Dash cams

[williamjblazkowicz]

Thinking about getting a dash cam (quite possibly front and rear). Has anyone got any recommendations? I don't have a particular budget and while I don't necessarily need an expensive model, I'd like something better than potato quality! Thanks

[FactualFrank]

My advice is to go on Amazon and look at the ratings. Don't go with anything that Amazon sponsors or says is best seller - read the reviews and read what people think.

Narrow it down to maybe 2 or 3 and if you can't decide, then ask for what friends think.

Mix that with common sense and you really can't go wrong.

[williamjblazkowicz]

My advice is to go on Amazon and look at the ratings. Don't go with anything that Amazon sponsors or says is best seller - read the reviews and read what people think.

Narrow it down to maybe 2 or 3 and if you can't decide, then ask for what friends think.

Mix that with common sense and you really can't go wrong.

Sound advice! Yes, I generally do a fair amount of research when buying products, particularly tech-related items. This forum is often an excellent resource in that respect. I drive at the speed limit and don't like to exceed it (baby on board!) and worry about how close some tailgaters have been getting recently. Hence the desire for a rear cam as well.

[Boss Hogg]

What is the benefit of these ?

[FactualFrank]

Sound advice! Yes, I generally do a fair amount of research when buying products, particularly tech-related items. This forum is often an excellent resource in that respect. I drive at the speed limit and don't like to exceed it (baby on board!) and worry about how close some tailgaters have been getting recently. Hence the desire for a rear cam as well.

Buy a rear bumper that displays "Slow the F***K down you absolute tosser", when a car is near. There's a hole in the market if you can't find one.

[Croydon Claret]

What is the benefit of these ?

If you have an accident then you have proof of what happened. Saves getting involved in a web of lies

[FactualFrank]

If you have an accident then you have proof of what happened. Saves getting involved in a web of lies

Also good for filming crimes that doesn't involve you. And I think it lowers your car insurance.

[Bosscat]

Thinking about getting a dash cam (quite possibly front and rear). Has anyone got any recommendations? I don't have a particular budget and while I don't necessarily need an expensive model, I'd like something better than potato quality! Thanks

Very sensible potato's are cheap ... they make great chips or Mash but but are sh*t as dash cams

[Belial]

Also good for filming crimes that doesn't involve you. And I think it lowers your car insurance.

Possibly true (I have thought about getting one in the past), however, presumably if you happen to be in an incident whilst going even 1mph over the limit, your own insurance and any third party would point the finger at you?

[FactualFrank]

Possibly true (I have thought about getting one in the past), however, presumably if you happen to be in an incident whilst going even 1mph over the limit, your own insurance and any third party would point the finger at you?

Then you turn it off ha

[Belial]

Then you turn it off ha

If you've already told your insurance company that you have one (and subsequently been discounted for it) I'm not sure that would wash!

[Venkys4eva]

Possibly true (I have thought about getting one in the past), however, presumably if you happen to be in an incident whilst going even 1mph over the limit, your own insurance and any third party would point the finger at you?

On mine you can turn off the function that records your speed. Be careful with amazon reviews, I was recently offered a free dashcam by an amazon seller if I would write a favourable review. A quick check and the dashcam in question has some of the best reviews ive read, I wonder why?

[Croydon Claret]

If you've already told your insurance company that you have one (and subsequently been discounted for it) I'm not sure that would wash!

I don't tell my insurance company that I have one. Not because of this but because the SD cards don't last forever and if I find I'm in an accident and can't submit any footage then I don't want the insurance company to use it as an excuse to wriggle out of a claim.

For the sake of the £10 or £20 discount a year I'd rather the ball be entirely in my court

[FactualFrank]

If you've already told your insurance company that you have one (and subsequently been discounted for it) I'm not sure that would wash!

I'd tell them the batteries don't last very long. Can you knock a fiver off.

[Belial]

I don't tell my insurance company that I have one. Not because of this but because the SD cards don't last forever and if I find I'm in an accident and need to submit some footage I don't want the insurance company to use it as an excuse to wriggle out of a claim.

For the sake of the £10 or £20 discount a year I'd rather the ball be entirely in my court

Absolutely...that would be the way I did it if I were to buy one, and for the same reason. Any excuse to wriggle out of it is common. At least then if there is an incident you have the choice of using any footage you have

[FactualFrank]

In all seriousness, I would have one. But if they are fixed, what's to stop low-lives breaking into your car and stealing it? Isn't it a "Come and rob me" sign for twunts?

[Leisure]

After nearly getting run into twice recently I've been looking into getting one. Halfords have a decent range and also offer fitting if you want it wired in rather than just plugging into the cigarette socket. Nextbase seem decent cameras.

[Billy Balfour]

After nearly getting run into twice recently I've been looking into getting one. Halfords have a decent range and also offer fitting if you want it wired in rather than just plugging into the cigarette socket. Nextbase seem decent cameras.

We have a Nextbase dashcam in my wife's car. It was bought and fitted at Halford.

[Leisure]

We have a Nextbase dashcam in my wife's car. It was bought and fitted at Halford.

Cheers. Which model is it? Was looking at the 222, front and rear. Did you get it hard-wired or just plugin?

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

...because the SD cards don't last forever...

Is this a problem with all SD cards?
I have damaged one in the past by taking it in and out too often. I now leave it in the camera and take the whole unit to the pc.

[Croydon Claret]

Is this a problem with all SD cards?
I have damaged one in the past by taking it in and out too often. I now leave it in the camera and take the whole unit to the pc.

I'm not an expert in this field so this is only from personal experience, but I've tried 3 different brands and they've all failed within 12 months. Maybe I'm just unlucky

I've tried SanDisk, Toshiba and Kingston.

You need to get into the habit of checking the footage every so often to make sure they're still working. The camera will usually tell you that there's a problem but if it's hidden on the other side of the rear view mirror you might not notice it

I do have 4 cameras in my car so I get through quite a few of them

[Billy Balfour]

Cheers. Which model is it? Was looking at the 222, front and rear. Did you get it hard-wired or just plugin?

It's a Nextbase 412GW. Had it for a couple of years. They did a neat job of the hard-wiring. It was fitted down the road at their Horse Town branch.

[Billy Balfour]

I do have 4 cameras in my car so I get through quite a few of them

My missus has been using the same SD card for a couple of years. You reformat them every couple of weeks or so, but you probably already know this.

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

My missus has been using the same SD card for a couple of years. You reformat them every couple of weeks or so, but you probably already know this.

Is there a reason for re-formatting? Mine just overwrites from full.

[Zlatan]

For all dashcam users I urge you to get smaller capacity SD cards, and to have a few ready to swap out.

The reason being is that you only really want to record the last few minutes of driving, as this will provide the evidence you need to demonstrate blame in the instance of an accident. I.e. if you're in an accident, swap it out immediately to preserve the footage on the card that was instaled at the time

What you dont want, is for the police to have 8 hours of you driving like a knob if you have been involved in an RTC, I have known police officers attend an incident where they have taken the dashcam as evidence (it was a serious RTC)

Of course if your driving is perfect you dont need to worry.

[Billy Balfour]

Is there a reason for re-formatting? Mine just overwrites from full.

It gets rid of any corrupted data and puts the file system back into tiptop condition.

[IanMcL]

If you have an accident then you have proof of what happened. Saves getting involved in a web of lies

What if it was your fault?

[Croydon Claret]

What if it was your fault?

Then you deny having one and spin your own yarns