Radar Detector for XMAS

Originally Posted by NewYorkJon34

What ever you do don't buy the Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector, Ive gone through 3 units already & all of them have broken.

Originally Posted by chops

everyone above seems to be pretty biased based on what they own. i did alot of research before i bought my 9500ix, so heres what i remember.

edit: check this out: Escort RedLine versus Valentine One: Comparison Test and Review.







based on the above tests, the redline trumps the v1 in almost every aspect. the only tests where it fell behind were rear detection and photo radar.

in my experience over the last 2yrs or so...ive never ran into a photo radar, so it wasnt a concern for me, nor have i any use for rear radar antenna. im more worried about whats in front of me.

so if its between the v1 and redline id say go with what makes most sense to you (cost? arrows?) as they're mostly on par with each other. if its between the 9500ix and anything else, ask yourself...do you need the gps features? are there redlight cameras in your area? are there a ton of false alerts? also, laser isnt an issue...once you're hit you're basically done with. deflection hits may be somewhat helpful, but the chances are so low it doesnt matter. just get a laser interceptor and be done with it!

i chose the 9500ix based on the gps features..ive detected Ka band radar from behind me a handful of times and dont need arrows to tell me..simple common sense would tell you that if you're getting a legit radar hit that seems to stay with you, its behind you somewhere - either speed up or slow down and let it pass you. i also live in a fairly urban city with tons of radar emitting grocery stores, so the gps lockouts are a godsend for false alerts! with all this said, ive probably been saved by 10-20 tickets over the last few years (i used to have a 120 mile round trip daily commute to work)

Originally Posted by kenchan

and not having arrows = Fail

Originally Posted by Paladinjc

Is the Redline nothing more that a 9500xi with out laser?

Originally Posted by chops

like i said...ive never found arrows terribly helpful. i borrowed a v1 prior to my purchase and while it was a nice feature, as i stated in my above post...if you're driving along and get a Ka hit on the freeway it'll likely be a strong hit if its behind you, and if it doesnt go away within a second of driving at freeway speeds....logic tells you its behind you. you have 2 options - slow down and let it pass, or speed up and drive past it. i dont need arrows to tell me where the radar hit is coming from. id rather use simple logic to determine where the LEO is.

a radar detector is only an aid anyway, therefore any high performing radar detector is all that you need (v1, 9500ix, 8500i...etc). just because you have any of these detectors doesnt mean you're speeding ticket proof. you should know the methods LEO's use as well as how radar detectors function in order to get the best use of them.



i believe the redline has a different sensor on board as well as an additional antenna over the 9500ix

Originally Posted by shumby

V1 blend moun t and invisicord. in both my G37S and FX50S. would not have it any other way

Originally Posted by theDreamer

That is not 100% true, in many cities with very wide roads (almost every major city) you can pick up a Ka a mile ahead or behind you. I know this because I have, the arrows tell me where it is. Now of course that does not mean the full story. If behind and not losing signal he is traveling with me, but in front he could be a stationary on the side of the road or traveling in the opposite direction.

Arrows are an added aid to a radar detector, it takes out a simple step a brain can do but the V1 does it faster and 95% accuracy.

Originally Posted by chops

yes..that is why i said i didnt find them helpful, i live in a major urban area where there is traffic 90% of the time im on the road. the widest our freeways get are 3-4 lanes max. i understand that you can get hits from a very far distance, but it was useless for me. everyone's situation is different, but i was just trying to offer my "unbiased" opinion on the matter to answer the OP's question. for me, gps was more useful than having arrows as i quickly learned to figure out what was behind me and what wasnt

Originally Posted by zlwatts

I just picked up the passport redline. I haven't really had a chance to test it but all my passed passport's have been great. Passport was recently running a special if you buy a new detector you get an additional cord and the new much better mounting suction cup. They also bumped up the trade in price to 80 bucks.

Originally Posted by chops

a radar detector is only an aid anyway, therefore any high performing radar detector is all that you need (v1, 9500ix, 8500i...etc). just because you have any of these detectors doesnt mean you're speeding ticket proof. you should know the methods LEO's use as well as how radar detectors function in order to get the best use of them.

Originally Posted by kenchan

and not having arrows = Fail