Dash Cam Suggestions, Please

nomad297 · 05-12-2019, 07:26 AM

I am sure there are many here who use a dash cam, and I am looking for one right now, but there are so many to pick from with a huge difference in price and capabilities, I just don’t know what to buy.

I need one mainly for my work truck, which I drive about 70 miles per day in congested traffic in the Washington, DC area. Within the last five weeks, I have demolished one Honda and two Subarus with my 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 — each incident was the same — the other drivers came from the left to cut across in front of me. I crushed in the passenger sides of each of these cars with my front bumper, which hardly suffered any damage. The last incident put a crease in the bumper, so I will probably get it fixed now.

With the fist incident, I was lucky, because there was a cop right there who saw what happened and gave the other driver a ticket with three different violations, so there was no problem with insurance deciding who was at fault. The last two incidents were my word versus the other driver’s word, so their insurance denied responsibility and my insurance took my side. Even though I had a passenger each time, it didn’t matter, because they consider a passenger to be biased and they don’t care what they have to say. This results in me having to pay my deductible and the other driver having to pay theirs. This really sucks!

In the jurisdictions where I drive, the police will not respond to accidents unless there is an injury, or if a vehicle is not drivable enough to get out of traffic, and if you don’t get out of the way, they will come and give you a ticket for impeding traffic. All you can do is take as many pictures as possible before the police get there, then get out of the way. However, even with great pictures proving who is at fault, the other driver’s insurance will deny responsibility. I think that a dash cam video would be much harder to refute.

I avoid several accidents every week and never really felt the need to have a dash cam, but the last few weeks have really made me change my mind about that.

Bruce

Moonrider · 05-12-2019, 05:32 PM

While I'm green as can be to towing and RV's, I've had a bit of experience with rideshare driving. To Safely drive rideshare, a dual dash cam (one that records to rear inside the cabin - including what's happening behind your vehicle, and to the front) and outside is essential equipment.

I highly recommend the Vantrue n2 Pro with the optional GPS mount. It has a lot of configuration flexibility, and adding the GPS mount adds location and speed info to the video time stamp. Which makes it perfect for the situations you describe.

It can also be configured as a motion sensitive surveillance cam for when you're not driving.

gastan · 05-13-2019, 09:50 AM

Whichever camera you decide on, I would strongly suggest a full HD (1080p or higher) one - for the sharpness and detail. Also important, I think, is the low light capabilities. Here are a couple of web pages that might help.

https://www.techradar.com/news/best-dash-cam

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-ch...view-5781.html

CincyGus · 05-13-2019, 01:21 PM

I got this one as a retirement gift from my employer. It's been solid and is easy to use, small but clear video and does well at night as well as daytime. Accepts a memory card which will loop over old footage, allow you to snap a picture and saves it automatically and is easy to upload footage to a computer or through the app.

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Bundle...gateway&sr=8-5

gastan · 05-13-2019, 01:42 PM

Garmin takes the #1 spot on just about every "best of" list I have seen. Kinda spendy, though.

CincyGus · 05-14-2019, 03:46 AM

They are "spendy". I likely would not have invested that much in one had I been purchasing.

I will say they also have a great service department. After about 4 months, mine quit turning on "automagically" when I started the truck. In fact it quit turning on at all. I called Garmin, explained it had been working fine but just quit and they gave me a RMA number and asked me to send just the camera back. Within 10 days of me shipping the old one, a new complete one came back, brand new with the film still on the screens (not a refurbished) along with all the wiring and mount just as the first one did.

So now I have a 12v adapter and mount in both vehicles in case I want to move it between them and a new camera that has been working flawlessly. Very happy camper.

nomad297 · 05-14-2019, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gastan

Garmin takes the #1 spot on just about every "best of" list I have seen. Kinda spendy, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CincyGus

They are "spendy". I likely would not have invested that much in one had I been purchasing.

I will say they also have a great service department. After about 4 months, mine quit turning on "automagically" when I started the truck. In fact it quit turning on at all. I called Garmin, explained it had been working fine but just quit and they gave me a RMA number and asked me to send just the camera back. Within 10 days of me shipping the old one, a new complete one came back, brand new with the film still on the screens (not a refurbished) along with all the wiring and mount just as the first one did.

So now I have a 12v adapter and mount in both vehicles in case I want to move it between them and a new camera that has been working flawlessly. Very happy camper.

I have always liked and trusted Garmin. I have looked at them and they are, indeed, on the expensive end of the spectrum. I don’t mind paying for it if it is worth the cost.

Which Garmin unit should I be considering?

Bruce

marinerjoe · 05-14-2019, 08:11 AM

I have a Thinkware F800 Pro with rear camera on my F150, and an F800 on my VW EOS. Great camera systems.

rsdata · 05-14-2019, 12:53 PM

I have two, and I would recommend both. My main expensive cam front view has 170 degree vision so covers both sides not just straight ahead and is better than HD which gives great detail... along with a 64GIG memory card I can record over 16 hours of driving time before it overwrites the oldest file. I know it says it only handles 32 GIG, but mine works with 64 GIG also.

The second cam is in my rear window. It is not as capable but I paid less than $20. Both have been operational for over a year... as I got hit Dec 2017 and did NOT have one and had a hell of a time getting the other insurance to pay without coming up with a dash cam video from a witness that I talked to the night of the accident.

Both ordered from a Chinese outfit BANGGOOD.COM that I have bought from for the last 3 years without a problem.

pictures below

JP Camper · 05-14-2019, 01:32 PM

I just purchased two Rove R2-4K dash cams from Amazon. $100. First time use this past weekend and it captured the entire 6+ hrs trip. Very high quality video. I’m sold.

Delco Bobby · 05-14-2019, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

I have two, and I would recommend both. My main expensive cam front view has 170 degree vision so covers both sides not just straight ahead and is better than HD which gives great detail... along with a 64GIG memory card I can record over 16 hours of driving time before it overwrites the oldest file. I know it says it only handles 32 GIG, but mine works with 64 GIG also.

The second cam is in my rear window. It is not as capable but I paid less than $20. Both have been operational for over a year... as I got hit Dec 2017 and did NOT have one and had a hell of a time getting the other insurance to pay without coming up with a dash cam video from a witness that I talked to the night of the accident.

Both ordered from a Chinese outfit BANGGOOD.COM that I have bought from for the last 3 years without a problem.

pictures below

I have the one in the top photo purchased from the same company. It takes good clear video but it too quirky for my fat slow fingers. I have a hard time using it correctly.

My neighbor gave me another that was left in a trade in. Same problem, not easy to use.

It is mounted on my windshield but rarely turned on.

Conclusion: for me it has to be really simple to use or it is useless.

I have a go pro knockoff that is simple and easy to use.

Who can suggest dash cams that you don’t have to constantly refer to the directions? And the directions are written by a native English speaker.

AdamKam · 05-14-2019, 02:56 PM

Look at the 70mai pro with GPS.

spierce617 · 05-14-2019, 03:16 PM

I have been using this one for over two years now. This is great in low light (at night) you can see the color of the signal lights as as you come up to them and go through them. The colors are great during the day and it has 160 degree view. That is about 5 lanes of traffic wide. When I bought mine it came with a mount for the windshield and I have it mounted behind the rear view mirror on the passenger side and do not see it while driving. It does not have the gps or speed option if you are looking for that. Check it out you can not go wrong with this camera.
https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Vi...gateway&sr=8-2

Philkaty · 05-14-2019, 03:19 PM

I have been looking for one on Ali express. Much cheaper, just takes some time to get here.

rsdata · 05-14-2019, 03:45 PM

Delco Bobby

Quote:

I have the one in the top photo purchased from the same company. It takes good clear video but it too quirky for my fat slow fingers. I have a hard time using it correctly.

What is to use?

It turns on when it powers up when the key is in the ignition and turns off when the key is off.

If I need to look at a video, then I pull the small SD micro card and put it in my computer and look at the 5 minute video clips. All I do is look for the appropriate time stamp. Other than that it is automatic, after it is setup for what you want. Nothing much to do then that... no it is not a GoPro or even a knockoff GoPro, but it is pretty simple. I just hope I never need to use it.

The front camera works the same way. The secret is the use of a removeable SD card.

RangeMaggotBob · 05-14-2019, 05:02 PM

I've got the one they sell on TV for around twenty bucks. Sorry- can't remember the name. But we've had it for about a year, and works just fine.

Delco Bobby · 05-14-2019, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

Delco Bobby

What is to use?

It turns on when it powers up when the key is in the ignition and turns off when the key is off.

If I need to look at a video, then I pull the small SD micro card and put it in my computer and look at the 5 minute video clips. All I do is look for the appropriate time stamp. Other than that it is automatic, after it is setup for what you want. Nothing much to do then that... no it is not a GoPro or even a knockoff GoPro, but it is pretty simple. I just hope I never need to use it.

The front camera works the same way. The secret is the use of a removeable SD card.

A friend has one and is happy just like you.

Maybe mine is defective?

W5CI · 05-14-2019, 05:57 PM

Buying a dash cam isn't the issue for me, it is getting on that downloading nd viewing the video is. I have two Garmins and they produce great video but they are next to impossible for me to view the video. with Garmin's you must use their Dash Cam player to view it I would love to be able to just put the memory card into my computer and view it but not with the Garmin's

dahagen · 05-14-2019, 06:31 PM

i have a $16 cheapie from Amazon. It works great except it is lo res.

Vince and Charlette · 05-14-2019, 07:10 PM

You might be wasting your money. I was ready to plunk down some good money when I learned that, in some states, they are not admissible as evidence since they are so easily edited. So, first check the law in your state to see if you can use it to prove who is right or wrong in an accident. But, if you just enjoy pictures looking out the front window....

You may also like: