[brianeck]

FYI for all the V1 guys that don't know (I didn't until recently) you can code out about 80% of false alarms and also stop the thing from making ANY sound on x band and k band with signal strength less than 4, this was a massive help for me. Even Audis that used to bug the crap out of me are no longer life threateningly annoying

http://www.valentine1.com/v1info/pdf...-REVforPDF.pdf

[Revartr]

I would never go with anything other than Escort. Buuut if I HAD to, Valentine would be a fairly close second. The only upside Valentine has is the signal count and direction. Otherwise, Escort detectors blow it out of the water. Easy to update the firmware as well. I plan on doing an Escort 9500ci (concealed radar receiver, laser shifters, interface, speaker, and concealed mirror display) when I get my F82.

[m3incorp]

Interestingly, I was researching radar detectors last night. Here is a good comparison review. http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=1064

[Roadkiller]

Originally Posted by redz06

Valentine 1 is the best, but not effective against Laser. Unless you have a freak circumstance, the Laser warning means you are either going to get a ticket or you are following a GM vehicle with his brake lights on.

Would not trade my V1 for anything though, as Laser detectors are rarely used in Texas. My V1 has saved me from lots of tickets. Gotta love those arrows.

+1 "Vic" FTW!

[shivaswrath]

Originally Posted by AMPowerJ

Used a Passport 9500i for years but I always read with interest about the V1. Bought one for my new M3 and I HATE it!!!

So many false alarms it is unusable. Who cares about arrows when they are pointing everywhere. It seemed every car with radar cruise, etc. was setting it off on the interstate.

I started to ignore it which I knew was a major problem so I just bought a Passport Max 2. This unit is awesome. Cut the false alarms by 90%. Autolearns your route and filters out false alarms. I love the GPS speed reading ... It's how I set my cruise control since BMW's speedometers are notoriously wrong.

If the V1 and the Max had baby detector with arrows and GPS it would be nirvana but since that isn't happening, go with the Max or Max 2 IMO.

@Money2536 ... what model number did you order for the BlendMount? That is the one weakness of the Passport ... the mount sucks and rattles. The V1 mount was much better.

Did you have K and X turned off?

[IMMLaw]

I've had almost every Escort model imaginable and there's a reason why the V1 retains its value whenever you see it selling online. They don't need to go through 9039348484 different models to get things done right - V1 is not only consistent but it's the radar detector Escort is constantly chasing. The V1 is simple, elegant, and sophisticated. It doesn't have the sleek bells and whistles of Escort models, even the looks of it is sometimes not as catchy to the eye, but it just.. WORKS.

I had a Laser Interceptor system mounted on my previous vehicle that I used in conjunction with the V1. It was a flawless system. I would put the LI's back onto the M4 when it gets delivered but I don't want any holes going anywhere near my new baby haha.

My vote: Decisively, V1.

[shortseller]

Originally Posted by elias

+1 I've had Passport for many years, it has saved me countless of times. I never
leave home without it!

If you don't mind me asking, how are you flying under the radar in Va, where they are frowned upon by law enforcement?

[Mr. Hankey]

d

Originally Posted by brianeck

FYI for all the V1 guys that don't know (I didn't until recently) you can code out about 80% of false alarms and also stop the thing from making ANY sound on x band and k band with signal strength less than 4, this was a massive help for me. Even Audis that used to bug the crap out of me are no longer life threateningly annoying

http://www.valentine1.com/v1info/pdf...-REVforPDF.pdf

Valentine 1 - I only get False alarms on laser band from other cars, EZ pass booths when they read your speed, and the newer cruise controls that use laser. Otherwise I don't get false alarms. Laser doesn't help you anyway, just lets you know to pull over as its going off if you were speeding...although did save me once in VT. I'm sure Escort gets the same laser false alarms.

I'm set up with X band off completely, K band set to only go off at 6 bars of signal. I really don't get false alarms. I love the arrows, because they help filter out when the police are near the highway but not on the highway. I live in New england, and family in mid-atlantic. EVERY state up here only uses Ka or Laser (rarely) for speed guns (some locals may have X-band, but have never seen it....only on one of those speed limit signs that shows you your speed, and some of those use K band...but you see the thing and immediately look for police sitting nearby). With this setup I am safe from Maine to Delaware, including VT, NH, MA, CT, NY, PA, RI, MD, DE, NJ. The state police where I live will occasionally set up a laser site from a bridge in an area where there is a road sign with a Ka Band speed sensor that is on....not sure how the escort GPS filtering would deal with this. Staties in ME, NH, VT, NY all drive with radar on (standby mode) so I pick them up typically 3/4 - 1 mile away, plenty of warning. Drove with a friend in his car with escort (not sure which one) for a 4 hour road trip which seems just as sensitive but that thing had tons of false alarms...not sure what model but its new, or how he has it configured. I just found myself looking for the arrows reflexively and just missed them, but it did the job for the 1 speed trap we encountered.

Anyway thats my setup, I only get false alarms from laser which escort would as well. It rarely goes off...with everything on though it is like an Xmas tree, especially when I lived in Boston. The V1 is one of the few electronic devices these days that i COMPLETELY trust. No software glitches...no updating to do unless you want to, always works, always. Military grade construction.

[///M.Tonee]

+1 for passport MAX....like others on here, it paid for itself 10x over and over

[Money2536]

Originally Posted by AMPowerJ

@Money2536 ... what model number did you order for the BlendMount? That is the one weakness of the Passport ... the mount sucks and rattles. The V1 mount was much better.

It's this one:

http://store.blendmount.com/blendmou...006-p2417.aspx

I sent an email to Blendmount and grew impatient waiting for them to tell me which mount to order. They don't actually have a mount for the long stem on the F80, but the BMW-006 that I ordered does work. You just have to jam it into place and torque it down.

[Money2536]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

Love it! How do you go about getting it hard wired like this?

The install is super easy.

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=754283

[AMPowerJ]

Originally Posted by Money2536

It's this one:

http://store.blendmount.com/blendmou...006-p2417.aspx

I sent an email to Blendmount and grew impatient waiting for them to tell me which mount to order. They don't actually have a mount for the long stem on the F80, but the BMW-006 that I ordered does work. You just have to jam it into place and torque it down.

Thanks!

For those that asked about turning off K band on the V1 or setting it not to alert until 4-6 bars that might work well in your area but we have cops using K band in SC so I don't want to reduce the warning time I get for them.

V1 used to be great but you've go to admit in technological terms it's ancient now and it's age shows. These are just workarounds to make it function somewhat in today's world.

For those of you that love the V1 though I have a brand new unit I'd love to sell to you.

[redz06]

If you want to slow down every time you get a radar alert, buy any brand. If you want to stay on the throttle, buy a V1. The alert will tell you where the threat is. If it is beside or behind you, stay in the throttle. Even if the V1 gives you more alerts, it also gives you the information to deal with them. I have used Passport plus V1, but now I use V1.

[gily]

Originally Posted by Money2536

It's this one:

http://store.blendmount.com/blendmou...006-p2417.aspx

I sent an email to Blendmount and grew impatient waiting for them to tell me which mount to order. They don't actually have a mount for the long stem on the F80, but the BMW-006 that I ordered does work. You just have to jam it into place and torque it down.

BMW-007 is what works on the F80 with the mirror that has a camera in the front (Any F80 with the LED option), I ordered it and it works perfectly

[BombaE90]

I upgraded my V1 to the newest version and the false alarms practically have stopped. The annoying lane departure system on new cars was a big culprit, but that's gone now.

[///mawana]

Originally Posted by BombaE90

I upgraded my V1 to the newest version and the false alarms practically have stopped. The annoying lane departure system on new cars was a big culprit, but that's gone now.

How did you program it if I may ask? Mine bugs me at times with false alarms.

[isakhnov]

Lots o strong feelings on the thread for V1 I had V1 for years and switched to 9500 couple of years ago. Could not been happier with Esxcort. Both saved me multiple times over the years but amount of noise brought by v1 is too much and I wont buy another until there is a GPS / better suppression option.

[Kzang]

I've had the V1 for the past 5 years and I live 5 minutes from NYC so you guys can imagine the area where I live would be riddled with falser alerts from the Valentine. Well I endured it for a long time and finally sold it to someone for $250 and like most people here I purchased a Escort Max.

When I first unboxed the detector, I was disappointed in the construction. It is housed by cheap plastic that is clipped together. I've read that it is just the covering and not the actual housing.. regardless I was expecting something this expensive should have been constructed with something more solid like the Valentines ones Magnesium casing.

I felt like the max was better overall because it had the GPS lockout for false alerts and it learns your neighborhood. I really like the Escort Max but after a week of using it the housing started to fall apart.

Here is a video of what I'm talking about.

Here are the photos







I immediately returned it for a full refund and I'm still searching for the perfect detector

Can owners of the 9500ix tell me if the housing casing construction is cheaply made as well?

[isakhnov]

I have 9500 permanently mounted so do not care much about the housing. Never had to touch it in M3 with the remote, it is getting a bit more use now since it is hardwired into the mirror and once in a while I have to mute it.

[Kzang]

By the way people that stick with V1 for the arrows

Escort has the Max 360 which also has the arrows now
https://www.escortradar.com/holiday/

[F83]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

Love it! How do you go about getting it hard wired like this?

Car Toys did a similar install on my E90

[CIWS]

Originally Posted by Kzang

By the way people that stick with V1 for the arrows

Escort has the Max 360 which also has the arrows now
https://www.escortradar.com/holiday/

Just picked one up yesterday to replace my 9500i that I've used without issue all of these years now, but it was finally time to upgrade. Good price on them from a local dealer for his Black Friday sale so made the switch. It is physically a large device, almost makes the 9500i look small. But now I have GPS blocking and the arrows to point signal direction.




I don't use the included/stock escort mounts. Mine is an aftermarket and mounts to the mirror. The Platinum version gets you one year of "ticket coverage" (get a ticket and they reimburse), and free gift from escort, (various little knickknacks to choose from).