Hey yall I'm sure this has been talked about alot on here but I was just looking at the new Escourt 9500 and trying to make a decision it cost 450 dollars. The Valentine 1 is also 450 dollars and the Beltronics STI driver is 450 dollars. and the Bel 975R remote detector is 450 dollars as well. NOw How do you decide which one is best i have heard good things about all them. Im going to install 35% tint all the way around. so is it even necessary for me to get a radar dector that see's all the way around the car or should i might as well go with an older Rx 65 or EScourt 8500 if im not even going to be getting a half sigan or less from the rear that would kinda defeat the purpost of having a all around radar dector. I like the BEltronics STI driver becasue it is like invisible and cannot be detected by cops. thanx for your thoughts people that have all them but remember the 35% TINT will defeat the purpose of the rear protection. I need help guys Im kinda deciding with the V1 or the STI or the new 9500 what do you guys think thanx!

 

They are all great products. I bought the V1 because it seemed that alot of members liked this particular unit. I tend to agree. Just my opinion. Good luck.

 

After researching all three, I went with the V1 at $399.00 direct from Valentine's website. I've been very satisfied with it knowing how many threats and where I am being looked at from.

 

You can get the 9500 all over the net in the $250 range. They both tested so good I could not justify spending the extra $150 for the V1. My 9500 works great and has saved me many times already.

 

thanx for your thoughts.. but can cops detect the Valentine 1. I know they can't detect the STI driver beltronics would that make it better if cops do not know you have a detector kinda makes you stealth. and the new 9500 having GPS spots is it actually anymore range or a better dector than the 8500 or does it just point out spots of previous threats and like automatic doors saves them on the 9500 so it wont go off all the time in the same spots. Im looking for the dector with the most front range possible and to save my *** for getting tickets and paying thousands of dollars in fines. also people with Window Tint like Limo or atleast 35% all the way around does your Valentine 1 not work as well. sorry if im repeating myself Im just trying to find the best possible one for me. Id also like to know do more people buy the STI driver or the 9500 those would be my 2nd choice. I may be sold on the V1 though from yalls personal experience. I have never owned a radar dector before but I speed heavly and I think its time i bought one.

 

How much Tint is to much for Any radar dector to see out the back? at 15% rear window would that hurt yout detection by 50% or more..

 

The window tint does not hamper MY detector at all. I use it in my Vette that has tint all the way around and in my truck that has no tin, also in my wifes truck which has tint on back windows only. It works exactly the same at our local speed traps no matter what car its in. I personally have never heard of tint hampering the use of a detector? If money were no object I would own a V1, otherwise I like what I have

 

My problem with the false alert GPS feature is what would be the possilbility of that feature filtering out the numerious false alerts at a location and then one day a valid threat is there. The Escort doesn't know any better. With the V1 showing me that I have passed the false threat, i.e, shopping mall, with it's direction arrows, another threat is shown to me by the "counter" and another direction arrow at the same time. I'm not just hearing an audible alarm that doesn't tell me how many are out there or where they're at to make my decision by. I am sure there are LEO's out there that are smart enough to set up near an area where there are false alerts.

 

Radar penetrates plastic and glass almost like it isn't there. A metallic tint might attenuate the radar signal, but ceramic tint won't. However, any tint will reduce laser detection dramatically.

 

Right!

 

thanx shopdog.. so do you not recommend any rear tent at all. or do u think its not to big of a deal and youll still get the detection with ceramic tint. also do you know how much it costs to install the great lakes trophy mount under the rear view mirror its like 30 bucks for the mount how much is a average install for it hardwired in so when u turn on your car it boots up and everthing? thanx

 

The invisicord takes about 5 mins to hard wire into the mirror connectors. Just takes alot of pushing and wiggling. I think the best combo is to push the pin in on top of the upper connector and the bottom pin under the lower connector.

 

 

Hard to beat the V1.

 

I have used the V1 for some years in my BMW and is quite please with it ability to tell me the number of threats and the direction it coming from. I recently had it updated and when I purchased my C6, I wanted a V1 for her. So there's a V1 in each car. If money is not an object, buy a V1. Just my 0.02.

 

ya im not a cheap *** you can cut money somewhere else the 400 spent on the v1 will prob save me thousands in the long run if im speeding everyday and saves me from tickets. do most of yall install the v1 yourself with the invisible cord? or do yall let the dealers install them? what types of cords do you need the purchase? does the valentine 1 come with the invisible cord and the Everything you need to install it hardwired in or do you have to purchase any other cords seperate for it work

 

I just drive the speed limits and don't have to worry about shelling out those kinds of dollars for detectors or tickets.

 

Cheap ***? Your a doof to come here and say that. In many tests the cheaper detector I have tests better than the V1. I would rather spend the extra cash I saved on mods. To each his own, its not being a cheap ***, grow up. 19 years old huh? That explains it...

 

I never recommend tint. I think it is a safety hazard. But if you insist, use the ceramic tint and it won't reduce radar sensitivity. Any tint will reduce laser detection ability, but by the time the detector goes off with a laser warning, if you don't have laser jammer capability, you're caught anyway. (I use the Escort Shifter laser jammer, integrates nicely with the Escort 8500 radar detector.)

I don't like mirror mounts. The mirror in our cars is already heavy, and its swivel mount to the glass is a weak design. So you really don't want to hang any more weight on it. A mirror mount also impairs your vision to the right, dangerous at intersections.

I have my Escort mounted via the passenger visor clip screw using a bracket sold by one of our vendors. It tucks the detector right up at the top of the windshield snug against the OnStar module, so it doesn't block your view, and is virtually invisible from the outside. I use a 16 inch Invisicord to power it from the mirror (cord is so long only because the power jack on the Escort is on the far side from the mirror the way I have it mounted, if you mounted it to the driver side visor you could use an 11 inch cord). Simple, clean, takes about 5 minutes to install. It powers on and off with the ignition.

 

great write up thanx. so your saying you have the escourt laser jammer to prevent when a cops shoots his laser radar at you. I have heard on radar Roys site that radar jammers do not work at all. Im just cerious about them also if you do have the valentine 1 detector and you get laserd from off by a cop will u have enough time to slow down or is it pretty much instant and hes got you. if you dont have enough time anyway to slow down might as well have the Tint on your back window if it doesnt matter anyway and you cant detect him quick enough before he gets you. and you said the ceramic tint allows regular radar to go threw just fine just not the laser Correct. if that said when you get lasered you have no chance anyway with a valentine 1? can you add a jammer with the v1 also?