Possible to add parking sensor/camera to a car

l.c.elliott

I'm buying a new car (used). It's a kia rio and its 3 years old. To keep costs down, I've found one that ticks all my boxes, but unfortunately, it's got an old fashioned 3.8 monochrome audio display like the picture attached. I saw 'unfortunately' because I rely on a reversing camera to parallel park which I had in my most recent car (I had to get rid of it due to a fault which meant it was cheaper to part exchange rather than fix). I have tried for years to park without any driving aids but I've never been able to. For some reason I have no distance perception so I never know how far away I actually am from other cars when parking.

My question is, if I bought the car I've seen with the 3.8 monochrome audio display, is there any possibility of fitting a digital display after purchase alongside a reversing camera eg going to a kia dealership or halfords or similar?

If this will be tricky/too expensive, I'm happy to consider just parking sensors that provide beeps when I'm near obstacles. Is fitting sensors that would emit audible beeps realistic?

knightstyle

In our 2013 Cmax I fitted a Garmin sat nav with the reversing camera attachment.  Easy to install, just fit the sat nav to the screen or dash then fit a small camera on the back connected to the reversing light. It is wireless connection to the sat nav and comes on every time we reverse.
I got it second hand on Ebay.

l.c.elliott

knightstyle said:

In our 2013 Cmax I fitted a Garmin sat nav with the reversing camera attachment.  Easy to install, just fit the sat nav to the screen or dash then fit a small camera on the back connected to the reversing light. It is wireless connection to the sat nav and comes on every time we reverse.
I got it second hand on Ebay.

Did you have to remove the 3.8 monochrome audio display first or does it just somehow attach to the display/on top of it? Did it affect your insurance? Just I know that insurers ask the question 'have any modifications been made to your car' etc

cw8825

Yes it would be a modification wether it increase the price. Only they could say

facade

You can fit beep-beep-beep reverse sensors to pretty much any car. They are a pain to fit yourself (although not difficult), and would cost a small fortune to get fitted properly at a garage. here is the first one I saw on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374319230848  They are as reliable as you'd expect something that costs under £12 to be!

You can likely swap the radio for the Kia one that supports a reversing camera (you might have to get it decoded to work in your car) or a Chinese all singing all dancing head unit (get one with Carplay/Android Auto as well), and then fit a reversing camera but that will cost a fortune.

You can even buy reversing cameras that connect wirelessly to a screen that you mount on the dashboard, that are slightly less trouble to fit as you don't have to thread wires from front to back.

A quick search on eBay finds this (it needs a cable from front to back but for the price...) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256698969582  if it actually works it will be brilliant, run Waze on your 'phone for navigation and get a rear view screen, still a faff to fit mind, and I wouldn't pay someone to fit a £30 unit, you will likely be changing it every couple of months.

However, unless you get the genuine one for the car it wont have those lines on to guide you it will just be a low down view out the back.

Frankly, as car_54 is suggesting, it is far better to buy a car that has a reverse camera built in if you want/need one. Probably cheaper too as usually the difference in trim levels doesn't attract that much of a premium.

I wouldn't even consider a car without a reversing camera, and a low down forwards camera is high up on my list too now!

born_again

You can add 3rd party screens & camera's Have a look on Amazon or such, if you can fit yourself. Or ask a local car audio shop the cost to supply & fit.

Other option is to look for a higher Spec Rio which should have the features you require. 

Merlin139

https://choosemycar.com/vehicle/1716521223

This RIO would fit the bill for you.

2015 CRDi 3

victor2

On my second car with a reversing camera now and it's right at the top of my requirements list. I once left some polish smeared over the camera lens and didn't realise until I reversed - it was like looking through thick fog. For a moment I didn't know how to reverse without a camera!

So many cars have them now, it isn't difficult to find one with a camera and/or sensors fitted as standard.

Frozen_up_north

One of our cars has after market reversing sensors, fitted to the car when new by the dealership… they are useless, they “beep” most of the time when reversing and are no guidance as to how close you are.
The other car came with “all round” sensors and a dual view reversing camera (wide angle without distance markers and narrower angle with distance markers around 1 foot between them).

I doubt that “after market” cameras and ultrasonic sensors are worth adding if you can find a suitable car which has them factory fitted.

Car_54

l.c.elliott said:

Car_54 said:

l.c.elliott said:

I'm buying a new car (used). It's a kia rio and its 3 years old. To keep costs down, I've found one that ticks all my boxes, 

Clearly not ...

No need to be rude...

I meant ticked all my other boxes in terms of year of registration, mileage etc.

If you have nothing constructive to comment, just scroll and move on.

What a useless waste of space comment.

OK, to be constructive I had a camera retrofitted a couple of years ago by Autologics (autologics.co.uk). They may be able to help - worth a call.

knightstyle

Further to my earlier reply here is my Garmin sat nav and its reversing camera, also a dash cam fixed to the dash.