radar detector

[Saint777]

There is a Cobra 9160 Radar/Laser Detector that is $90 off (includes $80 instand, $10 mail in rebate) at Circuit City making it $49.

Does anyone know if this is a good deal and if this is a good radar detector. Thx!

 

[Sadik007]

Its junk.

 

[Sadik007]

Cobra makes one of worse radar detectors. For some people its ok. The only difference is sensitivity of chip in side. Cobra will go off all the time, drive you crazy, and you will never be sure it police there or not.
I friend of mine has this one, and he is use to it. But he spends more time playing with it then driving.
I have Escort 8500 and Bel 980. They are great. Escort is bit better. These are only two that I would get.
www.Radartest.com

 

[rufruf44]

Cobra is worse than Whistler? I thought Whistler is the worse of all.

 

[GermyBoy]

So why don't you recommend a good one? I'm in the market for a new one, and I have talked to people and they all say Cobra Cobra!

Basically I just need something that detects everything, including lasers, and if it can have some sort of a cloak technology, that'd be cool too.


Peace,
GermyBoy

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: GermyBoy
So why don't you recommend a good one? I'm in the market for a new one, and I have talked to people and they all say Cobra Cobra!

Basically I just need something that detects everything, including lasers, and if it can have some sort of a cloak technology, that'd be cool too.


Peace,
GermyBoy

How about don't speed? (in excess)

 

[pinoy]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH

Originally posted by: GermyBoy
So why don't you recommend a good one? I'm in the market for a new one, and I have talked to people and they all say Cobra Cobra!

Basically I just need something that detects everything, including lasers, and if it can have some sort of a cloak technology, that'd be cool too.


Peace,
GermyBoy

How about don't speed? (in excess)

AMEN!

 

[GroundedSailor]

Originally posted by: GermyBoy
So why don't you recommend a good one? I'm in the market for a new one, and I have talked to people and they all say Cobra Cobra!

Basically I just need something that detects everything, including lasers, and if it can have some sort of a cloak technology, that'd be cool too.


Peace,
GermyBoy

Best protection money can buy.

Valentine 1

But be prepared to pay the price. They are never sold at a discount.

BTW www.Radartest.com is biased towards Bel. There was a long discussion on this subject in OT a while ago. (Use text search in archived messages if you are a subscriber).

If you want to see an objective and unbiased comparison test of detectors, check out
The Great Detector Test by Car And Driver magazine.

Hope this helps.

 

[vidgamefan]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH

Originally posted by: GermyBoy
So why don't you recommend a good one? I'm in the market for a new one, and I have talked to people and they all say Cobra Cobra!

Basically I just need something that detects everything, including lasers, and if it can have some sort of a cloak technology, that'd be cool too.


Peace,
GermyBoy

How about don't speed? (in excess)

I would've posted sooner, but it took me a while to get off the floor and stop laughing.

Anyway, GermyBoy, if you read any of the major car forums on the web, the only radar detector consistently recommended is the Valentine One. It runs for $400 off their website ($300 on eBay), and it's one of the best investments I can think of. I haven't run into an owner who has said they've been pulled over while using it. They are expensive, but remember that one traffic ticket will usually run at least $100, and the increase in your insurance premiums will cost you much more than $400 in the long run.

If you simply can't afford it, then the Escort 8500 (~$280) or the Bel 985 (~$290) would be second and third picks, respectively. Some protection is better than nothing.

 

[bleuless]

alot of radar detectors work, but the difference is that some go off with alot of false alarm, and misses some real ones. but the theory behind is are pretty much the same, it all comes down to design and ways to filter out false signals. i had the cobra before, they definetely work, but you just need to know how to read the right. it would always give me a stronger than usual warning when the threat is real.

since that one is stolen i've been doing some searching too for a new one, and i found that it comes down to the passport 8500 and valentine one. i've talked to alot of owners on both and they seem pretty equal, but a good suggestion i've heard from many of them is that both comes with 30 day money back guarantee. if you can, just buy both and test both of them side by side and keep that one that works for you. just bear in mind that police varies their radar state from state, so what works for one might not work for you.

personally since i am lazy, i think i am just going to buy the passport 8500. only thing holding me back is the price i am still waiting for a price drop or something. i mean they've been out for a while now.

btw, valentine one in my opinion is more fancy hence the extra price tag. but you can definetly have more fun with it (ie. custom installation etc)

 

[GroundedSailor]

Originally posted by: vidgamefan

I haven't run into an owner who has said they've been pulled over while using it. They are expensive, but remember that one traffic ticket will usually run at least $100, and the increase in your insurance premiums will cost you much more than $400 in the long run.

Here's an owner for 4 years - no tickets
First thing I did after getting a ticket in 1998 was research and buy a Valentine 1.

 

[GermyBoy]

Thanks, you've helped a lot.

 

[ShowdOWN]

i would get an Escortradar detector any day. i had one for over 6 years until it finally gave out when i put it in a friends car.

 

[hx009]

Originally posted by: GroundedSailor

Originally posted by: vidgamefan

I haven't run into an owner who has said they've been pulled over while using it. They are expensive, but remember that one traffic ticket will usually run at least $100, and the increase in your insurance premiums will cost you much more than $400 in the long run.

Here's an owner for 4 years - no tickets
First thing I did after getting a ticket in 1998 was research and buy a Valentine 1.

Another vote for Valentine 1. I'm in the same boat... got 2 tickets in a cross country drive in 2001. Bought the V1 the next day, and haven't gotten a ticket since.

 

[Yo2]

There is a lot of hype about these radar detectors. As pointed out above they all do detect radar, the trick is that it has to be pretty intelligent to filter out the false alarms. Moreover some of the better detectors have more user programable options, in particular suppression of certain alarm levels or adding deletion of certain bands. If applied correctly this can help in omitting false alarms.

However:

I have a 3 year old detector from ratshack, and it works very well, in fact I briefly purchased a brandnew Bel985 which supposedly has a great false alarm filter, but it pretty much went off wherever the old detector had gone off too no noticeable difference - so I returned it.

May be a passport for the holidays would be nice but $300 is just a lot of dough.

Yo

 

[schwinn8]

How about don't speed?

Why not? It's not like it's unsafe....

Back to the topic:
The key with a radar detector is knowing how to use it, and getting one that doesn't false often yet has good range. Knowing how to use it means that you don't expect it to save the day all the time - cops hide over hills, around corners, and use instant-on for this reason... you need to be aware of this with ANY detector. Beyond that, having one with great sensitivity is important as long as it doesn't false a lot... if it falses, then you will tend to ignore it... which then begs the question - why do you have it?!

I have had great results with Bel. Passport is rated very highly too, as are Valentines. However, low-end Bels and Passports can be just as bad as Cobras and such. If you aren't going to spend money on a quality unit, don't bother getting one at all.

That being said, here is a great link for an INDEPENDENT verification of many radar detectors: SpeedZones

Beyond that, there's always the National Motorists Association who is one of the few groups out there fighting to resolve the idiocy behind "Speed Kills". After all, if you are trying to work around the problem with a radar detector, shouldn't you try to fight it at the source, too?