radar detectors

[joshaucks 0]

who has one? are they useful? are they worth the money?

cheers

[Grant 4]

Hello

Whatever you do, don't buy a cheap one, they are rubbish (I once got a nice big ticket for speeding even though I had my Uniden one on and running). The cop had a good laugh at my expense.

Like everything you get what you pay for.

If I were to buy another one,I'd only buy a Valentine 1 - pretty much everything else is rubbish.

Cheers

[cage 0]

Valentine 1 (a Gumballers must)

These are the one and only to buy.

[aliluya 0]

The V1 are really good detectors, my old man has one along with a laser jammer and he's NEVER been caught out ...

I've got a Bel 990 and thats a really good detector aswell, i did have a jammer on my last car but i haven't bothered to put one on this car yet.

[E30stz 0]

best I've heard of is the Valentine 1 ... also heard one called I think a Bel Air... they were compared but still the Valentine came out tops.

[CADMAX 0]

is this any good?

[Gus 5]

no name? looks crap

get the new escort x950 or the bel tronics pro rx65 (not sure on both model names but are the high end models) cheaper than V1 and all the recent reviews (all the ones saying V1 are the best are dated round 2001) say they are just as good if not better

both round 6-700 dollar mark

[BMA 0]

As far as the story goes V1 is one of the best. Could get them under 1G from like parallel importers

The thing is like some cops dont turn the radar on, and when they see u they just flick it on and u dont have time to slow down to avoid the speeding ticket.

General rule: just watch the road, look for any vans, station wagons parked on the rd, watch out for Commodores especially plain ones without Alloy wheels etc

New law came in so cops cant hide behind trees and sh*t, so this works in favour of us.

All you north shore speeders, watch out for brownish Holden Rodeo (ute) i think its called, thats undercover cop car

Around town, watch out for Black SS Commodore (Undercover cop)

If u gonna speed, dont do more than 40km/h over the limit, so if the speed limit is 50, dont do more than 90, if its 100 dont do more than 140

no more than 30km/h over the speed limit applies to zone speed less than 50km/h so sh*t like Road works, Accident signs etc

if the limit is say 30, dont do more than 60

If u a smart cookie, u less likely to be caught. So like undercover cops aim is to catch the "Aware Drivers" really

:finger:

[petone 0]

Off topic but serious question, why do you speed?

[E30_318i 0]

The cops are in anything these days. As far as I know, plain stock Mazda 6s, Nissan Maximas, XR6 turbos and S Commodores are the unsuspecting ones.

But yeah, my mates had a V1 and could pick up a cop from about 800m away in one case. Got those arrows too

The reason why I said 'had' instead of have was that it was mounted right in the middle of the windscreen in their newish Commodore. Well, pro theives got into it and took off with the V1 before the alarm went off, so just make sure you stick it under the seat or something.

[CADMAX 0]

Old man got pulled by a 2002 M3 4 door about 9 weeks a go

lol i wish i had been pulled by it

I have been filling up at a petrol station in town and there was a lady copper in a new 2003 RX8 (my mate had one the same), it was painted up with all the bits and stuff on it like a street racer. Any way had a talk to her (she was very nice in all the ways ) and they were trying to crack down on the street races in town (you know when that new law came out last year?).

[m325i 709]

I have had a couple of unidens. They are OK, they work, but false alarms, and they arent 100%, which is spose kinda defeats the purpose of having one. Like above, V1 was the best, now Bel is just as good, with the exception of the directional indicator.

Dont pay extra for a talking one.

[Guest Andrew]

Off topic but serious question, why do you speed?

I don't usually in the city - but come on the motorway is meant for at least 120 kph when possible. And i'm sure a few of us like a spirited drive in the country now and then.

[OLLIE 26]

like somebody said the majority of police only flick their radars on when they see you and its too late for you to slow down!

everyone i know with a radar detector including one person with a V1 and jammer have been caught speeding!

if you get a detector you will speed! you will get caught! and you will be really pissed off!

so the moral is don't waste money on a radar detector just learn to control your urges to speed and choose the right time and place to do it, and be more aware of what's goin on around you!

thats my strong viewpoint on the topic at the moment anyway.

[Gus 5]

i tend to agree with ollie too....however a radar detector would help in unfamiliar areas, as well as speed cameras in sneaky places....its really a false sense of security though....as the best protection is common sense....i still want a beltronics though

[CaM 0]

we have beltronics where i work, the supplier apparently went away from valentine 1 because the bel vector pro rx65 is essentially better than the v1, only thing it doesnt have is the directional arrows, which, really, are a waste of time - if you get an alert and you're goin too fast, it dont matter what direction it's comin from really........

parallel import radar detectors often dont work that well in NZ, with them not being "configured" for our roads, duno if thats true but meh...

think we have them on special at te moment too, cant remember how much for tho

[Gus 5]

cam....hook a ***** up! let me know prices

[petone 0]

Can you import them from the states? Would only be about 600NZ + freight, which doesn't seem too bad for a V1

[CADMAX 0]

Are Radar/Laser Scrambler legit in NZ??

Some thing like this?

and are they worth it?

[bravo 35]

Also, note that many insurance companies require you to inform them if you install a radar detector, and your premiums may go up slightly. Usual story, if you have one you're admitting that you are going to speed, so you are a higher risk.

Just not telling them doesn't work as if you claim and they find out you had one, they may not have to pay out in some circumstances due to you not following their full disclosure rules.

Not trying to rain on the parade at all, just a bit of a friendly heads up for those with detectors and those planning on getting one. Check with your insurance company first.

[Napier_E36 0]

so the moral is don't waste money on a radar detector just learn to control your urges to speed and choose the right time and place to do it, and be more aware of what's goin on around you!

yes, the track.... Shouldnt be speeding to begin with on the open road - however, i know full well that i do speed - its often not even deliberate - just cruising and the speedo creeps up...

But there is a reason for having speed limits - some dumb asses cant even handle 100km/h without being aloud to go faster.

And i'm sure a few of us like a spirited drive in the country now and then

Definitly!!! I love to drive in the country and go around corners! down this way there are some awsome roads that dont get much police attention. But "i dont speed on the road" haha honest!

I have a talking uniden and ive had it for years, and i havnt been caught. i got done in my diesel for 134 coming home from work, but i didnt have my radar. and i deserved the ticket! but in my bmw (or my pulsar before that) I havnt been done - I just choose the time and the place...

My 2c.

[CADMAX 0]

i have never had a ticket in my life at all.

i do about 50,000km per year and that’s dun in my car or work Ute.

and then 58,000km per year in trucks and tractors.

the only thing I drive with out cruse control is one of the work trucks.

just looking at toys atm

btw yes there are lot's of people that cant drive, i see 5-15 crashes per year and 99% of then are people that cant drive.

one on Monday was a 4X4 that was doing 140km/h around a bend that was marked 55km/h.

you know how it goes :/

[bmwsparkle 3]

yea watch out for those sneaky commodores, got pulled up on the way home and *luckily* for my charm got let off for doing 115. we couldnt tell if it was undercover either, seems the new ones have the lights mounted up the top of the windscreen where you cant see them.

(1000 posts!!!! finally...)

[cainchapman 0]

I'm with Ollie on this. Watch the road and you are unlikely to get caught.

My last ticket was a year ago (or so), I came over the Hopetoun bridge in 6th and didn't have my foot on the brake as I rolled down the hill and got pinged (60kph)by the chick standing on the footpath.

No excuse, I don't complain.

On the legality of detectors. It is not illegal to have one. However, under the radio frequencies legislation, the police own the frequencies you are monitoring. So you can have it on, but if you use the information you acquire (i.e. your alarm goes off and you slow down), you can be nailed under this act if they so choose. Hence a jammer is even more illegal under this law as you are actively using a frequency you have no rights too.

I don't have one as they make you less focused on the task at hand. The rate I get tickets doesn't justify spending $1000 for a good device.

[aliluya 0]

I'm with On the legality of detectors. It is not illegal to have one. However, under the radio frequencies legislation, the police own the frequencies you are monitoring. So you can have it on, but if you use the information you acquire (i.e. your alarm goes off and you slow down), you can be nailed under this act if they so choose. Hence a jammer is even more illegal under this law as you are actively using a frequency you have no rights too.

I got a laser jammer from Cookie Howlison BMW and it was tested and certified good to use by the police ...