Thinking of purchasing the Valentine 1 soon. My friend lent it to me last week while I went on a road trip to Banff. ( My poor CLK is still in the service at MB for the AM problem. Now almost 2 weeks )
Thought it worked pretty well. Any other radars just as good or better?
$600.00 U.S for the radar..Cdn $$ pretty useless right now so I guess it will be a costly radar:p

 

Christy-

Check out the Escort/Passport 8500.

New product, came out last year. This firm were the first with car radar detectors some 20 years ago. I bought mine early this year. Had it hardwired to the right side of the rear-view mirror for 2001 Corvette, 2001 SL500 and 2002 CLK 55.

The V1 as well as the Bell are fine products.

Never got a ticket, because of ample warning and perhaps prudent driving.

http://www.escortradar.com/8500.htm

World's BEST:

http://www.radartest.com/DS4HEM.html

 

You may try ebay to save some money on the Valentine V1's, but even used ones are not cheap. Only problem with V1's is that you can't change the brightness...only option is to get the remote display.

 

I took a good look at both the Escort 8500 and the V1, decided to go for the Escort due to it's smaller size and range of features. In terms of performance I don't think there is much between them.

 

It may appear that as a V1 owner I am somewhat prejudiced, but the most highly respected *unbiased* automotive journals (such as AutoWeek and Car & Driver) have consistently rated it at the top of the heap. Other rags (er, mags) may not have had the same findings, but IMHO they either used the V1 in the incorrect mode, did not understand or properly interpret the unit's information, or had other (ahem!) "issues" they were concerned with (advertising $$$ ?)

AFAIK, the V1 is the only portable detector that offers true 360 degree protection, with 2 radar feedhorns and 2 laser detectors... front and aft... to accurately pin-point the locations of the "bogies" (traps). It tells you where they are, how many are there, and in which location the most imminent dangers lie (front, rear, or on your sides). Other models may *attempt* to synthesize this information, but with only one antenna the accuracy results should be painfully obvious (they depend solely on secondary reflection as opposed to dynamic matrices).

Mike Valentine is the one who gave us the first dependable detectors... the Escort series. These were the benchmark for well over a decade, until he left Cincinnati Microwave to begin production of his new "baby" the V1. It set new standards mmediately upon its introduction, and has continued to be the benchmark for which all others take aim. I've never heard of a V1 owner who was dissapointed and subsequently purchased a different brand.

One final note... For a modest price, Mike continues to offer hardware updates to convert older units to his current models.

Do I like mine? Nah... I LOVE it!

Paul

PS: No, I don't have any connections with the company... I just don't like to get caught with my pants down around my ankles, and assume most of you don't either!

PPS: I don't want to be too harsh... with the current levels of technology, you'll likely not be disapointed with any of the major brands.

 

I found an interesting review of the Escort 8500 vs. the V1:

http://www.epinions.com/content_26167905924

QUOTE:

"The Bottom Line:

Until the Valentine updates its software and look, the false alarms and look keep me away.

Buy the Escort 8500 you will be happy with it, I know I am."

Escort 8500

 

I have the V1 for about 4 years and had good sucess with it.

it save me from a few speeding tickets

my 2 cent