My Escort Solo 2 finally went out on me after years.. Now I need a new one. Which one provides me the most bang for my buck and which one is the best. I also want to hardwire it to my mirror and make it as clean an install as possible. Any input would be awsome.

Valentine V1
Escort 8500
Escort 9500

 

I have the V1 and its awesome. Before that, I had the 8500 x50 which was a really good radar, but only thing was that it didnt have the 360 protection like the V1 does. The 9500IX is Escorts top of the line model and Ive heard its just as effective as the V1 except it has GPS or something that remembers false alarms and tells you where there are cameras at stoplights.

 

+1 for the V1.

 

cheaper solution is BEL RX65, it really good, it rated the same as 8500 x50. Bel does have a 360 protection.

 

Escort 9500ix

or if you have a big budget
9500CI

 

how is the installation for these radar detectors? ive been interested in purchasing one, but there are so many great reviews for few detectors and then there are some bad reviews for others.

 

All of them are windshield radar detectors. Basically a bracket with 2 suction cups on it. The 9500ci gets installed into the front and rear bumpers and is not so easily removable that is why its a more expensive option.

 

I had the whistler 695se before and for how cheap I got it I loved it. Had my friends v1 for a while comparing it to the whistler and the v1 was sooooooo noisy around town. Went off at nearly every automatic door opener when I went around shopping areas while the whistler kept quiet and was much more selective with which were falses and which weren't. On K band I found the V1 a little more responsive than the whistler to real alerts but on KA band I found the whistler out alerting the v1 or just as responsive. Whistler also has auto quiet which quiets the alert to after the initial warning alert while the v1 you have to push the button. Also at night with the v1, its hard to distinguish between x,k,and ka band with the leds which sucks if you have music up loud or turn the radar volume down. The whistler provides different tones and color changing leds for various bands. Only thing I wish it had that the v1 has is the 360 protection and the ability to detect multiple bands at once, but I would def take the whistler over the v1. Nicer display, very useful amenities and awesome ka band detection with frequency id.
I made a video comparing the two side by side I can find it if you're interested but if you youtube the whistler, you will see some guy comparing it to a 9500ci and a belltronics sti-r. Just comparing this 150 dollar radar to 2k+ radar systems tells you that whistler stepped it up with this radar. I was completely happy with this radar til I got paced... radar detectors can't do jack about that lol, decided to get rid of it so I would be more cautious with my driving style.

its a nice detector if youre looking for the best bang for your buck.

if you have the moolah for the passports with gps I'd def go with that route, nearly no falses on your daily drive and extremely sensitive.

 

^^^^1, save money, purchase the BEL

 

The escort 9500ix is excellent, it save false location with the gps technology.

 

I have the Escort 9500IX with the ZR4 Laser shifter......i never have seen anything work better. Problem with laser is when the laser hits your car, and most detectors only go off when this happens, you already caught. This is where the ZR4 shifter jams it up.....

 

+1 on 9500IX..experienced this radar and V1..escort tops it, and agree wit JohnLX300..most state police use laser over basic X/K/KA band radar, so a laser shifter is very necessary to have complete defense, all radars only sense laser alert when the cop lasers your car and already has the speed, where as the shifter will then jam up the laser signal until you slow down n turn off haha. i have tested my car with some cop friends..its legitt lol