Considering an upgrade.

[EscortRadar]

Sorry folks but phone support isn't preventing this. The techs won't repair them. They don't have the "jigs" to connect them to a PC or the software, etc. The 985 pre-dated the original 8500, it's a rather old model. I think we used Windows 3.1 boxes back then to communicate with the detector which are long gone.

[<<JAZZY>>]

Another reason that this makes sense:

MY PLAN FOR KEEPING [replacer_img] YOUNG

IMAGINE A RADAR DETECTOR THAT NEVER GETS OBSOLETE. HERE'S MY PLAN:

Continuous Improvement:
Valentine One was new in 1992. Since then, every part inside the magnesium case has been improved, several times for many of them. Continuous improvement keeps Valentine One the top performer; Car and Driver confirms that our margin over the others is wider now than ever.

We'll Upgrade Your Earlier Model:
Since 1994, whenever we've made a performance breakthrough, we've offered it to our customers in the form of an upgrade. The price varies, depending on the parts required. Included is a one-year warranty, same as new.

No Planned Obsolescence:
Other radar detector makers want you to throw away your old detector and buy new. Not me. More than a dozen years after the first Valentine One, I'm still working for that customer, because every Valentine One we've ever made can be upgraded to the latest technology.

[nine_c1]

Another reason that this makes sense:

MY PLAN FOR KEEPING [replacer_img] YOUNG

IMAGINE A RADAR DETECTOR THAT NEVER GETS OBSOLETE. HERE'S MY PLAN:

Continuous Improvement:
Valentine One was new in 1992. Since then, every part inside the magnesium case has been improved, several times for many of them. Continuous improvement keeps Valentine One the top performer; Car and Driver confirms that our margin over the others is wider now than ever.

We'll Upgrade Your Earlier Model:
Since 1994, whenever we've made a performance breakthrough, we've offered it to our customers in the form of an upgrade. The price varies, depending on the parts required. Included is a one-year warranty, same as new.

No Planned Obsolescence:
Other radar detector makers want you to throw away your old detector and buy new. Not me. More than a dozen years after the first Valentine One, I'm still working for that customer, because every Valentine One we've ever made can be upgraded to the latest technology.

While I appreciate how Valentine does business, I'm also cool with buying a new model when there is something significantly new in design and function.

For instance, the 8500....9500i....STi Driver.....Solo 2 and Passport iQ are all windshield mounts but each is significantly different from the other in their virtues and capabilities.

However, the Escort/Bel promise of upgrade ability to meet new threats with the 8500 didn't really pan out. When they added POP detection (a new threat) they didn't provide and upgrade path from the 8500 to the 8500/X50.

The 9500i to the 9500ix was an exception but the motive may have been to encourage the move onto a platform with a yearly subscription fee.

The Solo 2 to Solo 3 is really just a new display, antenna lens and outer case so an upgrade could have been possible you would think.

The STi Driver is perhaps a little more upsetting. Supposedly it has the exact same RF engine as the RedLine, so why not an upgrade to RedLine performance levels for the Driver?

Last but certainly not least is the Passport iQ. How upset will folks be that shelled out $650 for a new detector (released less than a year ago) when Escort rolls out the new model with Bluetooth and live traffic updates? I suppose that all depends on whether or not Escort plans on supporting an upgrade path to this new model.

[wildbill59]

I have two 985's. One with the FCC ID and one without. The sound went out on the FCC ID model and was not the speaker. I sent it in to Bel back in April and they repaired the sound problem, revised the software, and did a tuneup for $75. This was well spent as the unit came back like it had been given a dose of steroids. It way out performs my friend's 955 and 995 M4's. In fact he was pissed that my 985 was so much better than his detectors. I would send in the other 985 but it seems to be working ok just not as sensitive as the one I sent in but equal to my friend's 955 and 995.

[frankw]

So they stopped repairing them since april?

[Ray]

Another reason that this makes sense:

MY PLAN FOR KEEPING [replacer_img] YOUNG

IMAGINE A RADAR DETECTOR THAT NEVER GETS OBSOLETE. HERE'S MY PLAN:

Continuous Improvement:
Valentine One was new in 1992. Since then, every part inside the magnesium case has been improved, several times for many of them. Continuous improvement keeps Valentine One the top performer; Car and Driver confirms that our margin over the others is wider now than ever.

We'll Upgrade Your Earlier Model:
Since 1994, whenever we've made a performance breakthrough, we've offered it to our customers in the form of an upgrade. The price varies, depending on the parts required. Included is a one-year warranty, same as new.

No Planned Obsolescence:
Other radar detector makers want you to throw away your old detector and buy new. Not me. More than a dozen years after the first Valentine One, I'm still working for that customer, because every Valentine One we've ever made can be upgraded to the latest technology.

While I appreciate how Valentine does business, I'm also cool with buying a new model when there is something significantly new in design and function.

For instance, the 8500....9500i....STi Driver.....Solo 2 and Passport iQ are all windshield mounts but each is significantly different from the other in their virtues and capabilities.

However, the Escort/Bel promise of upgrade ability to meet new threats with the 8500 didn't really pan out. When they added POP detection (a new threat) they didn't provide and upgrade path from the 8500 to the 8500/X50.

The 9500i to the 9500ix was an exception but the motive may have been to encourage the move onto a platform with a yearly subscription fee.

The Solo 2 to Solo 3 is really just a new display, antenna lens and outer case so an upgrade could have been possible you would think.

The STi Driver is perhaps a little more upsetting. Supposedly it has the exact same RF engine as the RedLine, so why not an upgrade to RedLine performance levels for the Driver?

Last but certainly not least is the Passport iQ. How upset will folks be that shelled out $650 for a new detector (released less than a year ago) when Escort rolls out the new model with Bluetooth and live traffic updates? I suppose that all depends on whether or not Escort plans on supporting an upgrade path to this new model.

The 980 was suppose to never be obsolete either. It was a great detector. That's why I want to get it fixed. Me being an enthusiest and all. I have most of my old detectors.