Valentine 1 versions - how important?

[hofffam]

Thinking about buying one. Also looking at used ones although most don't look like good buys.

I know the current version is V1.8. Some of the ones I see for sale are V1.7 and the upgrade cost is a lot. But I wonder what I'd see as a performance difference if I could find a used unit for a good price.

Any experience with the different recent versions of the V1?

 

[joboo]

just buy a new one- they really are worth every penny.

 

[Daedalus]

Something Valentine offers is an upgrade (at a relatively high cost). You send in your old one with a check and they send you a brand new V1.8. I have both a V1.7 and a V1.8. When I punched in my serial # for the V1.7, the website came back and recommended I not have it upgraded--that there's essentially no difference in coverage. The 1.8 is noticeably slimmer though, and I think it has a few more tweaks available, which I've never played with.

 

[nsxtasy]

Something Valentine offers is an upgrade (at a relatively high cost). You send in your old one with a check and they send you a brand new V1.8. I have both a V1.7 and a V1.8. When I punched in my serial # for the V1.7, the website came back and recommended I not have it upgraded--that there's essentially no difference in coverage. The 1.8 is noticeably slimmer though, and I think it has a few more tweaks available, which I've never played with.

Yup. I have a 1.7 also, which I bought new ten years ago. Here's what it tells me when I enter the serial number into the upgrades part of Valentine's website:

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, unless you’re concerned about the POP Mode operating in your area. Upgrading does bring other benefits, including our latest laser warning (front and rear), which outperforms the competitors by a wide margin, LEDs for band identification, and POP Protection. Also, you'll get the new Euro Mode.

If I continue on to the option to see what would get upgraded, here's what it says:

Upgrade Proposal for Your Valentine One

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

- Our best Ka-band performance, including full "superwide" coverage (33.4 - 36.0 GHz), today's long range, much better resistance to Ka false alarms, and POP Protection from MPH BEE™ III and Enforcer™ radars.
- Our best X-band performance.
- Our best K-band performance including POP Protection from MPH Enforcer™ radars.
- Adds radar coverage on Ku-band (used in Europe).
- Adds our latest laser warning, front and rear while reducing the "thickness" of your V1.
- Adds False-Alarm Retraction to notify you when V1 finds that an alert in progress is false; also terminates the alert.
- Adds stack of LED indicators for each band.
- Adds Euro Mode which adapts V1's radar sensitivity to the way radar is used for photo enforcement in Europe.
- Latest windshield mount with new suction cups.
- Latest visor mount.
- New Lighter Power Adapter with mount for Concealed Display.
- 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.

PRICE: $229 plus shipping

 

[hofffam]

Yeah - I read all of that. Some of the used ones on ebay list the serial #. So I entered a few at V1's site to see what it said.

I was most curious about what people might have seen in the real world for V1.7 vs. V1.8.

Another thing I don't get is why someone would pay $450 for a new one on ebay when they are $399 at V1 directly.

 

[tjobeid]

I have the v1.7 and my friend has v1.8 i took my serial # and went to there website and it tells you if its worth up grading .Myn told me its fine and i don't need to upgrade.

Get used v1.7.

 

[djdrock]

Another thing I don't get is why someone would pay $450 for a new one on ebay when they are $399 at V1 directly.

Probably because they are illegal in certain states so Valentine 1 can not sell them directly.

 

[Daedalus]

I was most curious about what people might have seen in the real world for V1.7 vs. V1.8.

I would pay the difference and get a V1.8. It's a brand new unit vs. one that may be 10 years old or more. It's little things. The older one I have gets "confused" much more often, where it sounds a weird alarm when it gets a certain input, kind of like it's resetting itself. Sometimes LED brake lamps cause it to happen, and it happens a lot more frequently at night. Imagine it going off everytime a certain car in front of you hits the brakes. Maybe the circuitry isn't as advanced as the V1.8, or maybe 10 years in the sun has degraded the plastic housing, lens or internals. The new one does it too, but very, very rarely. I'm not saying I'm more likely to get a ticket when using my older one, but the older unit can get annoying with these weird resets.
Plus, if you buy a used one, you're unlikely to get all the stuff that comes with a new one, since most people leave the hard wiring intact in their vehicles. You'll have to pony up to buy what you need from Valentine to complete the wiring. A new unit is fairly complete.

 

[hofffam]

I think new from V1 is the way I'll go......

 

[RaDaRkInG]

I think new from V1 is the way I'll go......

Call Valentine Research at 1 800 331 3030 and ask for a returned V1 and you will get 10% off the retail price of $399. Tell them you don't mind being put on the waiting list. Guaranteed, they will ship a V1 out within 2 days. It will be the latest version V1.8 POP2 w/ Euro-mode and 3.863 firmware and that comes with all the accessories and a 1 year warranty.