Does the Escort show signal direction? IMO that is the best feature of the V1, and the most useful piece of info you can have about the signal. If the Escort can't show signal direction then to me it is still quite inferior to the V1...

 

i agree. i have a v1 and the directional arrows provide valuable information. also it shows the number of bogeys, and it has a concealed display

 

So your saying you'd pay 200+ more for arrows that light up?

 

where can i get a blue x50 for 200??

 

I gladly pay $200 more for arrows that light up. If you don't know what direction the cop is seeing you from, what good is it to hear a beep? Do you just guess where he is and hope for the best?
To be concerned with a couple hundred dollars, or what the device looks like is ridiculous. If you like to go fast, you need information, that is why you need the arrows.

 

if you have to look at the arrows and see where the cop is its gonna be too late
when i hear my 8500 X50 go off i just slooow down

 

No its not too late, the cop is using the radar on other people ahead of you (case in point), But mainly the arrows allow you to filter out CRAP from a real cop threat. Just by glancing and seeing 2 singals from front and sides i know that this is not a cop on a local street. BUT then again, it could be a cop in front with a store to the left of me. If this were the case then the cop signal will light up the entire strength bar, and its not too late because if you are smart you would have traffic in front that he is using the radar on. Like i said I got mine yesterday and my friend that has a passport agrees as well, for the money its worth the technology.

I also love the advanced logic feature. ANyone out there leave it on advanced logic all the time in town and switch to full mode on highway?? is it safe to do that? it sure keeps the beeps and the blinking sounds down a lot :-)

 

I got the Escort 8500 X50 (blue) about 3 months ago and it's saved me at least a dozen times (lead foot).

I hardwired it in and place it to the right of my rearview mirror. You can't see it at all from the outside, so I never have to remove it. Very convenient.

I love it! Best investment on my G!!!

 

I have the 8500 and love it. If you hear the laser detector, however, you're busted already--with a picture to prove it.
Problem--would love to mount Escort next to rear-view mirror since I live in VA, but hear that the tint cuts down the detection range quite a bit. Truth or fiction?

 

Yup, that what he's saying $240 for 8500x50

I've never had a problem with "not knowing" the direction of the radar. Though I can say this, when the detector goes off, 99% its a cop, and I slow down. The strengh tells me how far away he is, and you can figure out if hes coming or going.

If you are going to get a detector and pay full for it then the v1 might weigh in as a great choice, just as good as a x50 but at 220.00 the x50 is an even better choice!

 

i bought my 8500 about a month or two ago for $270 =\
nice little gadget to have in the car while driving.
i personally don't think paying the extra 100 and change is worth it just for the directional arrows. 200 if you can get the passport cheaper.
my passport picks up plenty of time ahead if there's a cop around. i just slow down a bit if i pick up K/Ka band anywhere. if i get zapped and at full alert, directional arrows would be useless. at that point you're just screwed, v1 or not.
if you're curious, passport also has a 'stealth' mode where anyone outside won't be able to see the lights on the detector and just rely on the remote. there's a reason why the passport and v1 are in competition with eachother as the best detector on the market. one has arrows for 200 more where as you can get just as good a detector for half the price of the v1..only no arrows.
i think choice is mainly on personal preference. hey if you got the money, go ahead and get the v1. the arrows will be convenient to have.

 

If someone is going to give you a huge discount on the x50 and money is your main concern then all I can say is go for it.

It's not $200 extra for just some arrows, that's a pretty ignorant statement to make. The difference between the two units at retail is $399 - $299 = $100. That is the only way you can fairly compare them, not by comparing the features on a hugely discounted x50 with a retail V1, that's ridiculous.

Like I said, if cost and size are your main concerns (and not build quality, function, updatability, or features) then go for the x50, I'm sure you will love it. I look forward to buying your impounded G at auction

 

You can't really compare MSRP in this case as you can get the x50 from an authorized source cheaper than MSRP and from Ebay for even less, but the V1 you can only get from Valentine for MSRP. So the difference is bigger than $100. The x50 comes with a remote display, but the V1 requires an additional $39. The V1 does come with a hardwire kit, but the x50 costs $15-$20 more.

Are you implying that the V1 has better build quality than the x50? How so? Which function/features does the V1 have over the x50 besides the arrows? (don't you just slow down when your radar goes off regardless of direction?) The x50 is known to have better filtering so less false positives. The auto-mute is a must-have feature.

 

Read the DAMN post, he's asking about an x50 heavily discounted, vs. a MSRP V1. So I can compare the two that way! WTF are you talking about "impounded G"

 

This post wasn't about which one is better, its which one to buy given the difference in money! In his case the difference is ugly large *** unit for 399.00 +shipping and tax

or a smaller unit that does the same thing (- the arrows) for 220.00

Stop arguing how the v1 is worth 200.00 for arrows. gesh!