You know, the ones that tell you if a police radar is nearby? I've seen them costing nearly $400 in car magazines, but the other day at Target of all places, for $40-100, you can get a radar detector, out of two model choices. My question is, do you think a radar detector purchased at Target would be worthwhile?
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Try a search on Consumer reports............radar detectors are NOT created equal...........Some like Valentine one are awsome...and others are about worthless.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

My thoughts on radar detectors is that if it costs less than a speeding ticket then it's money well spent. I have "cheap" radar detectors in all of my cars. They do a good job of warning of radar and a fair job of "false" signals but I would not recommend them if you intend to use them to warn you of radar traveling at speeds over 100 MPH since they will not give you adaquate time to slow down.

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Ray
1998 Mercedes E320, 200K Miles
2001 Acura 3.2TL, 178K Miles
1992 Chevy Astro, 205K Miles

I guess that depends on the reason why you want it. If you want something that simply makes obnoxious noises that you ignore all the time, then yes, it'll do.

I've had radar detectors off an on over the years. Absolutely nothing out there can even come close to the Valentine One that now adorns my windshield. I have heard over and over that getting an alarm from a lidar gun means that you've already been caught. My V1 has consistently found and reported the revenuer using lidar far enough in advance, that not only do I know he's there, but I can literally watch the cop aim it at me to read my speed. Of course, I always smile and wave as I pass by, typically 10 under the limit.

As for the radar part, It is awesome to not only know how many radar signatures there are, but where they are coming from. I have had it pick up revenuers hiding under the radar scope of one of the many strip malls I pass by on my work commute. I've also known where there are more than one revenuers backing each other up - an instance where I saw a BMW get picked off, as he thought the revenuer with a "customer" was the only one in the construction zone. I had a "2" on my numeric display.

I don't own any cars that go fast enough to need a radar detector.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Actually, if you plant your right foot flat to the floor on that Euro long enough, it'll do 90.

Speaking of the Euro, do you have it back up and running?

Hey Brian, howzit going.

Yep, she's been back on the road for months. Just did front brakes on it last week. The thing that's giving me fits has been fuel tank problems. The algae is pretty much cleaned up, but I am still getting water in the filters. I drained the tank and flushed it and changed the strainer, but still the water keeps coming. The radio croaked, but I hated that rotating faceplate anyway. I put in a simpler Kenwood that took the same harness. Mechanically it's doing great, but I just haven't been able to whip the fuel problems. Thought about using that electric pump in a fuel polishing setup.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

I have owned a Valentine 1 since they first came out. Simply stated, it is the best and worth every penny. During the 15 years I have owned it, it has been returned to the factory for updating twice. It is outstanding; that is all there is to it.

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Lawrence Coppari

2002 SLK32 AMG
2005 Acura TL
1987 328GTS
1986 944T

One thing about cheap radar detectors is that they tend to emit energy themselves. I get a fair number of false signals from other motorists who are using cheap fuzzbusters. If I can detect them with my Valentine 1 or my wife's Passport 8500, the highway patrol certainly can.

Police generally don't like motorists using radar detectors. If things are slow, my experience is that they'll pull you over just to make that point. You won't necessarily get a ticket, but they'll burn 10 minutes running your license and giving you the once-over.

So for that reason alone, springing for the high-end radar detector is worthwhile if you choose to purchase one. My experience commuting 90 miles a day on suburban Milwaukee freeways is that the detector isn't necessary during the day for an alert driver. At night is a different story. Up here enforcement goes into overdrive after dusk, with instant-on Ka band and laser. Even with a top-of-the-line radar/laser detector, the cops can still beat you, but it makes me uneasy not knowing what's lurking up ahead in the dark.

BTW, I was driving with the Passport 8500 recently, and have to admit I missed the Valentine 1's directional arrows.

Russ M

Get one. I picked up a cheap cobra in a pawn shop for 15-20 bucks. I figure it has saved me at least 600 bucks so far. I got tagged with instant on Ka in a school zone. 35 in a 20, $400 ticket. I fought it and the cop admitted that the radar initially showed 35 but when it "locked" I was doing 11mph. When my detector went off I jumped on the brakes. Not guilty.

They run a lot of photo radar around here and this thing picks them up a couple blocks away. Plenty of time to slow down.

I've thought about getting a good one (valentine or escort) but I like leaving it on the dash and not worrying about getting it stolen.

I don't intentionally speed ... Mellowed out in my mature years.
BUT we bought the 380SL to cruise and it rides so nice you forget sometimes.
Still have to fix the cruise contro!!
Have had a Valentine 1 for years and there is no other way to go!!!!
Low ... on the dash wire throught the defrost vent to fuze panel goes under the seat when parked. And never been harassed by JohnDarm
In CA you can pay the ticket and go to school for 8 hours to keep it off your record ... well worth the $400 ... haven't had to go to school since!!!!!

The Valentine One is really the only one worth considering. It performs better than anything else out there and in most cases actually gives you a reasonable amount of time to react. It points out exactly where the signal is coming from and how many signals it is recieving. Best $400 a lead foot like myself could have spent.