somewhat pleased
October 31, 2008
The Radar detector itself works great, it has saved me a couple of times. But the release button broke soon after I got it and won't stay in the suction cup holder, so I have it velcroed to my dash. Other than that I am very pleased with it.
ADEQUATE FOR THE PRICE
January 20, 2008
ESCORT IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING THIS DETECTOR TO KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES AND TO SELL MORE DETECTORS, BUT WORKS FINE. NO TICKETS.
AWESOME detector, but mine was a LEMON
August 7, 2007
OK, I admit this is an awesome detector, but in case anyone else has the problem I had, here's why I only give it a '4'-- it didn't last long.
My Valentine One was stolen in early 2005, and I'm an experienced 'speed driver', so I needed a new detector FAST. I LOVED my V1, but couldn't see shelling out another $400+ for a new one, so I figured I'd trust what I heard & get a Passport 8500.
With the Passport, I missed knowing which direction the radar was coming from, and the "bogey counter" on the Passport is occasionally unreliable compared to what I was used to in my V1. (I STILL miss my V1 directional arrows!) However, the 8500 seemed to detect earlier, especially on long open roads. It even seemed to work a little better from behind.
So, I guess I'd call them about even-- except for reliability. About 8 months ago my 8500 started resetting a lot. Then the problem got worse. Every time I accelerated or turned a corner, it would reset. EVERY time. I replaced the little phone connector on the cord, which seemed to help, but after 4 (yes 4) new connectors, the problem just kept getting worse. Now my 8500 is a $300 paper weight. The cord tested fine with a multimeter, and my 8500 is dead.
So again I need a new detector. But after losing a $400+ V1 to theft, and another $300+ to bad electronics, maybe I'm better off with a cheaper detector. So what will I do?
If I can spare the $400+ I'll get another V1. It worked VERY well and I trust it. Both it's detection and its reliability.
If I can't part with $400 I'll get another 8500 or maybe 2 cheaper ones for both cars. I'm disappointed in my 8500's short life, but it sure was a great detector when it worked!
Update: Escort fixed my 8500 for $50 and it works like a champ. In the meantime I bought another Valentine One anyway. Now we've got the V1 in our family car and the 8500 in my work car.
Quality Product with Lots of Bells and Whistles
(13 of 14 Found this Helpful)
May 7, 2004
I purchased this detector a month or so ago, and have been running it through it's paces ever since. There are lots of speed traps in the area where I drive, so I've had several opportunities to test it out.
Conclusions:
1) A radar detector is not a substitute for defensive driving. You still need to be aware of where speed traps are likely to be set up and behave accordingly (slow down, keep a car in front of you, etc.).
2) The police obviously spend a great deal of time trying to hide in places to make radar detection difficult. Even the best radar detector may not save you, or at best will give you only a moment's notice.
3) The Escort seems to behave well in stopping false warnings, and warning me of threats. It does not give me tonnes of time to react. I've read all of the reports indicating how much more sensitive the Passport is, but in real life this only translates into fractional seconds in the conditions where speed traps are likely. I'm not a habitual speeder, so I don't tend to worry about normal conditions where I'll stumble upon a policeman who happens to be running radar while they're driving. I'm more concerned about defeating specific speed traps where the speed limit isn't reflective of safe driving conditions.
4) The Passport detects POP radar, and it's OS is upgradable, which should extend it's effective lifespan quite a bit.
5) There are many bells and whistles which allow you to completely configure the detector to meet your needs, including displaying the exact frequency of the most important threat. This is very valuable in mapping out false alarms in your area.
No matter how many bells and whistles, nor the name recognition of the manufacturer, will keep you from getting a ticket if the detector isn't sensitive enough. Though the Passport passes the sensitivity test, I don't know that it is clearly superior to detectors costing 1/2 the price. Thus the 4 star rating.
Great Product!
(7 of 8 Found this Helpful)
May 4, 2004
The Escort 8500 is the best radar/laser detector for the money. Sure, you can spend an extra $100 to get the Valentine One and the directional arrows. However, if the thing goes off are you first going to look at the arrows or are you going to slow down? Save the $100 price difference and get the 8500. It does everything the V1 can do with the same sensitivity minus the directional arrows.
