navin in KC

I have had a Valentine One in my cars for over ten years. For my 2014, I'd like to consider having a radar detector installed instead of hanging in the windshield. I understand what Mike Valentine says about how his detector is superior.

Does anyone have a detector installed? If so, what kind and did you do it yourself?

Or should I stick with the V1 with the new SAVVY thing to mute the detector below a pre-set speed?

knldge

Same boat as you - have had the V1 for over 10 years across all my cars. Have always had it professionally installed right at the top of the windshield, tight and snug to the right of the rearview mirror, with the remote display on the left side of the dash.

On the A8, the remote display is to the left of the light switch and snug against the door. With the start/stop feature, the BOB component has never caused any restarts. The SAVVY component may be worth it, as I find myself muting in slow speeds around urban settings.

The benefit of the V1 - I can pull it out and use on rentals as needed. Not an option if you are hard wiring a radar into the front/rear of a car.

subterFUSE

There is no better detector than the Valentine 1.

My brother has been racing Porsches for many, many years and almost everyone he encounters uses a Valentine 1 in their cars. Sometimes they will use a V1 in conjunction with a K40 or other type of installed detector. They keep the redundant V1 because it's the only detector with the arrows. Once you live with the arrows, it's hard to live without.

Personally, I have always liked to keep my Valentine 1 hardwired to the dome light above the rearview mirror. I simply have the short telephone cable poking out from the headliner, and I use the suction cups to attach the V1 unit to the windshield. I prefer this method because it's tucked out of view yet still very easy to read while driving, and it's simple to remove and use in another car when needed.

If you want a more permanent install with a Valentine 1, it can be done. I have seen custom auto shops do awesome stealth installs where the V1 main unit gets tucked either under the headliner, or inside of the rear-center head rest... and then the stealth display is placed either in the instrument cluster, or even inside the rearview mirror. Google Valentine 1 rear view mirror to see some photos of nice stealth mirror installs.

Audis or VWs 4Life

V1 is always a solid choice, if you are dealing with laser in your state you will also need a jammer. V1 really won't do squat for you with laser other then to tell you, you just got pinged by johnny law. Laser Interceptor seems to be one of the better brands out there.

navin in KC

How would I know if I was dealing with laser? just because I had gotten a ticket or is there somewhere that I can research this that you know of?

nearly a thousand dollars for a laser jammer seems kind of ridiculous.

2012s4

str plus and high power laser interceptors for nine months on my 2013 S8

Five laser jam saves and dozens of ka band saves.

Do not drive this car without laser jammed.

2012s4

$1000 is nothing compared to getting stopped at 100 plus mph

subterFUSE

I know it seems expensive at first glance, but a single speeding ticket could easily cost you more than $1000 when you consider the total ramifications. The ticket cost itself can be hundreds of dollars, and the points on your license can raise insurance premiums dramatically.

That's why insurance companies are buying so many laser guns for police departments nationwide. More tickets issued = higher premiums.

jakematic

Or you could do what I do: leave early, don't go more than 7 over, and get there in one piece.
I have ridiculously low insurance premiums and have been with the same company for 29 years.

Boring, I know, but track days and autocross events are where you go fast.

gedis080

I'm looking for one as well, and I found this comparison:
http://radar-detectors-review.toptenreviews.com/

So, doesn't look that V1 is still the best ....