vaso@mips.COM (Vaso Bovan) (11/30/89)
OK That's it. I got a speeding ticket recently. $170 for 77 mph in a 65 mph zone, at the bottom of a long incline on a multilane desert Interstate (Hwy 5, near Malibu, CA). No more standing on principle for me. I used to think radar detectors were vaguely anti-social. But no more. I don't wish to fund county deficits, or attend any more godawful-waste-of-time traffic school, or get bumped into unsafe driver insurance risk groups (I'm an ultra careful driver with no reportable accidents, and about four tickets in 20 years. I even use my turn signals, for Pete's sake !). So which detector should I buy ? Is there a consensus on these things ? Is Passport worth the premium price ? I'm given to understand Maxon is "just as good." Funny, I can't find a Consumer Reports evaluation.
cormack@sequent.UUCP (Michael Cormack) (12/01/89)
In article <32443@buckaroo.mips.COM> vaso@mips.COM (Vaso Bovan) writes:
%OK That's it. I got a speeding ticket recently. $170 for 77 mph in a
%65 mph zone, at the bottom of a long incline on a multilane desert
%Interstate (Hwy 5, near Malibu, CA).
%
%No more standing on principle for me. I used to think radar detectors were
%vaguely anti-social. But no more. I don't wish to fund county deficits,
%or attend any more godawful-waste-of-time traffic school, or get bumped into
%unsafe driver insurance risk groups (I'm an ultra careful driver with no
%reportable accidents, and about four tickets in 20 years. I even use my
%turn signals, for Pete's sake !).
%
%So which detector should I buy ? Is there a consensus on these things ?
%Is Passport worth the premium price ? I'm given to understand Maxon is "just
%as good." Funny, I can't find a Consumer Reports evaluation.
%
Cincinnati Microwave ( CMI ) just came out with a recplacement for the
Escort and Passport. They're called Escort (new) and Solo. I'd
recomend the Escort. It has a dsp56000 brain and is very small. Solo
doesn't ( too small). Rumors are being spread in rec.autos that it's
2x more sensitive than the old passport. It cost $245 (I think).
Worth every penny. The new stuff is backordered due to so many people
ordering them. That says something for CMI's reputation. Radar
Detectors are like calculators. You've got HP calcs. and a bunch of
other stuff that isn't as good. You got CMI and a bunch of other
stuff that isn't as good. Buy CMI.
Now does anybody really think that I'd say that without wearing a
Nomex suit? 8^)
mikecraig@oakhill.UUCP (Craig Shaw) (12/01/89)
I have a BEL XKR-500. Bought it at Highland Electronics for $95 last XMAS. The major feature you need around here (Texas) is separate X and K-band warnings. This unit makes a different sound for each band. The MAXON's that I've seen do not have this feature, and false alarm like crazy. All the detectors I have seen in other people's cars go off whenever a bank or grocery store is nearby. This trash is on the X-band. Very few X-band radars are still operational in TX. (I haven't seen any in at least a year). I simply ignore any X-band warnings in the city. Use discretion on the highway in case an old unit is being used. K-band warnings are the real thing. The only problem I have had with the XKR-500 is when a very strong X-band signal is present, it sometimes bleeds over enough to cause both X and K-band warnings. This is rare, and generally obvious, since the X warning precedes the K warning. This sucker has spotted mobile K-band radar at ranges of 2 miles or so, in hilly terrain no less. It is also sensitive enough to detect radar BEHIND you, if it reflects off a car a short distance ahead of you. Also, when an alarm condition is present for more than about 3 seconds, the XKR-500 starts to "click", rather than continuing to "screech" loudly. After the signal is gone, the "screeching" is reenabled. With any detector, be sure to mount it as high as possible, for maximum detection range. Dashboard mounting can cut the effective range terribly. Happy hunting. -- Craig D. Shaw - MCU Systems Design (512)891-2245 Motorola Inc., Austin, TX.
sampson@attctc.Dallas.TX.US (Steve Sampson) (12/01/89)
Another driver learns truth... Passport lost the last Car and Driver evaluation (the best if read fully). It came in third due to its fixed price. Two others beat it for features and performance. The winner was the Uniden RD9XL at 75 points, Whistler Spectrum 3SE second with 74 points, and Passport third with 73 points. Uniden goes for about 140 bucks. I have an old Radio Shack passport imitation and it works as effective as I need (I run it constantly and am aware of all false alarm areas). Passport is supposedly coming out with something new, but they are always overpriced. Some people wouldn't think of putting anything but a passport in their Vette, but I own a Buick... Radio Shack is fine with me. It says Uniden on the inside by the way.
mfuller@prandtl.nas.nasa.gov (Mike J. Fuller) (12/03/89)
In article <25588@sequent.UUCP> cormack@sequent.UUCP (Michael Cormack) writes: >2x more sensitive than the old passport. It cost $245 (I think). The new escort is $295 (I have the announcement CMI sent me right here). But at $295, I'd still say is should be well worth it. I have a passport. It's the 4th radar detector I've owned, and althought it took me 4 tries to wise up, I'm now convinced that everything else is junk. The solo, which is much smaller and runs on batteries, is $345. CMI claims that it has the same range as the passport. I only wish that they'd let me trade my passport for one of the new escorts! /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ | Mike J. Fuller |Internet: mikef@sarah.lerc.nasa.gov |You'd be paranoid, | |----------------| mikef@zippysun.math.uakron.edu|too, if everyone | |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\|Bitnet: r3mjf1@akronvm |was out to get you!| \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/
pingpong@milton.acs.washington.edu (pingpong) (12/10/89)
Yes, I am going to get myself a good radar detector. Could anyone tell me if I should get a remote one or a regular dash-mounted one? How does a remote RD work? Please help ASAP. (I want one ASAP.) Many thanks.