Dashcam - am I looking for the impossible?

[sausage]

For an R230
What do I want:
No more than £50.
No wires trailing over the interior without having to do complex dismantling of the dash.

Is this even possible?

 

[Wighty]

No sure on the price , but a lot of cars it’s easy to push the thin dashcam wire into the gap by the windscreen along the A pillar and the top edge of the screen .
My CLK was easy and that’s a convertible, so similar A post cover and screen top edge as yours

 

[Craiglxviii]

For an R230
What do I want:
No more than £50.
No wires trailing over the interior without having to do complex dismantling of the dash.

Is this even possible?

No

 

[sausage]

Thanks Craig.


Is it possible for more ££? I saw an advert for "no wires" but when I looked into it, the kit came with wires. That is what started my thinking that I might get a dashcam.

 

[AnthonyUK]

It is possible but the video quality will be so bad it will be pointless.
Go to £100-150 and then maybe. Look at Viofo for decent budget options.

It will obviously require power but that does not mean it requires extensive dismantling.

 

[EmilysDad]

As Wighty says, the cables are easy enough to hide by tucking up out of sight behind the trim .... and there are piggy back fuse carriers that make wiring up your camera very easy. My cameras are made by Ddpai ... there are a few variants, but you connect your phone to them via WiFi so no need for a screen on them which makes them pretty discreet and easily hidden out of the way behind the rear view mirror. There's probably better but for the money I've been happy with them.

 

[V6Matty]

Fitted a cam last year all hidden behind the trim and used the 12v socket in the glovebox to power, you can’t see the cables at all, just pushed in with a trim tool and all good.

 

[fabes]

As above, it's not that difficult.

I have a BlueSkysea BW1 in all 4 of our cars and used one of them two nights ago to confirm something seen....

Viewed through an app, not a screen, it makes them discreet and less distracting (and better quality being honest), whilst picture quality is fine.
Choose a Capacitor not Battery one (important) and using trim tools, just tuck up behind windscreen headlining, down a pillar to the fuses on the side (or if necessary though the bulk head into the engine compartment) and piggy back fuse it in with a ground connection also.

Camera is still around £50 with the wiring kit around £10 on Amazon but pick the correct right angle usb connector (unlike me this time )
Transferred the camera from my E350 to the E400 a couple of months ago, but got a new wiring kit as I couldn't get all of the old one out, (so I just nipped it and left it hidden.....)

Where abouts are you?

 

[LostKiwi]

The wiring side is easy.
You can easily remove the A pillar trim (it just clips on/off) and run the wiring down to the dash and run behind the glovebox to the cigarette lighter ( pull side panels, six screws, remove centre console and splice wire to loom
If you don't mind it powered permanently take power from the OCP (interior lights panel).

 

[00slk]

I have dash cams in 3 of my vehicles 2 which I have just tucked the wires into the trim so not exposed and plugged into the 12v supply. The other is or was a complete hidden job and had to remove a lot of trim, but anything under £50 wouldn't be up to the job, been there and took that one back!
We bought ours from Halfrauds for £99 and the quality is excellent. Even captured a kamikaze driver heading at the Missus on our side of the road on a bend where she had to virtually stop while the ignoramus just carry on. luckily we were able to send the recording to the police who thought the evidence was overwhelming to pursue it further. So best go for a good quality dash cam.

 

[ajlsl600]

No sure on the price , but a lot of cars it’s easy to push the thin dashcam wire into the gap by the windscreen along the A pillar and the top edge of the screen .
My CLK was easy and that’s a convertible, so similar A post cover and screen top edge as yours

Spot on ala my a class, clk and ml 250 that's a replacement rear view mirror

 

[DSK]

Just to add I’ve fitted at least 70 or so units and all have the power cable neatly tucked into the headlining, down the A pillar, past and under the dash or, along the drivers door sill and the under the carpet, all popping into a multi usb socket into tbe ciggy lighter.

As for units, price doesn’t always = quality.

For reliability over long durations and varied temperatures a capacitor model is best. Wide dynamic range is a must. A polarising filter is handy. Cameras with a wide 170 degree give an unreal perception of distance between objects and also have a heavy fish eye, as a result I’ve never used one with more than a 140 degree wide field of view.

I used to have DOD Tech units that nextbase originally bought and rebranded. These were circa £120/150 at the time. Tried many others both cheaper and at the top end of the price bracket only be disappointed. Over the last 3 years I’ve been using the Viofo duo cameras which have been 100% reliable, good quality video in all lights and I like the small reasonably discrete profile. I would recommend a dual channel cameras as a lot happens behind you as much as it does in front, such as drivers driving like spastics, tearing past you and then screwing up. I nearly got taken off my bike when I slowed and stopped for a red light by Heathrow airport when a taxi driver behind thought I would jump the lights and so would he… I heard screeching tyres and brakes despite it being a modern e220! Had he hit me at least the rear camera on the bike would have captured it all, especially if he decided not to stop.


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[sausage]

Thanks everyone, some good advice and comments in there and some options to start looking at.

It is the stories above, and my similar experiences that are pushing me to get one. All too frequently now. three times last week, twice the week before. I think it is something to do with Leicestershire and the god awful trolls that live here and they see the SL as a target, especially when the roof is down. I went all the way to Chichester and back (nearly 400 miles) yesterday without an issue. As I drove back in to Leicester on the final leg of my journey, sure enough the idiots were out in force.

@fabes, I am in Leicestershire.

 

[rorywquin]

Just to add I’ve fitted at least 70 or so units and all have the power cable neatly tucked into the headlining, down the A pillar, past and under the dash or, along the drivers door sill and the under the carpet, all popping into a multi usb socket into tbe ciggy lighter.

As for units, price doesn’t always = quality.

For reliability over long durations and varied temperatures a capacitor model is best. Wide dynamic range is a must. A polarising filter is handy. Cameras with a wide 170 degree give an unreal perception of distance between objects and also have a heavy fish eye, as a result I’ve never used one with more than a 140 degree wide field of view.

I used to have DOD Tech units that nextbase originally bought and rebranded. These were circa £120/150 at the time. Tried many others both cheaper and at the top end of the price bracket only be disappointed. Over the last 3 years I’ve been using the Viofo duo cameras which have been 100% reliable, good quality video in all lights and I like the small reasonably discrete profile. I would recommend a dual channel cameras as a lot happens behind you as much as it does in front, such as drivers driving like spastics, tearing past you and then screwing up. I nearly got taken off my bike when I slowed and stopped for a red light by Heathrow airport when a taxi driver behind thought I would jump the lights and so would he… I heard screeching tyres and brakes despite it being a modern e220! Had he hit me at least the rear camera on the bike would have captured it all, especially if he decided not to stop.


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Can the Viofo be swapped between cars if both are wired?

 

[DSK]

I’ll check this evening or tomorrow morning for you only as fit and forget these and have a dual set up in all cars now.


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[DSK]

I read your post again so editing.

The Viofo can be switched between cars as you can feed the power to the sticky base unit. So you would need a mounting base in each of the cars you intend to use it.

I’ve never hard wired these as I always found the standard power leads to be crap/unreliable so, always bought premium powers leads at the same time. (This is regardless of brand of camera).


Just checked my Amazon and it’s the A129 duo I bought since 2019 from amazon many times for many vehicles.


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[LostKiwi]

Can the Viofo be swapped between cars if both are wired?

Yes if you have two mounting brackets but frankly given the cost of them just get one per car.

 

[DSK]

Yes if you have two mounting brackets but frankly given the cost of them just get one per car.

That’s what I did as when you get into a car you just want to get in and go and that way you’ll never forget to swap. Sods something will happen when you forget to swap the camera over.


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