Re: New radar Detectors! (archive)

Good luck having your friend get a bunch for less than the $400 they go for on valentine1.com, as CFL mentioned, many people have tried to get Mike V. to do a group purchase without success. He basically says this: they sell them as fast as they can make them.

You can get a factory refurbished unit for around $365 (I think). This is what I did and have had no problems (except for the times that I didn't have the unit on). On the other hand, it my recent experience that cops (at least on the interstates) are getting better with using instant on. If they are really selective you have no advanced warning even with a V1. I guess it is best to get in a pack (and not be the first car). Also, around here (DFW area) the cops are using much more Laser. The V1 is virtually useless against Laser. To avoid getting caught with that it is best to avoid the first lane on the highway.

The Valentine1 looses points for not having the following features: Multi-step Dim/Dark Mode, Text Display, Digital Signal Strength, Voice alert, Auto Mute, Driver Programable Features, Band Defeat, and Tutorial Mode (are they kidding?).

It would be nice for the V1 to be able to distinguish between safety radar and not to decrease the number of falses (again from recent experience from Dallas to Illinois).

They criticize the location arrow because "to the side poses no threat at all and radar from behind is scarcely worthy of more attention". Really? I'd like to know if I'm being tailed by a cop.

Amen! The V1 advantage is the bogey counter and directional arrows. Sounds silly until you use it for a period of time. These are THE features that set the V1 apart.

They also moaned about the display saying it was too large (can you say easy to read) and that the remote display was too much wire clutter (perhaps they should have done a better job installing it).

One complaint that I have is unless you hardwire the unit you WILL have problems with the power plug into the cigarette lighter. It is amazing how well they designed the detector and how poor the plug it...it plain SUCKS. Also, if you take your unti off the windshield everytime you get out of the car you will have the telephone power plugs fail.

Also- it would be nice to have the red LED buttons that light up the band it detects be different colors...you can't tell the band it detects at night until you can recognize the sounds (and having one for 3 years it is still not the easiest thing to do).

I do admit that the other detectors are very good, and available for less, but for my money I'll shell out the few extra bucks and get the best.

Yep yep, I wonder how much money BEL et al pays these people to do these "tests"?

P.S. - Let us know on that GP, if your friend can get them at a 35% discount, that works out to $260 (and the deal of the century, I'll take a dozen...and sell them on ebay).

Put me down for a dozen (V1s that is) at that price also. :-)

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