H.H.Chinn

Thoughts and opinions on the V1?

Mark in Baltimore

More useful than an undertray?

badabing

tons of commentary on here regarding it. do a search for "valentine" or "v1". I did. bought one too.

axl911

So good that I can use it to find cops to ask for direction if I get lost.

InTheAir

In a nutshell--there is still debate, but the V1 seems to be the majority preferred.

Kika

I have gotten used to having a radar detector after basically 20 years of driving with one. I like the arrows, and it is more sensitive than my previous passport. Is it overall more functional than the GPS Passport? I can't say, but I like my V1.

As near as I can tell, if you get hit by laser, unless you were lucky to get some scatter from a previous hit, it is too late. I have gotten some laser hits, that appear to be false though too, as nothing seems to be around.

ltc

+2 on the V1, I own 2 of them.
Mike Valentine is also a Rennlist member.

DAVISRILEY

Wouldn't drive with anything else, feel naked in my wife's car when I forget to switch it. Hardwired it, and I don't have to fuss with it at all.

Cincy_Ron

I love mine and use it regularly in the Boxster and truck. Not so much in the 993. There is a ka band signal source somewhere in the left rear of the car, I'm thinking engine compartment, that sets the detector off. Kind of a pain. Haven't really tried to track it down yet and as far as I know I'm the only one with this problem.

m_reagan_s

I've had one for years and it's saved me zillions of dollars driving to my weekend place in NH. I started with an Escort and got nailed by radar the first time I used it so that went in the trash. I just took my V1 with me cross country and can vouch for its effectiveness in many different driving conditions.

You will have no chance against laser however, and the folks at Valentine with acknowedge that. I had an amusing conversation with the NY State trooper that nailed me speeding with laser that clarified things. Read the stuff on their web site about laser and you'll understand it better.

I'd love to find a more unobtrusive mounting place on my 993 but it appears that stuck on the windshield is the most effective. If there are better ideas out there I'd love to know.

Matt - Boston

RallyJon

V1 is the worst radar detector out there, except for all the other ones. As good as it is in certain circumstances--like on the open highway--it will drive you nuts with false alarms. Everything from Lexus' laser cruise control to some LED taillights to the ubiquitous automatic door openers set it off.

And the most appalling thing of all is that the company hasn't done anything to address these issues or improve their product in years. They have been content to rake in the bucks with their cash cow V1. No false alarm filtering, no installable remote antennae, really it's the same product it's been since the early '90s.

Kika

This is how I installed mine https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...entine+install

dhicks

I have had one for about 4 years now and like those above, I love it. I find the arrows useful. As to Lasers, you can detect scatter and it has saved me twice.......the onloy time I was caught (about two years ago) it was not the V1's fault, I was travelling on a sunny day, windows open and listening to GnR and had forgotten to turn up the volume of the V1 to compensate.....I was zapper doing about 40 in a 25......

dhicks

While I agree that these are expensive I dont agree that they suffer lots of false alarms.....mine did until I found the "logic" setting, depress the switch for about 3 secs and the until goes into another setting and filters more junk out, like door openers etc.....I know this for a fact as on my way home I pass a strip mall that ALWAYS set mine off....since switching the setting I dont detect these. As to other warnings, if the unit detects stuff that is junk it lets you know by putting a J on the screen......Also, Valentine upgrade your software for a minimal cost when there is something new. All in all I guess its up to you......we could all drive slower and then we would not need them!!!

RallyJon

I'll have to check what firmware I have. My #1 complaint is certainly the laser falses. Even when you mute them, they come back when, say, the Trailblazer in front of you lifts off the brakes for a moment, then re-applies them at a light. I think the V1 is biased towards panic mode whenever it senses laser. The filtered settings don't seem to reduce its sensitivity to laser falses at all, though they do help a bit with shopping malls.