Cobra XRS-9985 Radar Detectors

 

 

 

Cobra Radar Detectors are known as the budget-priced Radar Detector Company. Their products have received mixed reviews over the years, with some of their offerings having obviously fallen victim to the beancounter’s axe. Though a good-looking and functional item, the Cobra XRS-9985 seems no exception.

Utilizing the all the same technology as prior models ( Superheterodyne technology for increased range, SmartMute for fewer false alarms, Strobe Alert for picking up emergency vehicles, and Cobra’s own Safety Alert), the 9985 varies from the 9960 in little else than appearance. Its radar detection ability runs the gamut from K/Ka/Superwide K/Ku/VG-2/X and Spectre (obsolete in most areas.) Laser band picks up LTI 20-20, Ultra-lite, Pro-laser and Prolaser II in POP mode.

 

Think of it as new headlights on an old truck. A good truck, but an old one. It would seem as if the main difference between this model and those previous with the standard BrightGraphics LCD display is the 9985 screen’s propensity for going dim or dying completely over time.

Of some comfort is the fact that if purchased new, the ’85 can be returned under warranty within 6 months for a replacement. On the plus side, fewer than 20% of all reviews included this gripe, and that the vast majority were very satisfied with the 9985 more than a year after purchase.

One wonders about the impact that Cobra’s ‘economy-based’ production may have had on the finished product. There is very little consensus about the 9985’s quality or performance, with some testers stating theirs has been consistently effective to more than 2 miles, and just as many others 2000 feet.

The 9985 would seem to be like a handful of wet bullets; the ones that work, work great and the ones that don’t are as likely to backfire as not.