Motoring Discussion > Dashcam - question and recommendations? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: smokie Replies: 19

 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - smokie
New car is now imminent and I am stuck for things for my Christmas list.

Is a dashcam actually very useful or would it be a bit of a 5 minute wonder for me?

I feel it isn't useful till it is, if you know what I mean, but has anyone any recommendations for a reasonably priced one? If it did the rear too that'd be good (at the right price).
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Falkirk Bairn
I have nextbase - basic camera and it was a present @ Xmas a good few years back.

A son buys Orskey - on Amazon under £50 - bought one 6/8 months ago and bought another just last week - the original buy, I forget the name, packed in after 4 years - it was a cheapie as well.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - smokie
Thanks, I as just looking at the Nextbase thinking that might a be a tad too much on something I won't use a lot.

But that Orskey looks good, front and rear view for under £50! Maybe have a look on Black Friday and see how much cheaper it is!


EDIT: Oops not front and rear but front is under £50.

RE-EDIT: there is an Orskey front and rear for under £50.
Last edited by: smokie on Thu 11 Nov 21 at 11:34
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Robbie34
The important thing about a dash cam is the quality of the image - both day and night. No use having a dash cam if you are unable to read the number plate of a vehicle if you have a mishap.

I have a Nextbase, as recommended by Which?, and the image quality is superb.
Last edited by: Robbie34 on Thu 11 Nov 21 at 11:38
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Dog
I put an Apeman on the Scoob over a year ago, works well. I format the card when I can remember.

It came wivva rear cam, but I don't use it. Bought it on Amazon for about 50 notes.

It's always recording when the ignition is switched on, but I disconnect it when the car goes in for a service.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - No FM2R
>>Is a dashcam actually very useful or would it be a bit of a 5 minute wonder for me?

What do you want it for? How many times in the last 5 or 10 years would it have been a useful thing if you'd have one?

I don't see that there's much downside to having one, but I think the usual upside is minimal.

>>I feel it isn't useful till it is

Indeed. Come the day you really need one.....

So if you can wire it in so that it doesn't either get in the way or look crap, or have wires draped everywhere, and you don't mind the 50 quid, why not?
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Zero
Absolutely no use at all, Till you need it. And you wish you had one.

Dash cams are very much you get what you pay for. Nextbase are the best by some considerable margin.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - smokie
Now I see I can get quite a decent one at £50ish I am inclined to go for it. It'd def need wiring in so maybe £30 or so for someone to do that, if I feel it's beyond me. The £50 part will be a pressie to me anyway :-)

Me not doing much motoring thee days means it's unlikely to ever really be of any use but over the past few years I've managed to avoid a couple of incidents which would have looked quite good on film, if nothing else :-)

Point taken re quality of image, thanks. I'd quite like the rear one too if I'm going to the trouble of the whole thing. It's not as though I'm likely to change the car any time soon, once I've got it.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Zero
>> Now I see I can get quite a decent one at £50ish I am inclined
>> to go for it. It'd def need wiring in so maybe £30 or so for
>> someone to do that, if I feel it's beyond me.

It wont be beyond you, Piece of cake. Use fuse taps.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - VxFan
>> It wont be beyond you, Piece of cake. Use fuse taps.

Or an OBD adapter.

eg

www.amazon.co.uk/REARMASTER-Universal-Camera-Surveillance-mini-usb/dp/B06XS33J2N

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265236500970?hash=item3dc153d1ea:g:~QcAAOSw0SdgNM8T

Some of these have voltage detectors that automatically switch off when the car battery voltage drops below a certain voltage to stop draining the battery.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Zero
Very reluctant to power anything from the ODB port. Potential for an expensive mishap.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - smokie
It's as much hiding the wiring behind the roof trim as anything - not done anything like that before but I'm sure YouTube will guide me.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Zero
Under the door cill trim/carpet edge is easiest. If that cheap chinese tat of yours has carpets....
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - smokie
:-) it's more the top end around the roof lining I'm thinking about
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - zippy
My car has a channel at the front edge of the roof trim to hide wires in.

I was surprised when Halfords had boot trim and rubber seals off to fit my dashcams (there was a silly deal for a separate front and rear cam, card, pouch and fitting for £85) a while back. I just checked and it's no longer on and the product is no longer listed - so run out parts perhaps.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - PeterS
I’m surprised that as so many cars have built in camera technology nowadays for all the driver assistance aids etc that more manufacturers don’t offer dash-cam functionality as an option. Tesla include it, as standard I think, and you can pay for it in some BMWs I think but that’s about it as far as I’m aware
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - Zero
Most of the camera technology fitted to cars is not optically, or rendered usefully for humans. Computers dont work best on our optical scale.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - sooty123
>> I’m surprised that as so many cars have built in camera technology nowadays for all
>> the driver assistance aids etc that more manufacturers don’t offer dash-cam functionality as an option.
>> Tesla include it, as standard I think, and you can pay for it in some
>> BMWs I think but that’s about it as far as I’m aware
>>

Perhaps it's a bit like Sat-navs the integrated version can cost in the high hundreds if not more, many people seems happy enough an aftermarket one or their phones stuck to the windscreen. Perhaps they think there's little demand.
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - BiggerBadderDave
Wifey bought one a couple of Christmases ago and fitted it herself. I've no idea what brand, but the image is good.

My girlie has just set off on her first long trip since getting her licence 8 months ago. 100 miles to see granny and 50% on a motorway. She doesn't want to take her little Micra, she wants to use the Lexus which has the dashcam. I told her if she does anything stupid, careless or reckless, it's all on camera. It's a kind of substitute parental dashcam. Not that teenagers ever do what they're told...
 Dashcam - question and recommendations? - James T
I seem to recall a citroen with a camera as standard.
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