valentine vs Escort

[lhendrick]

Just found out how spoiled I was with the performance of the Valentine 1 radar detector. I have one mounter to the LT and it is great, giving early warning of radar well in time to react.

Then, today I was out with the car (2002 330i) with an escort 8500 and almost ran over a local patrol car shooting Ka radar on curvy roads. I was clipping along at 45 in a 35 and came around a turn. 1/4 mile down the road is the radar patrol car, and just as I see him the escort chirps. Slam on brakes and he gives me that look that says "almost fast enough to pull over.

Too close for comfort, as the Valentine tends to give lots more early warnings.
May have to transfer to car when toodling around.

[Florian]

Just found out how spoiled I was with the performance of the Valentine 1 radar detector. I have one mounter to the LT and it is great, giving early warning of radar well in time to react.

Then, today I was out with the car (2002 330i) with an escort 8500 and almost ran over a local patrol car shooting Ka radar on curvy roads. I was clipping along at 45 in a 35 and came around a turn. 1/4 mile down the road is the radar patrol car, and just as I see him the escort chirps. Slam on brakes and he gives me that look that says "almost fast enough to pull over.

Too close for comfort, as the Valentine tends to give lots more early warnings.
May have to transfer to car when toodling around.

+1 on the V1

Had one since 94....no tix since 94. Coincidence?


F

[mefly2]

+1 on the V1

Had one since 94....no tix since 94. Coincidence?


F
My experience is at odds with op. My escort outperforms the valentine ... albeit without the arrows ... perhaps this is an anomaly, but I've experienced it with several units and heard from others with the same experience. I have the time and job to really do a "personal" testing of the units.

[Gizmo1137]

+2 on the V1, have heard the same kind of comparison from others who have had experience with both. I recall my very first experiences with the V1, the thing would go off in earnest and of course I slowed down looking for the offending radar bearing officer. No sooner than I crossed it off to false alarm, start to roll on the throttle and bingo there he is. The only thing better is riding with a federal judge.

[ironbuttwannabe]

Whatever you have I think the cops are getting smarter and only turning it on if they suspect someone way over. I went to Indy on tuesday with my V1, popped over a hill going a little over but he never had his radar on, slowed down when I saw him then he shot me. Another guy was easy to find because he was driving along with traffic popping people every once in a while. I had to follow him for 10 miles on 71. I haven't had it too long so still getting the gist of how it all works.

[SLTex]

Valentine gets my vote. I have had one since I bought the roadster in 00. I can't count the times the arrows have saved me. You pass one and you still know that there are two in front of you in the trap. When it goes off they are there. You may not see them if it is at night, but they are there. I had one guy try to catch me coming into his little East Texas town. I knew he was there miles out. He pulled in behind me and passed me and went to the other end of his town and went to instant on. I guess he thought I didn't know where he was going. That didn't work for him either. Valentine does upgrades when technology changes. Worth the price considering ticket and insurance cost.

[Lonewuff]

Sounds like he had the antenna turned off till you got in range, which means nothing would have helped. I have actually taken a V-1 and 8500 and put them both on the dash of my truck. The 8500 gave an alert sooner than the V-1 every time, switched them to my wifes van, same results. Now all I own are 8500's in all my vehicles.

[dshealey]

Sounds like he had the antenna turned off till you got in range, which means nothing would have helped. I have actually taken a V-1 and 8500 and put them both on the dash of my truck. The 8500 gave an alert sooner than the V-1 every time, switched them to my wifes van, same results. Now all I own are 8500's in all my vehicles.

Did you have the V1 set on "A", "L", or "l"? Hard to imagine an Escort having better range than the V1 on "A". I keep mine on the little L to keep down the false warnings, and still have plenty of range, warnings WAY ahead of the radar.

Of course the instant on will likely get you anyway in many instances, but I have only run into a couple of those in over 5 years of V1 use.

I vote for the arrows and signal counter of the V1 myself over possibly greater range of the Escort, as range of the V1 has NEVER been a problem for me. over 5 years with no stops, and I am not a slow driver.

[kmurphy165]

I got nailed last week on my way to work on the LT. Extenuating circumstances were I was going southbound with the sun in my face and just about couldn't see the radar display in the back light and due to a ground loop problem, I haven't connected the detector's audio output into the intercom as yet. That problem is being worked. In that circumstance, plus, the cop on a motorcycle was backlit coming at me I couldn't determine what he was until too late, I don't think either detector would have been better.

Karl

[DaveDragon]

+1 on V1
I wouldn't trade it for two off brands http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Lonewuff]

David,

I had both on "A" as the 8500 works best in that mode also. Out on the highway around hills or curves I would get a single chirp out of the 8500 a full 10 to 15 seconds ahead of the V1 and the 8500 was screaming a full two seconds by the time the V1 kicked in. This was a completely fair test, cause I was trying to determine which to by for my LT at the time. My wife liked her 8500 and I liked my V1 but the 8500 won out.

[shadowofshoe]

V-1 is all important info......when your in an "area" that resides with hits....then you see a 2 you know your being set up-not w/any other "locater"

It has never let us down..........Go for V-1

Mike

[Steve_R]

I don't know what Grif's running and I've ridden with Dave D to Tan Tar A for the scouting trip. I'll go anywhere with either of them, as long as they're in the lead. :D

[sully2028]

Does anyone have pictures showing how they mounted their radar detector. Seems like the Valentine 1 or Passport 8500 both get high marks, so I will get one or the other.

Also, are they difficult to hard wire into the electronics? Are special connections needed?

Thanks in Advance.

[Dan-A]

I own two V1's. I tried an escort too. Unfortunately I forgot to return it before the 30 days was up so I got stuck with it.

Because of this I learned another difference between them besides the (IMHO) superior performance of the V1.

Hot Sacramento valley summers are hard on car interiors, and you are supposed to take the detector off the dash so it doesn't fry.

I have to admit, I have done it more than once, left the detector on the dash, and it got so hot I could barely touch it.

Valentine One, still working. Escort, DEAD!

[paalao]

Here is a test http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=100542

[Dan-A]

Here is a test http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=100542


VERY interesting... :eek:

[gglove]

Here is a test http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=100542

This is interesting.
I was traveling with a friend of mine, different cars, and he has a escort and I a V-1. I was routinely getting warnings before him. I am not sure if it has to do with the windshield, mounting hight of the locator, ect.

I vote for the V-1