Whats the best one to get, do I need a hard wired one? any ideas would be great, thanks guys

 

There are at least 2 camps in regard to which is best, Valentine 1 or Passport Escort [9500]. Neither will do you wrong, but I chose Valentine 1 for the direction arrows.

If you can and want to spend the money on a built-in, then I like the Passport Escort SRX (or SR7).

///Michael

 

V1 and no.

 

I bought a Valentine 1 in 2005 and have used it everyday since. It has saved me countless speeding tickets, I always know when police are in proximity with this thing.

 

So I can just get a V1 no need to hard wire it just mount it on the screen and I am away, I do not really want to hard wire one if I do not have to, does the V1 work ok just on the screen?

 

You don't need to hardwire it. I don't even use the standard suction cups, I keep mine up high in the passenger vanity mirror.

 

Either one of the radar detectors is fine. The real problem now and as we move into the future is laser. You cannot put your foot down on the brake faster than the speed of light. Ask me how I know. If you want real protection, you need a dual purpose detector that has a laser jammer.

 

^ What he said.
Get a V1 (the best, period) and a laser jammer (if you live in an area where this is a significant threat):
http://www.1stradardetectors.com/Las...mers/index.php

 

Where do you live?

 

What are some top laser jammers out there?

 

Laser traveling at the speed of light is not why it is effective and hard to detect. Radar energy also travels at the speed of light.

 

Well radar must have a much longer distance capability because you usually get enough fore warning to be able to slow before getting nailed. Once the laser detector goes off usually you're screwed.

Laser Interceptor used to get the highest ratings. I have heard good things about the new Escort 9500ci.

 

It's all about beamwidth. A detector (laser or radar) only alarms if the antenna receives energy from the radar/laser transmitter. Radar guns send energy out in an ever expanding cone, and the overall coverage at distance is defined by the radar's beamwidth. The larger the beamwidth, the bigger the coverage down range. Police radar guns have a very large beamwidth. At one mile away from the radar gun the transmitted energy covers an area over 300 feet in diameter...plenty of coverage, allowing a radar detector to easily receive enough energy to alarm. Laser on the other hand has a very narrow beamwidth, and it's transmitted energy does not expand like radar energy does. The result is a much much smaller area of coverage down range...very unlikely a detector would receive enough energy to alarm, especially given the total time on target given a device that is hand-aimed.

If an officer is operating radar in the instant-on mode, and you are in a single car encounter with him, all he has to do is wait until you are well withing his speed reading range before illuminating you and the results will be exactly the same as an officer using laser...the radar detector alarming is only good for letting you know that you've already had you speed measured.

 

I live in New Zealand and the cops here just love to issue tickets, it is a major pastime for them to hide in bushes etc and nab you with a gun or sometimes they just sit at the side of the raod with their car mounted radar, we also have the mobile cameras but the worst is the hidden cop with the gun he is a real piece of work, a nasty worm of a human. It really does gripe me as here if you want a cop you can not get one, if you want a ticket you can always get one of those

 

I feel the same...we have then here too.