Radar.........so I can speed.... just kidding

[B1NZ]

I've had experience with 2 types, the old $300ish dollar uniden one which is crap - especially for speed cameras! And a Bell in dash unit.

The Bell in dash unit was excellent, it has a little display that sits under the speedometer hood and a sensor behind the grill, onr in the front and rear windows, Gives you about 400M warning for mobile speed cameras and even more for patrol cars.

Still as good as it is my Dad still gets more tickets than i do using it, my secret is not to speed

[JT]

Sorry, but that's spoken like one who has never driven with a valentine. The v1 can pick radar from any direction, made in the US has nothing to do with how it performs.
The unidens are limited, the V1 is not. V1 will usually pick up a radar at a minimum of 2x the range of the best uniden.
Yes cops can use the lick on / off trick to get you, but the technology in NZ still requires a couple of seconds to lock on to your speed - more than enough time to react. In all my time of driving with a v1, I only ever came across 2 cops who did this. 99% of them just leave it on all the time (and even forget to switch it off when they leave the car). NZ police = lazy.

What he said.

On the cruise to Megameet last year from Wellington, Gadget had a V1 and we had my Uniden in Al's car. There was no comparison and I just turned ours off, even if we were a couple of cars infront as we had PRS radios. The V1 would pick up the cop well before, this included a few corners and an assortment of smaller hills where the cops were hidding. Ben could just radio ahead and we still had enough warning.

Came across a speed camera on desert road and the V1 gave at least 5 times the range of the uniden.

However the uniden has paid for itself a few times over, just the other week was coming up to a slight corner after a straight. Road was flat so I could see something heading towards me on the otherside of corner but didn't pick out the police 4x4 till the radar started to go off, was doing just over 120, took the foot off gas and slowed to 100 by the time he came round the bend.

It all depends on how much driving you do and what you think is a safe speed for driving at the time.

[FXGTV]

Cool man, thanks - is that basically because they have too many false readings? ( and might not pick up radars 100% of the time )

False readings, plus the amount of warning most of them (*cough*uniden*cough) give is not enough time to slow down from even a few ks over the limit.

Yes, the other one is the Bel XR STI. It's got better detection and more features that the V1, but lack of directional arrows still places it second on my list. Other's opinions may vary.

well i have to disagree here, i had a uniden for a few years (before it got stolen), and i found it worked bloody well, gave me heaps of advance warning of radars and the like, saved me from a quite a few tickets over ther years, definitly made its money back!

my two cents anyway

I agree. I got a uniden SW2500 from someone on TS for $70 and its saved me numerous times. V1's are good, but are they really worth spending that much on?

[Dell'Orto]

Yes cops can use the lick on / off trick to get you, but the technology in NZ still requires a couple of seconds to lock on to your speed - more than enough time to react.

Thats a crock...ask Mr Gadget about how fast they can lock on, even with a Valentine

[snwtoy]

Yes cops can use the lick on / off trick to get you, but the technology in NZ still requires a couple of seconds to lock on to your speed - more than enough time to react.

Thats a crock...ask Mr Gadget about how fast they can lock on, even with a Valentine

Mr Gadget... please enlighten us? In a straight line I'm sure the V1 will pick radar up well outside the legal range (if not being used in bursts)

[TruenoBZG]

Thanks for the info snwtoy, and everyone else

Ill look at investing later on but its good to have some knowledge of whats on the market

[GGnz]

V1 with concealed display

That way you can have to radar high but the display low. This is in my cars setup:



See the Valentine is quite high which is best for radar detection but the display is down by the clock. You can get a package brand new for around $900 of TradeMe. Carteronryan or something like that is the TM Store to go to...

[slighty_sykotic]

Sorry, but that's spoken like one who has never driven with a valentine. The v1 can pick radar from any direction, made in the US has nothing to do with how it performs.
The unidens are limited, the V1 is not. V1 will usually pick up a radar at a minimum of 2x the range of the best uniden.
Yes cops can use the lick on / off trick to get you, but the technology in NZ still requires a couple of seconds to lock on to your speed - more than enough time to react. In all my time of driving with a v1, I only ever came across 2 cops who did this. 99% of them just leave it on all the time (and even forget to switch it off when they leave the car). NZ police = lazy.

In the Palmy area, one traffic cop flicks radar the WHOLE time. (my mum...).

And also people, the new radars (in the new S pack holden, and the silver undercover car) in those cars do NOT need seconds to lock on (have played with the radars ). Its less than a second, its getting better...


BUT,

Valetine is deffintly the way to go, Ive got one, and its incredible. As long as there is a car SOMEwhere (even 2km or more infront) you will be safe from getting flicked with radar, cause when the cop hits the car in front of you, you are going to get a BIG warning, enough to slow down until you've passed the cop ahead.

And to the guy that said radars don't work over hills, your wrong, get a valentine and go try it.

--Sykotic

[vhpacer]

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