Automobile Magazine Reviews Escort & Cobra Radar Detectors

[Radar Roy]

Yesterday Automobile Magazine published a review of the Escort 9500i (really a Escort 9500ix) and the Cobra XRS 9955 radar detectors. While reading it I was SHOCKED on several of the things that the author said about the units, his review and his findings. First off here is the link to the review:

http://budurl.com/9epv

The review opens up with a photo of the an Escort 9500ix and the Cobra XRS 9955 side by side on the windshield and then in his opening copy writes, “After living with each unit successively for several weeks”



Therefore this photo and his opening suggests to me that he did this test with both radar detectors this three week period with them side by side. There is no way that you can perform a radar detector test like this, especially one being a Cobra, one of the “leakiest” radar detectors ever made!

Radar detectors emit RFI (radio interference). The radar detectors would react to this RFI in either of two ways; reduce the sensitivity of the radar detector as attempts to filter out the source of the RFI, or the detector would see the RFI and report it as a false alert.

Then if you click on the photo you will see that the detector he tested was infact an Escort 9500ix and not an Escort 9500i.



Then if you read further in the article you will see that he obtained the unit on Amazon for “just over $400.00”

Well number one, the 9500ix has a blue display and not a red display and secondly the MSP from ALL AUTHORIZED ESCORT DEALERS is $499.95

Therefore the detector that was tested was NOT NEW or purchased from an authorized Escort dealer.

On my blog and on RadarDetector.net I have published several articles documenting unauthorized dealers selling used and/or refurbished units as new. Based upon the writer of this review, I can only assume that he fell victim to a “Slezebay” dealer.

Then the review says “No one, short of a government agency, has the resources to thoroughly evaluate all the detectors on the market.. “I guess he didn’t learn in journalism school to never paint yourself in a corner by never saying never.

If he took the time and did his research before he published his review he would has found our forum and/or my blog RadarRoy.com.

Today we have over 531,298 members which over 11,000 are active radar detector enthusiasts! Together we have published over 44,577 posts reviewing virtually every radar detector ever made starting from the “Fuzzbuster” to the “Cheap Ass Radar Detectors” to the newer GPS enabled units.

This review is so poorly thought-out that I’m troubled that such a prestigious magazine as Automobile allows it to be published on their forum.

What do you think? If you agree or disagree with me I’d love to hear from you and would ask that you do the following:

Comment to this posting

Go to the article on Automobile Magazine website and make your comments

[Cherokee Driver]

I think they should stick to reviewing cars and leaving radar detector reviews to the expert...you.

[gpracer1]

Not only all that BS, there is no mention of any actual police radar or laser encounters and or range. I thought thats what a RD is for?

[Jon_Doh]

Wow, makes you not want to trust anything they say in their car reviews.

[MEM-TEK]

I like how the author mounted both units relatively low -- virtually guaranteeing that both units would see each other's LO signals reflecting off of the windshield wipers and off of the rear edge of the car's hood. Brilliant!

[Radar Roy]

Don't forget to post a response on their review....

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks.

[CJR238]

its just sad, and what's that thing growing out of the side of the cobra?

[Zapple]

its just sad, and what's that thing growing out of the side of the cobra?

Escort holds the patent for having the GPS built into radar detector's and they recently won a case against Cobra for patent infringement. So now if you look at Cobra's new GPS enabled stuff it is built OUTSIDE the radar detector system not inside.

From another thread.

[gpracer1]

its just sad, and what's that thing growing out of the side of the cobra?

Its notta tooma!!