radar detectors: remote mount?

After paying $185 into the county's recent "makeup the budget shortfall thru hard-ass enforcement program," I am looking at the whistler pro-3450. Anyone have any experience?

Thinking that I can mount the control/display unit just above the trip computer in the overhead console.

General advice about detectors is appreciated as well. Thanks!

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98 Classic: 88 k miles; pretty stock, but hardwired XM radio, Garmin GPS, added foglights in factory location, airaid intake, high-flow exhaust. Adding bright backup lamps to factory bumper (writeup soon)....

I have a 10-year-old Valentine One and it works awesome when Johnny Law is using one of the radar or laser frequencies its setup for.

All I can say is whatever you get, dont cheap out. My buddy got a cheap one and it was used less for "helping you avoid getting pulled over" and more for "warning you when you will be getting pulled over". :laugh3: By the time it started going off you wouldn't have time to slow down, chances are you have already been hit with radar.

Oh and if you are really looking to avoid getting caught, look into this stuff. http://www.laserveil.com/
I have no personal experience with it (yet) but have read some. Seems legit... though I could be full of BS for all I know.

Edit: And while the veil is almost 100$, apparently there is enough in the can to do multiple cars. (I think I read one can treats 5 cars or so?). So you can do all your cars or charge friends 25$ each and make your money back. I already have 2-3 people who will throw down 25$ for me to do their cars, so if I can do mine and 4 others I will make back the full 100$

go with the V1 and get the remote display for it. some of my friends have it and it is buckknastyy

the directional indicator is really helpful, plus valentine is always updating their stuff (i.e. you could send in your old unit and they send you the most recent [for a price though IIRC])

https://store.valentine1.com/store/

Only radar detector worth buying is a V1. Had one for 2 years and it saved my ass many times.

Does a remote mount pck up laser from the rear?

if you are picking up laser you are screwed already.

Another vote for Valentine1. I've got a 9-10 year old unit and it still works great. My current record is over 2 miles away for K band in PA. (That was one annoying "your speed is" sign...) It'll point to where the signal is coming from, plus count off how many it's picking up. It's the best detector for the price ($400 new), the only thing better is over $1000. I have mine mounted to the review mirror.

Radar detectors are definitely one of those things where you get what you pay for... I didn't do research and bought my brother a mid-level Cobra. Worthless! A friend has a high-end Cobra and it's not any better. Hers didn't pick up a cop until we were less than 100 feet from him (writing a ticket, left the radar on) and it only showed 2/3 signal strength. In that area, I would have had at least a half-mile warning from my V1.

If laser is a problem in your area (not for me in PA or DE) then you're screwed. The cop already has you in his sights and has you as soon as he hits the trigger. No time at all to slow down. There's a very very slight chance that you'll get a stray bounce off the car in front of you, but not likely. The Veil coating does work well, but XJs have such a flat front end that I dunno if it's worth it. Your best bet would be laser jammers (questionable legality, but they work!). The problem is that they're pretty expensive.

Spend some time over here: http://www.radardetector.net/forums/ Tons of info there.

Gotta laugh at the people that fall for the spray on, stick on, glue on, put tin foil in your hubcaps group that thinks they can confuse the phisics properties of sound reflection with whiz-bang Buck Rogers sprays.

:twak:

I have friends that like the Valentine series quite a bit, I haven't needed or used a detector since 1999. I find if you drive like a sane individual, and let at least a few people drive faster than you are..... ys' got no issues with the man.

If you were busted doing 60 in a 25 school zone - you deserve it anyways.

Tell us rienzio according to the cop, what were you ticked for?

I have a V1 mounted in a housing to the roof console and the remote display on the dash. Works great.

Talyn said:

I have a V1 mounted in a housing to the roof console

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got a pic? I looked at other options and only had 360* visibility in the traditional spot

I got ticketed a few times a while ago and I've been simply driving sanely except when I'm on roads I know very well. Occasionally when I'm in a hurry I'll pick out the most blinged out, showiest car I can find and make the driver think I'm challenging his manhood by *almost* passing him on the right, then he'll do whatever he has to to stay in front of me and act as a human radar detector / cop magnet. Works great, just have to bait him again every time he calms down and thinks he won...

Thanks for all your input, ers! After doing a lot of research, I've decided to go with a Whistler XTR-695 for $130. I know that nothing matches the Valentine1, but I don't have the $400 to lay out for fuzz insurance.

I agree that the best protection is to drive sensibly and stay behind the "bear bait," but in my area, tickets written are up 200% compared to year-to-date last year. (West side of Denver, watch for the Jeffco pandas waiting in the bushes, totally blacked-out.)

I will hardwire and do a write-up when it arrives. Thanks again for the input!

I'm still hesitant to say that the Whistler will really help all that much.. It may be more of a "prepare to be pulled over" alert than a device which will help you from being pulled over in the first place. Good luck with that. I dont use a radar detector at all so for all I know it will help. I have been pulled over enough times (and got out of all but 1 of the tickets) to know where to expect cops and where not to, so therefore I know where I can speed and where to slow down. As much as a [good] radar detector can help, I will keep relying on my "6th sense" of knowing when cops are ahead In the past 3 years my 6th sense has only let me down once... when i got pulled over for doing 70 in a 65.. So I don't think that counts :laugh: that and reading brake lights on the highway is always a good skill to have.

rienzio said:

Thanks for all your input, ers! After doing a lot of research, I've decided to go with a Whistler XTR-695 for $130. I know that nothing matches the Valentine1, but I don't have the $400 to lay out for fuzz insurance.

I agree that the best protection is to drive sensibly and stay behind the "bear bait," but in my area, tickets written are up 200% compared to year-to-date last year. (West side of Denver, watch for the Jeffco pandas waiting in the bushes, totally blacked-out.)

I will hardwire and do a write-up when it arrives. Thanks again for the input!

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if you get 2 more tickets, it would have paid for the v1

89xj said:

if you get 2 more tickets, it would have paid for the v1

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Depending on how insurance is where you live, if you get 1 more ticket the V1 would have paid for itself. I Know if I get a ticket the total cost is EASILY over 400$.

For 10mph over the speed limit it would be $100 for the ticket, plus I think its around $100-$200 per year insurance increase (which lasts for 3-5 years, not sure how many year it is now).

Back when I ran a radar detector I used an Escort/Passport. They paid for themselves over and over. What the others said about going cheap is right. You'd be better off saving your money for the ticket you are going to get.

The V1 are good also.