I'm looking to buy a new Valentine 1 Radar Detector and the Valentine web site says the unit sells for $399.

Does anyone know where I could buy one for less or is the $399 the going rate?

Thanks in advance for any info sent my way.

 

They are only available new from Valentine.... so no, there is no other way unless you buy a used one.

It's worth every penny though, don't waste your time on other radar units.

 

Normalizer, Yep kinda what I thought. I have read all the reports and the Valentine is the one I want. The wife and I were in her 5 Series today and almost got picked off, but a new Mustang went out around me and the trooper got him instead.

I have drove without a detector for about five years now, so I think my luck is about to run out so I figured it's time to get one.

 

I agree with Normalizer that the Valentine 1 is worth the price. It has paid for itself more than once. Just go for it. Plus the manufacturer will buy back the older unit if there is an upgrade in the future. No need to purchase the new radar detector and throw the old one away.

Cheers,

JD

 

There are used ones on eBay from time to time. One of the best features of V-1 is its ability to upgrade. All the V-1 sold can be updated to detect the latest radar/laser signals. Without knowing the origin of an used unit, it might be branded as stolen, in which case, the V-1 cannot be upgraded. Hence, it's worth it to get a new one! :smile:

 

I'm no speed freak, but if it were not for my V1 on long highway trips, I doubt I would still have a driver's license.

 

Thanks folks for the info. I have the V1 on order and should be in my MCS in the next three days.

 

OK, OK, you've sold me. I have been depending on my long years of experience as a highway scofflaw (I am really good at lagging behind speed demons whom I consider my personal mobile radar detectors for instance) but this baby WILL get me in trouble, I know......I now will work on madam treasurer........my last one was an Escort battery job but it died......from old age I think....

 

Yo DJ, Just a word of caution,with the new hand held lasers out there, the absolute BEST you can hope for is detecting the poor slob in front of you getting had.If you are alone on a stretch of road, the best (passport 8500 or V-1 ) detectors might as well have a warning signal that says "YOU'VE BEEN BUSTED!) By the time they go off , it's too late.I have first hand and verry expensive experience with this.The state cop was so pissed at me ,he told me that he had flagged my liscence # in his computer,and if I got another ticket, he'ld know it and come to my house to take me to jail.Some lessons come harder than others,and I am a very changed driver.By the way ,I was going EXACTLY AS FAST AS HE SAID I WAS and it cost me 3/4 of what the v-1 cost.A word to the wise, a radar detector is NOT aliscence to speed. Nuff said.

 

I researched this and upgrades can cost anywhere from $25 to $150. You can find out based on the serial number. If the unit you buy off ebay isn't stolen, they won't mind listing the serial number. You can then pop that into Valentines website and check the cost of the upgrade. Everyone I've checked on eBay ends up costing more with the upgrade than just buying a new one.

Also, I've been told that you can get a reduced price on one if you ask to purchase one that was returned under their 30 day trial.

>>There are used ones on eBay from time to time. One of the best features of V-1 is its ability to upgrade. All the V-1 sold can be updated to detect the latest radar/laser signals. Without knowing the origin of an used unit, it might be branded as stolen, in which case, the V-1 cannot be upgraded. Hence, it's worth it to get a new one! :smile:
>>

 

Has anyone used one of the detectors that claim to jam the radar signals?

 

Rebuilt units are, from time to time, available directly from Valentine One. I purchased mine at about a 20% discount directly from the factory. Check with them, you might just be in luck.

http://www.valentineone.com

p.s. if you find a used one, Valentine One can upgrade it to newer spec. electronics, as well.

 

>>Yo DJ, Just a word of caution,with the new hand held lasers out there, the absolute BEST you can hope for is detecting the poor slob in front of you getting had.If you are alone on a stretch of road, the best (passport 8500 or V-1 ) detectors might as well have a warning signal that says "YOU'VE BEEN BUSTED!) By the time they go off , it's too late.I have first hand and verry expensive experience with this.The state cop was so pissed at me ,he told me that he had flagged my liscence # in his computer,and if I got another ticket, he'ld know it and come to my house to take me to jail.Some lessons come harder than others,and I am a very changed driver.By the way ,I was going EXACTLY AS FAST AS HE SAID I WAS and it cost me 3/4 of what the v-1 cost.A word to the wise, a radar detector is NOT aliscence to speed. Nuff said.

 

Valentine is terrific. Needed some extra pieces 6 years after I bought it. Shipped it in two days with no S&A charges. Class act. Great detector.

Regards,
Red

 

>>Has anyone used one of the detectors that claim to jam the radar signals?

one of the major car mags did a big roundup of these a couple years ago... don't remember which one though.

In summary, from memory, most of them when opened up were nothing but some blinking lights.

It is entirely realistic to have a working radar jammer, the problem is that they are highly illegal. In order to work you would have to be actively transmitting a signal to jam the originating one.... that requires an FCC license, and they ain't gonna grant it for the freq's you'd need. In order to be liegal it has to be PASSIVE, and not transmit a signal under power, only bounce it back... which theoreticly is possible, but it will have lost a lot of it's energy in doing so and would not get back to the originating source (gun) in a manner that would do anything at all. At best it would be filtered out as just so much "noise."

I've never used one, or known anyone whose had one, but from everything I've read about them, for them to work they would be very illegal and very noticeable by the cop with the radar gun. He'd see speeds off the chart and that would alert him to something being strange.... and would be very difficult to explain when he asked what it was.