Valentine-1 vs. Passport 8500

dj_yen · 09-06-2003, 08:22 AM

The Valentine 1's reputation amongst most car magazine is that it is the standard of radar detectors, yet more and more i am hearing that the Passport 8500 is better and less expensive. Wondering what you peeps might have heard or experienced with regards to these two radar detectors. Or if you know of something better.

pearldrum · 09-06-2003, 08:32 AM

I haven't tried either but have been considering one. From what I hear the V-1 is by far the best.

dj_yen · 09-06-2003, 08:35 AM

that's what i have heard for a many number of years but lately the word from the grapevine has been the Passport 8500 has surpasses the Valentine one

Check this site also. www.radartest.com

they say they are a completely independent company and accuses some car magazines that they have been influenced financially by certain radar detector manufacturers in their reviews
according to their tests, the Passport 8500 is far superior and the Valentine One has become outdated, surpassed by several other models

Nabeel · 09-06-2003, 08:48 AM

Well, I read that the guys who run radartest.com are in fact disgruntled, ex-Valentine employees. I've never heard confirmation of that, but I've read about it at a number of web sites. Perhaps that is why radartest.com is the ONLY place around that has ranked any other detector over a Valentine.

Nabeel · 09-06-2003, 08:52 AM

Here's is Car and Driver's radar test from 2002 - Valentine 1 beat the rest

bill d cat · 09-06-2003, 09:03 AM

In one fairly recent radar detector test they also tested one of those big old original vintage Escort superhetrodyne detectors from the 1980s as a benchmark, and that tested just about as well for range as anything new, except on LIDAR since there was no LIDAR in the 1980s. It doesn't really matter if a detector gives you 2 miles of warning or 1 mile of warning, since you can probably coast to a complete stop in 1 mile without even tapping your brakes.

The single feature of the V-1 that makes everyone love it is the directional radar locating arrows. Mike Valentine holds the patents on this, unfortunately for everyone else.

The February '02 Car and Driver radar detector test is available on their website.

http://www.caranddriver.com

Nabeel · 09-06-2003, 09:05 AM

.....And here is an exerpt from the Valentine 1 web site, written by Mike Valentine, discrediting the radartest.com procedures and results

According to Mike, the guy running redartest.com is a 'consultant' who got miffed when Valentine did not want his assistance.

dj_yen · 09-06-2003, 09:06 AM

yeah but wat about the Ka band? (instant-on band)
that technology is new and it seems the 8500 does better
also, i heard that the V-1 gives off too many false alarms thought i do agree the directional arrows is very useful
another thing to factor in is the price? is the V-1 really worth that much?

dj_yen · 09-06-2003, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nabeel
.....And here is an exerpt from the Valentine 1 web site, written by Mike Valentine, discrediting the radartest.com procedures and results

According to Mike, the guy running redartest.com is a 'consultant' who got miffed when Valentine did not want his assistance.

this is his rebuttal

Perhaps Mike Valentine can explain to me how, as an alleged "V1 Hater", I deigned to declare his unit the winner of my 1998 Automobile Magazine detector test. Valentine, with his well-known vindictive nature, monumental ego and erratic behavior--key factors that led to his being thrown out of Cincinnati Microwave years before nearly all of their landmark products were designed--obviously hasn't mellowed with age.

Detector industry insiders have laughed for years at Valentine's assertions that he clings to the moral high ground where detector tests are concerned. They're well aware that Patrick Bedard, Car & Driver Magazine's senior editor and the driving force behind their radar detector feature stories for decades, has been a "consultant" on the Valentine payroll since 1980. Perhaps it's a coincidence that the magazine has declared a Valentine-associated product the winner of every high-end test they've ever conducted. The relationship between the magazine and Valentine is so tight that Mike in years past has unleashed their editorial staff, under Bedard's supervision, in a muck-raking effort to discredit any journalist, including me, who fails to pay homage to his genius and to his radar detector (which was designed, by the way, by Clarence Groth and Steve Scholl).

Later this year--probably just in time for the Christmas buying season--the magazine can be expected to generate more favorable press for the hoary old V1, now dressed again in its original, 1992-vintage case and with improved Ka band sensitivity, by virtue of their new high-end test. Care to guess who the winner will be?

The real reasons behind Mike's endless tirades are his huge ego and, to an equal extent--the fact that his baby has been outclassed by newer--not to mention much cheaper and far more sophisticated rivals. With revenues falling rapidly, he's more motivated than ever to go on the offensive. If Mike devoted half as much effort to improving the elderly V1 as he does in making personal attacks on independent journalists, he'd have a world-class product.

Craig Peterson

SlowToady · 09-06-2003, 09:16 AM

Quote:

another thing to factor in is the price? is the V-1 really worth that much?

I know personally that it has saved a few friends and friends of the family a very large amount of money in tickets. When you factor in court costs, lawyer costs, traffic school, and the cost of the ticket, it's not such a bad price.

A police officer friend of mine borrowed my friend's V1 to test it, and he was very much impressed.

Doesn't Valentine have some gurantee where if you get a ticket with their radar detector that they will pay the cost for you? Or was that only a one time marketing deal I saw?

I think my brother and dad had a few Passports, I can't even begin to tell you the number of tickets my brother has.

NYC_SpeedRacer · 09-06-2003, 09:19 AM

i agree the V1 is better overall but it actually gives off more false alarms then the passport.
it really depends how much u want to spend....the V1 is only $100 more but to some that's an extra $100 they don't want to spend
one friend did tell me who has the 8500 that driving under 100mph....he has never got caught and the radar always gives him enough time to slow down....however he got caught going over 100mph cause the radar doesn't have as far a detection as V1 on some bands so now he is changing over to the V1 not because the 8500 is not good....just because he drives over 100mph quite often....he owns a z06 so u could imagine

i think u can't go wrong with either detectors ....they r the 2 best out on the market
it's what u prefer....do u want directional detection, do u want more false alarms, do u want shorter detection, do u want to spend $100 more.....and so on

dj_yen · 09-06-2003, 09:20 AM

or you can just get both

dj_yen · 09-06-2003, 09:23 AM

besides your friend with the Z06, NYC_SpeedRacer, does anyone have any real world experience with either detectors?

also, SlowToady, did your dad and bro have the Passport 8500 or a lesser model cause anything besides the 8500 is crap and now worth comparing to a V-1

BlueQuestTSi · 09-06-2003, 11:01 AM

I've had the Escort 8500 for the better part of a year now. I've never had a Valentine. I bought the Escort based solely on it's performance vs. the Valentine and it's price point. Sure in some tests the Valentine wins, and in some the Escort wins, but the Escort being $100 cheaper made it even more appealing. Besides, the anti falsing and auto city modes make it easy to live with, and no where near as annoying as the previous Uniden, Whistlers, Cobras and Bels I've had in the past.

Instant-on Ka band is going to be the same for any detector. If the cop is only 50ft. in front of you, and pulses you, that's it you are caught. But if there's plenty of traffic ahead of you, I've caught the Ka bursts up to 2 miles away, in KS hilly terrain. Ka with instant-on is about the only thing widely used in my arear, and for that bandwidth, the Escort seems to kick some arse.

I've thought of buying another 8500 for the wife's car, I like it that much.

Lawrence Coppari · 09-06-2003, 11:05 AM

I have owned a V1 for many years with it being upgraded twice. It is outstanding, and I thoroughly rely on it. I'd go with the Car and Driver tests. If you don't like auto doors setting it off, you can choose one of the other logic modes. You can also adjust them in other ways but I have left mine alone. In my opinion, it is the best. But it costs more. You tend to get what you pay for. Why do you drive a Porsche rather than something that costs less?

Dantilla · 09-06-2003, 11:40 AM

This was brought up a bit ago by the 911 guys (I've got one of those, too). Valentine seems to be the clear winner. A couple of guys own both and swear by the Valentine.

I've never owned a detector, but I'm considering it. If so, it will be a Valentine 1.

The rebuttal sure sounds to me like it was written by someone pretty angry. His credibility dropped a few points to me by his tone.

SlowToady · 09-06-2003, 02:28 PM

Quote:

also, SlowToady, did your dad and bro have the Passport 8500 or a lesser model cause anything besides the 8500 is crap and now worth comparing to a V-1

I went outside to check the boxes, and it says "Passport 8500" on the box, so I'm going to assume they really are 8500s.

My dad hasn't had a speeding ticket in ~20 years (well, ok, he did get one a few weeks/month ago on the bike) so I'd still say it served him pretty well. My brother on the other hand...Most of his tickets were for higher speeds, where I've read the Passport doesn't fare so well.

Cheers

ds475 · 09:47 PM

my friend has a passport 8500, let me tell you, that rd is very accurate from a very far range, and doesn't false that much either

my friend was driving with his 8500 and had slowed down because he got a little *blip* cuz the cop was using a radar gun, and my other friend was riding with his "cobra" piece of crap, and he got pulled over... he didn't even detect the cop

i've seen the 8500 in action, and have to say, it is really impressive how well it works, i mean it picks the cops WAY before you see them... it's actually pretty funny when you finally see the cop that was radaring

thamlin000 · thamlin000's Garage

I've been using a Passport Solo (cordless) for a summer and it has saved me numerous times. My only gripe is that the sun washes out the (lcd?) display. Other than that, it is cordless so I always remove it from the car when parked. And I didn't want a power cord going into my cig lighter.

But if Valentine made a cordless, I would have bought it.

todwic · todwic's Garage

I bought the Passport 7500 two years ago, and I have to vouche for it. It has saved me mega $. I went to Arkansas with it, so I have tried it in many states west of the mississippi. I didn't buy the 8500, I couldn't see the extra features being worth the extra $. How's this for endorsement: I have not gotten a ticket while using the passport. In fact, I have run thru many speed traps and have not even been pulled over.