Escort Passport 8500 X50

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $399.00 from Best Buy

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 x50

Summary:
This detector works well, when it works.
Started having "internal calibration" problems within the first 6 months. As soon as the warranty had expired it began having "servicing Required" messages. Returned to Escort and paid $60 for repair. After I got it back it worked 1 day and then failed with "Service Reqired". Will send it back for a second time.

Strengths:
When it works it has very good range for all bands

Weaknesses:
High failure rate

Similar Products Used:
Had a Bell once and threw it out the window after I got stopped and it didn't alert me.

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $200.00 from RadarReviews.Net

Year / Model Reviewed:
2008 8500 X50

Summary:
Got great information first about this radar detector from RadarReviews.Net

Excellent Radar Detector!

Strengths:
Price, Distance

Weaknesses:
Laser

Similar Products Used:
Valentine One

Price Paid:  $308.00 from Best Buy

Year / Model Reviewed:
 passport 8500 x50

Summary:
I live in Bend, Oregon and this product rarely works here. I've seen maybe fifty cops in the month I've owned the unit and it hasn't detected a visible car yet, I installed it in the correct position on the dash and have been using auto since the manual recommends it. I asked customer service at Escort and this was their reply-
It is impossible to explain everything our
customers encounter, but I think I understand your recent experience.
In their efforts to increase revenue and "trap" motorists with radar
detectors, the police use "instant on" more frequently than in the past.
With instant on, the officer leaves the gun in a stand-by mode and
there is nothing to pick up until the officer physically pulls the
trigger to clock the speed of the target vehicle. If you are the leader
of the pack or the only one on the road and they tag you with instant
on, there may be no advance warning at all.
With instant on, you are counting on them tagging someone ahead of you.
This is why detectors with the longest range are important. You may
hear the detector giving brief, weak bursts as an alert that might seem
to be a false signal. This is a perfect example of instant on being
used ahead of you, and should be a signal for caution.
All radar guns can be used with instant on, and laser is always used in
this mode.

Price Paid:  $143.00 from ebay/used

Year / Model Reviewed:
2004 8500

Summary:
Ive used the system for over a month and it's saved me NUMEROUS times, the best radar detector I've ever used. The expert mode is great as it shows 4 X bands, 2 KA, and 2 K. This is very helpful when driving through speed traps. The radar detector gives you more than enough time to react to whatever band and signal strength comes up on the radar. The price is very affordable considering how much speeding citations are, and the time you take to go to court and so forth. I paid $143 for a used on ebay and I would've paid5 times that much if necessary. I HIGHLY recomment this item.

Strengths:
Detects all bands
Very far detection
Affordable
Easy to wire

Weaknesses:
None for me.

Similar Products Used:
Valentine

Price Paid:  $540.00 from Mopac

Year / Model Reviewed:
2006 Escort Passport X-50

Summary:
After reading reviews about this and the Valentine being tied for #1, I decided to buy the X-50. Well, within the first hour of use: "Service Required" came on the display. Off to the repair center... When I got it back I went through laser radar (several times) and it did not go off. The laser alert finally went off one night when I was pulling into my garage!!! Back for repair. Again, when it was returned, no laser alerts, back for repair. Once returned, the laser detection worked!! for about 1/2 an hour. I went through the radar trap and it didn't go off. It is currently out for repair, again...

Strengths:
None

Weaknesses:
A lot of false alarms.
Extremely poor reliability.
Costly.
No laser detection.
Poor ka detection.

Similar Products Used:
Bel
Valentine