Escort inc. Passport Radar Detector 139.99
- Thread starter Jokersmoker
- Start date
This is the Passport 6800. If it was the 8500 it would be a hot deal. This radar is avaiable new a lot cheaper though.
Good effort though, joker! You put up a lot of great deals.
Good effort though, joker! You put up a lot of great deals.
I will never purchase from Stupidbargains again!!! They practice deceptive advertisement and
then they jack you. I recently purchased the electric razor that was posted here. It turned out
to be a factory serviced unit (this was not noted on their website). They even sent an email
stating that it was their mistake and that their website should have stated that it was a factory
serviced unit. They offer to take it back, if you called or email them for a return labeled. I've
called 3 times already and still no return labeled. It been over a month and a half and I still
have this thing. I'm disputing this with Amex Blue. God Bless American Express Blue!
then they jack you. I recently purchased the electric razor that was posted here. It turned out
to be a factory serviced unit (this was not noted on their website). They even sent an email
stating that it was their mistake and that their website should have stated that it was a factory
serviced unit. They offer to take it back, if you called or email them for a return labeled. I've
called 3 times already and still no return labeled. It been over a month and a half and I still
have this thing. I'm disputing this with Amex Blue. God Bless American Express Blue!
yups, if it were the 8500, it'd be a SMOKING deal. THose run for around $300. Nice find tho, thanks for all these great postings Joker.
The valentine 1 is a very poor radar dector.
Judging by their advertisements which mislead many people, it looks like the best thing in the world.
Visit RadarTest.com .
The Bel 980 is a much better radar (MUCH better.. esp on Ka what really matters). You can pick one up for $235, and I would trust it a hell of a lot more than the V1- overpriced and no longer sufficient due to its lack of Ka sensitivity. If V1 did an update and reached the levels of the Passport 8500 or Bel 980, I'd buy one becuase of the cool arrows..the sensitivity is just too weak though.
Judging by their advertisements which mislead many people, it looks like the best thing in the world.
Visit RadarTest.com .
The Bel 980 is a much better radar (MUCH better.. esp on Ka what really matters). You can pick one up for $235, and I would trust it a hell of a lot more than the V1- overpriced and no longer sufficient due to its lack of Ka sensitivity. If V1 did an update and reached the levels of the Passport 8500 or Bel 980, I'd buy one becuase of the cool arrows..the sensitivity is just too weak though.
guys, i read somewhere here at AT(can't find it on my bookmarks) some guy talking about a radar called "Vt"- supposedly the best out there...since this "VT" can detect cops coming from the front and back, and can tell you also which directions they are coming from.... i just want the brand, or the real name for it if somebody knows what i am talking about...thx
That site radartest is supposedly biased. The author is a car mag columnist and is on the payroll of both Bel and Passport. I have a Bel980 and it's good, but I don't think its as good as the V1. The V1's directional sign (where the radar is coming from) is the absolute best feature, bar none.
<< The valentine 1 is a very poor radar dector. >>
Yea, whatever. I'm not about to part with my V1...it has proven time and again to be a reliable defense against radar.
This review on radartest.com is biased and a joke. They complain about the controls, the loudness and the information provided by the unit. Too many functions? The V1 is so easy to use. Turn the dial for volume, turn the second dial for mute volume. Push the dial to change modes. Wow, that's freakin' hard.
Audio level too low? They must have had cotton in their ears. The V1 is by far the loudest detector I've ever used. I don't even turn the volume past half-way. They say "the Passport not only displays band ID but also the relative signal strength of each, helping to prioritize the threat." Great, so you have to watch it scroll through each one on the 1-line display. Know how the V1 prioritizes the threat? The location of the strongest radar source is indicated by the blinking arrow on the directional arrow display (a feature EXCLUSIVE to V1) and its wavelength is indicated by the blinking LED. Fantastic. No thought, just glance and BAM, you know where the radar is. I could care less what radartest.com thinks, the V1's information interface is unsurpassed.
Complain, complain, complain. "No auto mute." Why would you want one? I don't want to have the thing mute a real radar source that I forgot about. If I know the source is a bogey then I'll mute it myself. "No user-programmable features." Nope, it's a surveilance device, not a stereo receiver. "No text display". A dubious feature; you're driving, not reading little messages scrolling across the detector. "No Voice alerts." What? Chirps aren't modern enough? "No selectable band defeat." WHY would I want to turn off a radar band? I want protection of all bands all the time. "No tutorial mode." Doesn't need it because it is so intuitive to use. "Lights are too bright at night." If you are bothered by them, get the remote display unit.
They admitted the V1 is tops for unfiltered X band and very close to the top for city X band and K band. They say the V1 trailed the others by a "staggering" 17000 feet (3.2 miles) on Ka band, calling it a "critical shortcoming". But wait a minute. The 8500 picked up the Ka radar at 40,222 feet, which means the V1 picked it up at about 23,000 feet. Big difference? On paper, yes, but it makes no difference on the road. 23000 feet is still 4.4 miles! You could give me a warning 100 miles ahead, it means nothing more to me. Heck, as long as it goes off within a 1/2 mile of the cop with the radar, I'm happy. Think about it. It's also interesting how the V1 wins the highway curve battle, a critical test because cops don't hide in straightaways, they hide around curves.
Test scores: BEL 980 - 94, Escort 8500 - 97, V1 - 77. But if you look at the breakdown, several of these categories are subjective and subject to bias and personal preference. From a practical perspective, the V1 belongs near the top of the rankings. It's been considered number one enough times in the past that it has become Goliath and this test is populism and journalism mixed to poor recourse. Some are also upset with the inaccessibility of the price and think the V1 is crap because it is out of their price range. I paid $399 for my V1 4 years ago and looking at eBay, it would fetch in the low-$300s on resale. Of course, I'm not going to sell it, but proves the point of its long-term value.
If I was new to the detector market, I would give a close look at the Escort 8500 but probably would find the V1's exclusive directional display to be a feature not to be missed. It has saved my butt many times.
Another thing that is rather suspicious about the radartest.com review is the brevity of talk about laser detection, something that the V1 owns. Laser is the most deadly of radar because it is instantaenous and its beam is very narrow. However, a good laser detection unit has value because the laser beam can get deflected off of the targetted vehicle. The V1 has a substantially wider laser field of view than the competition (twice the nearest competitor), allowing it to better catch a deflected laser beam off of a vehicle ahead or behind. No detector can truly protect from laser, but the V1 is the best bet you have. They could have explained this advantage of the V1 better.
EDIT: Heh, heh, conspiracy revealed. Check this link.
Manufacturer and Model - Rear Detection Range (feet)
BEL 980 - 6,072
Cobra XR-1010 - 1,321
Escort Passport 8500 - 4,308
Valentine One - 8,976
Verbatim from report:
"Not surprisingly, the V1 gave the most range. Too much, in our opinion, since the driver would likely have slowed to a crawl prematurely even though the radar needed to close the range by another 1.5 miles before it was able to finally able to clock the target."
Well, well, well. The V1 leads in a distance test and suddenly its too much. 8976 is too much here, but 23000 feet is not enough when another detector does it in 40000 feet on a straightaway test. See what I mean by saying this site is a joke?
EDIT: Heh, heh, conspiracy revealed. Check this link.
Manufacturer and Model - Rear Detection Range (feet)
BEL 980 - 6,072
Cobra XR-1010 - 1,321
Escort Passport 8500 - 4,308
Valentine One - 8,976
Verbatim from report:
"Not surprisingly, the V1 gave the most range. Too much, in our opinion, since the driver would likely have slowed to a crawl prematurely even though the radar needed to close the range by another 1.5 miles before it was able to finally able to clock the target."
Well, well, well. The V1 leads in a distance test and suddenly its too much. 8976 is too much here, but 23000 feet is not enough when another detector does it in 40000 feet on a straightaway test. See what I mean by saying this site is a joke?
Radartest.com is an affiliate of Escort. I think I read somewhere the guy that runs the site is even sponsored by Escort.
NOTHING beats the V1, no matter what Radartest.com says. I read articles in PM, Motor Trend, and Can and Driver before I bought the V1, and it was worth every cent. My friend has the Passport 8500 and when we go out cruising, he follows behind me because my detector is still that much better. No joke.
The Escort detectors are great for the money, but cannot even come close to the V1 in terms of range, accuracy, and dependability.
Dan - no tickets since purchasing the V1.
NOTHING beats the V1, no matter what Radartest.com says. I read articles in PM, Motor Trend, and Can and Driver before I bought the V1, and it was worth every cent. My friend has the Passport 8500 and when we go out cruising, he follows behind me because my detector is still that much better. No joke.
The Escort detectors are great for the money, but cannot even come close to the V1 in terms of range, accuracy, and dependability.
Dan - no tickets since purchasing the V1.
<< would trust it a hell of a lot more than the V1- overpriced and no longer sufficient due to its lack of Ka sensitivity. If V1 did an update and reached the levels of the Passport 8500 or Bel 980, I'd buy one becuase of the cool arrows..the sensitivity is just too weak though. >>
This is hilarious.
THe Ka sensitivity on the V1 is nearly perfect. I know where the highway patrol is at (thanks to those arrows you mention) at least 3/4 mile ahead of time on the freeway. Sometimes more than a mile. How much more range could you possibly want?
You fell into the hype that is radartest.com. I'm sorry.
Ask on any knowledgeable car forum, and everyone will recommend the V1, except those suckers that read radartest.com.
wow, what a damn joke. valentine 1 was one of the best things ive ever owned. had i not needed money (and had a nice (fast) car i would of kept it)
guys, you want a radar detector get a v1, dont waste your money on any of that other junk
guys, you want a radar detector get a v1, dont waste your money on any of that other junk
what a Fn joke.... the story goes like this..... about six months ago, i read something from someone in california saying that the "VT" was the baddest of all of the radars....i mean he was describing how he was flyin somewhere in Cali to get to an airport in the middle of the night and how many cops he had surpassed with the VT system, - where it would point the direction from where the VT would signal cop was coming or going.... so me, lazy one, never bookmarked the thread, was wonderin where the hell to find this VT radar
HALLELUJA!!!!!
NOW I KNOW---- it's called Valentine... i'm get this one by Friday.....sheez...here in MD, actually cops now have radars mounted on their passenger door windows(front and back), by the driver side mirror, and even sometimes i ve seen those mounted on the very top of a trooper car!!!! NEXT THING YOU know, there' would be radars on tail pipes
Mother Flushers ---- you ain't gonna get my money from now on!
HALLELUJA!!!!!
NOW I KNOW---- it's called Valentine... i'm get this one by Friday.....sheez...here in MD, actually cops now have radars mounted on their passenger door windows(front and back), by the driver side mirror, and even sometimes i ve seen those mounted on the very top of a trooper car!!!! NEXT THING YOU know, there' would be radars on tail pipes
Mother Flushers ---- you ain't gonna get my money from now on!
mithrandir2001,
Actually you can program the V1. Just goto their website and look around the website, you will find the info to program it. No cops use X-band in Denver so I turned it off. Now the processor spends 33% of its time on each band instead of only 25%. The mute feature is nice when you are following a cop or vice-versa. Also, the display automatically dims depending on ambient light (great feature).
I had bought a $140.00 detector from Radio Shack and tried it for awhile. I was able to see the photo-radar vans long before the thing would signal. Plus it had a LCD display that washed out in any amount of light and the beeper was way too soft and facing the wrong direction. It also had the Safety Alert System which sucked because everytime it detected one, it cut off all other signal reports.
I bought a V1 and used both at the same time (I know they say they interfere) and difference was night and day. The direction indicator has to be the best feature. Nothing beats getting a signal and knowing which direction to keep an eye on. I would not hesitate to purchase another V1. If you want a great RADAR/LASER detector, then go with the V1. If you something with eye candy, then put in an aftermarket car stereo.
Actually you can program the V1. Just goto their website and look around the website, you will find the info to program it. No cops use X-band in Denver so I turned it off. Now the processor spends 33% of its time on each band instead of only 25%. The mute feature is nice when you are following a cop or vice-versa. Also, the display automatically dims depending on ambient light (great feature).
I had bought a $140.00 detector from Radio Shack and tried it for awhile. I was able to see the photo-radar vans long before the thing would signal. Plus it had a LCD display that washed out in any amount of light and the beeper was way too soft and facing the wrong direction. It also had the Safety Alert System which sucked because everytime it detected one, it cut off all other signal reports.
I bought a V1 and used both at the same time (I know they say they interfere) and difference was night and day. The direction indicator has to be the best feature. Nothing beats getting a signal and knowing which direction to keep an eye on. I would not hesitate to purchase another V1. If you want a great RADAR/LASER detector, then go with the V1. If you something with eye candy, then put in an aftermarket car stereo.
Anyone know of a place to get a V1 at a discount that ISN'T grey market? I'd like to have an actual working warranty when I finally pony up the bux.
A little helpful advice with the Valentine-1..... Make sure the car you are driving doesn't have a SunGate windshield in it. SunGate was used in my 1996 Impala SS and it made the Valentine useless. I ended up having to get a Bel with a remote that I placed in the grill. Sungate windshields are made with some sort of metal in them for sun reflectivity.
Anyways, just make sure you don't have one of these in your car - I had to send my Valentine-1 back.
Anyways, just make sure you don't have one of these in your car - I had to send my Valentine-1 back.
GroundedSailor
Platinum Member
- Feb 18, 2001
- 2,502
- 0
- 76
Agree completely with mithrandir2001's posts.
I have the V1 and wouldn't trade it for anything in the market. It's the best detector money can buy and it works specially well here in NJ as a lot of cops still use X band where it excels. I did a lot of research before buying a detector after I got a speeding ticket from a rookie cop (doing 71 on a 65 mile highway! - coudn't believe when the f****** idiot gave me the ticket.)
I also have the remote display which is mounted inside my dashboard so there are no red lights on my windscreen for the cops to see. Cost about $40 and worth it.
talonts
Anyone know of a place to get a V1 at a discount that ISN'T grey market? I'd like to have an actual working warranty when I finally pony up the bux
Unfortunately V1 is never sold at a discount and only direct from the manufacturer. But worth every penny. Infact mine has paid for itself many times over in saved tickets.
rubenswm: it is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about. As many posters already posted, the review that you are talking about is very biased and is VERY far from the truth. If necessary, I can provide links to prove it... just don't have time to look for them now. V1 is the best radar out there... period. It is pricey and it is huge but it is the best radar protection you can buy. If someone is willing to spend 300 on another brand - my advise put in abother hundred and buy V1. You will NOT regret it.
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