Buying a Radar Detector - Advise Required

[elf]

I am looking to treat myself to a radar dectector to hopefully protect my driving license. I have looked around and I have narrowed my choice down to the Snopper S5-R and the Bel Euro 550. Can anyone who has bought one of these dectectors give me there honest opinion of it. Thank you.

>>> Edited by elf on Monday 11th August 20:18

[Tivster]

Other half has a Bel 550 - IMO I reckon it's the best non-GPS detector out there. If set up properly, it'll give you very few false alarms.

Enter Networx automotive into Google and check out the site to purchase from. Next day delivery + a trade in of your old device against an upgrade to a newer one.....

Tivster

[elf]

Thanks for the info. I've just been on the website and they are actually the dearest I've seen. I can get the Bel Euro 550 for £319 which seems a good price.

[pies]

Only two in my opinion worth getting either the bel 550 or the Valatine one

I currently own an s5-r

[elf]

Do I take it that you are not impressed with the Snooper? Too many false alarms I presume? Have you seen the Bel in action?

[pies]

Yep to many false alarms went past garages etc with automatic doors It went of

It dosent miss many gatso's though exceptin my company car (zafira) when i have to be virtually on top of the gatso before i get a beep

Tend to use it now as backup for GPS system which out performs any radar detector

Mate has a 550 although i have rarely seen it go the false alarms are defo less than the s5

HTH

[elf]

Thanks for the advise. I'll get my Bel Euro 550 ordered!!

[355f]

well the Bell is a good detector

Stll gives false alarms now and again and does not warn you about specs either.

Then in the case of the snooper the reviews I saw gave the laser detection low marks and it would seem due to the positioning of the detector in the car that by the time its indicated youve been a target of laser chances are you been had already ( unless you pick up laser scatter) this apples to all the detectors

I gave up on these detectors now have a road angel GPS NO false alarms and an LRC 100 jammer linked into it. That stops the problems!!

[Mr E]

Hmmm.

May I suggest an Origin B2 with the optional radar detector for another £100.

Then you're covered for radar, laser and GPS......

I've just bought a B2 without the radar, and I'm impressed.

Ignore the quoted prices. I paid £340 for mine, and have been quoted an additional £80 for the radar module.

[Johnny C]

Networx give good aftersales service. Ring them and see if they'll price match

Have a Valentine, great - direction indicators well handy. Also got a morpheous roadpilot which is even better, just a shame it hasn't got a radar head.

[Chris Type R]

355f said:

I gave up on these detectors now have a road angel GPS NO false alarms and an LRC 100 jammer linked into it. That stops the problems!!

I agree that this is the best strategy. £ for £ a GPS device is the most useful. I have a Morpheus Roadpilot which is very good. I have a Bell 550 as well, which is good for what it is, but if I had the choice again, I'd get a jammer solution.

The only Radar I've detected from a camera has been static cameras which the GPS system had a record of already. Laser is the preferred weapon of choice for mobile sites. By all accounts, the laser detection from a laser scanner would not give me enough time to take avoiding action.

At the moment, I'm so paranoid, and spend so much time watching my speedo - even when I know that I'm below the limit, that my observation of the road is suffering - oh well

>> Edited by Chris Type R on Wednesday 13th August 00:35

[elf]

Sorry to be a pain by asking more questions but I'm slightly confused. Am I right in saying that all the GPS systems have an already downloaded database of all Gatsos locations contained within them therefore they warn you that you are approaching one but it wont tell you whether it is live? Am I also correct in saying the GPS system will not detect mobile units. I was considering getting the Bel Euro 550 as a way detecting mobile unit in the back of van on bridges on motorways or in lay-bys? Am I looking at the wrong device? Most of my driving is on motorways so I didn't think the GPS system would help me?

[Pies]

elf said:

Sorry to be a pain by asking more questions but I'm slightly confused. Am I right in saying that all the GPS systems have an already downloaded database of all Gatsos locations contained within them therefore they warn you that you are approaching one but it wont tell you whether it is live?

Correct

elf said:

Am I also correct in saying the GPS system will not detect mobile units.

Correct again

elf said:

I was considering getting the Bel Euro 550 as a way detecting mobile unit in the back of van on bridges on motorways or in lay-bys? Am I looking at the wrong device?

Nobut a jammer would be better for mobile units as the Bell will only give you a warning but it could be too late a LRC - 100 stops them getting a "fix",but are in a grey area as far as use goes and some (i think) of the later GPS devices also have built in laser detection

elf said:

Most of my driving is on motorways so I didn't think the GPS system would help me?

It would only pick up the temporary ones in the roadworks and the overhead speed cameras around Heathrow but you have to be blind to miss them

P.S are you aware GPS needs regular updates and costs £50+ (last time i checked) per year

[elf]

According to manufacturers literature on the Bel 550, it says it will detect a laser 2 miles away. Is this incorrect hence by the time it detects the laser, the plod will have me in there sights?

[Pies]

The thing with laser detection is the laser is not constantly on, its done by trigger

If plod targets you by the time you get a warning from your detector its probably too late

The beem is quite narrow (LTi 20-20 3ft beem at 1000ft) so the chances of getting a bounce of another car are quite slim in my view



Lots of info here

www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/frames.htm

>> Edited by Pies on Wednesday 13th August 19:55

[355f]

elf said:

According to manufacturers literature on the Bel 550, it says it will detect a laser 2 miles away. Is this incorrect hence by the time it detects the laser, the plod will have me in there sights?

The problem with laser is that it can obtain your speed in .4 of a second and the beam is very narrow so its easy to pick out individual cars. With radar the beam is huge and difficult under the same circumstances to taget one vehicle.
So the bell info is correct, it will detect it but unless they happen to be targeting another car very close its too late its you they want today!!

[elf]

Therefore there seems no certain way of avoiding getting caught on motorway as the lasers on bridges are too accurate. The only way is by using a jammer with warning system and hope by the time you have been warned and the jammer has done it's stuff that you have slowed down. Am I correct in my thinking?

The only real use for a Bel Euro is to detect Gatso for which you may only buy a cheaper radar detector as most claim to detect at a reasonable range, is that correct?

>> Edited by elf on Wednesday 13th August 20:07

[Pies]

elf said:

Therefore there seems no certain way of avoiding getting caught on motorway as the lasers on bridges are too accurate. The only way is by using a jammer with warning system and hope by the time you have been warned and the jammer has done it's stuff that you have slowed down. Am I correct in my thinking?

Te lrc jams for approx 5 secs before it cuts out (needs a recharge of diode) you should then be down to safe speed and plod can have another go.

Note if you fit one at the front it will not protect you from being hit once you have passed the site.But hopefully you would have seen the site

[Pies]

elf said:

The only real use for a Bel Euro is to detect Gatso for which you may only buy a cheaper radar detector as most claim to detect at a reasonable range, is that correct?

yes and no,what he cheaper ones claim and deliver are not the same

My personal way of getting set up is a gps and a LRC

Radar detectors main failing isquite afew of fixed cameras now do not use radar, they use infra red or strips in the road

[355f]

elf said:

Therefore there seems no certain way of avoiding getting caught on motorway as the lasers on bridges are too accurate. The only way is by using a jammer with warning system and hope by the time you have been warned and the jammer has done it's stuff that you have slowed down. Am I correct in my thinking? The only real use for a Bel Euro is to detect Gatso for which you may only buy a cheaper radar detector as most claim to detect at a reasonable range, is that correct? >> Edited by elf on Wednesday 13th August 20:07

well sort of correct!!

The cheaper detectors give more false alarms!! the bell is probably the best in its class in that respect.

The jammer also acts as a detector to in the same way as a normal detector you just get that piece of mind (legals aside!) that the item you purchased is doing the job you intended it to do.

GPS will not warn of mobile sites but it will warn of all gatsos ( in much more time that a detector) and specs cameras which are set to triple in three years and all gantry cameras.

There is not an all singing all dancing solution but these two together seem to be a good compromise