I purchased two of these inexpensive radar detectors for my wife and kid's cars, mostly to keep them from getting tagged on a photo radar ticket for $80. The Cobra works pretty well with a couple of glaring problems. Mainly, the L or Laser alert falses all of the time and, seemingly, for no reason. The alarm will sound in strange places like parking lots, side streets, and alleys. I'm pretty sure there's no Laser-sighted radar being used in my alley. Each of the bands has a different sounding alarm, which is good, except they all sound like a something from a 1980's arcade game. I've compared the performance of the Cobra to my Escort Solo and the Cobra is definitely less sensitive. My Escort picked up a photo radar van from more than a half a mile away, while the Cobra was nearly in sight of the van. Still, the alarm was early enough to slow down before getting a ticket. Of course, the best thing about the Cobra is the price. It's an amazing value for a relatively sophisticated detector. If all you're looking for is a little extra help spotting the occassional speed trap, then the Cobra will get the job done, as long as you're aware of the limitations. Serious speeding should be left to the pricier Escorts, Valentines, and Beltronics.