html:thumbs:

Larry,

I have been a long time radar user in 07 when Escort came out with there 9500ci I bought that to replace my K40 Calibre radar detector no reason other then to get something new. I also have driven with the V1 great for what it is but lets be honest it is a portable ( dashmount radar) with limitations and could never be compaired to a remote installed radar like the K40 or the 9500ci. For a vehicle like yours, I would highly recommend the K40 radar detector they offer the most protection then anythine else out there, the new K40 RL360. I have since replaced my 9500ci with this system went it came out a couple months ago and let me tell you..... The K40 RL360 is the best radar I have driven with to date. before making your decision at least check it out I am extremely happy with it. I decided to go with ther pods instead of the small leds just because I did not want to drills holes anywhere. check this video out I found on there Youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4NTUhzXmSE

regardless of what you decide, at least then you will have some protection right? LOL

Drive Fast
Live Hard
Work Slow

Thanks cclive.Looks like a nice system.