Valentine or Escort Which Is Best?
Racer
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
From: Lodi Ca
Valentine 1
Originally Posted by theVcar
Has anyone any experience with these two radar detectors and what was the experience ie, speed traveling, enough warning. I am not completely condonning speeding, but it is a GREAT FEELING. Thanks
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Northfield NJ
K-40 my friends.
K40 is a much better radar then the V-1. The V-1 is a dashboard mounted unit which is going to have more of a delay then the K-40. The k-40 has 2 sensors, one that goes behind your grill and one that would go behind one of your tail lights. The brain of your K-40 is completely hidden under the dashboard. All you see is 2 led lights that are mounted flush at a location of your choosing. Each light coresponds to either the front or rear of the car.
The K-40 has a new unit that is blue tooth, so wiring is minimal, performance is optimal, its called the calibre. I love it, but I know it's up there in price. For me I just don't like a radar hanging from my dash, rearview mirror, or any cables all over the place. If you get stopped the the police officer knows you have it for a reason. With a K40 no one will know, you dont have to hide it everytime you park or worry about draining your car battery. Check it out, and if you decide to get one make sure you go to the best installer, who has worked on C6's or other performance cars. If you live close to Philadelphia or in Jersey, GOODMAN radio on Lancaster ave, next to the Ferrari Maseratti dealer is fantastic!
The K-40 has a new unit that is blue tooth, so wiring is minimal, performance is optimal, its called the calibre. I love it, but I know it's up there in price. For me I just don't like a radar hanging from my dash, rearview mirror, or any cables all over the place. If you get stopped the the police officer knows you have it for a reason. With a K40 no one will know, you dont have to hide it everytime you park or worry about draining your car battery. Check it out, and if you decide to get one make sure you go to the best installer, who has worked on C6's or other performance cars. If you live close to Philadelphia or in Jersey, GOODMAN radio on Lancaster ave, next to the Ferrari Maseratti dealer is fantastic!
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by 2BBVette
K40 is a much better radar then the V-1. The V-1 is a dashboard mounted unit which is going to have more of a delay then the K-40. The k-40 has 2 sensors, one that goes behind your grill and one that would go behind one of your tail lights. The brain of your K-40 is completely hidden under the dashboard. All you see is 2 led lights that are mounted flush at a location of your choosing. Each light coresponds to either the front or rear of the car.
The K-40 has a new unit that is blue tooth, so wiring is minimal, performance is optimal, its called the calibre. I love it, but I know it's up there in price. For me I just don't like a radar hanging from my dash, rearview mirror, or any cables all over the place. If you get stopped the the police officer knows you have it for a reason. With a K40 no one will know, you dont have to hide it everytime you park or worry about draining your car battery. Check it out, and if you decide to get one make sure you go to the best installer, who has worked on C6's or other performance cars. If you live close to Philadelphia or in Jersey, GOODMAN radio on Lancaster ave, next to the Ferrari Maseratti dealer is fantastic!
The K-40 has a new unit that is blue tooth, so wiring is minimal, performance is optimal, its called the calibre. I love it, but I know it's up there in price. For me I just don't like a radar hanging from my dash, rearview mirror, or any cables all over the place. If you get stopped the the police officer knows you have it for a reason. With a K40 no one will know, you dont have to hide it everytime you park or worry about draining your car battery. Check it out, and if you decide to get one make sure you go to the best installer, who has worked on C6's or other performance cars. If you live close to Philadelphia or in Jersey, GOODMAN radio on Lancaster ave, next to the Ferrari Maseratti dealer is fantastic!
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by NineBall
Honestly, they all work the same. I prefer the smaller size/look of the Passports though.
You can also set the Passport in "expert mode" and it can detect up to 8 simultaneous signals and give strength indicators for each. Not many people know that. It puts each band on the same screen, with up to three signals for each band detectable, with their strengths indicated by the height of each bar.
The directional arrows on the V1 are "okay" but don't really affect me any. When a radar starts beeping, I just slow down anyways. Doesn't matter if they are in front, or behind me. Most of the time the signal only lasts a few seconds and it is gone, especially for speed traps ahead.
You can also set the Passport in "expert mode" and it can detect up to 8 simultaneous signals and give strength indicators for each. Not many people know that. It puts each band on the same screen, with up to three signals for each band detectable, with their strengths indicated by the height of each bar.
The directional arrows on the V1 are "okay" but don't really affect me any. When a radar starts beeping, I just slow down anyways. Doesn't matter if they are in front, or behind me. Most of the time the signal only lasts a few seconds and it is gone, especially for speed traps ahead.
The Valentine One is smaller and lighter than the X50.
Valentine One, 16.20 cu. in.
Escort X50, 18.95 cu. in.
Valentine One -> 181.5g (6.40 ounces)
Escort 8500 X50 -> 253.7g (8.95 ounces)
The X50 can't show you 3 signals for each band detected. It can show you 4 X band signals which is rarely used and 2 K or 2 Ka so 50% of the display is devoted to a band that is hardly used.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,184
Likes: 1
From: CT
I have the V1 and a good friend has the top-of-the-line Escort (8500).
I would take the V1 over that thing any day of the week. NO doubt.
Have had the V1 over 7 years, with 6 different high-performance sports cars and not one ticket.
I would take the V1 over that thing any day of the week. NO doubt.
Have had the V1 over 7 years, with 6 different high-performance sports cars and not one ticket.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Northfield NJ
Originally Posted by Brentvino169
K40 is a POS that is overpriced and it can't jam a single laser gun on the market today. There is no delay in the V1, it will detect further away than the K40 or any other remote radar detector because it is higher up which is better for detection.
and who said ANYTHING about Jamming!?!?!? Laser Diffusion was never mentioned in my post. I didn't say K-40 had the best Diffusers. I only use their radar.
Last edited by 2BBVette; Sep 18, 2006 at 06:59 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
I have seen a few K-40 installed and they do seem to work well. Very expensive and most of the radar tests I have seen don't do as well as the units mounted high on the windshield. Probably not an issue of their units, but of their mounting locations. As for laser jammers, deflectors, call them what you want.................their functioning is under some interesting debate not to mention the legallity. I am sure somebody will atest to the "fact" their laser jammer works 100% of the time, but where is their emperical evidence? Oh yeah, it only costs $39.95. I won't even get into the engineering of such a device. Save your money in my opinion, just remember many local law enforcement agencies are going to Lidar (not laser) which pretty much negates all these detectors anyway (both RF and Laser). Hey but remember, it's your money and your car, spend and drive as you wish!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,840
Likes: 7
From: no. jersey Photo by Stro
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by adale
I have seen a few K-40 installed and they do seem to work well. Very expensive and most of the radar tests I have seen don't do as well as the units mounted high on the windshield. Probably not an issue of their units, but of their mounting locations. As for laser jammers, deflectors, call them what you want.................their functioning is under some interesting debate not to mention the legallity. I am sure somebody will atest to the "fact" their laser jammer works 100% of the time, but where is their emperical evidence? Oh yeah, it only costs $39.95. I won't even get into the engineering of such a device. Save your money in my opinion, just remember many local law enforcement agencies are going to Lidar (not laser) which pretty much negates all these detectors anyway (both RF and Laser). Hey but remember, it's your money and your car, spend and drive as you wish!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,840
Likes: 7
From: no. jersey Photo by Stro
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by adale
I have seen a few K-40 installed and they do seem to work well. Very expensive and most of the radar tests I have seen don't do as well as the units mounted high on the windshield. Probably not an issue of their units, but of their mounting locations. As for laser jammers, deflectors, call them what you want.................their functioning is under some interesting debate not to mention the legallity. I am sure somebody will atest to the "fact" their laser jammer works 100% of the time, but where is their emperical evidence? Oh yeah, it only costs $39.95. I won't even get into the engineering of such a device. Save your money in my opinion, just remember many local law enforcement agencies are going to Lidar (not laser) which pretty much negates all these detectors anyway (both RF and Laser). Hey but remember, it's your money and your car, spend and drive as you wish!
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Most K-40's I have seen mount low like behind the grill or even under the bumper. Effective, but if you mount a detector higher, like on the windshield, up high they will "see" the signal before the lower mounted unit will. Simple line of sight, which is what radar works off of.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: beautiful berkshires
Originally Posted by jcortney
Let me tell you a story.... Now the V-1 tells you how many signals it is receiving and damn if there wasn't a cop with a hand unit standing right behind the trailer.
For me the score is Escort-3, V1-0. Tickets, that is. Got 3 with the the Escort in one year, none with the V1 in the previous 5. Maybe it was just coincidence but 3 strikes and you're out. I gave the Escort away so I wouldn't be tempted to use it, thinking I had help when I didn't. So why did I mess with success? Thought the E would look better in our silver C6, even paid extra for the blue display. Oh well, live and learn...
JP
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Central New Jersey
Car and Driver magazine has done testing on the top dectors. Maybe this link can help.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ctor-test.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ctor-test.html
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Indialantic FL
Originally Posted by J1corvette
Car and Driver magazine has done testing on the top dectors. Maybe this link can help.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ctor-test.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ctor-test.html
Four year old article. The escort can show simultaneously 4 X, 2 K, and 2 Ka presence and signal strength. I slow down when I get an "instant on" of any band. Why would arrows cause you to respond differently?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by dollarhyde
Four year old article. The escort can show simultaneously 4 X, 2 K, and 2 Ka presence and signal strength. I slow down when I get an "instant on" of any band. Why would arrows cause you to respond differently?
BUY A V1 AND THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND!!
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 511
Likes: 6
From: Edmonds WA
Originally Posted by theVcar
Do State Troopers use Lidar or Lasar?
So, I'm wondering if anyone knows what they might be using that my detector is not picking up?