Reversing Cameras

Empor

I was driving a hire car recently with a built in reversing camera. It worked really well and I want one for my Focus.

Maplins sell one but it's got mixed reviews. I'm wondering if anyone has fitted an aftermarket camera and if they could share their experience.

Fat_Walt

Where does the camera go and does it look as !!!! as aftermarket sensors?

daveyjp

curlywurlytalktalk wrote: »

Aftermarket reversing cameras are crap. Plus where would the screen be mounted?

Many are excellent, they can be live 100% of the time and the screen can replace the rear view mirror.

They are now fitted to camper vans and motorhomes.

knightstyle

We had a reversing camera and sat nav built in on our Juke and it was great. So when we bought our current Cmax which doesn't have either I bought a Garmin sat nav and a Garmin reversing camera, very easy to fit, it just needed connecting to the reversing lights and when they are on it sends a signal to the sat nav which shows the rear view.
Got the sat nav from Halfords and the camera 2nd hand on Ebay.

angrycrow

Can not recommend any form of reversing camera. Mst of the people I deal with who have reversed into pedestrians tell me they did not see anything in their reverse camera screen or their parking sensors did not go off.

No substitute for actual human eyeballs checking all around throughout the manoeuvre.

Biggles

Fat_Walt wrote: »

Where does the camera go and does it look as !!!! as aftermarket sensors?

I had aftermarket sensors fitted and you can't tell them from original equipment. Might depend who does them.

takman

I fitted a reversing camera to my car and I put it above the number plate in the top of the number plate recess so you can hardly see that it is their. The big benefit to it is that you can see the tow bar so I can line up perfectly when using a caravan or trailer without anyone guiding me.

I connected it to a double din OEM look touch screen stereo. So the entire setup looks like it came with the car and is very useful for hooking up to trailers. Like others have said it's no substitute for good observation skills but when you properly it does give you a perspective that you didn't have before.

agrinnall

I had a manufacturer fitted one on my previous Fiesta (it came as standard on the Centura model). Nice gimmick but ultimately of little use. I wouldn't bother again, although maybe of use on something like a Range Rover to see what you might be about to hit off road.

Car_54

angrycrow wrote: »

Can not recommend any form of reversing camera. Mst of the people I deal with who have reversed into pedestrians tell me they did not see anything in their reverse camera screen or their parking sensors did not go off.

No substitute for actual human eyeballs checking all around throughout the manoeuvre.

Nothing wrong with reversing cameras, as long as you treat them simply as glorified mirrors. The problem with mirrors is that there is no peripheral vision.

If you actually turn round and look (as per the Highway Code) you will see much more than in the mirrors, including the pedestrians about to walk into your path.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Depends on the car, 28ft motorhome with solid rear - essential especially as I had no co-pilot.

A Fiesta I'd be questioning the sort of manoeuvre that they helped - I found it quite difficult to judge distance on the screen, except to be able to tell when there was a wall or a post about to be hit, and was surprised when I went to look (e.g. in a camp ground) how far things were away. On a Honda Accord estate if a few years ago I thought the tracking was quite useful where it gave you the hint as to whether the car would hit anything by lines on the screen. I used that on a C Class Merc and it was interesting in a car park but ultimately it was a distraction from looking all around.

On a car, I've found of more use is a dipping wing mirror where on selecting reverse it dips down to show the kerb.

1postie

angrycrow wrote: »

Can not recommend any form of reversing camera. Mst of the people I deal with who have reversed into pedestrians tell me they did not see anything in their reverse camera screen or their parking sensors did not go off.

No substitute for actual human eyeballs checking all around throughout the manoeuvre.

Not that easy in a van though, they do give you a better view but like anything dont be 100% dependent