Dash cam fitting recommendations

[CrewOVtwo]

Firstly, thank you for your patience whilst we ask so many questions as we prepare for the arrival of our caravan (4 days and counting).

I would like to get a dash cam fitted to our tow car and was hoping for a recommendation in the Manchester area.

It's not a job I am able to do myself.

Once again, thanks in advance.

 

[otherclive]

I used Halfords to fit mine, and they were excellent and very patient as we discussed and tried various locations. If you buy a Nextbase they have mobile technicians to fit the dashcam.

 

[CrewOVtwo]

That's perfect, thank you.
I have one with a stones throw.

I truly appreciate this forum.

 

[Beardy]

I would like to get a dash cam fitted to our tow car and was hoping for a recommendation in the Manchester area.

It's not a job I am able to do myself.

It can be a very simple job if your cigarette lighter socket is only powered when the ignition is on. It's just a case of finding a route and tucking the cable behind the trim, most of the time the trim doesn't have to be removed. If you can't use the lighter it's a bit more complicated as you have to identify the correct wire or fuse to piggy back on to.

 

[Buckman]

We bought direct from Nextbase and they arranged the fitting. I would not go near Halfords for fitting if we had a modern car as they could not get it right with our 2012 Jeep and we had to get a specialist in to rectify the issue.

 

[RogerL]

We bought direct from Nextbase and they arranged the fitting. I would not go near Halfords for fitting if we had a modern car as they could not get it right with our 2012 Jeep and we had to get a specialist in to rectify the issue.

I fitted my Nextbase myself - an easy job - the power cable just runs across the windscreen under the edge of the roof lining, down the pillar under the edge of the airbag cover and into the fuse"box" which is at the end of the dashboard - piggy-backed onto an appropriate fuse using the connection in the box.

If you're adding a rear-view dashcam, there's two ways - 1) a camera mounted inside the tailgate glass - or 2) a 2nd camera attached to the front camera - I chose the latter as I have a fabric screen on the tailgate window but in practice the rear passengers block the view.

 

[Buckman]

I fitted my Nextbase myself - an easy job - the power cable just runs across the windscreen under the edge of the roof lining, down the pillar under the edge of the airbag cover and into the fuse"box" which is at the end of the dashboard - piggy-backed onto an appropriate fuse using the connection in the box.

If you're adding a rear-view dashcam, there's two ways - 1) a camera mounted inside the tailgate glass - or 2) a 2nd camera attached to the front camera - I chose the latter as I have a fabric screen on the tailgate window but in practice the rear passengers block the view.

In the Corolla I fitted it myself, but the Jeep's electronics are a bit more complicated. Fuses are all under the hood which means the wiring has to be taken through the bulkhead and my body is no longer flexible enough to do the wiggling under the dashboard.

 

[otherclive]

It can be a very simple job if your cigarette lighter socket is only powered when the ignition is on. It's just a case of finding a route and tucking the cable behind the trim, most of the time the trim doesn't have to be removed. If you can't use the lighter it's a bit more complicated as you have to identify the correct wire or fuse to piggy back on to.

My last three cars didn’t have a cigarette lighter and the present two don’t. 🤣

 

[RogerL]

My last three cars didn’t have a cigarette lighter and the present two don’t. 🤣

Many cars have a "smoking pack" as optional - but they usually get the 12v sockets as standard even though they don't get the lighter element.

 

[otherclive]

Many cars have a "smoking pack" as optional - but they usually get the 12v sockets as standard even though they don't get the lighter element.

It was a rather a TIC post. Of course I am aware that (most) modern cars do not have cigarette lighters as standard, but ours abound with USB, data inputs and 12v power sockets. Like a travelling communications hub.

 

[RogerL]

It was a rather a TIC post. Of course I am aware that (most) modern cars do not have cigarette lighters as standard, but ours abound with USB, data inputs and 12v power sockets. Like a travelling communications hub.

All very necessary these days - back in 2016 I volunteered as driver for a charity attempt on the National Three Peaks 24 hours - soon after setting off the walkers asked "where are the USB ports to charge our phones" but sadly my car just had 3 lighter sockets, one in use for the cool box - fortunately managed to buy a couple of adapters at the first service stop.

 

[Beachball]

I have a Nextbase Dash Cam 512GW press and hold for a couple seconds to turn /off well to day it would not go off so i just pull it from 12v socket .because this works without ignition on . and i don"t want a flat battery .

 

[ProfJohnL]

Unfortunately most our national multi chain service depots, have highly variable customer experiences, thus a good, or bad, experience at one depot does not provide a reliable indication of the performance at another from the same chain. I have had both good and bad experiencers from one branch of such a chain! should I extol their virtue or vice?

 

[otherclive]

Unfortunately most our national multi chain service depots, have highly variable customer experiences, thus a good, or bad, experience at one depot does not provide a reliable indication of the performance at another from the same chain. I have had both good and bad experiencers from one branch of such a chain! should I extol their virtue or vice?

Extolling virtue or vice adds nothing to a discussion unless you can be specific wrt the actual business and location. It probably isn’t that different to using different garages in an area is it?

 

[Hutch]

I have a Nextbase Dash Cam 512GW press and hold for a couple seconds to turn /off well to day it would not go off so i just pull it from 12v socket .because this works without ignition on . and i don"t want a flat battery .

Your Dash cam should have an automatic power off mode, when you turn off your ignition, unless your power socket is powered all the time.

 

[otherclive]

My Nextbase 522gw has a mode to turn off, or to detect motion in the car caused by a possible thief but it consumes minimal power.

 

[Buckman]

Unfortunately most our national multi chain service depots, have highly variable customer experiences, thus a good, or bad, experience at one depot does not provide a reliable indication of the performance at another from the same chain. I have had both good and bad experiencers from one branch of such a chain! should I extol their virtue or vice?

I forgot to mention that the same experts fitted the incorrect battery in my vehicle. Doing this could have caused malfunctions with the electronics in the vehicle. The issue was only picked up when the vehicle was taken for its annual service a few months later. However to give them their due they did fit the correct battery at no charge.

 

[Tux]

With so few people smoking these days I don't know why a new standard connection has not taken over in cars and caravans. *** lighter connectors are generally poor to say the least. Don't know why we can't just have USB C for phones and other small devices and and some kind of purpose built DC socket for more power hungry devices needing 12V / 10 amp.

 

[Buckman]

Many of us plug in cool box to the 12v socket or the compressor for pumping up the tyres etc.

 

[Tux]

Think you’ve missed my point, which is why has the defacto standard not evolved from cigarette lighter connectors? There are far neater and more secure alternatives for DC connections.

 

[RogerL]

With so few people smoking these days I don't know why a new standard connection has not taken over in cars and caravans. *** lighter connectors are generally poor to say the least. Don't know why we can't just have USB C for phones and other small devices and and some kind of purpose built DC socket for more power hungry devices needing 12V / 10 amp.

Are lighter connectors poor? I've never heard general complaints about them - they are so common, they're unlikely to be replaced even if something else is better - think of VHS vs Betamax videotape (if you're old enough!)

 

[Tux]

Yep, very poor. Slightest knock and they become disconnected. Easy to accidentally short . And a pain in the jacksie when the fuse wants changing, little spring flies out never to be seen again.

 

[RogerL]

Yep, very poor. Slightest knock and they become disconnected. Easy to accidentally short . And a pain in the jacksie when the fuse wants changing, little spring flies out never to be seen again.

You must be unlucky - I've never had an issue with them, nor have any of the family cars I end up looking after.