Dashcam for new car

[Migwire]

Take delivery of a quantum grey BE 40 TFSI saloon on Friday and now adamant I want a dashcam.

In November, the wife hit a deer in her Fiesta Vignale and smashed the front end. It was in the garage door 3 weeks. We got it back on a Saturday and on Monday I thought I would take it to work for a drive. A woman in the wrong lane tried to carry on around the outside lane as I went to exit and struck me. As we'd only just got the car back I hadn't put the dashcam back in. After apologising and admitting she was at fault at the scene, she miraculously changed her tone when she called the insurers and said I cut her up. My word against hers and the insurers have settled 50/50 much to my annoyance.

So, anyone got any advice on dashcams? Read lots of previous posts.

The wife has a Nextbase 612. And while it's pretty good, it is prone to freezing and needing resetting.

Currently looking at the Viofo A129 Pro Duo and it has a lot going for it save for the clunky design.

Can anyone advise what kind of fuse tap you need for the A4?

 

[Fozzie1960]

I have a Thinkware F800 Pro front and rear and highly recommend it.

Lots of information on this site,

DashCamTalk

Welcome to DashCamTalk. The world's largest and most comprehensive dash cam site with over 60,000 members and over 1/2 million posts.

www.dashcamtalk.com

 

[ArrEssDrei]

I just fit my second DDPAI 5 dash cam. Superb picture quality, small footprint, brilliant installation kit that make hard wiring a snap and have build in low voltage protection. All for under £50 on Aliexpress. Only negatives it it is a little bit sensitive with it's flagging potholes as events, but that can be adjusted. Also no motion sensor for parking mode, but it does very good lime lapse or continuous recording for hours.

I have a Blackvue 750 before. and after the DDPai I could not justify a big brand name camera again.

 

[Jassyo06]

Thinkware Q800 Front and rear

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[NIKLDN]

Just installed a Nextbase 522GW including the Rear Window camera. Second best rated on which.co.uk. Refurbished ones available at Halfords which I’ve been told are just as reliable as the ‘fresh out of the box ones’

 

[Migwire]

Just installed a Nextbase 522GW including the Rear Window camera. Second best rated on which.co.uk. Refurbished ones available at Halfords which I’ve been told are just as reliable as the ‘fresh out of the box ones’

Yeah, looked at those. But they only offer 3 months warranty.

 

[SPIKE_]

Thinkware Q800 Front and rear

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Seen you got these for your new TTS. Out of interest, what made you go for them? I see Amazon are doing a good deal on them!

 

[NHN]

Q800 Pro F/R, 1st one had issues, but 2nd is behaving very well, the geolocation feature is nice, remote view with net connection of course, adas features, wifi could be better & the apps little ancient, however I like it & recommend to clients.

There are a few other thinkware apps that are more modern, but geared towards only specific model types which is annoying tbh as the q800 is fairly new.

 

[Migwire]

At the moment my thinking is the best resolution possible is better than paying more for inferior resolution.

I just fit my second DDPAI 5 dash cam. Superb picture quality, small footprint, brilliant installation kit that make hard wiring a snap and have build in low voltage protection. All for under £50 on Aliexpress. Only negatives it it is a little bit sensitive with it's flagging potholes as events, but that can be adjusted. Also no motion sensor for parking mode, but it does very good lime lapse or continuous recording for hours.

I have a Blackvue 750 before. and after the DDPai I could not justify a big brand name camera again.

When I looked at those on AliExpress I couldn't see any for £50.

 

[cuke2u]

Blackvue DR750S, works perfectly and doesn't look like a box attached to your screen. Have put a 128gb so card in it and no freezing...

 

[Migwire]

Blackvue DR750S, works perfectly and doesn't look like a box attached to your screen. Have put a 128gb so card in it and no freezing...

The Blackvue ones are really expensive I think. Newer 4K ones are out now so I find myself asking if I'd opt for 1080 resolution at a higher price when others offer 4k.

Obviously, they're not all equal and a bad 4k one is a worst investment than a good 1080.

 

[Vertigo1]

Watching this thread with interest as I'm interested in putting a dashcam in the new car when I get it but the installation is my issue.

Not really confident enough to start hardwiring it myself so probably looking at getting it done professionally but then concerned about finding someone good/reputable and potential warranty issues that may arise on what would be a lease car?

 

[Jassyo06]

Watching this thread with interest as I'm interested in putting a dashcam in the new car when I get it but the installation is my issue.

Not really confident enough to start hardwiring it myself so probably looking at getting it done professionally but then concerned about finding someone good/reputable and potential warranty issues that may arise on what would be a lease car?

@DjAlex recommended to me the Thinkware Q800 front and rear cams that was good enough for me so l got one as he is hundreds of miles away from myself On the dashcam box itself it gives you a phone number and the price of fitment £139 for the installation service of which l intend to use


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[8YARWY]

Don’t forget yer battery.

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[Jassyo06]

Don’t forget yer battery.

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I haven't mate do you have a link to the battery you've posted please

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[Fozzie1960]

Chameleon Codewing installed my F800 for £130. They are based in Colchester.

 

[ArrEssDrei]

At the moment my thinking is the best resolution possible is better than paying more for inferior resolution.

When I looked at those on AliExpress I couldn't see any for £50.

Sorry mate, I meant the DDPai 3 (not 5). They are on for £50 with the installation kit. Cannot recommend them enough. Not tried the 5 yet.

 

[ArrEssDrei]

Don’t forget yer battery.


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Where did you end up mounting that monster? Been thinking about a battery as well, but between the B&O under the seat, storage under the other and a very full glovebox, I'm to sure where to put one?

 

[8YARWY]

Where did you end up mounting that monster? Been thinking about a battery as well, but between the B&O under the seat, storage under the other and a very full glovebox, I'm to sure where to put one?

In the boot.


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[8YARWY]

I haven't mate do you have a link to the battery you've posted please

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@DJAlix mate. Drop him a PM


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[Migwire]

Got the Nextbase 622GW from Argos for £198.

Will see how it goes. First sign of freezing and I'm taking it back.

 

[monkeyhanger]

F770 thinkware, front and back. Been installed in 3 different cars without issue. The test of a dashcam is not all about resolution (1080p is fine), its how good the picture quality is in low light. If you can't read a number plate as dusk approaches, with a 20mph differential between you and them, you might as well not bother.

There's lots of £50 cheapies out there with no battery management for hard wire installations and poor low light performance.

 

[Vertigo1]

F770 thinkware, front and back. Been installed in 3 different cars without issue. The test of a dashcam is not all about resolution (1080p is fine), its how good the picture quality is in low light. If you can't read a number plate as dusk approaches, with a 20mph differential between you and them, you might as well not bother.

There's lots of £50 cheapies out there with no battery management for hard wire installations and poor low light performance.

Personally I'm less concerned about the price of the cam(s) and more about finding a good, reputable installer who'll do a good job and not screw the car up.

 

[Fozzie1960]

Personally I'm less concerned about the price of the cam(s) and more about finding a good, reputable installer who'll do a good job and not screw the car up.

I used Chameleon Codewing for my installation. They removed my Thinkware F800 Pro front and rear cams from my previous A4 and them installed in my new one for £170. They did a first job. They are based in Colchester so their location may not be ideal although they did travel to Kent for my installation. It might worth a call to them because some of the companies do partner with others.

 

[monkeyhanger]

Personally I'm less concerned about the price of the cam(s) and more about finding a good, reputable installer who'll do a good job and not screw the car up.

There's not a lot to screw up when you understand how the trim fits (YouTube is your friend!).

2 hour job for first timers, under 90 mins for subsequent jobs.

1. Pick a location for your front cam (somewhere you won't see it behind your view of the rear view mirror, unless you've got a back facing camera on the front unit).

2. Stick it on and tuck wiring into headlining and power wire goes down tge A pillar trim to passenger footwell fuse box, piggyback circuits onto a permanent live and switched live fuse + earth.

3. Feed rear cam wire along the headlining to rear screen and along bootlid hinges (Avant), or just to the screen (saloon). If you have an Avant you'll have to remove tailgate trim and disconnect auto boot closing switch and light to put the trim to one side while you route your rear dashcam wiring and tape up the slack before putting it all back together.

 

[Migwire]

Have to say I'm really not impressed with the Nextbase 622.

This is heralded as the best on the market by the likes of Techradar, but the picture quality is not what I expected.

The wife's 612 in 4k is ok. Though over about 40mph it struggles with number plates. On 1440p 60fps the number plates on hers are much clearer but mine isn't a patch on hers.

Thinking of returning it as faulty and maybe looking elsewhere.

The parking capabilities are pathetic also.

 

[Migwire]

Replaced the Nextbase with a Viofo A129 Pro.

Quality of the images is in a different league to the Nextbase and the parking capabilities are excellent.

It's able to catch number plates at 70mph. The Nextbase absolutely can't.

Can't help feel the Nextbase massively overrated.