I'm guessing either a Cobra or Whistler? It is generally held that Cobras are junk, with some of the nicer Whistlers being somewhat decent.
Either way, you can get a lot of radar detector for 500 bones.
A couple things on your answer to #3.
-360 protection: Gimmick, usually by Cobra. Technically, the only radar detector to offer true "360 protection" would be the Valentine 1, with it's front and rear antenna. All other detectors have only a front antenna. Now this doesn't mean they won't detect if a LEO comes up from behind, since the radar will bounce off items ahead of you and get detected by this front antenna. It's just the dedicated rear antenna will probably detect it first.
Most encounters you'll see around here will be the LEO driving towards you, or them chillin' on the side, shooting oncoming cars (through their front or rear antennas).
-Radar detector detector (RDD) immunity is a bit unnecessary here in FL since they are not illegal (unless you're driving a big rig.) Now, I do see you drive over in VA (illegal to have RD) where they have up to the Spectre 4. Either way, the Redline and STi are both immune to that, as well as the 9500CI and STI-R, both of which are a lot more expensive and require in car installs.
Most other detectors (with the exception of some of the Whistlers) are detectable starting at around 500-900 feet, with some of the real cheap ones being detectable at thousands of feet.
-GPS. Do you want this to mute alerts based on speed? This is only possible with the 9500CI, the 9500i and 9500ix. The cool thing about this is that they also have a nice database with other things like red light cameras (which they do have for sure in downtown Orlando and Winter Springs). Do you have a stand alone GPS or phone with GPS where you could load Trapster? If you don't know what Trapster is, look it up...it's pretty cool. You'll probably have to set it to let you know only on the high priority stuff since a lot of people like to label traffic lights with traffic cameras as red light cameras, so it sometimes goes off nonstop.
There is, alternatively "add on" GPS items that mute your RD based on speed like the Cheetah and NavAlert.
-All of the "good" detectors are hardwireable. The newer (last ~4 years) Escort and Beltronics, as well as the V1, use a phone cord wire as the power wire. Depending on the model you get, it may or may not come with a hardwire kit. You can always get another, especially the "nicer" one, which comes with the mute button, so you don't have to reach up to mute.
-POP protection. POP was a mode offered only on MPH Industries guns. It is not a valid form of speed detection. Personally, I keep mine off, as it lessens false alerts from other detectors. Oh yea, just so you know, cheaper detectors like to "leak" radiation, which sometimes happens to fall in the Ka band. This is sometimes picked up by detectors (less so with the more expensive ones).
-Long range. For the longest time, the V1 was the king in range. Now, the Redline beats it in most bands. Either way, the range provided by any of the top detectors will be vastly superior to that offered by the Cobras and cheaper Whistlers, especially here in Florida. With my STI and X50, I've picked up constant on Ka from 3-4 miles away. Obviously, curves, large amounts of trees and traffic can affect range, though it should still prove to be plenty.
-Minimizing false alerts. I'm guess this is for in city driving? The problem with having long range is that it means they are also very sensitive. Yes, they have City modes which helps a little, but most of them will still be going off in the city. Pretty much the only way to reduce false alerts is with, say, a 9500ix which can vary the sensitivity of the detector based on your speed.
Either way, almost all your falses will be on the X and K band. As I said in my other post, you can pretty much turn off X band here in Florida, though remember to turn it back on when you cross into neighboring states, as they may still use it.
I know with the V1, you can program the rear antenna to completely "mute" K band for 30 seconds or and unlimited amount of time. If there is one thing I like about the V1, is that you can set up both the normal alert****and muted alert volume. The Escort and Beltronics detectors have an automute (if you so choose), where it alerts at your set volume for 3-4 seconds, then continues alerting a half volume. Sometimes I wish I could set the automute volume lower so I can moniter the alert, but not have it be obnoxious to my passengers.
I know you hadn't really considered the V1, but I figured I'd let you know a little about each of the high end detectors. Oh, almost forgot. With the V1, you'll have the best laser detector out of all of them. Now, as I said in my earlier post, with laser, they'll probably have your speed before you're able to scrub any real speed, but if you want to know you got hit, the V1 will let you know. Now, this is also a problem since it will also alert laser when you come across any vehicles with a laser assisted cruise control, or some vehicles with bright LED tail lights.
Sorry for another lengthy post
In the end, you'll have to weigh the features that you want, but none of the high end RDs will be a "bad choice". Out of the Redline and STi, I think the Redline has slightly more range on paper, though in real world, they're about the same.
I do know the Redline is now on Amazon for 394, shipped free if you have Prime, so that might sway your decision. I guess you could use the money saved to buy the hardwire kit, since it seems they only come with the 12V mute plug adapter. As I said, the 10 dollar one is the basic, power only kit, where as the 29 dollar one comes with a mute button and an alert LED (in red or blue, whichever you order).
The power cord with mute is long enough to have the detector sit above the mirror, run the cord down the driver A pillar, cross under the steering tape power under the center console. I put the mute "module" sticking out of the crevice where the console meets the dash, so the mute button was within easy reach.
