V1 repair vs replace options

[Leadfut]

I bought a V1 about 10 years ago and have never sent it in, always been happy with it's performance.

We had a run of ~90F days here (though this is not a freak thing, we normally get a few days of 90-100F in the peak of the summer). I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but maybe.

Anyway, the V1 starts alerting like crazy to laser from the rear. No other cars on the road, and the laser alert gets stuck on my whole ride to work. On the way home, same thing; after a few seconds it comes on and stays on. Next day, it is still happening but more intermittently; laser comes on for 15 seconds, goes off for a little while, alerts for 5 seconds, goes off, etc.

When I put my finger over the front of the display (the little circle just to the right of the bogey counter and just to the left of the band indicators) the alert stops. I don't have anything new in my car that might set off a laser alert. Just to prove it, I turned the detector around and the rear alert kept going.

Anyway, what are my options? Send it in for repair; will they only repair it, or will they upgrade it also? Do I have a choice of if I want it upgraded or not? If I don't upgrade, do they have a fixed price for servicing or does it depend on parts&labor? I see their website says there's a $45 'basic' charge. Do you get your own RD back or do they just send you another one?

[proudNMAmember]

I am wondering if your rear center mount stop lamp has L.E.D's that may be interfering? It's just a thought, that's all.

[Leadfut]

Yea it occured to me it might be something in the car, but this same V1 has been in it for 3 years with no problem. Also I turned the RD around to test this, and the laser source didn't start alerting from the front arrow, so it is following the (bad?) sensor.

I don't have anything new in the car (like a laptop or cellphone with an IR port or something) that might be a laser/IR source.

I went out to my car today to try it again but it stopped doing it. I was going to move it to my wife's car to see.

Along that line, how is Valentine with fixing 'intermittent' problems? I don't want to send it in only to have them find nothing wrong.

[OldGoat]

from what you describe,
Valentine Research should be your only course of action
Find out about your V-1-||- and --|-Service for your V-1

[Solidjake]

After 10 years I'd definitely send it in for a tune up, hell I'd upgrade to the latest version.

[category4]

When you turned it around did it still alert to rear (now front) laser.

[Won Hunglo]

If you bought it new, send it in for repairs. If not, upgrade.

[zerbey]

An upgrade on a 10 year old V1 is still far cheaper than buying a new one, I would go with that route.

[Leadfut]

When you turned it around did it still alert to rear (now front) laser.

Right; when I turned it around, the radar detector was still alerting with the rear arrow (now pointing at the front of the car). So the fault followed the sensor.

[Leadfut]

If you bought it new, send it in for repairs. If not, upgrade.

I did buy it new. Any chance they'd fix it for free (10 years later?) or it's gonna be $45 or more no matter what?