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SpeedZone's test of Radar Detectors: Escort x50 wins..........

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20 February 2003
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http://www.speedzones.com/
Earlier this year MotorTrend also had a comparison using the older Escort 8500 (not the x50) and they had the Escort edge out the V1 by a very narrow margin as well.

I am contemplating between the Valentine 1 and the new Escort 8500 X50. I know from reading the numerous posts here that the V1 is generally considered superior to the Escort 8500 but it appears that the X50 may have improved the Escort further.

For $150 or so less than a V1, the x50 (red) seems like a bargain compaired to the V1 especially now that the Escort can be upgraded as better versions become available, just like the V1.

Actually, with the "smart cord" and the carrying case, the price of the V1 goes up enough that the price difference is almost $200.

The directioal arrows seem to be the main strength of the V1 but the so called "Expert Meter" on the Escort tells you how many of and what type of threats are in the area and the strength (threat level) of each with a bar.

Any x50 owners who have any comments about this newer and improved Escort ? TIA:)
 
I can't wait for my X50 upgrade!

"The “Top Dog” of radar detectors in the Over $300.00 price category goes to Escort’s X50 for the following reasons. It was the only detector to report constant on and instant on radar over the hill at the 2 1/2 mile cone. It consistently alerted to MPH’s Bee III POP mode. It was one of only two of the six detectors tested to be invisible to the new Spectre III RDD and it tied in the Long Ranger test alerting at an astounding eleven miles from the radar guns. The X50 also lends itself easily to interfacing with motorcycle defense systems with external audio"
 
OK, the overriding question here is:

"Where does one get one of those Blinder Laser Jammers?" 100% effective from something you get no warning on? Gimme.
 
I think it is the same price anywhere. I ordered directly from escort. I also got the 3 year service plan for 29.99. I never used it once though, but they are giving me a free upgrade to X50, so I guess it was worth it...(although it has long expired)
 
The Lidatek Laser Echo and the Blinder Laser Jammer are similar products made by two competing manufacturers...
 
Do you have the LE-20 or the LE-30? Where did you get it? How about some install pics?Incidentally, why the Lidatek instead of the Blinder? Lidatek looks smaller (good), but only works for 5 seconds (bad).
:confused:

Sorry for the barrage of questions, but I am quite passionate about avioding the speed tax these days.
;) :)
 
i have the LE30, not much to see, i don't have my camera w/ me today i'll post some pics later. A little black box in front of the car and a LED light w/ buzzer and the main unit under the center console box.

I picked the LE30 because it is small and one unit covers the entire front of the car. Also I have heard more of this company from the bmw world i came from. Also the group buy price of $275 if i recall correctly made it very attractive.

i think 5 seconds will give me plenty of time to slow down, if you are planning on doing 130 and a cop sees you i doubt anything can help you at that point :)
 
All I know is:

A) My V1's never come up short on performance in any way in actual use, and has never let me down.

B) I'd NEVER be without those directional indicators on the highway again. I've lived with and without them, many kilomiles both ways. The case is closed as far as I'm concerned based on lots of actual experience. I once sung the praises of Cincinnati Microwave myself.

Richard
'93 Blk/Blk
 
The Motor Trend comparison test of radar detectors (which starts here) showed only the slimmest of margins separating the 985, the 8500, and the Valentine 1 (as previously noted by liftcontrol). In a similar test in Car and Driver, the Valentine 1 trounced the other two.

The top radar detectors all come with a 30-day free trial. If you're thinking of getting one, I suggest getting one of each (during a period when you plan to do plenty of driving), and try them all out. Decide for yourself, and keep the one you like best.

EDIT: Removed comment about SpeedZones website.
 
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White94 said:
Sorry for the barrage of questions, but I am quite passionate about avioding the speed tax these days.
;) :)

Mark,

I actually got off on one on Wednesday going up to Nashville to drop my car with Barn. He pulled me over on I-59 right before the Tennessee line doing 74 in a 70, but someone had called ahead and reported me going a bit faster:) No Proof, so he left me ride! He was actaully pretty cool and had a few question about my car. His last words were "keep it down" I told him thank you and I will...

I guess I better stay on topic and say that have owned a V-1 for several years and love it. I have previously owned several Bel and Escort models and wouldn't go back. All of the high end detectors are great and it's really what you like that counts!

John
 
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nsxtasy said:
The biases of the SpeedZone site have been well documented elsewhere.

Why would they be bias to escort? I have never read anything about that. (I am sure you will send me links though :) ) You wouldn't be saying that if the V1 scored higher. I don't understand how one can by bias towards FACTS. If the X50 picked up the radar from 2 miles and the V1 didn't, that means it did a better job. Plain and simple. Also, the V1 did not pick up the POP radar at all. So that is a strike against it.

How many times has the V1 been updated since introduction? Isn't it time for a major update?
 
NetViper said:
Why would they be bias to escort? I have never read anything about that.
I may have confused them with another website; sorry about that. But who, exactly, runs SpeedZones.com? How do they go about purchasing their units? How are they funded? I am reluctant to put any stock into tests published by a website without any description of who is responsible for them.

Here is more information about how tests can be set up to make one detector look better than another. Bias in radar detector testing and in publicizing claims is widespread (for example, read this and this).

Again, the best detectors all offer good performance. Try them out and decide which one you like the best.

NetViper said:
the V1 did not pick up the POP radar at all. So that is a strike against it.
No, that is a strike against you, for not knowing anything about POP mode. The POP mode isn't detected when it's used against faulty radar guns whose manufacturer claims that that feature should not be used. Read this for more information.

NetViper said:
How many times has the V1 been updated since introduction? Isn't it time for a major update?
You obviously don't know anything about the Valentine 1. You really ought to try one out for an extended period instead of stating things that are absolutely untrue.

Quoting from the Valentine 1 website:

keepyoung.gif


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 past 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 detector makers want you to throw away your old detector and buy new. Not me. 12 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.
 
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When I enter the serial number of my Valentine 1 into their website to get information about upgrading, here is the information I receive:

V1 Description: Radar circuitry known in-house as V1.7 gives high performance on all radar bands. Also, it remembers your “mode” setting when shut off. Laser warning is front and rear.

Upgrade Recommendation: While this version is not quite up to today’s V1 standard for Ka, it’s almost always good enough, and always better than detectors from other makers. X and K performance is excellent. Upgrading merely to improve radar performance is not cost effective, in my opinion. Upgrading does bring other benefits, including our latest Generation 3 laser warning, and LEDs for band identification.

Upgrade Proposal for Your Valentine One

Serial Number xxxxxxxxxx

Our Instant Upgrade* will make the following improvements to your V1.


Our best Ka-band performance.
Our best X-band performance.
Our best K-band performance.
Adds radar coverage on Ku-band (used in Europe).
Our best, Generation 3 laser warning, front and rear.
Reduces V1's case height by about ¼ inch.
Reduces V1's weight by about 1.5 oz.
Adds stack of LED indicators for each band.
Latest windshield mount with new suction cups.
Latest visor mount.
New Lighter Power Adapter.
New Direct-wire Power Adapter
New coiled cord.
New straight cord.
New wiring-harness connector.
Dual-Lock® fastener.
New Owners Manual.
Spare fuse.
Spare suction cups.
One-year limited warranty, same as new units.

*INSTANT UPGRADE: As soon as we receive your old unit (in operable condition with no tampering of the serial number) we’ll exchange it for a brand-new, current-production V1. This is our way of assuring you’ll be without V1 protection for the shortest time.
 
Well, after due research, I am going to purchase the X50....

The V1 is almost as good and has its main advantage as the arrows but the Expert meter on the x50 tells me all I need to know. The bar strength/threat level goes up for any one of the several radars that it can DISPLAY as being received by the detector. If the threat is approaching me or I am approaching it, the audible signal, the bar height and the LEDs will all tell me so. If there are two threats and I have just passed one and it is behind me but there is another around the bend ahead, the bar for the threat ahead will be increasing.

The arrows alone can no longer be sufficient reason for one to pay an extra $200 for a V1 (including the smart cord and carring case) when compared to a basic X50 (which comes with the "smart cord" and a carrying case as standard).

But most importantly the X50 has shown, in independant tests, that it is a superior radar detector than the V1 even if the superiority is only marginal and in practice may be of no difference. If the performance is about the same, then the price difference is of importance. Add to that a slim design, auto-mute, lower false alarms, upgrade option if needed and the choice becomes quite obvious.
 
liftcontrol said:
the X50 has shown, in independant tests, that it is a superior radar detector than the V1 even if the superiority is only marginal and in practice may be of no difference.
Please tell me how you know that that one test is independent. Who is responsible for it and for its impartiality? How were the detectors purchased? Etc.

Also - why would you not want to try BOTH detectors, so that you could decide for yourself which one is better?
 
I believe that even more important than marginal differences in reception strength is whether or not one actually heeds the warnings that the detector emits and how one decides to respond to them. I think combined with radar/laser detection if you drive (speed) in an intelligent, attentive, and deliberate way (always in a pack, never alone, close attention to bends and crests of hills, etc) you can avoid many speeding citations.

I have borrowed/used friends' Valentine and Escort detectors over the years (and have owned many others) but have always chosen BEL as the detectors in my cars. Why? I have not had a single speeding citation while using a BEL detector, ever. Sure I'll admit that the BEL detectors may not be the latest or the greatest and they are definitely not the most expensive (on the plus side) but they have not let me down even once. Meanwhile my aformentioned friends continue to get speeding citations using their Valentines and Escorts not because the detectors are bad/inferior but I believe because they don't heed the warnings properly. I feel that the variances in driver to driver attentiveness/awareness/strategy more than makes up for any differences in detector sensitivity.

So enough of the bickering of which is the slightest bit better or worse and just go outside, drive smart, pay attention to the road ahead, and enjoy your NSXs!!!! After all isn't the pleasure of NSX ownership the sole reason why we are all on these forums?
 
speeding !!!

I find it surprising that any of you would actually break the speed limit on public use roads/streets in your NSX anyway!

65mph and no more for me. Haven't figured out what to do with 3rd-5th gear?
 
Just a questions for you guys......when they perform the test d othey have all radars operating in the car at the same time as they pass by various radar locations or do they test one at a time .......I think the only true way to determine which detector is best is if they run all radar in car simultameously ...
 
The instructions with the V1 specifically state to mount the unit at the top of the windshield. If that pic is from the test, I wonder why they didn't follow instructions.
 
hlweyl said:
The instructions with the V1 specifically state to mount the unit at the top of the windshield. If that pic is from the test, I wonder why they didn't follow instructions.

I believe for any radar detector to work properly it must be mount high on the windshield as you stated. The windshield wipers cause interference with the rader antenna and lower the range of the detector.
 
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