Radar detector users, when did you decide to get a new one?

[Rick Lee]

I have the Escort 8500/X50 blue display and it's been fabulous for the last five years or so. I kept wanting a newer model, but could never justify it because this one still works great and saves my ass regularly. Recently it has starting giving a lot more falses, though when it's a real bogey, it gives a TON of warning, sometimes too much. Sometimes I end up thinking it's a false because it takes so long for the cop to show.

I rode the bike back from Vegas today and got a ton of falses in the middle of the desert, where I could see ahead for miles, there was nothing to hide behind anywhere and it was pretty frustrating. At one point on I-40 near Kingman, I had a steady K-band chirp for almost 10 miles that sometimes went to a Ka-band chirp, making me think the cop was behind me a mile or so back. I think it was the Mercedes in front of me, perhaps his LED tail lights. Once I got the nerve up to pass him, the chirps ceased. I take Ka-band pretty seriously and got a ton of hits in the middle of nowhere today where there were no cops at all.

Does this mean my RD is on the way out? It got rained on a little on the way out to Vegas Sunday. But from prior experience in a torrential downpour, it's either too wet to work or it works fine. Escort fixed it for me after that soaking. Is it time for a new one?

[azasadny]

I bought my Valentine 1 a little over 3 years ago and it's paid for itself many times over...

[legion]

I got rid of my trusty Cobra from 2000 when it finally died earlier this year.

[TimT]

I bought a new one when my old one was stolen...

[Rick Lee]

So has anyone had one wear out or just get tired? And if so, what were the symptoms?

[sc_rufctr]

After 5 years I'd buy a new one. Why chance it? I'm sure your current one has paid for itself.

The Mercedes LED light issue is interesting.
There is a company selling parking sensors that apparently jam Police Laser guns.
I'm not sure how good they are but who knows???

Locally radar detectors are illegal and our cops have "Radar detector detectors"...
...Big boxy looking things suction caped to the windscreen of the cop car.
But there is a company in Perth WA selling ones that the cops can't "see"... The only problem is they are over $1,000 AU.

[onlycafe]

Originally Posted by TimT

I bought a new one when my old one was stolen...

me too.
old valentine replaced with new valentine.
alerted me eleven times yesterday between new hampshire and new york.
beautiful day for speed traps and rollers.

[Rick Lee]

I got the blue display one because they're illegal in VA, where I lived at the time and blue was very hard to see outside of my car. Where they're illegal is also where they're most effective because the cops get lazy, run them always on and use antiquated equipment. The detector detectors are also easily defeatable with a Bel RD, I forget the model number. For a while I had a cordless Escort Solo S2 and it was great too. But I was able to run the 8500 just as stealthily once I had it hardwired. Anyway, it's moot now, since they're legal here.

It never misses a real threat. It just gives a lot of falses now. I have a nagging suspicion that I may have messed up the settings with my glove, while trying to adjust it on my bike at speed. I had my gloves on and recall hearing a bunch of funny chirps when I was adjusting it on its mount. So I need to sort that out before deciding to drop another $400 or so on a new one. This thing really has been great and I just don't want to give up on it or spend the money on a new one.

[legion]

I got rid of mine after the third power chord broke and the fourth one broke the radar detector.

[ODDJOB UNO]

i too received "hits" in the middle of BFE. nothing around. I-8,I-10,I-40 etc.


my theory.............and i actually sent mine back to escort and even switched them (i have 2) and still escort stated they werked perfect. my 1st thought was their lil electronic guts inside had been baked until well done by the insane summer heat.


wasnt it.


my theory. we are BEING PAINTED by the MILITARYS radar!



and to prove this fact both of mine go ape-poopers when by marine corps air station yuma, gila bend gunnery range davis monthan and luke a.f.b..



or it may be UAV's emitting radar beams.



all i know it scares the POO out of me. but then WTF do i know?

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

... I have a nagging suspicion that I may have messed up the settings with my glove, while trying to adjust it on my bike at speed. I had my gloves on and recall hearing a bunch of funny chirps when I was adjusting it on its mount. So I need to sort that out before deciding to drop another $400 or so on a new one. This thing really has been great and I just don't want to give up on it or spend the money on a new one.

There must be a procedure... Can you reset it to factory defaults?

[Rick Lee]

OddJob, do you still have your factory manual? I can't find mine and can't find it online either. I want to try a reprogram before giving up.

[9dreizig]

Rick here is your cell phone? Mine will set my S2 off if it is close

[ODDJOB UNO]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

OddJob, do you still have your factory manual? I can't find mine and can't find it online either. I want to try a reprogram before giving up.

yes let me look around for it. or just send it back prepaid to escort. will e-mail ya when i find it.

[Rick Lee]

My phones are always in my jacket, tank bag or door pocket. Nothing has changed there, but a lot more falses today.

[ODDJOB UNO]

now that you mention it way the hell past yuma on the way to dago on I-8, no one around, but a cell tower and mine was going ape poo poo.



lazar(laser) sends me right to the moon when it goes off and on the way back, right outside gila bend was a azdps shooting lazer(lay-zar beams) and got me. doing 80 in the 65. let me go cuz i was such a fine upstanding law abiding individual and gave him my AZCCW! they LIKE ME! real cool guy. we talked for about 15minutes about spoons and all sorts of nonsense.

[GH85Carrera]

Oddjob, those falses are probably the aliens stalking you. If you wake up with a sore butt you will know for sure!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Bought my V1 after getting nailed for 75 in a 45 on my motorcycle a few years ago (yeah, yeah I know - shaddap). It's been a great investment and as they say, "never leave home without it!"

Disable the X band. There's no point in having it. I don't think there's a single PD left in America that uses X band. That gets rid of 90% of the falses.

[s_morrison57]

Read a R detector test years ago and they rated all the top models and what won out was a radio beacon detector, triggers when it picks up a radio beacon signal, since cops can't turn off their radio's it always worked everytime. when the other R detectors missed the cop the Beacon detector picked them up. apperently they were illegal. don't know about now though, anybody here about these?

[sc_rufctr]

"radio beacon detector"

I've heard about this but I haven't seen a commercially available device.

Imagine having one linked into your GPS screen so you can see were the bugger is. (James Bond style)