I had the V1 for about two years....sold it to a friend and bought the Passport 8500. I really liked the V1, but feel the Passport has slightly more range.

Both of these units are excellent...actually, the best....so you can't go wrong with either.

 

V1 is the best. You can't beat rear radar detection...
Car and Driver rates it #1 Passport 8500 #2
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=1993

This second review placed V1 fourth...He's being greased by the other makers IMHO. V1 does not advertise in Car and Driver...Passport does and they still did'nt win!!! This guy also claims that rear radar detection is rare and not needed, his quote"radar from behind is scarcely worthy of more attention". I believe he smokes CRACK...I get early warning's from State Police coming up from behind all the time. With the Bel, Passport, you don't find out till it's too late. I feel the rear detector is very important, at least for me!!! Here's this idiots uncreditable review for those interested.

Go with the V1, it is upgradeable and is the best in my not very HO...

http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=1064

 

Huh?!?!?

They sure do, every month....OCT 2003 p.115

 

Whoops, have'nt seen Car and Driver lately...Still does'nt change my opinion regarding V1 vs Passport 8500.

Sorry for the misinformation, guess you can draw your own conclusions from the reviews...

 

NP

 

I am also trying to chose a radar detector. I am trying to sift through all the hearsay and the facts. Does anyone have experience with the Passport 8500 vs the V1. I read the C/D test, but also read radartest.com who chose the Passport. The Passport although not that significant is $100 cheaper and can also be updated as new technology becomes available. Which one is better??

-Lou

 

Buy both and mount side-by-side. Since they have a 30 day return policy, send back the inferior detector.

 

I thought about that, just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with both prior to doing that. It is so strange, because like I said, at the www.radartest.com website, they test 4 detectors and V1 comes in third. The passpost came in second and the Bel came in first. They claim to be the only tester that does not accept any advertising dollars from the competitors and are completely subjective. They claim to have been doing tests for 10 years.

-Lou

 

My Passport 8500 picks up radar from the rear without a problem...probably better than my V1 did.

 

Did you not see my post at the top of this page?

 

Yea, just re-read it. So, you feel the passport is at least as good as the V1 if not better?

-Lou

 

I've had several Escorts/passports and an older V1. It seems the Valentine is more sensitive but falses much more. However the front/rear arrows are useful and tip the balance in favor of the V1. Turning off the X band in the V1 may reduce it's excessive falsing. Has anyone seen an X band speed radar lately? I haven't seen one in years.
BTW in Fort Worth they have mounted K band transmitters on all school buses. They set off all detectors within a mile, front or rear.

 

Check out the test at Speedzones.com I think they are fairly objective.
I have both a V-1 and an 8500. I think they are very similar in sensitivity but the directional arrows make the V-1 the clear winner IMO.

 

Twice I have been hit from behind by an Arizona officer... and both times, the directional arrow saved my bacon since I was in an area where I expected signals from the front but was surprised (and slowed down) when I received a hit from behind.

Wouldn't go back to a detector where I couldn't tell direction....

Joe West

 

Lou, thanks for the link to radartest.com...I just read over the site and for the most part, I agree with the test. I have been using radar detectors for years and I wasn't that impressed with the V1. Yes, it's a good unit, but I wouldn't give my 8500 up for it again. I found the V1 to be much more quirky than the 8500, as noted in the website's test results.

On another note, a client of mine has the Bel 980 and loves it. He says it's the best he's ever owned, but he's never had the V1 or the 8500 either. I have no personal experience with the 980.