voltic

iTrader: (5)

Imagine you're on the freeway doing 80 MPH, which is a bit over 115 Ft/sec. There is a trooper 1000Ft down the road shooting 34.7 Ka-band radar. You have around 8.5 seconds to look at your detector (which you probably will because Cobras are known to cry wolf) and react, and that's on a good day. Also, that's 8.5 seconds until you're on top of the officer. You really only have half that, so let's assume 4.25 seconds to react. Now let's assume that the cop is shooting selectively (instant on).

What then? Then your goose is cooked, that's what. Long story short, and I'm really not trying to offend, just educate: If you're going to invest in a detector, invest in something that you can trust.

bitNine

You can say all you want that Cobra makes crappy detectors, and sure.... they do. The iRadar is far from perfect, however in my experience it's more reliable than the 9500ix I had. Just because a guy has a huge ****, doesn't mean he can make a woman happy. The same can be said for these radar detectors. I just found the Escort to be too sensitive on the highway for my entire trip (nearly 3k miles), and the iRadar to be much better for the same trip the next time around. I could do with a bit more sensitivity, but there was never once where there was a cop running a trap at 80 or even 90mph, that I wasn't warned in PLENTY of time (except laser). Even my girlfriend said it was much better. She drove a good portion of our return trip, and drove through the section of Utah where the speed limit was 80mph. Cops everywhere, and she was speeding the whole way. She was always warned in enough time.

There is no better review than personal experience. A thousand people can crap on the Cobra iRadar because Cobra has this history of making crap, or because some publication made a chart with a bunch of lines making the other detectors look better by comparison. The fact is, I was determined to spend a large amount of cash on a really nice radar detector, and I did. But it was so sensitive, it was unreliable for me. I then went out and spent 1/4 the amount, and got a detector that, so far, has been pretty damn sweet for the price, and did its job during my road trip.

I did not evaluate the 9500ix in the city much more than a few days before my trip. It was awesome, and the learning abilities are sick. For an in town detector, it would have been awesome. But as a road trip detector, I just found the iRadar to be more realistic.

Perfect? No. Worth $139? Hell yes it is.

hobbs

Went up to Big Bear Lake today and again ZERO forward facing arrows? Came around one corner and got a full on shot from a CHP cruiser, rear arrow lit from the bounce but nothing from the front arrow. If others are not having problems, I think the front array my be dead. Unit is 10+ years old. I will probably just send it back and if it is bad have them do the upgrade/exchange which is only $168 for this serial number unit. I am 100% sure there no SPECIAL GLASS that was only installed in my car!

voltic

iTrader: (5)

Your forward array is almost certainly dead in that case.

hobbs

Yep! Put it in my wife's I300 today for a drive and had the same symptoms. V1 says @ $55 to repair and $184 to upgrade.
I think I will go with the upgrade as the new units are thinner and have a couple of minor improvments.

Swacer

What are the price ranges to expect? I'm newer to radar detectors. Lets just say, too many close calls for my own good. Good luck only runs for so long.

Also, in terms of mounts to the mirror, are these included in kits or do they have to be purchased separately or do they come with it?

I apologize for not being knowledgeable at all on this, so help would be greatly appreciated.

hobbs

Get a V1, Stealth Cord and use the stock suction cup mount and you will be happy.

Stealth Cords**Valentine One**8" SRD Stealth Cord in Black

Valentine One radar and laser detectors

Fezzik

iTrader: (6)

For typical detectors a good one will cost around 300-500 dollars. The rear view mirror mount is not included and is made by a 3rd party like the above poster has shown. A custom intall unit where you put it in the bumper or elsewhere is going to cost about 1200-1500 dollars.

voltic

iTrader: (5)

^ FYI I paid $900 for that 9500ci we were talking about in my thread. Open box from an authorized retailer with a receipt and everything, so the warranty is in tact.

Also there's a new Escort on the market that's in that 300-500 range and is actually a remote install, but I don't know much about it. I don't think it has GPS, for starters.

@Swacer: As hobbs said, the V1 is a great detector and has amazingly good sensitivity. Especially when you consider its age! Anyway, keep in mind that if you go with a V1 you're going to get a lot more false alerts than if you were to get one of the new Bel or Escort units with GPS. My top picks list is this, in no particular order:

Escort 9500ix
Escort Redline
Beltronics STi Driver
Valentine One

These are the top detectors on the market right now. I can't really say that one is better than the other because really they have different features. For example the 9500ix has a GPS unit that lets you lock out known false signals and will do so automatically, along with speed cameras and red light cameras. The Redline has no GPS, but has great sensitivity and is undetectable by Radar Detector-Detectors so it's great in VA, DC, and I think Canada (?). The Bel is also undetectable, and if I remember right has the best sensitivity of the bunch while still being somewhat resistant to falses. The V1 has a front and rear window array and direction arrows to tell you where the threat is, and its sensitivity is on par with the Bel, but is detectable by RDD and falses more than the other three. Do your research and remember there is no substitute for situational awareness. Anyway, this thread is sort of straying from its original purpose so that's all I'll say about this. If you have more questions feel free to PM me.

Fezzik

iTrader: (6)

I own the STI Driver. Huge plus in that it can not be detected. I had my 8500 confiscated on my way to toronto one time. not a single problem with the sti-driver. The 900 is a good price. did it come with the shifters as well? Why not spend a few hundred more for the band segmetation in the STI-r plus

Kuro

iTrader: (80)

Great info thanks a lot

voltic

iTrader: (5)

I wasn't too worried about band segmentation since I'm not too worried about quick trigger radar where I drive most. I'm more worried about constant-on radar in most of the areas I'm in, along with laser in San Diego and Henderson. Well... I guess Las Vegas Metro is kinda shady with QT Ka-band but if you get caught by them on the highway you weren't paying attention in the first place. And if you're speeding on LV surface streets fast enough to get pulled over, you're probably stupid and deserved it in the first place.

Anyway, I figured a half-decent laser shifter kit and a small upgrade to the detector I already had wasn't a bad deal for the price. It's not a whole lot different from the Bel anyway besides that... they have the same waveguides, actually.

HoustonG37S

One week after I got my G37 Coupe, I had my mechanic hardwire my V1 and mounted it up to the left of the rearview mirror. No wires hanging down! So far that has saved me several times and IMO is the best radar out on the market. The locator function is very useful.

MOONLIGHT37

My g37 has a passport escort x50 pretty much new. I've had only one issue with the radar while its in the car and the radar alerted me to a lazer (i was parked in my driveway, not a cop around for miles), called escort and they said that the XM radio was sending waves into the radar detector. didnt turn off the lazer but i did remount it on my windshield and it seemed to fix the problem. Last week i also got my first ticket, cop got me from 777 feet away with his lazer gun my passport didnt even go off.... SMH