Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector (Black)
by Escort Inc.
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List Price: Our Price: $431.95 You Save: $68.00 (14%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $397.48 (click here) Category: Car Audio or Theater See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector (Black)
Customer Review: Wow! This is what a detector should be!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
The 9500ix is a really amazing unit.
At first it was so quiet I thought it must not be working but that is the magic. It IS WORKING and the fact that it can be so quiet when there are no real police radar/laser events yet pick up the ones that are real so well is just amazing. I hate a lot of extra noise while driving and this unit only makes a sound when you need it to.
Build quality is very good though I wish it had included at least a straight cord and USB cable for the $500 price tag. Window mount seems very good. The coiled smart cord is good but rather short IMO. Also, the hard case is massive and could never be used as a travel case; something far more compact would have been nice.
Finally, the red light camera database informed me of three new cameras in my area that went live less than 30 days ago so I would say it is very up to date. Some people have complained about the $30/3 year sub. fee for the database but keep in mind that you don't have to pay that fee if you don't want to. You can manually enter new red light cams. into the system if want to skip the extra $10/year but for me it is money well spent. One red light ticket or one speed camera ticket and you are down $100-$1000 + risk your license and insurance premiums in some areas.
Customer Review: nice range, top lit display not ideal
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this and used if for a couple of weeks. The unit has good range but is fairly heavy compared to the valentine and much longer. The gps feature to mark false alarm areas is a great feature. However I ended up returning this.
The worst feature of this detector was the top mounted controls which are lit up. Not a problem during the day but the light from the top controls display reflected like a mirror in the windshield at night and there was no way that i could figure out to turn off the top of the detectors passive lighting which is on at all times. It was distracting seeing these lights up in the windshield glass once it got dark out. Having all the lighted controls on the front and not top of the detector would be much better. Maybe I just own the one car that has a windshield that results in this reflective effect.
I bought the valentine one after sending this one back and that one has the display on the front only but when it goes off at night it lights up like a christmas tree for all to see so it may just be me expecting the displays to be a little more thought out when paying for a premium detector.
Update: I bought the escort redline. The display is great and the range is the best out there.
Customer Review: A real problem
Summary: 1 Stars
Bought this unit & $90 worth of extras. Used it during the 60 day test ride period. Probably one of the poorest performers of all detectors that I've ever owned.
This unit would not pick up the "initial approaching radar signal" of a permanently erected speed camera. In fact, it would alert only when you were parallel to the "strike" area for the speed camera!!
However, after several days, the unit wouldn't even sound off when you were parallel or in front of the full strength emitted radar signal!!!
How poor is that? I then tested my Beltronics RX65 which was built and bought before Escort purchased Beltronics. It warned of the speed setup 25-30 feet before the trap & it constantly sounded off parallel to and past the trap.
The original Beltronis worked fine and the highly expensive Escort failed totally.
It's a slick looking unit with tons of bells & frills but it's way over priced for a unit the doesn't work as good as other detectors.
Watch out for any detector that fails like this one & test any detector that you get by driving past known speed camera areas to see how it really performs.
Customer Review: It's a toy not a detector
Summary: 1 Stars
So many bells and wistles, I have used a V1 for years, read the reviews and decided to "upgrade" to a passport with gps. First let me say I didn't realize radartest was basically provides a place for radar detector companies to pay for good review, so don't trust them. I found out the hard way.
I put my new 9500ix in my car an assumed it was as good, well I commute on in an area of lot's of camera speed traps, it caught only a few. It was very quiet though, actually to quiet, I got popped in an area where I can only assume it was hiding the cop thinking it was something else.
I asked him if he was instant on, he said no. So I went back a few day's later to a known speed trap and sure enough the V1 picked it up nearly a mile before my new detector. This was an older one also. So Ebay'ed it away and sent the v1 in for an upgrade. Fore something like $180 bucks I got a band new detector, new case, new charger, new everything. I have had that V1 for 8 or 10 years, see passport do that, last I checked they give you a 50-80 dollar rebate, what a JOKE!!!
Tickets are serious, get a serious detector get a V1!
Customer Review: Great detector, Price games.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is clearly the best radar detector on the market. I am very dissapoined in Amazon however. They show it priced at 499.95 as though it's a great deal with a price cut of about $50. This is nonesense as both Amazon and virtually every other retail and online store has been selling the 9500IX for this 499.95 price since it's introduction. I even saw Amazon selling this for around 440 at one point. The 549 price shown as original is the typical marketing ploy that makes the assumption that the customer has never looked anywhere else for this item and beleives it to be a great deal. Noone spends this much on a radar detector without having done some shopping comparisions. The typcial mark it up and cut it down to make the customer think they are getting a deal. This is sad considering I have gotten some great deals on Amazon for years and they have very good customer service and return policies in general. That is why I'm particularly dissapointed in Amazons trickery here. Other escorts on here have had some really good deals like the escort passport solo 2. Should be able to get it on here most of the time for around 279. Shop carefully.