David,

The Radartest.com website is well known to be put up by 'biased' individuals. Look for something in a print magazine like Car & Driver.

 

I feel weird though, almost every Passport product has five stars rating....
That's why!!

I tried to search Car&Driver.com but the report was an old one.
So I rely on this http://www.motortrend.com/features/c...ar/index7.html (2004 report)

 

Yea I think its well worth it. If I were to get the x50 it would have to pick up better than the 8500 and I would have to have research done and people that have the x50 for me to spend that extra money. I dont mind the new light tho! hehe... But yea I should have bought the 8500 when I 1st got the car, it would have seriously saved me at least a 1-2 grand in tickets!

 

They're just different frequencies of radar invented over the years. I believe X-band was used early on and has largely been replaced by K and Ka band.

 

oh man sorry to hear that bro. i know it's pain to pay 1 grand for tickect.

 

yea it wasnt at one time, it was over a 1yr period.. sucks! but after the 8500 nothing till 2 weeks okie but thats awesome considering what I had to pay before.. to think about it *argh* could have more mods! hehe

 

They are illegal in Virginia, Washington, DC, and.....(Maybe)..... Connecticut?
Virginia and D.C. will impound them if you're caught with one in your presence, and if you're caught using one (the State Police use detector-detectors) , there is an additional fine.
Usually,..... (and this generally applies nationwide, not just VA and DC),.......if you stay within 5-10 MPH of posted limits, police will almost never write tickets....on the Interstates, they're usually looking for the guys doing 90 and up.

 

I have used an Escort Passport for about 17 years and then finally switched to V1 last year. I would never go back, the arrows are great! There have been times you see one police car on the side of the road with someone pulled over and you think it is safe only to see the V1showing another signal ahead and just over the bend you see another one waiting for the kill. It did take a while to get used to it though, just because I was used to the way Escort units give false alarms vs the real thing. The V1 is a lot more sensitive and will give you advanced warning beyond the Passport ( I have used the origional Passport, the 4500 and 7500), although I have no experience with the 8500 series. At places where local police always hide, I now know they are there about 1/4-3/4 miles sooner. I do use my V1 in full logic mode (which reduces false alarms), which does cut the sensitivity down a little but I really have not noticed it at all. Overall, I will stick with the V1. Never leave home without it!!

 

i have the valentine one, can't live without it

 

So rominl and CdeFabio, V1 is the best? Not even the new 8500 X50 can compare with it?
Now I'm leaning to V1...... Still hard to decide which one.
I really want to avoid getting the speeding ticket again.
Does V1 have a larger range in detecting radar gun than the old passport??

 

I'm thinking about getting the Escort Solo S2. Wireless is more appealing to me. That way I can put it higher and up out of teh way near the visor.

 

DavidsGX,

I have no experience with the new 8500, but I have had my V1 and my wife's 7500 side-by-side in the same car and the V1 gave 1-5 seconds quicker warning over the Passport 7500. When I bought the 7500, Escort said the main difference between the 7500 and 8500 was the 8500 was about 15% more sensitive which translates to more advanced warning. I really love my V1 and probably will not go back to Escort. Don't get me wrong though, Escort make very good detectors but I just like the added range and the directional arrows the V1 offers. You can also send your V1 back to the factory and get software and hardware updates as they release better units, for a nominal charge of course.

 

Thanks for you feedback CdeFabio!!
You description helps my decision.
Here is what I will do:
I will order the new X50 first for the 30-day trial,
1)If I like it I will keep it. OR 2)Return the X50 and get the V1.

Because X50 is newer, I want to test it out!

As far as Escort Solo S2 concerned, I like the feature of wrieless. But the price is about the same as the new 8500 X50.

 

i can't say much about escort too coz' i never owned it. but i know couple of guys (they got money) who tried out both and they all said v1 is better hands down. a bit more money but well worth it. better range and detection, and the ability to show you the direction is good. so i just went ahead and got the v1 and not to worry about anything

oh and of course, it saved me tons of times already

 

what if you are from a different state and just driving though.... and get pulled over?