GPS and radar detectors

**T_Rattler** · 01-12-10, 02:49 PM

I travel for work, and a lot of the time I drive all over Texas, so I am in the market for a GPS and a radar detector. I have never owned either of these 2 items before.

Suggestions? Brands? What to look for? What to stay away from, etc.?

Thanks.

**ems_goof** · 01-12-10, 02:52 PM

Pretty much any Garmin GPS. They've been making them for years, for land, air, and sea vehicles. They've got it down.
I'll have to pass on radar detectors, although I've heard the Valentine Ones are good.

**T_Rattler** · 01-12-10, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by ems_goof

Pretty much any Garmin GPS. They've been making them for years, for land, air, and sea vehicles. They've got it down.
I'll have to pass on radar detectors, although I've heard the Valentine Ones are good.

Yah, Garmin was pretty much my first go to.
And I will have to check out Valentine One . . . never heard of it before but will look into it. Thanks.

**dex71** · 01-12-10, 03:13 PM

For the GPS....Garmin...without question.

As for the radar detectors....they will get you more tickets than they will save you.

**Viktor_Olin** · 01-12-10, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by dex71

For the GPS....Garmin...without question.

As for the radar detectors....they will get you more tickets than they will save you.

If you speed only while using a radar detector, and otherwise observe the speed limit, this might be true. As a long time user of Escort radar detectors, I am certain that I have gotten fewer speeding tickets as a result. Radar detectors are not, however, without limitations and The Law is very adept at overcoming those limitations. If you remain situationally aware, slow down around curves and over blind hills. and let others run interference for you, radar detectors can be very effective.

I've used an Escort 8500 for many years. If I had to replace it, I'd be tempted to get the Valentine One, just to get a better handle on exactly where the threats are.

I've got some good links to detector reviews on my home PC; I'll try to post them later tonight.

**Viktor_Olin** · 01-12-10, 06:47 PM

As promised:

http://www.speedzones.com/sz_new_25_june.html

http://www.guysoflidar.com/

http://radartest.com/index.asp

http://www.radarbusters.com/badgeratingsarticle.cfm

http://www.laserveil.com/radar/detec...rs-guide/2007/

**flame** · 01-12-10, 08:20 PM

When I was driving alot I had the escort 8500 x50 and it saved my ass, many many times. My brother now uses it going to work. Bought it over 5 years ago, excellent pickup from a long ways away. Cops like to flip radar on and then off. I would get a signal and slow down a mile even two miles down the road I would see the cop sitting on the side of the road. $300 well spent.
I recomend escort, been extremely happy with it.

**HeavyG** · 01-13-10, 05:16 AM

I have had Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom. All of them had their pros and cons. I recently upgraded from my Magellan Roadmate 1470 to the Garmin 265WT as I wanted traffic updates, but it turns out Garmin really sucks at providing real-time traffic updates. It would either tell me about the traffic too late for me to re-route or there would be no traffic at all when it said there was upcoming traffic.

I liked my Magellan. It was dependable and I really got used to the interface. The TomTom got stolen out of my car...

**Warprosper** · 01-13-10, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by Viktor_Olin

Originally Posted by dex71

For the GPS....Garmin...without question.

As for the radar detectors....they will get you more tickets than they will save you.

If you speed only while using a radar detector, and otherwise observe the speed limit, this might be true. As a long time user of Escort radar detectors, I am certain that I have gotten fewer speeding tickets as a result. Radar detectors are not, however, without limitations and The Law is very adept at overcoming those limitations. If you remain situationally aware, slow down around curves and over blind hills. and let others run interference for you, radar detectors can be very effective.

I've used an Escort 8500 for many years. If I had to replace it, I'd be tempted to get the Valentine One, just to get a better handle on exactly where the threats are.

I've got some good links to detector reviews on my home PC; I'll try to post them later tonight.

Or ... You can just not speed.. and save 100-200 bucks

**Nuckle** · 01-13-10, 07:29 AM

Do yourself a favor and call customer service for Garmin and then Magellan. I promise you will pick Garmin once you do. Garmin's customer service is still located in the US while Magellan is in India. Garmin pretty much pioneered the portable GPS unit.

As far as detectors go I have been using passport products for 15+ years. They have always served me well for detection puposes but they have their issues. The last 2 that I bought started flashing "return for service" after about 2 years. One I can reset but the other is permanent. Escort wants about $100 to fix it. That left me with a bad taste in my mouth. All that being said I know that the AL state troopers are using lidar or something different now and that pretty much makes my passport 8500 useless. Good friend of mine got a ticket this weekend while I was in the car. He had an 8500 and it never made a peep. I am starting to find it easier and easier to just not go more than 8 or 9 miles over. Down here they normally will not mess with you so long as you are under 80 on the interstate.

Nuck