need a radar (i am new to this guys)

[watercooled]

any decent police radars out there that are decent im looking for cheap used one on ebay

any that you recommend ?

thanks in advance

[VanMan]

When you say radar do you mean the actual radar used to measure speed or the radar detector used to detect radar? If you want a detector, you want one with 'Euro' mode. Stick Escort, Beltronics, and Valentine.

[watercooled]

sorry yes a radar detector

is a jammer worth buying ?

[watercooled]

sorry double post

[radarrob]

Rx65 s7 or redline will be good.

[VanMan]

Here's the short version of my long buyer's guide.


Types of detectors

You have two major types of radar detectors. Window-mounted units are ones that are (generally) attached to the front windshield using suction cups, suction mounts, rear-view-mirror devices, visor clips, beanbag dash mounts, Velcro, and other attachment devices. For most, suction cups are the used route. These require a cord (unless they are cordless) that can either be 1) plugged into your outlet or 2) hardwired into the car. They can be removed/re-attached in a matter of seconds and they make up to majority of radar detectors. As a general rule, you want to mount these high on your windshield using suction cup mounts. Many users 'hardwire' them which means using a hardwire kit to have a wire that extended from the car itself (usually from where the roof meets the front windshield) to avoid a dangling cord.

Remote-mounted are systems that are integrated into the car. They generally are much more expensive, are difficult to install, and are not portable. Both have their pros and cons, which I will not go into but I would advise getting a window-mounted unti if this is your first system based on costs and portability.



Wired versus wireless

This is one is simple. Avoid wireless detectors at all costs. They cost more and simply do not work nearly as well as wired ones and hardwiring a wired unit is relatively easy. Wireless units lack the performance most users want and need.



Radar and LIDAR

Almost all detectors do the standard radar bands of X, K, and Ka. However, in the EU a band called Ku-band is also used and so European users may want to get a unit with a 'Euro-mode' even though the use of Ku-band radar is rare even in Europe. Furthermore, a detector with a European mode is a plus as the laser guns and speed cops used their are different than those in the US. The current model Valentine 1 and many Beltronics and Escort products offer European mode settings.

A jammer is a must if you encounter laser. No detector will give you great laser protection, and the only one that gives acceptable protection is the Valentine 1. Even then, don't rely on it to give you a save every time. The inherent design of a laser makes it difficult to detect reliably. The best jammer on the market now is the Laser Interceptor, or LI.



Filtering, GPS, and Sensitivity

False alerts can suck. Consider if you live in an area with many false alerts and if they drive you nuts. If so, the only detector to get is the Escort 9500ix. It is GPS driven, alerts to redlight cameras, speed cameras, speed traps, and other speed measurement areas using GPS in addition to traditional radar/laser detection. It is perhaps the most innovative detector since the original Escort of Valentine and it is very, very good at filtering false alerts. If you are often in a city, this is probably the best choice. At $500 plus a database subscription of $40, it isn't cheap but it will wow you with its capability. It does however have less range than the other $400-$500 due to its excellent filtering. Detectors such as the Valentine 1 are falsing machines. However, the V1 is one of the or the most sensitive detectors on the market and so sensitivity/distance comes at the price of more false alerts. I am a V1 user, but I love the 9500ix as well.



Extras

Many detectors sport bells and whistles. Some are useful and others are plain stupid. Check into what companies offer and see if any are important. Many users will appreciate the arrows on the V1. For many other users, the TSR setting offered on Escort detectors are a blessing if you have K-band traffic sensors in your area...however, the goofy features on Cobra models really have no value whatsoever. Some detectors come in display colors other than red. I like red and blue displays, but you may find you like one over the other. I won't go into more features as this would get much, much longer, but I will say that the only useful features in my opinion have been invented and are used by Escort/Beltronics (same parent company) or Valentine Research. Their products and features hold up in both theory and practice where as others sound great in theory but offer little usefulness in the real world.



Brands

Beltronics, Escort, Valentine, (and some Whistlers if you are on a budget). How much do you want to spend? You have to pay to play. The best buy of the millenium is a refurbished Beltronics RX-65, which can be had on eBay for $200 shipped from the maker. That is really the lowest price you can get really good protection with. If you are on a real tight budget, the $140 Escort 8500 refurb is a good pick, although the RX-65 will impress more. I swear by the Valentine 1, which is $400. Some users swear by the Escort Redline or 9500ix, both which are $500. Each has their pros and cons, but $150 is the absolute minimum I would spend, and the $200 RX-65 refurb (or $250-$375 new) is probably your best bet if you are on a budget.

If you were to ask me my personal opinion for real front and rear radar AND LIDAR (laser) protection, I would say the Valentine 1 or 9500ix and a LI QUAD, with the radar detector choice depending on where you live...such as this:

Laser Interceptor Laser Jammer and Valentine One Combo Packages - Laser Jammers at Radar Busters

Yeah, it's $1,600 but after it saves you from 1 ticket that can cost $300, plus court/attorney/insurance/etc. fees, it will may much of itself off.

[Weeth]

I'd get either a STi-R plus for the best or a Redline which is close.

[erickonphoenix]

Depends on where you drive. Generally speaking Valentine One is best for rural interstates and Escort is better for urban environments. However in the UK where you have lots of speed cameras the Escort GPS programability might eclipse the V1's superior sensitivity. I would think the 9500i would fit the bill.