Best Radar for the $$$
I have the Valentine V1 and am very satisfied with it. That said, the "new"BEL 985 $212.65 did just about as well as the Valentine $399.00 and the Passport 8500 $299.95 in the only tests I could find that compared these three models:
Speedzones.com Test:
Most Invisible To Radar Detector/Detectors-VG-2, Spectre II, MD-3
BEL 985, Passport 8500, Valentine One
Best At Detecting POP Modes-Bee III Ka, Z-25 K
BEL 985, Cobra 9870, Passport 8500, Whistler 1793, Whistler 1783
Best Straight Line Detection X, K, Ka:
BEL 985, Passport 8500, PNI Zodiac, Valentine One, Whistler 1783, Whistler 1793
Best Maximum Range Over The Hill:
BEL 985, Passport 8500, PNI Zodiac, Valentine One
Best Laser Detection:
BEL 985, Cobra 9870, Passport 8500, Passport SR7, PNI Zodiac, Valentine One, Whistler 1793
Best Radar From The Rear:
BEL 985, Passport 8500, Valentine One, Whistler 1783
Best Safety Feature:
Cobra's Strobe Alert
Motor Trend test:
BEL 985: 94.3
Valentine V1: 94.8
Passport 8500: 94.8
Radar-Detectors.com test:
BEL 985: 4.5 Stars
Valentine V1: 4.5 Stars
Passport 8500: 5 Stars
Unfortunately, the other tests I found didn't use the Valentine V1 or the BEL 985:
Radartest.com (no V1)
Car and Driver Test (used BEL 980)
Speedzones.com Test:
Most Invisible To Radar Detector/Detectors-VG-2, Spectre II, MD-3
BEL 985, Passport 8500, Valentine One
Best At Detecting POP Modes-Bee III Ka, Z-25 K
BEL 985, Cobra 9870, Passport 8500, Whistler 1793, Whistler 1783
Best Straight Line Detection X, K, Ka:
BEL 985, Passport 8500, PNI Zodiac, Valentine One, Whistler 1783, Whistler 1793
Best Maximum Range Over The Hill:
BEL 985, Passport 8500, PNI Zodiac, Valentine One
Best Laser Detection:
BEL 985, Cobra 9870, Passport 8500, Passport SR7, PNI Zodiac, Valentine One, Whistler 1793
Best Radar From The Rear:
BEL 985, Passport 8500, Valentine One, Whistler 1783
Best Safety Feature:
Cobra's Strobe Alert
Motor Trend test:
BEL 985: 94.3
Valentine V1: 94.8
Passport 8500: 94.8
Radar-Detectors.com test:
BEL 985: 4.5 Stars
Valentine V1: 4.5 Stars
Passport 8500: 5 Stars
Unfortunately, the other tests I found didn't use the Valentine V1 or the BEL 985:
Radartest.com (no V1)
Car and Driver Test (used BEL 980)
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 0
From: Annandale, VA
very nice post thanks for the feed back i am going to try this vacation thing and see if i can get a discount on the V1, do u all think the remote display is worth it???
Ben
Ben
Re: Radar
Originally posted by lopchild
I have the passport on my Z and my Lexus. The 8500, hardwired and hung from rearview mirror by Mike Peronek's bracket. Saved me from 10's of tickets(literally). I love those things. I installed the Laser "shifter" (jammer) model ZR3 on the Z as well. It adds extra range to the detector, becuase sensors are mounted on the front and rear of the car. No complaints and reliable. For almost a year now... Best 800.00 I ever spent. 3 tickets will add that up. But you can now get passport for like 220.
I have the passport on my Z and my Lexus. The 8500, hardwired and hung from rearview mirror by Mike Peronek's bracket. Saved me from 10's of tickets(literally). I love those things. I installed the Laser "shifter" (jammer) model ZR3 on the Z as well. It adds extra range to the detector, becuase sensors are mounted on the front and rear of the car. No complaints and reliable. For almost a year now... Best 800.00 I ever spent. 3 tickets will add that up. But you can now get passport for like 220.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post