Radar Detectors: The Key To Evading Cops... Are They Worth It?
Mar 05 '03 (Updated Mar 09 '03)
The Bottom Line Read my review...
Are radar detectors worth it? By all means yes! When you take everything into consideration, you'll easily be able to jump to the logical conclusion that radar detectors are worth it... Here's everything you should know about radar detectors:
-Disclaimer-
*I personally am not a reckless driver. I drive fast, yet maintain a very safe driving record. I am experienced. I do not advocate speeding in any way in this review. People do it. People will continue to do it. So let's just make everyone happy. Radar detectors are FCC legal... So let's read on!
-Insurance Vs. Detector Price-
*Let's pretend you get pulled over... The ticket will cost you anywhere from $50 to hundreds depending which state myou get caught in, and how fast you were going. Ok, so you've got that initial fine to pay. Then let's think about insurance. Once you get a ticket, you can say good bye to your good driver's discount! That can save you hundreds on insurance. Let's say you don't have that discount, but you've had previous tickets. You'll be paying extra hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on insurance premiums! If you buy a Valentine One detector for $400, it will be much cheaper in the long run than receiving speeding tickets! With that, you're almost guaranteed to never get caught, if you take the adequate precautions. Even the high-end Escort SR-... models are worth it, and they cost over $1,000.
-How Much Should I Spend?-
*The cheapest detector that will really perform great in my opinion is the Beltronics Bel Vector 985 which costs $205. The Escort Passport 8500 is $299 and it is in the middle, and the Valentine One is the most expensive of the three solid types which costs around $400. They are all worth it when you compare how much they cost to how much a ticket will end up costing you. But you can always go cheaper with Cobra, Whistler, and Uniden detectors... But don't expect the best protection from them. Or you can spend over a thousand thousand or close to it on high-end Escort or K40 detectors. It's for you to decide... But one thing that I can say as that in the long-run, they will all be worth the price!
-What Should I Look For In a Detector-
*Police officers use four major bands today. Some more than others... But your detector should support X, K, Ka, and Laser, which is also known as Lidar. On the roads, I most commonly see Ka. Lidar is very rarely used, but it is by far the deadliest out of any. However, if you arm your car with other modifications, you'll be set to evade them cops! But in conclusion, these are the bands that your detector should support. In tests, The Bel 985, Passport 8500, and Valentine One all had excellent range on X, K, and Ka.
-Lidar... One Hit And You're Done-
*Out of all the bands, I fear laser the most. Unlike the other bands which you can pick up from miles away with a good detector, once even a high-end detector picks up laser, you're already caught! However, there are ways to fight back! For around $20, you can buy a clear front license plate cover. The reason for this is that most lidar guns are aimed at a flat surface, and the target of choice is the plate. The cover will greatly reduce the range of laser allowing your detector to pick it up. Without it, the range of laser pick-up is right around 1/3 of a mile... So it's very deadly... But you can fight back!
-What Are The Best Detectors For You To Buy?-
*BEST BUY - In my opinion, the best possible purchase regarding money that you can make is the Beltronics BEL Vector 985.It's half the price of the Valentine One, and one hundred dollars less than the Escort Passport 8500. It's built by Escort since they bought out Beltronics, it's pretty high quality. You can visit the Bel 985 review at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_90194939524
-Solid Performer - The Escort Passport 8500 is a very solid performer. It is rated very highly by a lot of things. Many people prefer it over all other detectors, including the Valentine One. Some say it's better than the V1, and some say it isn't... But it's definitely amazing. It's $300. You can visit the Escort Passport 8500 review at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_89441406596
-GOD - The Valentine One is the best detector I think. It's much cheaper than the built-in K40 and Escort detectors. It also has much more features than any other single-unit detector. This can save your butt from speed traps, and other nasty situations. Yes, there are situations that normal detectors won't get you out of. Want to see why it's so amazing? Read the Valentine One review at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_88757800580
-In Conclusion-
*I think you can see why radar detectors are worth it. In the long run, they will definitely save you lots of money. If you combine a nice high-end detector for a few hundred dollars with a front license plate laser deflector, you'll be armed nicely against cops and their evil radar guns. In the end, it's easy to say: HOW CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO BUY A RADAR DETECTOR?
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Member: Soup Enthusiast
Location: Chicago, Illinois
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I enjoy many of life's passions... Music, medicine, people, and life itself.
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