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I am looking for a new radar detector, my local stero shop is recommending the K-40, they say it will out perform most all others and is a little cheeper $279, any Ideas? or recommendations
Car & Driver tests radar detectors every few years. The last time they did so, two or three years ago, they rated the Valentine 1 the best. It was followed by the Escort. All others were so far behind those two front-runners that the editors considered them practically worthless. So bite the bullet and get a Valentine. You won't find one at a discount because the manufacturer is the sole source.
Car & Driver tests radar detectors every few years. The last time they did so, two or three years ago, they rated the Valentine 1 the best. It was followed by the Escort. All others were so far behind those two front-runners that the editors considered them practically worthless. So bite the bullet and get a Valentine. You won't find one at a discount because the manufacturer is the sole source.
Not knocking good detectors, as both are, but I wouldn't rely on a magazine's review of two of their long time advertisers' products.
Get them both. The V1 is supposed to be good for blocking the new laser technology being used now. That is the portable equipment that many popo are using now to catch people. I have a V1 and it did not detect teh last and they got me for 95 in a 65. I dont have the K-40 but that is what I heard so I am thinking about adding it. My local install said they can put it in the grill for me.
From: Life ain't no dress rehearsal, are you gonna wait to get your toys til AFTER you have a heart attack?
Re: V1
From the Radarbusters web site;
"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'."
I am looking for a new radar detector, my local stero shop is recommending the K-40, they say it will out perform most all others and is a little cheeper $279, any Ideas? or recommendations
The 'full' K40 package is normally a lot more $ than you state.
What are they providing (installation, radar front, rear, laser dection/scrambling, etc)?
I have used the K40 in 5 Vettes. I swear by it. In caravans my K40 alerts many, many times before other units.
All magazines, websites (including radar busters) have a financial interest in certain products...that being said I have used the V1 and have been happy with it's detection capabilities. My problem is that my route of flying is the CHP's test ground for their laser program. The V1 as well as others detect laser but only purious line of sight reflections...which is a rare occurance. I know of two friends with V1's who have had at least one ticket from laser with their V1 in operation.
Indy-HP: RIGHT ON. With any other detector you just get a general alarm ...no way of telling whethder the cop is coming toward you (slow down), or coming up behind (usually waaay before he reaches you so you speed up, get in front of a "buffer" car and open the distance), etc...
PappyTinker: "Filtering" means taking out weaker signals ...if one of those is really radar you've got trouble ...remember in the end the boy who cried wolf got eaten. V1 tells you about every hit & I wouldn't have it any other way.
Sensitivity: Don't think I've seen any better since V1 fixed it's lack of "Pop" capability.
But way over anything else is what Indy-HP said....once you've used V1 and had it poiint to the direction of the radar for you, there is nothing in this world that can compete. I've yet to see a detector comparison that put that in the mix. And as for anyone who would buy a detector for $279.00 to save $120.00 over the $399.00 price of a V1 ...have you checked the price of one big ticket lately? Don't check the cops...ask your insurance agent. I've had V1's wired to the ignitions of all my cars for ten years, wouldn't drive without one.
I had the K-40 remote system in my C5 and it wasn't worth a darn!
All of my cars now have V1's in them. I have a beach home in Rocky Point, Mexico, and encounter AZ DPS almost the entire way to the border from Phoenix. My V1's have saved me more than once along this stretch of road! The key is to put one in each vehicle since the one time you will really need it, it will be in your other car!
Something shocking is that the Sonoran State (Mexico) Police now have Ka band radar in their patrol cars. Fortunately they don't seem to understand the "instant-on" feature so my V1 picks them up miles away!
I have a V1 and while it is the best, it also has the most false alarms which can be very annoying. This is exactly what the last Car&Driver write up said too. I am looking into the new passport which is rated as being vertually as good as the V1 but with a lot less false alarms.