posted 09-03-2002 01:30 PM                  

This site compares all the top models...Check it out

http://www.valentineone.com/lab/detectortests.asp

posted 09-03-2002 04:08 PM                  

I pulled together a word document sometime ago on a hard wire install of the V1 in the cat. There didn’t seem to be much interest nor could I find a place to put it on the site, so I just dropped it. I’m sure I can find a copy somewhere if you have an interest.

posted 09-03-2002 04:12 PM                  

Last year we did a group buy on the Passport 8500. It has saved me a couple of times (in our Durango). Here is the link:
http://www.prowleronline.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002673.html

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Cliff Watson See My Prowler Page
2K1 Mulholland, Colorshift Flames, Mud Flaps, TGF Side Panels, TGF Bumper Covers, Eric Wolf Chrome Tranny Cooler, Blueberry Shimmers, Front Ceramic Pads, Homemade Top Brace, SSS Muffler, Weekender.
2001 Dakota SLT+ CC (Patriot Blue)
1998 Durango SLT+ (Intense Blue)
X - 1998 Honda Accord
X - 1991 Dodge Spirit
X - 1965 Ford Mustang (289)
X - 1994 Dodge Daytona Turbo
X - 1971 Ford Pinto (The Rust Bucket)

posted 09-03-2002 05:03 PM                  

I have a couple of the Passport 8500's. They test out on par with the Valentines but have auto muting and lots of programming features. They are also lighter and cheaper.

Go hear to take a look: http://www.escortradar.com/

posted 09-03-2002 05:22 PM                  

My friend went on to sell his Passport later that day for $50…" says James W.
Mr. Valentine:

I was travelling on Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania with a group of cars in May. I had the only Valentine; others in the group included a Passport 8500, a 7500, and a Bel (I forget the model number). Destination: an auto-trade show in Carlisle, PA. Speed: let’s just say “interesting.”

I was mid-pack out of 8 cars when I detected random bursts of K-Band in front of us, more frequent and stronger as we approached a hilltop. I first started getting signals ˝ mile from the crest.

I radioed to the other cars—I was picking something up—and I dropped off the pace. The car with one of the Passports (a BMW M3) radioed he didn't have anything, and pressed on. The others fell back and stayed behind me.

Well, you can guess…right at the top of the hill I saw a frantic dive for the slow lane with heavy braking from my friend's M3, along with a few expletives across the airwaves as the cop pulled out. Luckily, he pulled over someone ahead of my friend's M3.

Later that day, his exact words were: "I saw the light rack on the car not even a second after my detector went off. I can't believe how early you got a warning!" No one else in the pack received anything until they were right on top of the radar car as he was stopping the victim.

My friend went on to sell his Passport later that day for $50, and ordered a Valentine off your site the following week.

James W., State College, PA

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"Yes, I bit on their price…" says M. Palmer

I have owned my V1 since 1998 and recently decided to get a new detector; my wife got the hand-me-down V1 and I thought I had done good by buying the Passport 8500.

Yes, I bit on their price, and their study.

We are traveling between Knoxville and Nashville one day. She was following me. I had owned the Passport for one week. As we were moving along I look in my rear view mirror and she had dropped way back. Of course the next thing I heard was the Passport 8500 going off. I looked up and he was already pulling out...BUSTED!

As he was writing me up, my wife calls and asks, "Why didn't you brake in time?" She said our older V1 had been warning her for about seven or eight seconds. At the speed we were going, I'd say close to a quarter mile. Nothing from the Passport 8500 except for a chirp to let me know that I needed to pull over. So much for saving a few dollars and getting so-called better performance.

Needless to say, Passport got their detector back, and I am looking forward to getting my new Valentine V1.

M. Palmer by email

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"V1, it's a legend," says Justin K.

I did not buy my V1 directly from Valentine, but from a good friend who recently needed money for legal fees (He did purchase it directly from you). I did, however, also purchase a Passport 8500 (I bought it earlier based on Radartest.com).

In the note I submitted earlier, I said that the 8500 was more sensitive on the Ka band. Well, after I've given it a little time, I've found that to not be the case. I had an experience which sold me on the V1 once and for all. I was in South Carolina headed south on I-85. I was rapidly coming up a hill. The V1 chirps a light warning on Ka band; says "ahead." 8500 says nothing. I think for a second about Radartest.com's test. I decide not to trust it. I immediately back off the gas and get in the right lane.

Increased signal strength from V1. As I get closer to the top of the hill, 8500 finally starts to chirp "Ka." I come across the hill, both detectors are at full, and there's a trooper in a Camaro on the right side of the road hiding in the bushes. The V1 warned me a full 3-4 seconds before 8500. At the speed I was traveling, (let's just say I was "rocking") I would have gotten a ticket with 8500 alone.

I just wanted to let you know-8500 is going on ebay next week. V1 is becoming a permanent fixture in my vehicle--and then coming with me whenever I enter another vehicle. I had heard the rumors about V1, but believed Radartest.com instead. Let me tell you, I know how difficult it is to detect radar over a hill--V1 isn't a rumor, as far as I'm concerned, it's a legend. Thanks for the product.

In terms of making it better? Honestly, I like everything about it. Sure it's not as sleek looking as some of the others, but if you asked me, it looks meaner. Maybe because of the mean way it sniffs them out. Personally, I say you've created a great product.

Justin K. by email

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"V1's unique features are indispensable," says J. Dillard

Dear Mr. Valentine:

I have been a user of your Valentine One Radar Locator since 1993. Prior to that I owned and used the original Passport. Given all the debate and test comparisons between the new Passport 8500 and the Valentine One I decided to do my own comparison. Perhaps my testing wasn't completely fair since my Valentine One was an older unit, but it would give me a good indication of whether the Passport was everything that it had been hyped to be.

I could make a number of criticisms of the Passport such as it falsed too much on K band, it's power cord was too short and that its constant bouncing on the windshield was annoying. But those are not the reasons I sent it back. Although it has good range on X band, I found it's warnings on Ka and K to be dangerously short, much less than on my older V1. I received an average of .6 mile on K, while I always receive between .8 and 1 mile with my V1. Their range on X was comparable and their X-band filters were actually quite good.

The biggest reason this detector falls short of my needs is simply because it is lacking in front and rear antennas. I had an encounter that underscores the need to have front and rear antennas and which emphasized the V1's superiority. On a stretch of four-lane state highway I picked up a bogey straight ahead. Within a short period I saw a state police car on the side of the road that had pulled over a speeder obviously using same-lane radar. As I passed them my V1's arrows changed briefly to the side and then rear. Within a tenth of a mile I received the dee deep and looked at the V1 which still had the rear arrow lit, but the front arrow was flashing and it was showing two bogeys. Around the next curve and sitting in the grassy median in a hedge row was another trooper running radar. Had I been using the Passport I would have never known about the threat ahead as I would have thought the beeping would have been from reflections of the radar behind me. In fact, the whole time I was trying out the Passport I found myself missing the bogey counter and directional arrows. We still use X band down here in the mountains of North Carolina along with quite a bit of K and some of the new Ka. On X, I would pick up encounters for a long time and would never know if they were behind me or ahead of me. The last time I ran the Passport this happened. I kept getting an X signal, but couldn't see the car. It was a good 10 minutes later before I saw him in my review mirror. With the V1 I would have known whether he was behind me or somewhere ahead.

The bogey counter and directional arrows are the next best thing to having military type radar, and having been a user of both types of radar I can tell you the V1's unique features are indispensable. Enclosed is my old V1which I am requesting that you upgrade. This is the second time I have upgraded it and I want to also thank you for making this feature available. The Passport has been sent back to Escort with a letter telling them why I did not keep it. I have also posted an opinion on epinions.com of my experience with the two instruments.

J. Dillard
Asheville, NC

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"V1 is still KING." says J. Crowe

For the past 2 weeks I have tested the 8500 against my V1. Time and time again the V1 beeped first. I soon learned that my V1 would always report ahead of the Escort, but I especially noticed the V1 had much better range around a corner on K band. Finally, on Ka band yesterday around a curve it alerted me 6 seconds before the 8500. I never experienced the advanced warning on Ka band that the Escort was supposed to deliver!! (maybe I just never encountered the right Ka signal under the right conditions, or maybe it was just unfounded hype!).

I read a report recently that said your arrows work "sometimes." With a little common sense applied they work all the time. Sure, once in while the signal will bounce around and confuse the arrows for a second or so, but overall they work great (as you already know).

One other feature that I never appreciated before was the auto light adjustment. However I grew weary of reaching up and adjusting the brightness on the 8500, the auto adjustment on the V1 performs much better.

The 8500 is a very good detector, Escort's best effort in years, but it still does not surpass the V1 in any area. The Escort goes back tomorrow; the V1 is still KING.

I wrote you a while back and said the muting didn't work on the programming feature. It does. I thought it muted after "set" seconds, but after re-reading I noticed that it muted on the onset for a set amount of seconds. After understanding that, yes it does work properly. Not a function that I really like, though; the factory default is better.

Last, the fact that you can upgrade for less than full price IS VERY IMPORTANT to ME. I have a box full of old detectors. Never change your plan on allowing upgrades. This is something the magazines always fail to remember in their tests.!!!! This is a huge benefit.

SUGGESTIONS to improve the V1? Allow the user to totally shut off X band as you do, but only in L mode. When in A mode have the X band switch back on automatically to eliminate reprogramming when you leave an X band safe area. This would take much less time.

When designing future faceplates make the band identifiers visible at night. It is sometimes hard to tell where the round circle is, although in time, and with the sound, you learn to identify. If the little Ka or K or X actually lit up it would be better.

And in the perfect world if you could make the V1 a little more narrow it would be great, although I will always place performance before style and size.

J. Crowe by email

posted 09-04-2002 02:25 PM                  

V1 Hardwire Installation

Special thanks to Cliff for hosting it.