Automotive → Radar Detectors

So I already asked this question on another part of this site and I mostly got replies about just going the speed limit, so I figured I would try here instead.

I am currently in the market for a good radar detector. So far I have found that the Valentine One and Escort 9500ix seem to be the top rated ones, but I wanted to get your opinions about these two, especially from those who have them. I also wanted to get recommendations on other detectors if there is anything that seems to be better that I missed.

Yes, I am aware of the whole driving the speed limit and not needing it, but I want it more for the peace of mind. I usually drive with whatever the flow of traffic is, which is usually above the posted speed limit, but not by more than about 5-10mph. All I am looking for is recommendations on detectors and first hand experience.

My personal experience has been that nothing has come close to Valentine ones sensitivity but..... modern radar in vehicles can be turned off and on quickly and if your the only car on the road like late at night your screwed....

The V1 and 9500 would be my recommendations. I've used both, I really liked the arrows because one actually came from behind me and ended up pacing me. I was using it because I routinely have to drive a 300mi trip and don't have cruise control, so I end up speeding a bit between checking my speedo.

Is there anything you did not like about either of them? I also routinely have about a 300 mile trip between Houston and Denton, which is north of Dallas.

They were both phenomenal performance-wise. I didn't notice a difference in false alarms, but I also don't see many false alarms on that drive because it's mostly woods and/or open farm land. The ability to learn false-alarms based on running into it multiple times at that specific location is neat on the Escort and may benefit you if your drive encounters more of them. I used the V1 more than the 9500ix - I don't use either right now, but if I was looking to buy one now I'd likely go with the Escort due to the added features ( »radar-detectors-review.t ··· ils.html ). You obviously probably know that you can't really be safe from "instant-on" or Laser without using a jammer (which is illegal here), but for regular radar detection you really can't go wrong either way.

Mostly due to the additional features, I'd go with the Escort.

If you travel the same road, over time you should learn most of the spots with speed traps. Time of day and traffic also plays an important role -- I have no problem speeding (actually, going with the flow) in the Seattle are roads, but doing that on lightly traveled roads can be more risky -- even though the likelyhood of police on the lookout for speeders is much lower, when you're the only one on the road for miles (like on SR26 after midnight ) your chances of evading the speed trap, should you run into one, is much lower, too.

I started with a Passport 8500. Lost it in a car fire.

Picked up a V1 and haven't looked back. I think it is darn near a decade old now, too.

Just a little tidbit of trivia. Mike Valentine was a co-founder of Cincinnati Microwave which later became Escort.