Yes there is, but lasers are much more expensive than radars, so not many departments use them.

Radar detectors work....when the cops have the radar on all the time....the newest top of the line in car radar set ups (the ones CHP use) have a function where they do not transmit all the time(so no detector will pick it up)....then you see a car....flip it on..less than 1 second later...BANG....ticket city.....these detectors work whether the cop car is moving or stationary...whether the suspect car is coming towards or going away from the cop car & from the front & rear of the cop car....SO basically is what I am saying is this....Yes a radar detector will help most of the time, but a trained cop with a modern radar unit will nail you every time :>( The good news is not many cops bother to keep turning the radar on & off....which is why radar detectors work so well!

 

Nicole,
I know this was from a while back - what did you decide here? I know your 928 looks to be in great shape - so do you now have a beautifully installed Radar Detector or are you still thinking on this one? Always intersted to see what others have done.

Alan

 

Nicole some may say I know something about speed and dealing with speed cops as it regards porsches.

The very best detector I know of is also installed permanently into my S4.... the Escort Passport SR1 (the new version is something like SR5). I have much experience with valentine One, though I don't own one, I've personally seen a 928 driver(s) receive no warning and get tickets twice. I've also seen the V1 give a reading from a 1940's truck out in the middle of nowhere; and I've seen the V1 read bouncing signals from behind, as from the front. My SR1 has saved me from several tickets that I can positively identify.

The important thing is to have a detector at each (leading and trailing) edge of the vehicle. This GREATLY enhances the coverage, especially in top-down or sideways angular hits. When a detector is mounted at the windshield, it cannot receive laser hits when the roof or B-pillar is in the way.

As such I recommend the Passport SR series. For situations where you have more than one shark, and may need to move the detector, I would say it's a tossup between the Passport 8500 and the V1, but I do know the Passport's exclusion circuitry is advanced as compared to that of the V1, which means that the V1 will drive you nuts with false readings.

 

Counterpoint to Heinrich here... I have two V1's and altho I have been accused of being "nuts" many times, its never been due to the V1's.

I think they are nothing short of great, and wouldn't consider driving without one. I did the "buy both and send the loser back" with the Escort and the V1 blew it away. I haven't used a Passport SR1 or SR5 so I can't comment on those, but I can definitely state without reservation that my V1's have saved me in countless situations and I can't imagine something working better.

Regards,

 

Damn this is well timed! I was just looking at this thread today, as I'm trying to decide what to do prior to leaving for teh SITM. In my research, I'm seeing that the V1's weak link may be laser.

Unfortunately the SR_ series is just too much coin. $300-$400 makes sense, but not $1,500.

Are there any remote mounting (not just remote disply) options for the V1 to improve its detectability?

 

Be aware that the V1 has a mode that distinquishes between false and real hits, and it is particularly useful in cities around shopping ,malls and garage door openers. At those times, you will hear a faint chirping and when the real hits come, the chirps change in amplitude and frequency. Unmistakeable and set to this mode it won't drive you nuts. I love my V-1 and count my blessings many times a week and Nicole can attest to it's efficiency having experienced it in my car on the open highway more than once. As for updates to circuitry, Valentine offers to update your unit for cost whenever an advance is incorporated into a new model; just send it in and they will install the update. The problem is that you must live without it for a week or so. No way. Take my wife, but not my V-1. (but stay away from my dog).

Laser. Heinrich knows that there is a legal issue with instant on "anything", be it radar or laser. Some folks have jammers for laser, but of course they are said to be illegal so I wouldn't know about such issues....right?! Enough said about that.

Side hits with either laser or radar are not an issue because they measure nothing. When the arrows on the V1 show a side hit, just lift until you are out of range because if Mr. Bear is around he can get you as soon as the cosine angle is diminished sufficiently to be legal. Otherwise ignore them and keep going.

The last ordeal in court for Dr. Ron was the result of a direct hit head on from a radar unit hiding directly ahead as I came around a corner into the field of the unit. No advance chirp and then a constant on continuous bleep signal loud and locked on. Case dismissed. Heinrich knows why.

 

Andrew, the V-1 has antennas front, rear and side in the unit so it must be in the field of view. Since my windshield is tinted, from outside the car with the unit mounted on the upper portion just above the mirror, it is still difficult to see. Of course when the bear comes to the door to look into the car, he can spot it if he looks up at the mirror. But so what? By that time it is a moot point unless you are in Oklahoma, D.C., or Virginia. You are best advised to drive around those places or be quick about hiding it if you are around bears.

 

I think detectors are a religious thing to many people. I can only recount my experiences and since only I personally know how often I speed, and how often the device did its job, and how often it failed (or not), I suppose I tend to believe myself.

Who knows .. maybe I never speed, and my detector isn't even turned on

 

Yup......surely.......and I am the Jolly Green Giant too......

 

I would like to have the V1 because of the directional arrows someday. Right now I use the Whistler DE1783, it was in my price range when I was looking. Works great, saved me several times.

A few things I love about this unit. First, it detects POP mode radar. Love that. Second, it has a "Dark" mode. When set, the screen is very dim and goes black when radar is detected so the smokey doesn't see any lights inside. Third, it has a compass built in which is handy.

It picks up front and rear, and did the best in its' price range on the test site listed earlier. Love it, but still would like to have the directional arrows and drop some of the annoying false alarms.

 

If you can keep your beast under the limit...please share how you accomplish this goal. I've never been able to do it so far.

 

There is a V-1 update for POP radar available presently for current owners.

 

Yeah, it was available when I got mine a few months ago. I was just spending too much on TB/WP/Clutch/PS Pump......from the PO's neglect. That made the detector budget low.

Maybe a V1 can show up in the stocking this year.

 

Out of curiousity, since when were radar detectors illegal in Oklahoma? Laser jamming, is, but not radar/laser detectors, to the best of my knowledge. I have driven through OK often enough with one to have been picked off for it if they were illegal.

Regards,

 

Nicole,

I have a SOLO S2 by Escort and it has saved my behind on more than a couple of occasions. It is a highly-rated unit (although not as high as a V1), but for me I needed a cordless unit and this one is the best of the cordless variety.

I do not drive fast enough to warrant wanting more than what I have, so for me this unit is perfect for me.

Rob