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  1. #1

    Question FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Hi folks new guy's first post...

    I'm shopping for my first RD. I've read a bunch of reviews, and I'm having trouble figuring out the right price tier for me. I know the easy answer is to spend what it takes to get the top tier units, but going over $300 is not easy for my wallet. On the other hand, spending $200 and NOT getting an effective RD would be worse.

    So - my question is: How much money do you really have to spend to get "effective protection"? I'm mostly on California freeways - I will primarily see radar-equipped CHP (is that Ka?) on highway 101 in Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties. Does spending $160 for a Whistler 695SE/78SE get the job done, or do I really need to step-up to the Bel RX65, or even higher? What's the *relative* performance increase you get when you take the steps from sub-$200 to ~$250 to over-$300?

  2. #2
    Good Citizen
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    southern nj
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    159

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Hello, I'm not sure what type radar detector your looking for, but you can buy any Escort Radar Detector off their site with optional payment plan. Might ease the pain a little and you might find one you like.

  3. #3
    Newcomer
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    6

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    i think a 8500 would work.

    I bought my 8500 x50 blue in 2005 and I still think it gives me enough time and situational awareness.

    The 8500 x50 is worthless for laser.

    I suggest getting a good laser jammer for full protection.

  4. #4
    Yoda of Radar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Los Angeles Area
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    13,881

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBobjcv View Post
    Hi folks new guy's first post...

    I'm shopping for my first RD. I've read a bunch of reviews, and I'm having trouble figuring out the right price tier for me. I know the easy answer is to spend what it takes to get the top tier units, but going over $300 is not easy for my wallet. On the other hand, spending $200 and NOT getting an effective RD would be worse.

    So - my question is: How much money do you really have to spend to get "effective protection"? I'm mostly on California freeways - I will primarily see radar-equipped CHP (is that Ka?)
    Yes. CHP uses only 34.7 Ka band and laser.

    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBobjcv View Post
    on highway 101 in Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties.
    There is lots of laser use in your area. No radar detector can protect you against laser. Only a good laser jammer(pronounced Laser Interceptor) provides effective protection against laser. In reality, if you can't afford a good radar detector and a Laser Interceptor, you can't afford to speed, especially in Ventura County. Speeding has become a pay-to-play game here in SoCal, no doubt about it.

    I recorded this in your area last week.

    Two Minutes of Revenue FURY - YouTube



    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBobjcv View Post
    Does spending $160 for a Whistler 695SE/78SE get the job done,
    No. A Whistler works fine for people that live in the boonies, but they work very poorly here in SoCal.

    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBobjcv View Post
    or do I really need to step-up to the Bel RX65, or even higher? What's the *relative* performance increase you get when you take the steps from sub-$200 to ~$250 to over-$300?
    The RX65 is the best performing of the lower tiered Escorts. They use a platform called the M4. The M3s(RedLine, Bel STi Magnum, etc) are substantially better. The RedLine performs very well and would be my suggestion for use here in SoCal, but it currently has three problems:

    1. False alerts - SoCal is filled with false radar sources. The RedLine will false alert on K band a lot. The good news is that if you use Escort Live! along with a RedLine, the K band false alerts won't be a problem. There is no X band anywhere in Cali, so you can just turn that band off, on whatever detector you decide on.

    2. Poor reactivity - Escort radar detectors have great difficulty detecting very short duration instant-on shots. However, Escort just announced upcoming enhancements to Escort Live! that will fix this problem on the RedLine only, at least for now. Not sure when this will be released, but it's coming and will greatly improve the performance of the RedLine.

    3. Audio rampup - The audio alert on the RedLine does not match the actual radar signal strength, which makes it impossible to judge signal strength without looking at the visual display. Escort doesn't seem to care about this and I doubt they will ever fix it.

    Only the Beltronics STi-R Plus currently solves all three of these problems, which is what I use, but it is very expensive. The V1 solves problems two and three, but not problem number one. The problem for you would be that all(or almost all) of the local PDs in Ventura county use K band, so you would have to deal with a lot of K band false alerts in order to protect yourself against this threat.

  5. #5
    Advanced Member
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    Nov 2009
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    Heart of Dixie
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    1,963

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Have you checked out "Guys of Lidar" on the web? Remember, if your looking for performance for the best bang, don't go to low cost because it will cost you in the long run. You have to pick the RD that serves your best needs, not what you want nor want to pay. Beware, there are trade offs in different models and you have to consider what your up against. Speeding is not cheap and one will get caught over time. I have used the Valentine, programmed for my needs, for 19 years and would own nothing else! One day, a certain I/O or laser hit is going to beat my luck, eyes and brakes....

  6. #6

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Thanks everyone! I was afraid this would be the answer - TANSTAAFL (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch), and if I want an effective tool, then I need to be prepared to pay for it.

    djrams80: Yup - that's my road! You'll see me every morning and evening trying to avoid the CHP predators and the VW vans & gardening trucks!

  7. #7
    Yoda of Radar
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    Oct 2007
    Location
    Los Angeles Area
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    13,881

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBobjcv View Post
    Thanks everyone! I was afraid this would be the answer - TANSTAAFL (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch), and if I want an effective tool, then I need to be prepared to pay for it.

    djrams80: Yup - that's my road! You'll see me every morning and evening trying to avoid the CHP predators and the VW vans & gardening trucks!
    LOL @ the VW vans! Damn hippies!

  8. #8
    Manufacturer
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Cincinnati, OH
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    998

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBobjcv View Post
    djrams80: Yup - that's my road! You'll see me every morning and evening trying to avoid the CHP predators and the VW vans & gardening trucks!
    You both should use our Escort Live smartphone app with an Escort or Beltronics detector


    Escort Radar customer service is available from 8am-6pm Eastern Time Mon-Fri at 1-800-543-1608

  9. #9
    Yoda of Radar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Los Angeles Area
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    13,881

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    Quote Originally Posted by EscortRadar View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBobjcv View Post
    djrams80: Yup - that's my road! You'll see me every morning and evening trying to avoid the CHP predators and the VW vans & gardening trucks!
    You both should use our Escort Live smartphone app with an Escort or Beltronics detector
    As soon as you make it available for the STi-R Plus, I promise you that I will use it every single day. The only reason I stopped using Escort Live! is because I just can't stand the rampup of the 9500ix.

  10. #10
    Newcomer
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    Dec 2006
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    CA
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    27

    Default Re: FNGQ: Do you get what you pay for?

    I live in the south eastern end of ventura county.

    CHP is out in force every weekend on route 23 (moorpark/simi).

    I've passed 3+ chp (like video above) using Ka and lidar within 4 miles.

    VC courts are not jammed like the ones in LA. you'll get your ticket notice and trial dates promptly.

    $400 for a V1 is worth the investment because just one speeding ticket will cost you MORE.

 

 

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