Rodney

My trusty Passport 8500 has died, or at least needs service to get back to working order.

So do upgrade to the new Passport 9500? Switch to the V1? Or have it repaired?

Most of my driving is on surface roads in Massachusetts. In the winter I drive to and from VT nearly every weekend and the Passport has saved me several times.

artinmoTTion

After using the V1 and its directional arrows for alerts, I don't think I could use anything else. Just having a detector beep at me, with no quick knowledge of where the problem is (so I can see if it's a false alarm, if I've passed the source, if it's coming at me from behind, etc.) would drive me crazy now.

Plus, if you had a V1 now, you'd be sending it in for a repair and update to the latest version, instead of looking for a new detector.

Still, while a good pig sniffer will save you some cash on your drives to VT, relaxing a bit going through those trap-prone small towns on the way to the mountain is still necessary regardless of your hardware.

Drive safe.

Rich

RKA

I have an 8500 and V1, so I'll start there. V1 falses more, particularly on X band, which you can shut off if you live in an area where it isn't used (I don't). But it has the arrows...seemingly gimmicky unless you've used them before. Both have excellent range, although the V1 operates more like a geiger counter, giving you a very predictable estimatation of distance, where the 8500 seems to stay quiet a little longer and quickly escalates from a weak alert to a full alert making it a little more difficult to know just how much time you've got.

In terms of sensitivity, I expect the 9500 hasn't fallen far from the tree. But it adds a whole host of features which may really benefit a driver that frequents the same routes riddled with falses and regular speed traps.

I'd say, if money wasn't an issue, and you've been happy with the 8500, get the 9500. If you want to see what all the fuss is about with the arrows, get the V1. If you want nothing more than what the 8500 has provided, and you'd like to save some money, get that.

On the arrows: Generally, I use them to determine whether an alert is something I need to concern myself with...or not. As a signal passes from front to side to back, that tells me whatever the signal was, it has passed and if I didn't visually spot a threat (I can probably dismiss the trailing beeps as I distance myself from the signal). Without the arrows I'm often left wondering, which more often than not is annoying. It means I'm continually driving slower until the beeping has stopped, and often times for a few miles beyond because I'm really unsure whether it will return, where it came from, etc.

That's my $0.02 on top of the other $3.53 I've put into the archives on the subject. I've owned a V1 in various iterations since 1995 or so, and an 8500 in both forms since 1992 or so.

RKA

Detectors really are insufficient when it comes to laser, and it's widespread enough to warrant the additional expense.

Rodney

It's a tough choice. Escort will charge me $80 to fix my 8500, so that's the most cost-effective option. It has done well by me and saved me from tickets several times.

But it's over 9 years old, and I figure technology has moved forward in that time. I definitely see the value of the arrows...so much so that a couple of years ago when a friend asked me I told him he should get the V1 and having seen it in action I definitely like it.

I also have the option of trading it in, which will get me $80 off a new Passport. If not for that the V1 would be the less expensive option.

RKA

The original 8500 was quite good. So I wouldn't worry too much about the unit being 9 years old. If you want to repair it, it should still serve you well.

If you've seen and like the V1, that may be your answer, afterall, you already know what the 8500 can do. Try to find some reviews on the 9500 to see if it's more substance than gimmicks. Let us know what you find out. I'm very curious about the 9500, but not enough to part with my V1.

Rodney

Read some reviews and test results and the 9500i seems like the way to go.

The range/sensitivity seems to be comparable to the V1. And with the GPS memory technology it the had no falses the second time through an urban area. This is definitely an appealing feature based on how and where I drive, and seeing a review that indicates it works as advertised seals the deal for me.

This is actually going to come down to golf...if I buy a new driver tomorrow I will have the 8500 repaired. If not, I'll trade it in for the 9500.

RKA

LOL! The golf club won't save you money in the long run! :-)

Mr. Bighead

Are detectors really that useless against laser? I live in PA and I think state troopers use laser. I anticipate several trips a year from Philly to Pittsburgh and back. I think I will need to protect myself somehow. TIA for anything I can learn from you guys.

RKA

The issue is that laser is very directional and doesn't scatter as much as radar. So if it's used on a car directly in front of you, you may (or may not) pick up enough scatter to set off the detector. I've been saved a few times in this manner. However, in many instances you don't get enough warning unless your car is being targeted. At that point, the detector only tells you it's time to pull over.

The need for hardwired is rooted in the way laser works. At 500 feet, the beam width is 3 feet (probably even less with current generation laser guns). They typically aim for front license plates, or in the case of PA cars, a headlight (highly reflective elements on the front of the car). The jammer needs to be positioned very close to the line of fire of the laser gun. For you that means right between the headlights. The transponders need power and connectivity to the brain (typically installed inside the car with the switch, light, speaker, etc.). Maybe someday someone will come up with a wireless system where you just need to hook up power and you're done, but for now, they are indeed hardwired.