# seeking opinions on Escort 8500 or Solo II



## sj330ciclvr (Mar 11, 2003)

If you have a Escort Solo 2 or Escort 8500 radar detector, I'd like to hear your opinions on it's effectiveness. If your in the San Francisco Bay Area I'd be interested in your opinion of it's value while driving in this area.

I Currently have a Sensoro II cordless, and drive a ragtop. The Sesnsoro is just one false alert after another, and doesn't seem to "see" the radar over the hill or around the bend.


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## joema (Aug 28, 2002)

Check out www.eopinions.com for lots of feedback on different radar detectors.


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## ayn (Dec 19, 2001)

I had a Solo before my V1, I upgraded because I got a ticket with the Solo, it just wasn't good enough... Sold it on eBay for pretty good money though...

I'm not sure about the 8500, I'd recommend just getting a V1 if you want a detector... but you can get them both and try them out and return the one you don't like...

--Andrew


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## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

own an 8500 and a v1.

the range of both units is excellent and very similar over the same commuting path.

but, it's hard to do without the directionals, even if i know where to expect the MA staties to be, it helps. 

it is not that much more money, either.


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## JetBlack330 (Feb 15, 2003)

Get the V1! Once you use the arrows you will wonder how you lived without them for so long.


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## joema (Aug 28, 2002)

pdz said:


> *own an 8500 and a v1.
> 
> the range of both units is excellent and very similar over the same commuting path...*


 Do you notice any difference in falsing? I saw on eopinions some who'd used both V1 and 8500 simultaneously said the 8500 had slightly less falsing.

The 8500 doesn't have a dedicated rear detector. The V1 does for both radar and laser.

Re price, if you want the concealed display, the actual price differential is about $440 for the V1 vs $300 for the 8500 (includes concealed display). V1 is only sold via mail order; the 8500 is available from various car specialty stores. Occasionally you might see it discounted to about $279.

V1 has excellent support and can upgrade your unit. Don't know if the 8500 is similarly upgradeable.


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## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

joema said:


> *Do you notice any difference in falsing? I saw on eopinions some who'd used both V1 and 8500 simultaneously said the 8500 had slightly less falsing.
> 
> The 8500 doesn't have a dedicated rear detector. The V1 does for both radar and laser.
> 
> ...


ah, good points.

actually did all of you guys know that beltronics and escort are owned by the same company? the same electronics that basically make up the BEL980/BEL985 are the guts of the escort 8500. no wonder they both have the same features!

anyway, just another tip if you want to save even more money. you can often get the BEL units at a substantial discount on the internet. escort, however, may have better unit to unit quality control.

both the BEL and escort 8500 are supposedly ROM upgradeable, whatever that means.

to me, they both seem to have the same amount of falsing, but boston is full of X band radar noise. i would switch it off on both units, but the MA state troopers are tricky. they've often gone back to using X band every so often.......

.....i really like the 8500 as that is the unit in my daily commuter. the V1 is in the 993. the BEL980 is in the xiT. all three are solid units and i would recommend all three, but i really, really like the directionals on the V1.


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## Mark_325i (May 1, 2003)

*Cordless S2*

I have had one for about two weeks, so I am still in the evaluation mode. I am inclinded to return it. The display is dim (an Indiglo backlit display as opposed to bright LEDs) and, to make it a bit more unreadable, the display is flat (not angled like the 8500 and V1), so it is not easy to read the display where I have the unit mounted (to the right of the mirror). This would be small potatoes if I thought that the unit was picking up actual smoky radar, but in several trips on the Long Island Expressway, and thru several notorious traps, I did not hear a peep from the unit. Granted, each time I passsed the cops they had already pulled someone over, but I am wondering if a detector in these parts just does not make sense. The unit did redeem itself on my more local roads. There is a trap where a state road feeds into a local road, so the limit goes from 55 to 30 in about 10 feet. There is often a cop sitting there, writing tix till his hand cramps. Each time he has been there, the Solo had gone crazy.

So, I am torn. I am thinking of returning the S2 and trying out the 8500. If that does not seem like much of an improvement, I am gonna go back to ridin' naked.


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## Ty Vil (Dec 19, 2002)

V1, I have a solo version 1. It's worthless side by side with the V1.


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## rtw635 (Jul 10, 2002)

8500 certainly does have rear detection...


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## Ty Vil (Dec 19, 2002)

Forget Escort I'm telling you just go for the V1.


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## LmtdSlip (May 28, 2003)

Its well known that cordelss detectors have nowhere near the range of corded models. I wouldnt buy a cordless dectector. Unless you are switching cars a couple of times a day.

If I were in the market for a detector I would save my pennies for the V1.


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## joema (Aug 28, 2002)

The 8500 can detect radar signals from the rear, but doesn't have a dedicated rear detector like the V1. It can't detect laser from the rear at all, but it's questionable the V1's rear laser detector has much practical value.

In general I'd recommend against a cordless detector. The Solo S2 is supposed to be greatly improved over the S1; whether it's as good as an 8500 or V1 I don't know but doubt it.

But unless you need portability between cars, I don't see the advantage of a cordless detector. Just get a hard wired power cord. It's easy to install or a car specialty shop will do it for a small fee.

This eliminates the unsightly coiled power cord going to your cigarette lighter. The hard wired cord is usually only about 2 in. long, comes from headliner, and is easily concealed when the detector isn't in use. You leave the suction cup mount on the windshield, and mount/dismount the detector. It literally takes 3 sec to push the detector on the mount and plug in the power cord. Same for removal -- 3 sec and it's in your glove box.

Personally I think the ideal location is high on the windshield, just left of the rear view mirror. It's very hard to see outside the car rear, and can't be seen from eye level outside left or right.

Re 8500 vs V1, like the poster here who had both, several who have used both simultaneously agree they're roughly equal in sensitivity. However the 2002 test at www.speedzones.com showed the V1 somewhat more sensitive on X and K band. Whether this would matter in the real world, hard to say.

A few say the 8500 has slightly better false signal rejection, but this is complex due to the various bands and modes both units have. Many users like the V1's arrows a lot, which the 8500 doesn't have.

Both are very good units and I think you'd be happy with either one. However it's vital you get a hard wired power cord installed -- this makes all the difference in ease of use and concealment.

If you want the concealed display, this is about $40 from Valentine, but free with the 8500. Also the V1 is available only mail order and it's not discounted. You can get the 8500 from local car specialty shops, or from places like http://www.wrightstuffelectronics.com/ where it's often discounted to about $279 or so.

Personally I don't see the need for a concealed display if your unit is mounted high and left of the rear view mirror. Just turn down the LED brightness, and it's almost impossible to spot from the rear.

If you want more feedback, see www.eopinions.com. In particular look for the reviews where people have used both units.


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## sj330ciclvr (Mar 11, 2003)

*anyone done a hardwire in a cabriolet?*

OK, I'm going with the 8500. 
I'm driving a 2002 330cic (convertible). I'd like to do a hardwire, has anyone done this on similar car.

TIA,
sj330ciclvr


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## Ty Vil (Dec 19, 2002)

you're making a serious mistake buy the V1 I cant say that enough


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## SupraRZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Yeah, I say get the V1. People say it falses a lot, but they need to put it in super logic (L) mode. Also the arrows help a lot, more than you'll ever know. Finally, concealed display is another plus.


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## Ty Vil (Dec 19, 2002)

With the directional indicator and the bogey counter on the V1 I just don't see how you would pick the Escort over it??? I feel very strongly about the V1 being far superior to any detector that I've seen.


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## SupraRZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Ty Vil said:


> *With the directional indicator and the bogey counter on the V1 I just don't see how you would pick the Escort over it??? I feel very strongly about the V1 being far superior to any detector that I've seen. *


PS I'm not affiliated with V1. I have a V1, and through actual eye-witnessing of my V1 in action, my gf's family has 2.

Imagine this: You're on a 4 lane freeway w/ grassy median speeding. Your radar (Escort or V1) goes crazy. Would you know which way the cop is coming from? Whether the cop is coming from opposite direction or from behind? Or if there's 2 cops? I've encountered a situation where there were 2 CHP picked up by radar. The first one pulled someone over already, so I decided to speed up a bit while passing by the cop. But the V1 went crazy and tells me there's 2 cops, so I slam on my brakes and I see another cop about 1/4 mile down from the first one. In this situation, what will save you? V1 or 8500? Does saving $200 today justify a potentially expensive ticket that you might not get had you bought a V1 in the first place?


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## joema (Aug 28, 2002)

SupraRZ said:


> *In this situation, what will save you? V1 or 8500?*


 In this situation an 8500 will save you equally well as a V1, assuming you slow down (and stay slowed down) while the detector alarms, or else use the 8500's "Expert" mode.

If you use the 8500 "Expert" mode it will simultaneously display up to 8 separate radar signals and indicate the signal strength of each one, not just a bogey count.

No radar detector will work without some knowledge of police radar tactics. E.g. slow down for overpasses if laser is used in the area, always have a car in front of you, etc. If a cop exits the freeway, he may reenter and zap you from behind. You've got to know (or learn) those things. One of those is the 2nd trap after the 1st, as you mentioned.

Rather than say the V1 saves you and the 8500 won't, it's probably more accurate to say the V1 allows you to speed up sooner (or not slow down in 1st place), by knowing the location of the cop. But that's different from the V1 warning you and the 8500 not warning you. They both warn you in roughly the same time, but the V1 does give more directional information.

There is one key area the V1 is clearly better in detection range and sensitivity, and that's from a rear attack. According to www.speedzones.com, the V1 can detect rearward K band from 2.5 miles, whereas the 8500 can only detect it 2 miles. For Ka band the difference is dramatic -- V1 can detect rear Ka band at 2.5 miles, the 8500 only 0.5 mile. However this was a worst-case test, with no reflective buildings, billboards, or cars to help the 8500; in most cases it would probably do a little better.

But if rear sensitivity is important to you there's no question the V1 is a lot better.

Here are some reviews from people who've used both V1 and 8500. Most marginally like the V1 better but a couple like the 8500 better.

http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-6DC4-15F80693-3A1166AE-prod2

http://www.epinions.com/content_89441406596

http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-81C-B01DC7E-3A18B255-prod4

http://www.epinions.com/content_72370785924

http://www.epinions.com/content_16690744964


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## jeskandarian (Mar 10, 2003)

*Re: anyone done a hardwire in a cabriolet?*



sj330ciclvr said:


> *OK, I'm going with the 8500.
> I'm driving a 2002 330cic (convertible). I'd like to do a hardwire, has anyone done this on similar car.
> 
> TIA,
> sj330ciclvr *


Green/yellow wire in the big bundle (that goes into the rear view mirror) for the swtiched 12v. This is a smaller guage wire than the crimp thing included with the V1 is designed for. You might want to carve off a little insulation then sqeeze the contact together.

3rd pin from the driver's side on the plug going into the light cluster for your ground. Be careful, one of those pins measures as a full gound but under load only pulls ~7v. I cut one leg of the ground spade off and jammed the other leg directly into the back of the plug. A total hack but one that works rather well. No cutting, splicing or soldering required!

Then I just jammed the entire mess up there and wrapped in a layer of felt.


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## jeskandarian (Mar 10, 2003)

BTW, that last post was for a 2003CiC without auto dim mirror or anything else up there. Not sure if it matters.

and here's some search fodder since I had some trouble finding this using search...

convertible hardwire valentine cic v1


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## rtw635 (Jul 10, 2002)

Ty Vil said:


> *With the directional indicator and the bogey counter on the V1 I just don't see how you would pick the Escort over it??? I feel very strongly about the V1 being far superior to any detector that I've seen. *


Arrows & Bogey counter don't justify the extra cabbage IMHO... common sense says if you traveling faster than the posted limit SLOW DOWN your a$$ down or you'll get pinched... arrows and numbers aside. They are both equally good detectors, one more competitively priced than the other.


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## Stuka (Jul 17, 2002)

rtw635 said:


> *Arrows & Bogey counter don't justify the extra cabbage IMHO... common sense says if you traveling faster than the posted limit SLOW DOWN your a$$ down or you'll get pinched... arrows and numbers aside. They are both equally good detectors, one more competitively priced than the other. *


Take it from my friend Butthead, Escort sucks compares to V1 in day to day 100mph plus driving. :thumbdwn:

Without the arrow, he said that you don't know where the threat is coming from. Butthead told me that with V1, if the arrow points to the back, he'll first drop the hammer and see if the arrow disappears. Failing that (meaning, the cop is hauling arse), he'll then slow down and wait for the cop.

With the bogie count, he said that you'll be able to drop the hammer once you have id all the bandits.:thumbup: :bigpimp:

But then, what do I know, I drive the speed limit.:angel:

Andy
02 M3 CB/Cloth SMG


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## Stuka (Jul 17, 2002)

joema said:


> *Rather than say the V1 saves you and the 8500 won't, it's probably more accurate to say the V1 allows you to speed up sooner (or not slow down in 1st place), by knowing the location of the cop. But that's different from the V1 warning you and the 8500 not warning you. They both warn you in roughly the same time, but the V1 does give more directional information.*


But what's the point of radar detector if it doesn't allow you to speed up sooner?

Hypothetically speaking, if the arrow is coming from the rear, and is slowing gaining, wouln't it be better to drop the hammer and see if the arrow disappears, instead of slowing down and wait, and wait, and wait, for the bogie?

Then once you id the bandit, you have to wait, and wait some more until the bandit leaves the highway?

What's the point of a radar detector then?:dunno:

Andy
02 M3 CB/Cloth SMG


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

Stuka said:


> *
> But then, what do I know, I drive the speed limit.:angel: *


:bustingup


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

Stuka said:


> *What's the point of a radar detector then?:dunno:
> *


To detect radar.

Sounds to me like you want a comprehensive threat analysis warning system.


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## joema (Aug 28, 2002)

Stuka said:


> *But what's the point of radar detector if it doesn't allow you to speed up sooner?*


 As the name implies, to detect radar. Before the V1's arrows, people have bought millions of radar detectors and found them useful. This includes the Escorts designed by Mike Valentine himself. You don't need arrows to be useful.

That said, I fully agree arrows are better. They give more information. But there's a difference between being better (which the V1 is) and being the only worthwhile detector on the market (which the V1 is not).

Most people who have used both V1 and 8500 think the 8500 is roughly equal to the V1 in detection, sensitivity, and falsing. The 8500's expert mode is roughly equal to the V1's bogey counter. The V1 clearly has superior rear detection, and the arrows give directional info the 8500 lacks. Many V1 users have grown accustomed to the arrows and won't settle for anything less. That's fine. If you want arrows, your choice is clear -- get the V1.


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## Riuster (May 21, 2003)

*How about this*

I have the both V1 and 8500 and turned them BOTH on, to my suprise, the V1 picks up the 8500 signal, ONLY when its turned on, and nothing thereafter..they are both silent....

so Im going the down the freeway, and the V1...picks up everything, including other detectors and other garbage, so I set it to...L, and it still goes nuts here and there...alway blipping and beeping..HOW annoying.....but the 8500..is silent even in highway mode. And when danger does come the V1..does tick first than the 8500.....I cant determine if there is lost in sensitivity of using both detectors, but both detectors are able to isolate themselves.they dont go crazy...when I have both of them on.

I did some more tests, I turned on the v1 only, and it still beeped like nuts, here and there, it was annoying, then turned on the 8500...it was silent....and only beeped when danger was around.

So I think USE both.....I dont think or even saw that the 8500 interfered with the V1 and vice versa..and if so..on desolate areas..use....V1.and major traffic areas..use...the 8500....

The V1 is terribly annoying.....its great if you are speeding 100+...on a freeway....and there is just NOTHING around......one beep means a pig is around.....

Also, the V1's functionality stinks..no manual dimming, no frequency, no expert meter, just that directonal button, which is great, auto dimming..I want to control dimming....and the cheap windshield clips. cheap I say., the display looks like it was made from pieces from Radio Shack

The bogey counter is great, but I cant tell what band it is..at night....how boring.....the V1 display is a bunch of LED lights...and nothing more. the lights give it the flare, but the little led lights..comon....we are living in the modern LCD era...

so im going to USE both......Get both..I say..and keep em....use them together..or one off or on...


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## mark1 (Jun 7, 2003)

After owning a number of Escort products, I bought a V1. 

What a difference !!

Now I would never own anything else.


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## The RedShift (Dec 31, 2002)

joema said:


> *The 8500 can detect radar signals from the rear, but doesn't have a dedicated rear detector like the V1. It can't detect laser from the rear at all, ................. *


Good post but a slight correction. The Escort 8500 CAN detect laser from the rear. See the dark bump on the top slightly to the left side towards the front? That is the laser detector for the rear. It is true that it does not have a separate antenna to detect rear radar signals. It must rely on reflections from the front to do that.


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## joema (Aug 28, 2002)

You are correct; I was in error. I should have known that. The 8500 has a dedicated rear laser detector but not a dedicated rear radar detector.

While better than nothing, I personally don't see the rear laser detector being very practical. Front laser detection is only marginally useful, but again, better than nothing.

Since laser speed guns can't be used from a moving vehicle, at least that restricts their location somewhat. They can't be used at a large off-angle (due to cosine error), must be used almost directly ahead or behind you. Look for the obvious places: overpasses, bushes or billboards, etc.

However even the V1 can't protect you from instant on radar if you're the 1st in line. Having maximum sensitivity is of less use than you'd think. For a typical freeway speed trap, they're zapping cars left and right and you'll get plenty of warning, with any quality detector.

But if you're moving along a sweeping turn on a less populated region, nobody in front of you, then a cop pops around the bend and hits you with instant on Ka band, you're had, no matter what detector you have.

The key is don't drive too fast, slow down for overpasses, and always try to have someone in front of you moving at roughly your speed.


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## Orient330iNYC (Jul 30, 2002)

I had an 8500 when i first got my car, I couldnt justify the extra 100 bucks or so for the V1. after a few close calls, i bit the bullet and got a V1 with remote display. The directional arrows do make a difference. There's this one stretch of highway that normally has a spot where there's X band interferance from a door opener in the neighborhood. cops have taken to hiding in this interferance and using Xband. you can tell quite easily with the V1 that there's still a threat ahead. with the 8500, all i would know is that there's an X band somewhere, be it front, side or behind.

as for not being able to tell what band is going off at night, aside from the different audible alert, i hacked my remote display. each band has a different colored LED. Red for X, green for K, Orange for Ka. I left laser alone, since the whole dang display goes ballistic when it runs into laser (be it a cop, trailblazer, or a lexus/infiniti with laser cruise control. I HATE those things)

very useful at night when you have the sound turned off.

Luckily, I have a friend that isnt a hardcore speeder that happily accepted the 8500 as a present....

Go for the V1, you wont regret it :thumbup:


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## mark1 (Jun 7, 2003)

I had a number of VERY close calls with my Escort detectors.
They would go off at the last second before I approached radar.

When I purchased my first Valentine I was amazed at the range of this detector. It gives me PLENTY of time to react to radar LONG BEFORE I approach it. And the position indicators and bogy counter seem trivial until you live with them everyday. Many times it has aided me in discriminating a real radar threat when one radar source is moving away from me as another one approaches.

This is a device I would never drive without.

I'm sorry, but no Escort product I have ever tried came close to the sensitivity and accuracy of a Valentine.

It sounds like you've made up your mind with the 8500, but I would like to join others here and strongly encouraged you to choose the V1 over the 8500.


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