Stereo & Electronics - I can get deal on an Escort Passport 8500 X50, should I get it or not?

I can get a really good deal on an Escort Passport 8500 X50 and was wondering if I should get it or not? The Valentine 1 really isn't an option for me as it has red lighting and will not match the inside my truck. Plus I don't need it for its directional feature as I will slow down regardless where its coming from.

By the way, is this radar detector worth the money? What makes it better than the rest or even a cheap one?

Lastly, I know there will be a 9500 out real soon (Best Buy advertises for it already) and was wondering if I should wait for this?

Thanks!

8500 is the shit ima sell mine for the 9500.. maybe i dunno the 9500 may actualy get u more tickets because it blocks out shit i never get false alarms

Decisions decisions. Anyone else want to chime in?

I've got the 8500 x-50 in blue and I really like it. Not sure what the differences in the new 9500 will be. I have never owned a v-1 so I can't compare the two, but the passport works very well.

J

I've got the 8500 X50 in blue also, and I love it. How good a deal are you getting, and where are you getting it from: Ebay, friend, someone's trunk? :jest:

The 9500 is already out and has GPS, so it has a feature that allows you to block out known false alarms at a specific area. For example, if you go by the same grocery store every day and get a false alarm, with the 9500, you can teach it to ignore that specific band and frequency at that location. If it gets a different signal, say from a cop in the area, it will still alert you.

You can check out radardetector dot net to find out more specifics. The last I heard, the 9500 wasn't quite perfect yet. There are still some bugs, so you may want to go with the 8500 for now.

Hope this helps. :)

I had the V1 in my T/A, red to match the red T/A lights. I bought the 8500 X50 blue to match the Camaro blue lights. After a few weeks or so I ripped out the 8500 X50 and BOUGHT anohter V1 for my SS.

V1 hands down waaaaaaaay better in my opinion, AND I have both.......still.

The arrows WILL save your ass AND the V1 tells you how many signals are out there.

8500 was not better in my book, and now it is replaced with 9500. Guess what when the V1 gets an upgrade? I get to mail it in to mod it up to par.
Unlike the 8500 where I have to sell it and go out and buy another Escort (9500), waste of time/money IMHO.

V1 > anything Escort will ever make

Peace,
Craig.

The arrows WILL save your ass AND the V1 tells you how many signals are out there.

I want arrows.......but doesn't X50 show multiple signals with that whatever mode on (where the signals are just lines)??

As for 8500X50 Vs. 9500, it appears to be the almost the same detector as far as performance goes -- with the addition of GPS capabilities to eliminate falses, and PC connectivity (which will play a larger role in the future probably)...

Less significant alterations are audio warnings and the addition of adding Ku band protection (and older band, primarily overseas - but some fear it may/is being used here more - but who the hell knows, I haven't read anything on it for a year or so..).

With the 8500 X50 you can adjust it into the "Pro-Mode" and can track 3 at the most, the V1 tracks like 5 times that amount.

The 9500 has GPS and you can store area's where you know that there is a false signal so it won't go off there again unless a direct signal hits you. And with the GPS mode you can store an area where cops usually tend to hide it and gives you a blip warning that you are coming up on that location where there "might" be a cop at.
Also the 9500 tells you your MPH on the read out via GPS satallitle, which makes me wonder if there is some extra cost to use these satallites they are using???

I love the new features of the 9500 but nowhere/anywhere near enough for me to get one. And I know V1 will mod their's up sooner or later to add some more pimp features like that. But thank god I don't have to sell my current V1 to buy a better V1, I just send it in to mod it for a small fee.

Peace,
Craig.

And for all of you guys who don't know. Bel and Escort are manufactured from the same company.

From the bias Source rofl :judge: :
http://www.radarbusters.com/support/buyers-guide/usa/radar-best.asp
As Beltronics and Escort are now the same company, in 2004 they introduced the Bel RX65 and then the Escort 8500 X50 (replacement for the Escort 8500). These two detectors are similar with the exception that the Bel RX65 has voice and Ku band for European use.

I've read that the 8500 is good about false alarms. Sure you can completely eliminate them, but if the 8500 isn't bad about it from the get go, then its nothing to sweat about.

I'm getting it from a friend who's a Escort dealer.

CRAGER, why do you say the V1 is hands down better? Everyone will have their own opinion and be biased, but you've had both, so you can vouch for both. Besides what direction its coming from and how many signals, what's better about it?

The way I see it, no matter how many signals it picks up or where its coming from, I AM GOING TO SLOW DOWN.

Its too bad that V1 doesn't offer it with blue LEDs because I do like the fact that it is upgradeable.

With the 8500 X50 you can adjust it into the "Pro-Mode" and can track 3 at the most, the V1 tracks like 5 times that amount.

Wrong. The 8500 will track up to 8 signals. 2 Ka, 2 K, and 4 X.

It seems like it's a personal preference between the two. I have 2 8500's and they're good detectors. If you can get a deal on one i say go for it.

Wrong. The 8500 will track up to 8 signals. 2 Ka, 2 K, and 4 X.

It seems like it's a personal preference between the two. I have 2 8500's and they're good detectors. If you can get a deal on one i say go for it.

Just maybe there's a reason there's no good deals on the v1. ;) BTW, you can test trial both for 30 days. Both offer full refunds.

Less significant alterations are audio warnings and the addition of adding Ku band protection (and older band, primarily overseas - but some fear it may/is being used here more - but who the hell knows, I haven't read anything on it for a year or so..).
Well I don't have the money like the rest of you guys for a really nice radar detector but i have a newer whistler that detects ku band and i have to tell you i have begun to get it more often especially from state troopers (Texas). For a while when i first got the detector I never picked ku band but that has started to change. Could be some valued information.

Josh

Just maybe there's a reason there's no good deals on the v1. ;)
That's because you can only buy direct. No vendors, so no sales. V1 has their set price.

Well I don't have the money like the rest of you guys for a really nice radar detector but i have a newer whistler that detects ku band and i have to tell you i have begun to get it more often especially from state troopers (Texas). For a while when i first got the detector I never picked ku band but that has started to change. Could be some valued information.

Josh

Interesting...the V1 can pick up Ku, but it has to be set to do so. Oddly enough, I've found that there are an increasing number of X-bands here locally being used by the cops...those are primarily my false alarms from the automatic doors around here. Sneakyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...

Interesting...the V1 can pick up Ku, but it has to be set to do so. Oddly enough, I've found that there are an increasing number of X-bands here locally being used by the cops...those are primarily my false alarms from the automatic doors around here. Sneakyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...


i havnt heard much about the KU band but the escort can be sent to the factory to have them program it in, while the beltronics came with it already on i though the V1 totally missed out on that feature from what i read? but this was last year my 8500 X50 is 1-2 years old

With the 8500 X50 you can adjust it into the "Pro-Mode" and can track 3 at the most, the V1 tracks like 5 times that amount.

The 9500 has GPS and you can store area's where you know that there is a false signal so it won't go off there again unless a direct signal hits you. And with the GPS mode you can store an area where cops usually tend to hide it and gives you a blip warning that you are coming up on that location where there "might" be a cop at.
Also the 9500 tells you your MPH on the read out via GPS satallitle, which makes me wonder if there is some extra cost to use these satallites they are using???

I love the new features of the 9500 but nowhere/anywhere near enough for me to get one. And I know V1 will mod their's up sooner or later to add some more pimp features like that. But thank god I don't have to sell my current V1 to buy a better V1, I just send it in to mod it for a small fee.

Peace,
Craig.
first off...its called "Expert meter"...and 2nd it detects 8 signals at once...not just three....and the lines in Expert meter go vertical instead of horizontal...so u can still tell how strong the signal is...and im w/ u on the whole 9500i thing...ive done some research on it as well and look at this...http://www.radarroy.com/archives/37 ....read towards the bottom or actually read all the Q/A and u see what the 9500i is all about....like crager said not enough for me to spend $450 on...and besides i also read that it will only moniter ur speed up to 127mph...lol

i havnt heard much about the KU band but the escort can be sent to the factory to have them program it in, while the beltronics came with it already on i though the V1 totally missed out on that feature from what i read? but this was last year my 8500 X50 is 1-2 years old

Details on it here:

http://www.valentine1.com/Service/KuMode.asp

You can actually program a lot of things with the V1 (I was surprised). Not that it makes it any better...just good info to know.