Radar Detectors

[djmBMW]

The 9500 GPS false alarm cancellation feature takes the annoying alarm away during every day commute .

[C_Topher]

Worth it? Yes, saved my butt many times. I have also gotten tickets with a quality radar detector on my windshield.

If you can spend $400-$500 bucks on a detector you really can't go wrong in terms of radar sensitivity. Everyone has their preferences and every unit has it's features.

V1: (+) directional arrows, (-) lots of false alarms
9500i: (+) GPS features, quiet, (-) no arrows
Bel STi Driver: (+) undetectable, (-) no arrows or GPS

Escort 8500 X50 is also a very good detector. Word is to stay away from Cobra (except for laughs and tickets)

People will fight to their death about which is best - be sure you separate opinion from fact. Just look at features and what will be best for you.

This has been thoughtfully discussed here and here.

A radar detector is not a license to plant your right foot, it is a tool that may allow you to carefully exceed the speed limits when safe and appropriate. If you are just going to "stab it and steer" I would be happy to follow 1/2 mile behind you and wait for you to flush out the cops.

Also of note will be the increasing role of LIDAR - I think in 5 years (now in some areas) we will all be flying blind without laser jammers.

[GatoGrande]

I too have purchased the 9500i because of its lock out feature and it works Grrrreat! I am sold on it.. I have had the V1, but am annoyed at the false alerts. I like the Arrows for sure... if V1 would add the GPS lock out feature - it is a slam dunk for V1. It doesn't though - so the 9500i with the blue LED is a winner!

[FreeBMW.net]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

That's where the GPS feature of the Passport 9500 comes in. You can lock in false alarms and it will ignore them.

.

Unless the cops get wise like in my city and park by the phamacy & grocery store with the auto doors....so people with detectors ignor the singles and still get tagged.

[Templedogg]

That is the beauty of the lock out feature. If a door keeps false alarming you lock it out. So say it knows to block one K Band at that location. If it ever senses another a second K Band or any other type of band it will still alert you. I have had the 9500i now for a month and love it. I will not be going back to a V1. The V1 is awesome, but the 9500i is simply the next step in the radar evolution chart the same as the V1 was when it came out. The full time digital speedo is also a cool bonus.

[GatoGrande]

Here here.... this is exactly the reason I picked up the 9500i instead of the tried and true V1.... V1 needs to continue to innovate and take a hint from the 9500i... I too have had the 9500i for about 3 weeks now and am happy I made this choice.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by FreeBMW

Unless the cops get wise like in my city and park by the phamacy & grocery store with the auto doors....so people with detectors ignor the singles and still get tagged.

I've seen them do just that, but the lockout feature is based on the band, as well as location. If you normally get a K band hit in the same locations and lock it out, and then a cop is sitting there running Ka, it will still go off. It seems like it's also based on signal strength as well.

The 9500 is a very well thought out unit, and packs a ton of features and detection power into a small, great looking package.

As I said earlier, I've owned the V1 and the 8500. They're both great but the 9500 is the next generation. It's as good as it gets right now.

[Templedogg]

Exactly, the V1 is awesome but until they get GPS...they are now behind in tech.

[joelk]

Originally Posted by Templedogg

Exactly, the V1 is awesome but until they get GPS...they are now behind in tech.

yeah i agree. it's those damn directional arrows that i love though. if the 9500 would just include those. i didn't expect them to be a big deal but now that i've got my V1 i couldn't imagine going without them.

[raisemyrent]

how good is a 9500 for city detection?

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by raisemyrent

how good is a 9500 for city detection?

The best. At slow speeds, such as in parking lots, it automaticallly turns down the sensitivity. That way you don't get constant high strength alarms from automatic doors. Once you're moving it raises it back up and will pick up anything around. If you pass a spot often and get a false alarm you can lock it into the memory and it will ignore it from then on.

As far as false alarms go, nothing else I've used is anywhere close.

[ansun]

Escort 9500i ftw! (hardwire is must it think)

[mrgoochio]

Meh I can't decide between arrows or GPS... Price isn't a factor between the two. I live in L.A., commute is highway/city just like everybody else. What to do...

[JohnL135I]

Originally Posted by mrgoochio

Meh I can't decide between arrows or GPS... Price isn't a factor between the two. I live in L.A., commute is highway/city just like everybody else. What to do...

I've had both, the 9500i and the V1.... I returned my 9500i blue because I absolutely love the arrows. Its just the fact that I know what direction the radar hit is coming from allows me to have better piece of mind.

I've had V1's since they were created......get the Arrows:thumbup:

[GatoGrande]

Oh man... I can not disagree more... the GPS is the killer app for these radar detectors. I too have had the V1, it falses much more than the 9500i... everyone's got their own preferences though. Cna't reallly go wrong either way.

[JohnL135I]

Originally Posted by GatoGrande

Oh man... I can not disagree more... the GPS is the killer app for these radar detectors. I too have had the V1, it falses much more than the 9500i... everyone's got their own preferences though. Cna't reallly go wrong either way.

Oh Man, I totally disagree with your GPS..... just kidding. Since I did have the 9500i I did get to try the gps and lockout feature. It is very nice, and will make the detector much more silent. However, with some proper settings of the V1, I can also silence some annoying x and k band hits. Once again, its all down to personal preference. Both detectors are the top detectors on the market, with the slight edge in performance to the V1.:thumbup:

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by JohnL135I

Oh Man, I totally disagree with your GPS..... just kidding. Since I did have the 9500i I did get to try the gps and lockout feature. It is very nice, and will make the detector much more silent. However, with some proper settings of the V1, I can also silence some annoying x and k band hits. Once again, its all down to personal preference. Both detectors are the top detectors on the market, with the slight edge in performance to the V1.:thumbup:

The only way to reduce the false alarms in the city is to reduce sensitivity, and a lot of places still use both bands for traffic enforcement, so you're compromising your detection by reducing those alarms. That's why the 9500 is the next step.

[BMW Dreamer]

If you have one of these suction-cupped to your windshield will you get a ticket? What do you do if a cop flips on the lights and comes after you???

What about hard-wiring them? More info please.

I have NEVER owned one, but with the 135i I have heard its a real good idea to get one.

Any suggestions to this DUMB@$$ is appreciated. Thanks much.

[GatoGrande]

I know you can hardwire the V1, have not figured out how to hardwire the 9500i yet... but I may look into it...

[imported_volsfan0911]

V1 - I just ordered a new one today. Damned fiancee. The game has changed significantly - Ka instant on still can and will nail you before you have a chance to react in a worst case scenario (only car on the road, good cop placement, etc.). If you hear a laser warning, chances are excellent you're already toast and it gives you an opportunity to take the detector down prior to getting pulled over. There are other tools in the serious speeder's arsenal now - scanners, M20 Blinder, etc. A bit over the top for me. I've done really well with zero points and zero pullovers in 12 years driving consistently 10-20 mph over the limit with some common sense, very non-descript cars ('04 blue Accord V-6 currently - dime a dozen on the road) and a V1. Careful placement is a must. VA and DC are verbotten for detectors. MD state troopers (and most other cops) hate them and will cut you no slack if you don't have the courtesy to remove it prior to being pulled over. Hardwired and up high next to the rear view mirror along with the concealed display option has been very good to me when living in Richmond (drive back frequently now). Search here and bimmerfest - you'll find very detailed instructions on how to hardwire in a 3 series - should be very similar for the 1er. Mine was relatively easy in the current Accord.

[atr_hugo]

A buddy of mine worked for Kustom Electronics for awhile. He brought a Ka gun over to the house one night and we played with it for a bit. That is some deadly, and I mean license snatching, D-E-A-D-L-Y technology.

I was placing the gun, cold (off), low on my hip with my pal shielding me, I'd bring it up when the car was less than 100 yards from us and within no time had a reading. And it was only on for time it took to get it up in position and take a reading.

If I were a local cop - I'd be running Ka on residential streets picking off the 45 in 25 folks, with that thing a guy could meet their monthly quota in an afternoon (opps, did I say 'quota'? ; -).

[vivid]

I am in the V1 camp too... very good detector.