Had the V1 for many years now and it hasn't happened yet. What was your point again?

 

That you get so caught up in those gimmicky arrows and start to believe if there isn't an arrow lighting up in a certain direction, then there must not be police car there.

With a detector without those gimmicky arrows, since you don't know the direction, you stay more alert to your surroundings.

 

V1 here. I would not switch because I'm so comfortable with the directional arrows and the readout on the number of sources. I've even had radar hit me from in front and from behind and the V1 tells you which one is more of a threat.

 

Well if you feel you couldn't handle all the distracting information coming from the arrows, it's best you stick with you've got. Nobody else who owns one seems to have the issues you've come up with.

 

I don't own one and I haven't gotten a ticket in 28 years. I haven't even been stopped in over 15 years.

 

Do you speed?

I drive 75-80 on 101 if I'm not in a hurry. I-5 on the other hand... 85+ is the norm.

 

Rarely do I speed. I like my money in my pocket and not in the states.

 

I've used the V1 and the K-40.
No arguments with the V1, great product, absolutely reliable.
I have the K-40 undetectable, and I love it. It was also flawlessly installed. If money is no object then it comes down to bells and whistles, and in that case I like the K-40. Especially where I am from (nudge, nudge).

I have recently been detected, ouch, seems the new Spectre II radar detector detector (RDD), has got the drop on everybody, including the V1. I am talking to K-40 right now about what can be done. Not something you are likely to have to worry about in PA though.

Good luck!

 

I just bought the K40 850 in preparation for picking up my 01 Vette in Dallas next weekend. I've been testing it out in my Jeep this past week. I like it. It had the best score in the Motor Trend tests. I also like the speeding ticket guarantee for one year.

It detected a cop when I was driving to church yesterday. I was on the highway when it went off. At first I thought it was a false alarm but had to turn off at the next exit. When I reached the end of the exit ramp, I noticed a cop with lights/sirens crossing the overpass to pull someone over.

 

A few people have mentioned the fact that the V1 gives you a "bogey counter" The escort 8500 x50 does too, up to 8 seperate "bogeys",with what band radar for each. It also has the ability to show you the exact frequency - thus you never have to worry if the alarm you are receiving is false if you know your local PD's frequency. Both detectors are good units, both shown to be pretty sensitive, it comes down to if you want to pay $100 or more for the directional arrows or would rather have the option for the blue LEDs. Me, I chose the blue LEDs and FWIW, I have never had a problem in Florida heat with the unit mounted to the window, and my car sits outside all day.

 

I have the K40 system installed in my '97. I did an test article on the system when I was editing Corvette Enthusiast. I was so impressed I bought one. It jams laser as well as detects it and detects radar as well. It's saved my keister on more than one occasion. I have a regular K40 in my Blazer and my Cadillac to. I"m a big fan of their products and have come to trust them. There's nothing wrong with the V1 or other higher end radar detectors..we all grow comfortable with certain products. For me, I am very happy with the K40.

 

In California, as in most states, Jammers of any kind are illegal. Some police carry radar detectors and can detect jammers (they emit radar to confuse the signal from the cop) and if you are stopped be prepared to have your unit confiscated.

Radar detectors are legal everywhere except Virginia and D.C., if memory serves me correctly.

 

"most states" is incorrect.

1. Active radar jamming is illegal in the USA. (works 100%)
2. Passive radar jamming is illegal in: OK. MN. VA. CA. NE. and Washington, DC (doesn't really work)
3. Active laser jamming is illegal in: MN, VA, UT, OK, NB, CA. (works well)

So, in "most states" it is legal to jam radar and laser...even though the question of passive radar jamming is whether it really works or not.

 

In California, as in most states, Jammers of any kind are illegal.

Oops!!! Joe Diver is right. Jammers and detectors are legal in "most" states.

 

Ok.. here's just one more thing about the "arrows". Gimmick or not I feel as though it's good for grins just to know where the cops are hiding. The V1 does in fact also tell you not only the type of bogey (X,K,or Laser) but also the number of bogeys that are "shooting" you. I feel as though the cops have the latest and greatest so should we. Again after reading all of these posts, NOT speeding is obviously the correct thing to do, but what did a buy a vette for then? Just to look good and go slow? I guess it's the thrill of the kill thing for me. I don't really overdue it when it comes to exceeding the speed limits anyway, it's tough to do with all the tourists here in Orlando, but every now and then when the shots there....... I'll go for it!!!

 

And as was already said the 8500 X50 shows up to 8 bogeys, the band and their frequency.



Partially yes but, since when is going the speed limit considered slow? Going 130mph in a 65mph area is stupid in my opinion. I bought the car because it feels good to drive and handles great. I don't need to do racing speeds on the streets to enjoy it. I save those speeds for the track...where a radar detector is pointless.


If someone would take all the best parts of the V1 and 8500 X50 to make one unit, maybe I would buy it.

 

As I've said in other posts: Valentine One all the way. It's the best hands down. There is nothing else like that one anywhere. I don't care what anyone else says. The arrows are great, let you know where it's coming from and it lets you know ahead of time. It's not the cheapest of the bunch, but it certainly is the best.

 

The X50 shows 8 bogies but the V1 shows 9

 

The V1 was the only radar detector to pickup laser fired from a trailing vehicle at the speedzone link that is mentioned earlier in the thread. Whether you respond to the arrows or not, V1 was capable of picking up the laser, Escort wasn't.

IMO, the Escort's was better than V1 in POP detection and price. The V1 was better at detecting laser fired from the rear. The only thing that I didn't see tested was false alarms. This would be the deciding factor for me.

 

SML results are:

V1 X IS 11+MILES, K IS 11+MILES, KA IS 10.8 MILES
X50 X IS 10.9MILES, K IS 10.9MILES, KA IS 11+MILES
RX65 X IS 10.8MILES, K IS 11+MILES, KA IS 11+MILES

RADARBUSTERS.COM WAS THERE AND THESE ARE THE RESULTS:

Detector X Band K Band Ka Band
Bel RX65 8.9 miles 10.8 miles 11+ miles
Escort X50 10.7 miles 10.8 miles 11+ miles
Valentine 1 11 + miles 11+ miles 10.8 miles

Radar Roy is a retired cop with extensive experience and he got this so who is right??

The X50 is supposedly undetectable by the Spectre III RDD but Radar Roy said that the extreme heat compromised the Spectre III which would not allow it to perform accurately. The V1 blew away the X50 with the Spectre I and Spectre II test.

SML failed to do a rear radar detection test which the V1 would win by miles as previous tests have proven. They also failed to do a curve test which also favors the V1.

In conclusion the V1 wins on X band, K band, loses by a little on KA, would win on rear detection and curve testing, picks up laser from over 1/4 mile away while the others detected nothing. It was also the only one that alerted to laser while trailing a vehicle that was shot with laser. According to RADAR ROY and SML, the V1 beat the X50 on Spectre I and II testing but the Spectre III was flawed so that test doesn't count. Sure, the X50 picks up POP K and POP KA but the V1 picks up POP K according to the last SML test but nobody talks about that. The V1 POP KA fix is on the way so the only place the X50 will win on is price. The V1 is magnesium not plastic, has staying power for 12 years on top compared to the X50 which has been here for a couple of months, has 2 antennas with ARROWS and I sold my V1.7 on EBAY which I owned for 4 years for $360 which means I paid $10 bucks a year to have the world's best radar detector that saved me from at least $1000 a year. Go check on Ebay to see what a 4 year old Escort radar detector sells for and you too can own a $50 plastic piece of crap with marginal detection.