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Hello, Im back lol
So my birthday is coming up end of may, and my beautiful girlfriend wants to get me a gift.... at first I had a hard time thinking of one but then, it struck me,,, RADAR DETECTOR! lol

By the way, no they are not illegal in CA so no worries (but anything hanging from a suction cup is, just a heads up).

www.bestbuy.com is where she is willing to get one for me, since her brother has the "hook-up" haha.
Can any of you recommend one that you use, and also ones I should avoid! thank you =D

 
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Illegal here in Canada so I can't help you...

 
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I had a Cobra 6-band. got for $30 on black friday a few years back and at the time it was a great deal. a few months after i bought it i put it away and never took it back out. i'm not really a reckless or aggressive driver so i dont really need it. im the only one of my friends without one, yet im the only never to get a ticket go figure lol. if its somethin your gonna be using a lot is say look into Escorts. i know theyre expensive in comparison to Cobras but they always tend to get better reviews

 
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I would say get a Valentine One. They are expensive but trust me they are worth the money. Just keep in mind that you need to learn how they really work and the area that you live in. I find it funny that people complain about radar detectors and think when they go off there should be a cop.

 
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I like my cobra 12 band. It is really nice. I got it about a year ago and it is still going strong. It has saved me a few times. I don't super rely on it, but still a nice like preventative measure. They sell the one I got at Bestbuy It was like 150 bucks. But its worth it. Stay alert for those Ka alerts

 
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Yea I agree i have the 12 band one from Cobra dont know the model type, but Def watch out for KA and X you might get a couple of falses but even then watch out and Ladar alarm is NEVER Wrong so if you get that jump your breaks down

 
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Radar detectors are a nuisance
and they wont save you from a ticket, just don't speed

I've been using Cobra for some time, but after a while they get annoying, and my Broadway mirrors help more than the radar detector

It's not illegal to mount, just illegal to mount any the center of your windshield (where you're supposed to mount it)
CA law states that you can only mount things top right, bottom right, and bottom left 4" of your windshield

I suggest ditch the radar detector idea, and just get a Broadway mirror instead, or some foglights

 
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Be sure to get one with all the bands in it. X,Y, and Z(??) I think.

Yes, you will get false alarms with an x band. I picked up false alarms when I would pass by and 18-wheeler back when I had my truck.

 
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I do like the idea of a broad way mirror =P where would i look for phone? btw im not a crazy driver i go maybe 5 mph above speed limit when im feeling frisky =P but thats all.

 
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V1 is pretty much it, and even then its not a guarantee for you not to be caught.

 
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the cobra is good.

And agree with GB, it's a good way to know that you should not talk back when you got a laser alarm. It will be too late when it detects, so you just take it. Radar still gives a few seconds so you can try to argue...
One way or the other, you don't argue with the officer, he is just doing his job. You argue on the court if warranted. Some let me go when they noticed i did not even try to argue.

 
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Radars give off false alarms all the dam time, and sometimes gives me heart attacks, or my heart skips a beat when im driving

Doesn't help you at all when the po po is already tailing you.

Gave my dad the radar detector, and I'm using my broadway, 2 or 3 instances I caught a cop weaving in and out of traffic behind me.
One time, just cause i saw him, i stepped on the brakes and darted into the 2nd lane, he caught the stang that was in front of me

With a trained eye, i can spot em a mile away now, plus broadways are only about $20.

I'm not familiar with central cali places, but any car novelty store that sells jdm type stuff should have them
if all else fails, ebay

 
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owh about the false alarm ones. there is one detector with gps of well known false alarm triggers but its highhhh up there in price... again my gf is buying for my bday soo lol
i drove some to day and i felt that the mirror wouldnt give me to much to see infront of me =/ im tall and i use the top of my windshield haha no offence.

 
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Mine would always buzz. It pissed me off but I knew it worked well. I can't remember the model but it was a medium cost Cobra.

Don't speed near the end of the month. Pigs gotta meet their quotas on ticket revenue and usually cram it in at the end of the month. Thats when they will flag you for doing 62 in a 60...

 
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they got me at 40 in a 35 zone, 2 wide lines each side - pretty much an "eat all you can" zone

 
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5 over is a shame, it wastes everyones time because you can just go to court and say speedometers are not perfectly accurate and you were only actually going 2-3mph over the limit. anything under 5 over the limit will get thrown out of court.

 
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Radar detectors are one of those things were you either get the high end, or get nothing at all (literally, pun intended)

dont get those cheap $50 ones you find at radio shack.


i live in CA as well. RD are completely useless in the city and highway during the day. CHP usually use radar during the night when the freeways are empty.

.....otherwise, they use LADAR (laser). and by the time ur RD detects you been hit my laser, its too late. lol

 
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but back to ur quest.

i have both the escort 9500i and the V1.

both are nice but id take the 9500 over the V1 anyday.

if you had a chance to get either of those, you cannot go wrong with either.

also, if u have a smaller budget and take a look into the escort x50.

 
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ding ding ding. thats y i like my 9500 over the V1. escort 9500 has gps and can filter it out. you can also block the K band as well (since those are most automatic doors and such)

CHP uses the Ka band when they use radar.


on a side note, i use my RD when on my bike...because i usually ride that 605S or 57S late at night (from GF house)...and my bike just doesnt seem to want to go anything below 90. i think its defective. lol

 
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As long as you keep a clean driving record in the meantime they will let you off the hook. If you go no contest its basically up to judge judy/aka ur prev record.

 
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not in our broke *** state of california. if CHP pulls u over, u better bet they are going to give you a ticket unless you know someone real important... they even give the local off duty cops a ticket.

 
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Not always, I've seen crazy detectors that are installed in the bumpers, that go for $2000+

When in class, my teacher (who is still a police officer) she told me that she pulled over some guy and told him he caught him going 80+ on the radar (which she didn't, she was just tailing him)
The guy took out his $300 radar detector and smashed it on the ground....
and also received a ticket for littering

Mine you could switch from highway to city mode, which would filter out pretty much all the false auto doors, and other frequencies,
But it would still sometimes give alarms in the middle of nowhere with nothing nearby
I mean it helped maybe once...and paid for itself, but i'd rather just keep my eyes open and drive safely

That is...very true
Some will even give their own captains a ticket.
No lie

 
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arent those $2000+ units more in the jammer arena? any links? id love to see those bad boys. ive always had a curiosity for people who have way too much money.

and that reminds me of a ticket my friend fought and won.

long story short, he got a ticket by a CHP for "80+" with radar. he fought the ticket saying if the CHP actually used radar, he would have an exact number. radars dont display a "+" sign.

he won.


because the 9500 has gps, it automatically senses highway or city driving (based on speed). so no need to keep changing it.


dude aint that the truth. they're ruthless man.



on a side note, RD is completely useless in socal tho, especially in the city. too much interference to be using radar so most use laser.

i dont even bother driving with my RD anymore (cuz im lazy for taking it down every time i park so it wont get stolen)

especially with gas near $5/gal... hell no i aint speeding. lol

 
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No idea,
I've only heard about the $2000+ radars, and never seen one.

It is the truth, radar detectors, I can't say don't help,
They do, but under the right circumstances.
Highway patrol can tail you for 20 miles and your detector will never go off

And I know, I ain't speeding with gas this expensive, instead im going 5 under if anything :P

 
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Haha there is a speed at which is optimal to drive at. And I think its 67 or something :P any lower or higher and u start wasting gas.

 
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Yah fuzzbusters give a hoodrat a good notion to see what other goodies you got in your car.

 
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???????????????????? huh

 
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I think he's trying to say cops pull you guys over to see what else you have in your car they could hassle you for ...

@7thgenmarathon; Cant handle speaking proper English ? Go Back To School

 
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or simply start going to school. lol

 
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Woah slow down there. I didnt know this was a MLA formatted thread. I'll stick to accounting as my language...I meant having a radar detector on your windshield gives a hoodrat(thief) a good notion..

TYVM.