What Radar Detector you use?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,888
Likes: 21
From: Olathe, Kansas
Currently I have the Escort 8500 X50. A terrific unit, that has saved my Butt more times then I care to remember. My next purchase will be the Escort 9500ix with built in GPS. Has red light and speed camera locations, plus the GPS remembers false signals so the detector doesn't go off for every store alarm, etc. Another terrific unit is the Valentine 1 with the directional arrows. You really can't go wrong with any of the high end units. 
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
V1
Gold standard
Btw, if you're also interested in a radar detector that also has "good" Laser detection, forget it. NONE of them do. Escort, BEL, Valentine, NONE of them do.
The only effective Laser units is/are Blinder or Escort Laser Shifter. They are separate, dedicated laser-only units. They work. Blinder M47 Xtreme is the gold standard.
HTH
Gold standard
Btw, if you're also interested in a radar detector that also has "good" Laser detection, forget it. NONE of them do. Escort, BEL, Valentine, NONE of them do.
The only effective Laser units is/are Blinder or Escort Laser Shifter. They are separate, dedicated laser-only units. They work. Blinder M47 Xtreme is the gold standard.
HTH
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,683
Likes: 144
From: Memphis Tennessee
I have been a life-long buyer of Passport detectors. Currently I have an 8500 X50 Blue. I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles and as long as you understand how radar works, and how YOU use a detector, you will be just fine.
Rule: Never be the first one in a line of cars. Keep a "runner" in front of you about 3/4 mile. Though you may still fall victim to "instant on" detection, you are WAY better off running a distant 2nd.
Good Luck
Rule: Never be the first one in a line of cars. Keep a "runner" in front of you about 3/4 mile. Though you may still fall victim to "instant on" detection, you are WAY better off running a distant 2nd.
Good Luck
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
I have to somewhat disagree with the v1 being the gold standard. The escort redline has superior detection and its immune to RDDs (radar detector detectors.) The v1 has arrows but the 20 year patten on the arrows expired a few months ago.
Also the 8th generation laser jammer (LI) is by far the best laser jammer. The quad and HP (high power) versions are expensive though
If you wanna talk about radar detectors GOL (guys of lidar), radar roy, and the members of http://www.radardetector.net/forums/ are all extremely knowledgeable.
Personally I'm gonna wait to see if escort does something with the arrows. The V1, redline, 9500 are all great detectors. If I was buying right now I'd get a 9500 with gps. Good luck choosing!
Also the 8th generation laser jammer (LI) is by far the best laser jammer. The quad and HP (high power) versions are expensive though
If you wanna talk about radar detectors GOL (guys of lidar), radar roy, and the members of http://www.radardetector.net/forums/ are all extremely knowledgeable.
Personally I'm gonna wait to see if escort does something with the arrows. The V1, redline, 9500 are all great detectors. If I was buying right now I'd get a 9500 with gps. Good luck choosing!
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
If it hasn't gone off in 3 years how long have you had it? 4, 5 years, more? Radar detectors need to be tuned from time to time by the factory, especially if its that old. You can also have the firmware updated while its there. The V1 is one of the greatest detectors out there so something is definitely up, or out of tune.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 1
From: Sartell Minnesota
i just use my great eyesight. I haven't had a detector since i was 21 when i had my first Camaro. Now at almost 27 i've gone many years without a ticket and no need for a radar detector. I've never used a detector in my Vette. I just usually don't speed much.
Last edited by ColeTrain'sC5; Mar 30, 2011 at 09:23 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
I'm with you on that. I've only been driving 4 years but slowing down over hills and around blind corners usually does the trick. I don't own a detector either and I commute 50 miles a day no problem. I've never gotten a ticket, knock on wood. I just go fast on the straights and slow down in spots I know LEOs like to hang out.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,548
Likes: 900
From: Republic of Texas
Escort 8500 here.
they're ~$150 all over ebay since the new models came out. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them.....kinda like when C5's prices dropped when the C6 came out.
V1, Beltronics and Escort are the top-performing brands out there.
This is a 2009 comprehensive comparison of various brands. Granted it's a little old by tech standards, but the tests are still valid for most states LEO equipment.
they're ~$150 all over ebay since the new models came out. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them.....kinda like when C5's prices dropped when the C6 came out.
V1, Beltronics and Escort are the top-performing brands out there.
This is a 2009 comprehensive comparison of various brands. Granted it's a little old by tech standards, but the tests are still valid for most states LEO equipment.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Killeen, TX
A lot of police departments are now running lidar. So you need to get something that picks that up also. Also lidar is instant on, meaning if the LEO knows what he is doing he is waiting to pull the trigger when he first sees the car. Your lidar/radar detector won't pick anything up unless he has the trigger squeezed. So if you gotta speed its best to do it when other cars are ahead of you somewhat so your detector picks the cop running whatever it is he brung.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,548
Likes: 900
From: Republic of Texas
A lot of police departments are now running lidar. So you need to get something that picks that up also. Also lidar is instant on, meaning if the LEO knows what he is doing he is waiting to pull the trigger when he first sees the car. Your lidar/radar detector won't pick anything up unless he has the trigger squeezed. So if you gotta speed its best to do it when other cars are ahead of you somewhat so your detector picks the cop running whatever it is he brung.
For instance, I live in Spring just north of Houston. HPD uses Lidar all the time....cause they're being ********. Harris County Sheriffs are almost exclusively Ka band. Since HPD rarely gets out near where I live and I try to avoid Houston traffic, I really don't have a need for laser countermeasures.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Abilene Texas
I have been using the V1 for about 8 years now. the best I have ever used. I get very few false readings. When our corvette club takes a road trip they usually want me to run front door. Most everyone in our club has the V1. Most often after a road trip, the ones using the Escorts order a new V1 becuase they seem to work better.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 17,767
Likes: 3,694
From: The Sunshine State
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
Finalist 2020 C7 of the Year -- Modified
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
2018 C5 of Year Finalist
I used to log over 30K miles a year on my daily drivers for business for over 10 years. With all that "experience" you learn the tricks and realize what traffic patterns mean as well.
The only ticket I received in the last 10 years was on a Tuesday night/Wednesday morning at 2AM when I was driving home from the airport. Posted speed limit was 70MPH and I was doing 85MPH. The only car(s) on the road were me and the LEO who pulled me over.
He asked me why I was speeding and I told him I had been traveling all day and I just returned from Seattle (arrived in Tampa) with numerous delays and just wanted to get home and go to bed. I am 100% positive that he pulled me over just to make sure I had not been drinking. To save face, he gave me a ticket, however when I showed up at court the judge threw it out.
I have often thought about purchasing a high end detector, however due to the amount of traffic I deal with 90% of the time, I really don't have the chance to open up the C5 unless it's when I'm on an open road by myself. If that's the case, a detector won't help me much if it's just me and the LEO.