Hold On

Spent Sat. morning installing all the goodies I purchased at OCIC and others I had laying around. New Y pipe, O2 sensor, fuel pressure guage, etc.
Took the car out for a little spin to check everything out. Car sounds better without cat. Not loud, but just a bit more authority when you lay into it.

Anyway , I was having so much fun, I got a " your having tooo much fun certificate" from the local authoritys. So this weeks project is to permenently install the radar detector in car. Of course that doesnt help now that my wallet is $200. lighter.

But on a lighter note. I was on Federal property and none of this shows up on my license or insurance company.

fraggle

Oops!!!

docmirror

Might as well fight it. You can prolly get it reduced if you go to court and be nice, but firm. Mebee traffic school?

Glad to hear your car is better anyway.

cold_beer839

Don't try to put a round peg in a square hole.......

If the ticket doesn't go on his license and insurance why make it cost more than $200 by fighting it?

JoeTaylor

Some call it a "pre-ticket" warning device.

Radar dectector is a must.. never travel without.

I can't tell you how many times it has saved my butt.

Joe

polecat702

I've never had a radar detector, seen lots of adds so who makes the best product? Thanks, Joe

fraggle

I'd buy a valentine 1 if I didn't already hace an SR1 installed in my car.

VehiGAZ

I use a Valentine 1, and I love it. Escort makes great products too, and the latest ones with GPS functions have some really useful features.

After those two, most other detectors can be thrown together into a "distant third" category. Car & Driver does a comparison test of detectors every few years and have consistently shown the Valentine & Escort models to have 2-3x the warning distance of the "also rans". My real-world experience with the V1 has been that I will get a definite and recognizable warning long before a stationary cop can see me, even at speed (>100 mph).

The Valentine has dual receivers so it can tell you where the signal is coming from (front/side/rear) which most V1 users find to be an indispensable feature... and I'll never got back to the "Beep & Guess" approach.

Both are expensive, but cheaper than tickets + insurance hikes.

JoeTaylor

Hey Joe,

I prefer Beltronics, I think it offers the best performance for price out there. You can get a very good Belctronics radar detector for $150 to $200. If money is no object, Valentine or Escort are good too, but I think you dont get much more protection for the money ($300 - $400).

What you need to remember is, with instant-on radar or laser, one-on-one, if the policeman wants you, he can catch you, radar detector or not. In that mode, he is working on line-of-sight, he sees you and pops you with his radar gun. Nothing you do will stop that - no radar detector will help.

For the casual cop - one who just leaves his unit on or fires it at all the cars, then you can get some early notice to slow down with a radar detector. Also, if you are in traffic, he has to pick you out of the crowd and determine that you are the fastest car in the pack to pull you over.

I have used Belltronics for years now and they work great.

YOS,
Joe

fraggle

If you use them once, they pay for themselves.

Unfortunately illegal for use in VA.

Hold On

I currently use the Escort 8500. Its been a great unit and has saved my butt numerous times. If I have to do it again I will go with the Valentine unit. I like the direction feature. Some of the cars I rode to OCIC with had them and it proved itself very valuable to know what direction to watch for.

VehiGAZ

While that's certainly true in theory, Joe, my experience with instant-on radar has been that the cop does not have the patience to make his trigger finger wait for the true scofflaw speeder (like me) to come down the road. Instead, he sits and instant-on's every 5th car that approaches, giving me and my Valentine plenty of warning of his presence and intentions (although it's a different warning - short and steadily-intensifying signals).

Laser detection, on the other hand, only tells you that you are about to get pulled over. I've yet to get an advance laser warning from a deflected beam.

blown 87

I have ran a bunch of RD's in the past, V1's Escorts, I went from a Escort 9500Ix to a 9500CI last year and it is with out a doubt the best unit I have ever tried.

And if it is installed right and you do get pulled over you will not get a ticket just because you have a RD because the police will not know it is installed.

The reason I went with it is because a good friend who is a long time cop told me I needed to get a hidden unit or I would get a ticket in our county for "general principles" if pulled over, right or wrong, just the way it is.

The V1 IMHO is way over rated and most users commit the cardinal sin of RD's when using one, they get to where they tune out the constant alarms.

With the Escort 9500's if it goes off you can bet there is a new signal out there.

If any one wants more indepth info on RD's send me a PM.

blown 87

I got something for laser, even my cop buddy said he would not have believed it if he was not holding the gun himself.

PS, if it has anything to do with Cobra or Rocky Mountain Radar, save your money, it wont work.

polecat702

I would like to thank everyone that posted thier thoughts on a good radar detector. When you drive cars like ours you become a target. I can sneak around in the Shark a lot easier than in the Pantera. Here in Vegas the motor cops sit in packs of 4 or more and zap you with the gun. I guess that would be the instant on version. I know that because the Pantera is very loud and will set off car alarms when it passes by I always get the stink eye from the cops. I think a unit that can be mounted out of sight would be bet in my case foe both cars. I don't mind paying for a unit as long as it works. Maybe the V1 will be a better choice for the 928, and the Beltronics for the Pantera. Bad thing about electronics is that you can't take them back. But thats one of the reasons this hobby is so expensive. Thanks again, Joe