Live in VA looking for good RD

[canadian]

I looked at the STi which was pretty cool but the price tag is pretty rough. That's why I was wondering if there were any mods out there for the x50. An extra 150 bucks for a magnesium case doesn't seem worth while for the STi.

U get what u pay for!!!!

It is true that you get what you pay for. In the case of the STI you are paying for the stealth. I had a cheap PNI before, and I worried about being caught by a LEO. I would turn the unit off everytime I got an alert or if a LEO was in sight. It is much nicer to have the STI and not worry about the Spectre....

[stealthJamal]

You don't have to worry about Spectre in Virginia anyways.

One small Town PD in southern VA (La Crosse) is rumored to have them, but it hasn't been confirmed if they do or don't.

[leo68]

I have been reading a little bit around the forums and see the Escort Passport 8500 X50 to be a popular choice. My main concern is of course getting a ticket just for having the detector. Are there any mods you can do that would keep the unit out of the front window? Setting up an sensor in the grill or maybe on top that would look inconspicuous ie. XM antenna.

thanks

Bel STI

[oakhed]

The consensus seems to be.. in areas where RD is illegal to use, to purchase the STI.

Or, you could purchase one of the other top brands for a bit less and a cheapie unit to stick on the dash... when you get pulled, (if they still confiscate the offending RD) hand 'em the cheapie... but you better have the good RD set up stealthily (lest LEO sees it and confiscates both).

The Valentine unit is the second best as far as detectability from what I've read here.

What I would do if I lived in a banned area and had to have RD:

1. STI hardwired to a switch or V1 hardwired to a switch and a cheapie (just in case).
2. Once the RD goes off, slow to near PSL and shut off unit at switch.
3. Locate/confirm LEO, wait a bit, turn on RD.

lather, rinse, repeat.

STI is pricey. You get invisibility and may not have to turn it off.
V1 is pricey but slightly less so (which is offset by having to have the dummy unit). You get "almost invisibility" but you better plan on turning it off.

I can think of no other good solutions that will cost less.
There are remote detectors that mount in the grille, etc. They are not stealthy (they can be detected by current RDD's at range) but they can be stealthy in mounting the display unit. They cost more than the STI and V1 together ,IIRC.

[stealthJamal]

What I would do if I lived in a banned area and had to have RD:

1. STI hardwired to a switch or V1 hardwired to a switch and a cheapie (just in case).
2. Once the RD goes off, slow to near PSL and shut off unit at switch.
3. Locate/confirm LEO, wait a bit, turn on RD.

That is good advice, but the parts I underlinded in steps 2 & 3 are not necessary in Virginia.

STi is a good detector, but honestly you don't need it for Virginia at this time. You could by an STi for the future but Virginia doesn't even have future plans for purchasing Spectres. I've driven all over VA with my 8500 and never ecountered Spectre. I have seen a few VG2's.

IMO:
I like using the STi because I like check out the newest technology, I don't actually need it. I could easily use any high end detector with no worries about getting caught with it.

[oakhed]

Stealthjamal is right of course, for Va.

I was writing based on all areas where RDs are banned... Canada, etc. And stating what I would do.

And then, it's really not necessary to shut the unit off... but if you get pulled, you're gonna have to turn it down at the least... and possibly hand over the decoy... So you might as well turn it off, lest it start or continue wailing while the LEO is at your window.

[allergic]

Or, you could purchase one of the other top brands for a bit less and a cheapie unit to stick on the dash... when you get pulled, (if they still confiscate the offending RD) hand 'em the cheapie... but you better have the good RD set up stealthily (lest LEO sees it and confiscates both).

they no longer confiscate RD's in Va so I wouldn't need a dummy. You get a non-moving violation and 96 dollar fine. The idea is sound though but the STi is probably overkill considering no one uses Spectre yet.

That is good advice, but the parts I underlinded in steps 2 & 3 are not necessary in Virginia.

STi is a good detector, but honestly you don't need it for Virginia at this time. You could by an STi for the future but Virginia doesn't even have future plans for purchasing Spectres. I've driven all over VA with my 8500 and never ecountered Spectre. I have seen a few VG2's.

IMO:
I like using the STi because I like check out the newest technology, I don't actually need it. I could easily use any high end detector with no worries about getting caught with it.

The info is leaning me more toward the 8500. I am surprised there are no external sensors I can buy and plug in so I wouldn't have to mount it in the window. Even a mod where I could take the sensors out of the unit itself and place them in my grill and wire them back up to the unit. Would be a fun project if it was possible.

[stealthJamal]

Even a mod where I could take the sensors out of the unit itself and place them in my grill and wire them back up to the unit. Would be a fun project if it was possible.

That has been done with an X50. Somebody put the display in their radio and the receiver somewhere else. It was posted a long time ago so I can't find it at the moment unless I search old post for awhile.

[allergic]

That's exactly the type of thing I am looking for. Make it discrete but still effective. Maybe even place it behind a hidden panel like some high end car cd players have when not in use.

I suppose I could mount it behind the passenger side sun visor and somehow hardwire the power cord. Though that could be troublesome for vision since I don't drive a big car and I am little tall.

Would the laser detection in the X50 only be useful if I had a anti-laser license plate cover and veil on my lights? Damn just did a search both passive and active laser jamming is illegal in VA. Can't have any fun in this place.

:cry: