[clemsondds]

Hey everyone! I'm looking at getting a radar detector for my 435gc msport. On my way to work I drive through a ton of speed limit changes (45 to 35 to 40 to 25 to 50...). I don't speed a ton but sometimes I forget that the limit drops if I'm thinking about something else...also, 35mph in that car feels like you are sitting still!! So I think I'm going to get a radar detector just to help me through those areas.

Can anyone recommend a good rd? I had looked at the V1 but I don't want something going off non stop with false alarms. I am leaning towards the escort max 2. Any thoughts on that one? I would like to keep it under $1k. Also, what is the best way to mount it? I saw someone mention invisicord...not sure what that is.
Thank you for your help!!

[TMD29]

I have the Escort Max and Redline with the smartcord. I use the Redline for lengthy highway trips and use the Escort Max for in town driving. Both have nice features, but it would be difficult to find a RD that matches the range of the Redline.

[clemsondds]

ok thanks! Is the smartcord the best way to go? Do you like your max for in town? I don't do a lot of highway driving so I guess the max might be the better option. What made you choose escort over valentine v1? thanks and any other thoughts are welcome

[MickAv8r]

I've got the Escort Max2. No need for the smartcord anymore as the Max2 has the bluetooth built in.

[clemsondds]

what's the best way to power the rd? I am brand new to this as you can see...
Is there any way to wire it through the mirror? I hate cords

[DocB]

I have an Escort 9500xi and wired it with an Invisicord to the rear view mirror. It is fairly straightforward- took about 20 mins. The Valentine will drive you nuts with false alarms.

Question about the Max2 and Bluetooth. How does Bluetooth allow it to work without a power cord?

[DanHazelrigg]

Escort Redline all the way. You might get a few falses in town but this thing is balls to the wall on the highways!

Personally, I didn't like all the speedometer and display stuff on the Max/Max 2. Wanted something that was built to work and the redline does it while looking awesome.

[Mobster1983]

I would also recommend the Escort. I have previously had the Escort 8500 and 9500, as well as Valentine One. The valentine was nice with the direction arrows, but the escort blew it away overall.

I hung mine at the top of the windshield kind of behind the rear view mirror, and used a straight cord run along the top of the windshield and down the door frames to plug into the passenger side power port. I had to wrap some electrical tape around the cord to increase the thickness so it would stay up, but easy to install and it worked pretty well.

[TMD29]

Originally Posted by clemsondds

ok thanks! Is the smartcord the best way to go? Do you like your max for in town? I don't do a lot of highway driving so I guess the max might be the better option. What made you choose escort over valentine v1? thanks and any other thoughts are welcome

If you want to connect your radar detector via bluetooth you will need a smartcord. Some people like to get alerts through the car speakers (this only works while streaming music via bluetooth though). I also use the smartcord with the Redline to get live cop alerts and locations of red light cameras from the phone app (similar to Waze). I like the fact that the Max has the ability to learn false alerts.
I decided to go with Escort over the Valentine because I like the design of the Escort over the Valentine and I hear the false alerts from the Valentine are awful.

[TMD29]

Originally Posted by DocB

I have an Escort 9500xi and wired it with an Invisicord to the rear view mirror. It is fairly straightforward- took about 20 mins. The Valentine will drive you nuts with false alarms.

Question about the Max2 and Bluetooth. How does Bluetooth allow it to work without a power cord?

You will still need the smartcord if you want to connect via bluetooth.

[Professor///M]

Originally Posted by clemsondds

Hey everyone! I'm looking at getting a radar detector for my 435gc msport. On my way to work I drive through a ton of speed limit changes (45 to 35 to 40 to 25 to 50...). I don't speed a ton but sometimes I forget that the limit drops if I'm thinking about something else...also, 35mph in that car feels like you are sitting still!! So I think I'm going to get a radar detector just to help me through those areas.

Can anyone recommend a good rd? I had looked at the V1 but I don't want something going off non stop with false alarms. I am leaning towards the escort max 2. Any thoughts on that one? I would like to keep it under $1k. Also, what is the best way to mount it? I saw someone mention invisicord...not sure what that is.
Thank you for your help!!

Sell your car and get a new one with the speed limit camera and HUD. This will be an investment much better than the radar detector. You will never have to worry about the changing speed limits ever again, because it will always be planted right in front of your face.



Also do thorough reviews on the devices. There are many forum members that use BOTH the escort and the V1, and the reviews and differences are sometimes so confusing that it has led me to hold out on purchase of either. They use 1 for city, 1 for highway. I forget which one, but they say the detection distance is astronomically better for highway only, while the other only gives a few moments of warning. Take some time and search and read the reviews.

Also check out the website "guys of lidar" they have a lot of useful information, but A LOT of information about good detector reviews kinda stops around 2008-2010.

My old boss swears by the k40, but i have read and heard mixed bag reviews on it.

[clemsondds]

Originally Posted by JSTDR1V

Sell your car and get a new one with the speed limit camera and HUD. This will be an investment much better than the radar detector. You will never have to worry about the changing speed limits ever again, because it will always be planted right in front of your face.



Also do thorough reviews on the devices. There are many forum members that use BOTH the escort and the V1, and the reviews and differences are sometimes so confusing that it has led me to hold out on purchase of either. They use 1 for city, 1 for highway. I forget which one, but they say the detection distance is astronomically better for highway only, while the other only gives a few moments of warning. Take some time and search and read the reviews.

Also check out the website "guys of lidar" they have a lot of useful information, but A LOT of information about good detector reviews kinda stops around 2008-2010.

My old boss swears by the k40, but i have read and heard mixed bag reviews on it.

Yeh I hate to say it...but I do have the HUD!! lol. But sometimes I'm just thinking about work or whatever and not looking at speed. And you still have to look down a little...even at the HUD. I did put a speed alarm on when going over 45 so that has helped.
I think I am going to go with the max2. From what i have read, that seems to be one of the better ones for in town. I will still be careful with my speed...I would just like a little help since the police/sheriff LOVE my route to work...and i LOVE to go fast lol

[Damon44]

I have the escort Max hard wired to the fuse box in the trunk. Don't want wires or cords hanging around. The escort max is easily update able with software and traffic cams. It also learns false alarms so you can stop the annoying K band signals.
It has decent range and far fewer false warnings than my 8500 escort. I gave that one to my wife so she would be careful.
I also like that I can mark false signals manually.
Laser is good but if you hear it you are probably going to get a ticket.
The price was 463 on eBay.
Would buy again.

[ryanSTL]

i have the escort passport max in my GC tapped into the mirror with an invisicord.

the automatic on/off, simplicity, and value ($12 i think) of the invisicord is awesome.

I just have the stock suction mount. It isn't terrible, so I'll probably get a blendmount eventually ... although it's a ripoff.

I'm really happy with the passport max. there are tons of configurations for audio, radar meters, colors, sensitivity, falses, marking spots, etc via GPS. It has paid for itself a couple of times for me in less than a year.

my display is orange now to match the F36 interior

[Aatish]

Honestly the HUD makes me want to go faster :b

My families been using K40s for a long time. I have them swapped into my new cars with no problems.

They are a little expensive, but you don't have to deal with a unit on the windshield, it's all built in to the instrument panel. And everything is controllable by a remote that can be attached to the visor.

[clemsondds]

Can a radar detector like the escort max jam lasers? If not, is there an option under $1k that can jam lasers? I just don't want to dump a lot of money into a radar detector if all police are going to lasers. Thanks

[rextilleon]

Originally Posted by MickAv8r

I've got the Escort Max2. No need for the smartcord anymore as the Max2 has the bluetooth built in.

I'm confused. Does this mean that the Escort Max2 doesn't need to be wired to a power source to work?

[TMD29]

Originally Posted by rextilleon

I'm confused. Does this mean that the Escort Max2 doesn't need to be wired to a power source to work?

Yes, it still requires a wired power source but you don't need a smartcord with the GPS built into it. The Max utilizes GPS built within the smartcord. Both smartcords have bluetooth capabilities.

[joeyaoyp]

Does it really works? I had heard about the cops starting to use some different radar.....

[clemsondds]

any other thoughts about laser jamming?

[Mobster1983]

Originally Posted by clemsondds

Can a radar detector like the escort max jam lasers? If not, is there an option under $1k that can jam lasers? I just don't want to dump a lot of money into a radar detector if all police are going to lasers. Thanks

Federal law prohibits jamming of RADAR signals (signal interference under the FCC). There is no such restriction about Laser (although some state, such as California and Virginia, have laws against it).

For laser jamming, you want to check the areas you normally drive and see if the police use laser. It is an expensive upgrade for departments, so the switch from radar is not happening fast.

If the police in your area use a lot of laser, I have the Blinder HP-905 and would highly recommend it. You can look for my post in this forum for my install and I think I did a short review. The quad system (two heads in front and two in back) are only $750. You could likely get away with only two heads and save a couple hundred bucks. The other good brand is Laser Interceptor, but after doing a LOT of research I went with the Blinders.

I can definitely verify their effectiveness as I have been hit several times with laser in the two years I have had them. Always funny to see the cops looking at their gun in confusion, and even funnier to see the ones that know what happened just shake their head when you drive by.

[TMD29]

Originally Posted by Mobster1983

Federal law prohibits jamming of RADAR signals (signal interference under the FCC). There is no such restriction about Laser (although some state, such as California and Virginia, have laws against it).

For laser jamming, you want to check the areas you normally drive and see if the police use laser. It is an expensive upgrade for departments, so the switch from radar is not happening fast.

If the police in your area use a lot of laser, I have the Blinder HP-905 and would highly recommend it. You can look for my post in this forum for my install and I think I did a short review. The quad system (two heads in front and two in back) are only $750. You could likely get away with only two heads and save a couple hundred bucks. The other good brand is Laser Interceptor, but after doing a LOT of research I went with the Blinders.

I can definitely verify their effectiveness as I have been hit several times with laser in the two years I have had them. Always funny to see the cops looking at their gun in confusion, and even funnier to see the ones that know what happened just shake their head when you drive by.

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