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  1. #1
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    Default 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    I sure hope this hasnt been posted before, but Ive got a 5+ year old Escort 8500x50 that is still chugging along. I just saw the new SC55 announcement. Money is tight now and thinking that SC55 might be a way to increase the capability of my 8500 for not alot of dough. Does the 9500ix have any more features other than putting everything into one unit?

    I live in SOCAL and RLCs are a problem, but Im not aware of any speed cameras yet so maybe the 9500ix is really overkill. Ive programmed myself to look for the RLC hardware at all intersections especially in unfamiliar areas. I pretty much have set up the detector to be off on X and cant remember the last time Ive seen a real Y from LEO. Pretty much laser and Ka around here....

    Maybe I should save my money and just run laser countermeasures (nothing illegal in CA - wink, wink).

  2. #2
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    9500ix - Its proven technology! Its not a brand new product like the SC55 9500ix also has TruLock to cut down in falses in city

    Spoiler: show

    Radar Detectors-V1 & BEL v995
    Laser Jammer-Laser Interceptor Quad
    GPS Camera Locator-Cheetah C100
    GPS Nav-Garmin nuvi w/Trapster
    CB Radio-Galaxy DX-949 w/Wilson 500
    Scanner-RS Pro-96

  3. #3
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    Quote Originally Posted by crazyVOLVOrob View Post
    9500ix - Its proven technology! Its not a brand new product like the SC55 9500ix also has TruLock to cut down in falses in city
    Very true, and TrueLock seems to be a must for CA.

    However a SC55/8500 combo may be very good if falses are not a priority.

    ~$200 for a SC55 all in. Or buy 9500ix $500, triad in the 8500 (-80), subtract the savings of not buying the SC55.

  4. #4
    Yoda of Radar
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    Quote Originally Posted by tj90 View Post
    I sure hope this hasnt been posted before, but Ive got a 5+ year old Escort 8500x50 that is still chugging along. I just saw the new SC55 announcement. Money is tight now and thinking that SC55 might be a way to increase the capability of my 8500 for not alot of dough. Does the 9500ix have any more features other than putting everything into one unit?
    Yes, TrueLock. My 9500s don't make a sound here in SoCal, unless it's a LEO. Pretty nice, but not really necessary to avoid tickets. Just makes for a super-quiet cockpit. The SC55 can't do that.

    Quote Originally Posted by tj90 View Post
    I live in SOCAL and RLCs are a problem, but Im not aware of any speed cameras yet so maybe the 9500ix is really overkill.
    Speed cameras are not legal in California. Beverly Hills tried to put one up, but it got taken down by a class-action lawsuit. Google "Beverly Hills speed camera" and you can read all about it.

    Quote Originally Posted by tj90 View Post
    Ive programmed myself to look for the RLC hardware at all intersections especially in unfamiliar areas.
    Don't be so sure. Some are a lot harder to see than others. By far, the most common RLCs are the Redflex and those are easy to spot, but there is another manufacturer's camera that are not near as easy to see.

    Quote Originally Posted by tj90 View Post
    I pretty much have set up the detector to be off on X and cant remember the last time Ive seen a real Y from LEO. Pretty much laser and Ka around here....
    Yup, less than 1% K band here in SoCal, but it's not totally extinct. My locals use it on occasion, even running speed traps with it on the 405 and the 710. Not nice.

    Quote Originally Posted by tj90 View Post
    Maybe I should save my money and just run laser countermeasures (nothing illegal in CA - wink, wink).
    That would be my suggestion. The 9500ix is not a massive performance upgrade and since you are used to the false alerts of the X50, laser is by far your biggest threat to your driving record.

    About the legality issue, it's not a concern. CVC 28150 is a Class 1A infraction. I got a ticket for having my tail lights darkened(Veil) and that is also a Class 1A infraction, which means about $130 fine and you don't even have to show proof of correction. The penalties for having a laser jammer in Cali are a lot lower than a single speeding ticket. Besides that, I have never heard of anyone that uses a laser jammer properly even getting pulled over. You get the alert, slow down to close enough to the PSL to avoid a speeding citation, shut the jammers off and let the LEO aquire your new and improved speed. Easy as pie, so long as you don't panic.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    Thanks for all the feedback guys!! Im thinking of 9500ix now if I do anything. Ive searched around and found used 9500s for ~$350. I figure I could get $100-150 for my 8500 so it would be $200 upgrade for the RLCs and autolearn features.

    Ive gotten popped twice in the last 6 months. CHP out in the desert on 395. I was driving stupid and unattentive. Ka instant on and it was game over.

    2nd one 2 weeks ago by SD sherrif. Laser aquisition at >1500 ft on my porsche 911 with no front plate. No detector - I honestly believe that if it was on, I could have corrected in time. I didnt have it on cause I was out running an errand - you know how it goes. Jerk pulled me out of a group of 3 and I wasnt the fastest (I was in the slow lane being passed by a honda about 5 over my speed). I guess he wanted a porsche rather than a honda....

    Other than that, my record is clean, but Im definitely seeing from personal experience that the fuzz got the memo to pump up traffic citations and Im tired of writing checks to help solve CA budget problems.

    Since my 8500 is old, Im wondering if the algorithms for detection have gotten better. Escort rep told me that the 9500 isnt more sensitive, just faster alerting. You know how it goes every second counts....

    Im going to Atlanta next month and Im thinking that RLC and speedtrap features will be nice since Im in unfamiliar area for 2 weeks...

  6. #6
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    First off laser detection is pointless. generally by the time your detector alerts to laser the speed is already locked in. Only protection against Laser is laser jammer like the Blinder M27/M47 or Laser Interceptor or Escort ZR4

    Second driving a porsche, a cop will always assume you are the fastest traveling car

    Spoiler: show

    Radar Detectors-V1 & BEL v995
    Laser Jammer-Laser Interceptor Quad
    GPS Camera Locator-Cheetah C100
    GPS Nav-Garmin nuvi w/Trapster
    CB Radio-Galaxy DX-949 w/Wilson 500
    Scanner-RS Pro-96

  7. #7
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    Thanks for all the information guys. Ive checked vids by djrams80 and its an eye-opener (good job BTW). These are the roads (carlsbad and OC) that you drive. I realize with any detector, I would have been smoked in any of these laser traps. Im going to save my money for LI, M27 something. The local PD are out in force over the last year and Im tired of getting popped. Ive got to reprogram my fast socal driving style until then....

  8. #8

    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    I really like the 9500ix. It makes detectors useful again. Before I was pretty much deaf to the alerts my old detector would give. It'd go off for door-openers, etc. It went off enough that, even though it was there and on, I pretty much stopped paying attention to it. The 9500ix fixes that with the learning feature as well as the deal where if you're going slow enough it detects that and doesn't bother you.

    All that being said, I use my detector in a much different way that most. I basically drive about 5MPH over the limit. I don't want a ticket. I also know that the localities are making up for budget shortfalls with extra ticketing (which I don't agree with but they're not going to listen to me). What I'm really trying to avoid is that situation where it drops from 65MPH to 55MPH and I missed the sign and they're counting on that and hope to pop me. Sometimes I get popped directly (haven't had a ticket since 2004) and sometimes I get the alert but they were after someone else. Then, at least, I know they where they hide.

    Anyway, the GPS in the 9500ix really helps with stopping falses. I highly recommend it.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    I would get a 9500ix.

  10. #10
    Yoda of Radar
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    Default Re: 8500x50 with SC55 or 9500ix in southern california?

    Quote Originally Posted by tj90 View Post
    Thanks for all the information guys. Ive checked vids by djrams80 and its an eye-opener (good job BTW). These are the roads (carlsbad and OC) that you drive. I realize with any detector, I would have been smoked in any of these laser traps. Im going to save my money for LI, M27 something. The local PD are out in force over the last year and Im tired of getting popped. Ive got to reprogram my fast socal driving style until then....
    A wise choice to fill the massive hole in your protection first. I'm a huge fan of the 9500ix, but you'll avoid more tickets by properly defending yourself against laser first, then optimizing your radar detection later.

    Quote Originally Posted by Brad Bishop View Post
    I really like the 9500ix. It makes detectors useful again. Before I was pretty much deaf to the alerts my old detector would give. It'd go off for door-openers, etc. It went off enough that, even though it was there and on, I pretty much stopped paying attention to it. The 9500ix fixes that with the learning feature as well as the deal where if you're going slow enough it detects that and doesn't bother you.
    The difference is the area you drive is probably nothing like SoCal. Here, we never see X band almost never see K band, but if it's Ka band, it's a cop. It's 99.9% Ka band and laser. Pretty simple.

    Quote Originally Posted by Brad Bishop View Post
    All that being said, I use my detector in a much different way that most. I basically drive about 5MPH over the limit. I don't want a ticket.
    If you only drove 5MPH over the PSL here in SoCal, you could throw your RD away. No way you'd get a ticket here at +5 PSL here. If you're less that 15 over, you're pretty much good, unless you're in a school zone or something.

    Quote Originally Posted by rocky2 View Post
    I would get a 9500ix.
    You'd recommend a 9500ix upgrade over a laser jammer? I love the 9500ix, but in this case, I disagree.

 

 

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