So, I'm curious...is the Valentine one really worth the $400? Has it saved your butt a few times?
My personal opinion. It's better than that. The number of times I've NOT been caught is very large. But, I wouldn't attribute it ONLY to the detector. It's only a tool, not a get away free card.
Speeding tickets down here start at $200 and go up from there...so, I imagine this thing would pay for itself if it kept you from getting a ticket.
Factor in your insurance costs as well.....
I just wonder about accuracy. Do police cars always have their radar on? Or do they need to actually have a gun turned on or something for the detector to sense it?
Most of the smarter police RARELY have their gun on all the time. It's called Instant on, and it will catch any detector user. The Gun must be emitting to be detected. The Glory of the V1 is that it has very good distance, which means that if the cop instant on's a car that is half a mile down the road, there is an excellent chance you'll pick up the trace and know. Plus, with the directional LEDS, you know where to look.
Of course, you have to be smart enough to recognise this is a trap.... and if you are leading the pack, well, no detector is going to save you.
But, as a tool, it's really unparalleled.
IMNSHO.