dashcams 101

[ik9000]

Ok so someone I know just got a write-off by a very unrepentent bolshy tool of a reckless driver that would be an open-shut case if they'd just had a dash cam fitted. Which brings back onto my to-do list getting one myself. Please can anyone in the know give me pointers on:

The process - DIY or garage?
How do you wire it in? Presume it needs some proper cabling running and a mount that doesn't distract the driver?
Will it count as a "modification" for insurance purposes?
Is is worth going front and rear, or just front only?
Is it something that thieves target? Should I therefore go for something removable?
Are there any features/specs that I should ensure I get (or any to avoid?)
Then the obvious question of any recommendations?

[Spreadie]

Mine sits behind (in front?) the rear view mirror, with the cable tucked behind the headlining and the trim. The hardwire kit for mine was extra, but it includes a battery for motion sensing while parked, so it doesn't drain the car battery - they only need fixing to an earth point and have a piggyback fuse connector, so you can tie it in to the mains. You don't need a garage to fit it.

A lot of cams can be unclipped from the mount. I leave it active when parked at work but remove it when it at home on the drive - mainly because passing cars would trigger the motion sensor and I'd get an extra thirty 10 second clips every night.

Mine supports 1080p front and rear, or 1440p front only. I suppose it depends on what kind of rear window visibility your mount position offers.

Some insurance firms look favourably on dash cams, so it might help your premium.

There are quite a few decent value options out there, but I had an amazon voucher to spend so I went for the Vantrue N2 Pro, because it meant it was less than £100. Very happy with it so far.

[Jonj1611]

I have a Nextbase 422GW

I hard wired mine in, easy to do, cable goes in headliner and fit into a piller and down to the fuse box, which for me was under the passenger glove box

You can get money off insurance sometimes with a dashcam fitted but not always

Lots of people get hit from behind, I have front only but I would go front and rear for full protection

You can remove the nextbase with a magnetic mount, however it has a park feature which records any knocks to the car when stationary. I guess you could argue the case for anything left in your vehicle, I leave mine in

Not really anything to avoid, there maybe some features you wont ever use, Alexa for example, what were they thinking!

Anything nextbase will do you well

[BobF64]

How do you wire it in? Presume it needs some proper cabling running and a mount that doesn't distract the driver?

Usually the best way, that way it turns on and off with the ignition. Some makers sell hard wiring kits, or you can just pick up a generic 5v USB kit. Without hard wiring, you would likely need to run a cable around much of the same route, just to the cigarette/accessory lighter socket.

Have to watch out where you place it too, there are legal requirements on where it can not be on the windscreen.

This is one of my issues. All the "highly recommended" dash cams have the lens in the middle or the left, as it looks out the car, and theres a huge plastic rain sensor array behind the rear view mirror, not to mention the wipers dont clear all of the area where a cam could look out.

Will it count as a "modification" for insurance purposes?

Maybe. Insurers consider all sorts of things modifications that you need to notify, things you wouldn't think of like stickers or non-default but factory fitted options.

[circuitmonkey]

I have a few:
Roav DashCam S1 (with GPS)
Roav DashCam C1
Yi Dashcam

Can recommend them all for quality and reliability.

The Yi has already paid for itself after a lorry scrapped the wifes car.

All installed by myself, not hardwired, just via usb adapters into the 12v plug
All installed behind the rear view mirror with the cable tucked into the headliner and into the A pillar trim.
It should be mounted out of the drivers field of view
Don't think it counts as a modification, worth telling your insurance company, I've heard some companies offer discounts if you have one installed

I only went for front facing cameras as my understanding is the default position of the insurance company is that if anything happens to you from the rear, it won't be seen as your fault. As such if something happened in the front I wanted to be able to prove it wasn't my fault.
I doubt thieves will target them, dashcams seem to be everywhere these days

As for features; high resolution, high frame rate is recommended. Check for reviews on youtube as night recording can be the deciding factor. Look for the TechMoan channel, his reviews are pretty good.
The GPS feature could be a double edged sword if you're speeding so worth bearing in mind.

[Kovoet]

Trust me it is easy to do. Got mine in my Focus in about 20min hot wired in. Problem comes with the likes of Mercedes and so forth. I put one in a Merc for someone but took the live from the cigarette lighter as most Mercs and BMW's you have to wire it from the boot. Audi's are the easiest to do as the fuse box is on the side of the dashboard.
I use the nextbase 522GW

[ik9000]

it's a skoda if that makes any difference.

[samuraiweasel]

I put in a Yi dashcam about 2 years ago, just in case, going to add in a hardwire kit to the fusebox instead of unplugging my cigarette plug every time I get out of the car.

Quality of the video is good even at night.

Don't know if I would recommend one at the current price though (60 odd) but when I got it off Amazon it was 35 and well worth it.

[IAmATeaf]

I’ve got a Viofo A119v3, got it in the last Amazon black day when it was reduced down to £59.99, wish I had bought another for the wife’s car now to be honest.

I’ve just got it mounted behind the mirror on the passenger side as high up as I can. I’ve then run the wiring into the headlining, then tucked down into the the A pillar, under the glovebox to a cigar socket there.

There is a hardwire kit available for it but my original idea was to run it as above for a while to test and then later get the kit but I’ve never bothered.

[Kovoet]

it's a skoda if that makes any difference.

Honestly Skoda is easy to do. If you can build a PC this will be very easy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUIHTMkl7M0

If you get stuck send me a PM