diggerdan11 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 So I have had a Escort Passport 8500 for a long time now. It came with my dads M3 and he was going to throw it out so I took it. One day it started to do something funky, it would start beeping and say Laser every time I would hit the gas in my truck. I It only ever happened in my SS when I would hit the gas to pass or accelerate hard up a hill, but recently it started to do it more and more and more. I used it last fall for the last time on a trip in my wife's Subaru and it would do it every few minutes, so I unplugged it. So Im looking at getting a new one. So I need some advice. I could just get another Passport since I already have a really nice mount for it, and I have a hard wire kit in my SS. But I really don't know if I want to pay $300 for a new one. I could buy a really cheap Cobra for $50 but I dont know if they work that well. No point in relying on a detector that does not work properly. I also found Beltronics ones in the $150-180 range, and it looks like the mount and hard wire kit I have for the passport will work the the Beltronics one. So what are your experiences with radar detectors. Would a cheap cobra one work just fine, or should I upgrade to a Beltronics one or a Passport or some other brand? What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLNAWAY Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 (edited) ive had corbas in the past they work decent. will pick up speed carmaras and what not ive never gota ticket with em. but i did buy a passport from kpvho and i love it over the corba more responsive and seem to have a longer range. if it were me id find a nice used passport to replace it Edited March 16, 2013 by BLNAWAY (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sirbutler Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Do yourself a favor and get a passport. I have had one for a few years now and the range is awesome. Way further than any if my friends cheap detectors. Also you can get a warranty for them if you buy them thri best buy. Well worth the money IMO. They replaced mine on the spot when the speaker went bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1ss Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 My buddy swears by Passport but I only go Valtentine 1 (little more expensive). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 (edited) Mine just started doing the same thing! Ive used my radar detector in the past three vehicles, and its only ever done it in the SS. I thought that was weird! Kinda funny yours is doing the same. If im doing road trips or whatever, ill plug it in because it wont have any issues cruising or slowly accelerating. But if i accel to pass and it downshifts and starts pulling, the Laser detection goes ballistic. Not sure whats emmitting a Laser frequency under heavy acceleration, but something causes it to wig out. Edited March 16, 2013 by MID12sSSS (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperStock Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 You get what you pay for, I would recommend a passport 9500ix or 9500i. I own a passport 9500i and have had it 4 years it's awesome, prior to the 9500i I owned a cobra and I would not trust it. The valentine 1 is a great radar just because it tell's you the direction the radar is coming from but the downside is that it does not have gps like the passoprt. The gps is the passport is awesome. If you have anymore questions feel free to pm me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sirbutler Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 You get what you pay for, I would recommend a passport 9500ix or 9500i. I own a passport 9500i and have had it 4 years it's awesome, prior to the 9500i I owned a cobra and I would not trust it. The valentine 1 is a great radar just because it tell's you the direction the radar is coming from but the downside is that it does not have gps like the passoprt. The gps is the passport is awesome. If you have anymore questions feel free to pm me. I have the 9500ix and love it.....it has saved my tail way too many times and the GPS is awesome. I had a valentine 1 and the passport is better IMO. Nicer screen, longer range and updatable without sending it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLNAWAY Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Passport 8500 x50. Hasn't failed me yet n love the range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 I just went into settings and unchecked the laser detection. It always seems like the "K" band is cops and speed cameras anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgowen343 Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 I haved owned several detectors in the last 15 years. The only ones I ever trusted was the Passports. Had a 8500 for 6 years then my wife upgraded me to the 9500ix. I love that thing. Also worth it because you can connect it to a computer and get photo camaras locations uploaded from other users. Well worth the money. Espicially for people like me who do outside sales calls in my truck and have a heavy foot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickRolled Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 I know this thread is old but are passport radar detectors all wired in? Are they illegal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown 346 Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 I love my Bell. I have had passport and currently have 3 Bells. The passport works just as good as my bells in my opinion. I had a $150 Cobra and it sucked, It went off for everything, and didnt even detect a cop with any distance. My Bells detect a cop anywhere from a quarter mile to a mile away depending on how flat the road is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.P.VHO Posted December 4, 2013 Report Share Posted December 4, 2013 I have the Passport 9500 and I love it, I had the 8500 before and the 9500 is far more superior. I love the redlight camera warning and how it tells you your speed when it gets a signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC03SS Posted December 4, 2013 Report Share Posted December 4, 2013 Think I'm gonna get the valentine 1 it's so badass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5752 Posted December 4, 2013 Report Share Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) I had the same problem with my Passport 8500 a few years ago. Called Escort & sent it in for an update = problem solved. Also, If you decide to buy new, Escort will give you $80 for your old 8500 with their trade in program. Edited December 4, 2013 by TSA (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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