Hey all, I'm new to the forum. Just picked up my crew cab from dealer a few days ago. I was thinking about getting either a Valentine V1 or an Escort 9500 IX.

My question is twofold,

1) What do yall think is better? I've never owned either and I worry about getting desentisized to the constant false alarms by the V1.

2) Worth getting Hardwired? If so, how?

Thanks guys! All the best!

 

I swear by the 9500 IX. The added GPS feature is, well, simply amazing!!!!!!

Not having the anoying false alarms is worth every penny of the premium price tag of this detector.

My 9500 IX goes off way way way before I can even see a cop.

All kidding aside, I only speed by accident, meaning I drive within the speed limit 95% of the time, I just don't want to get burned that other 5% and pay for it for three years on my insurance!

Escort will let you "test drive" the detector for 30 days with a money back guarnetee. You wont send it back!

If you do get a 9500 IX, do a search for radar detector and look for my post that talks about hard wiring and mounting.

 

I have a Valentine 1 so my opinion is one-sided for the V1. The V1 does give off a lot of signals, but they are all different tones. The tone that is for the highway radar in California is the one that immediately gets my attention plus it has an indicator for that radar frequency. As you have it for awhile, you learn what tones are important.

One thing you can't shrug off is the arrow indicator and the "bogey" counter. You know where the radar is coming from and how many sources are out there.

The V1 has saved my butt so many times, it has paid for itself. I usually drive the speed limit, but in the middle of the California deserts where the cops are few and far in between, I tend to push the speed a little. Just when you get complacent, bam! you get nailed! This is a license saver.

Which ever you choose, if you get lasered, it's too late. As soon as it gets you, the cop has a reading. Laser doesn't rely on the return signal like radar.

Be fast, but be safe.

 

That's true!The laser warning in a detector is just to let you know you are getting pulled over!

 

Get an active detector with a jammer that jams the laser!

 

Don't forget the Bel GX65 which is the sister detector to the Escort 9500ix. Bel and Escort are sister companies.

 

jammers are illegal in alot of states including texas and they know when they are getting jammed, on some occasion they even take the jammer after issuing a citation.

 

My vote is for the V1. I have had one for almost 3 years and would not trade it for any other detector. Keep in mind the higher the detector the better for radar, the lower the detector the better for laser.

 

Lucky you people Radars are ILLEGAL in Canada.

 

well we all know that Canada is gay lol j-k