.... i bought one today(it was the most expensive at best buy so i figured most expensive ment best), i figured it would be useful living in scottsdale az.. there are not only cops all over but speed radar everywhere... anyways, i read the manual and thought i programed it right, but passing 3 cops and 2 radar things made me change my mind... any help in programing this thing or some insight on what these things really help with...

 

Until I got my 8500 x 50 I thought cops always had there radars on. Not true, I often pass cops and more often then not they aren't running with there radars on. Point being you may be just fine, only programing on mine is picking city, highway or auto. I just alway leave mine on auto, I believe the manual suggest that. Good luck

 

Go to radardetector dot net and school yourself on reading false alarms and programming it. RD usage is an art and a science...seriously. When I'm driving through familiar areas I can tell 95% of the time whether the reading I'm getting is coming from an automatic door, or an alarm system or a cop.

 

i had a radar detector for about a month and returned it cause i figured it wont save me any tickets. it would go off about every minute and i hated that. and since most cops dont have their radar on when they drive, they'll still bust you....in my opinion it wasnt worth the $350 i spent on it so i returned it..

 

I have the same Radar and until you get used to all the false and real readings then I would keep it low key. You will tune in to the sound of a real alarm vs. a false one. It's hard to explain.....only time will tell. If you have a Dog or kid ( sometimes the same ) you can always tell your dog or kid from another when it screams / barks. Same principle applys here. Good luck and fly low and avoid the radar !

 

If you have a passport x50 like mine the ****s baller. I got my first ticket ever, then bought the x50 8500 the next day. I havent gotten a ticket since except for a click it ticket down in ga (wasnt wearing a seatbelt). Keep in mind its been around 3 yrs.

Just learn x is mostly false and k and ka can be a cop. In my opinion its the best mod for the money. I also have it set up for city no x so there is rarely ever a false alarm unless I pass by a Winn Dixie or Harris Teeter or something.

I love mine, keep it.

 

you Kids:O) I've had the best radar detector money could buy from the time they first came out. Usually Passports, it has saved me from hundreds of tickets over the years (30). I use to have one pointed in each direction until they now read both directions. In NV on the 2 lane roads, the highway guys will not run all the time, they will wait until they are on top of you and push the button. Usually, most states, they are lazy and run all the time, the Passport will pick them up 2-3 miles down the road. It isn't the ticket that is the problem, its the screwing that the insurance company that screws you for 3 years. Buy one, figure it out and save money. BTW, not all police cars have radar.

 

You also have to find out what band the cops around your town uses. Here in the DFW area cops use Ka and Laser. The X50 will save your butt on Ka but not for Laser. You need to drive around with it a bit to understand what the false alarms are. And it's true that cops dont always drive with their radars on. The X50 is there to save you from speed traps not from everyday cops going down the road.

 

x50 has saved me everywhere. Was messing with a friends mustang and he has a cheapo one and mine went off about 30 secs before his did so we slowed down.

Sucks on laser though. But Ive been hit with it only twice in about 3 years. Both times going about 15 mph, I think theyre just testing it out in my area.

 

Get the Blinder M20 for Laser.

 

I have the same escort as you. The cops here will run with the radar off and when they see a live 1 the wait till they are like a block away and turn it on. I have had 2 hwy bulls get right behind me and follow on the same day for a total of about 100 miles. A friend of mine just became a deputy and told me this is what they are taught in training in south dakota. trust me it has saved me fron a few ticky because it went off when they were checking someone else a long way away front and back so thay work and save you $$$ big time.

 

You should look at the 9500i, thats newest unit.

I got it and love it

 

... .. I was gonna say.. I think the 8500 is "outdated" now, unfortunately. Still probably a great unit, but newer stuff coming out now.

 

I really like my x50 and am trying to find a red one to trade my blue for. PM if your interested..