The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot BC Bolters Back up Camera and Screen

I live on a Cul de Sac where the neighbourhood kids play. Im thinking of buying a back up camera and screen for my car so I can see whats back there. Ive talked to a few people who say these things only last a year or so and most of them are junk.
Does anyone have experience with these things? If so what make would you recommend.

Hi Stan, you might post this question in the daily driver section or the greasy spoon (or ask a global mod to move this thread so you are not double posting). You might get more visibility than just the BC crowd!

I am interested in this thread because I have a 35' travel trailer I will be towing with my 58 Viking 60. We will be close to 60' long and was thinking about a backup camera and screen as well.

I have one in my car. It's standard equipment and works well. I like it.

Recently, I helped my neighbour install a Canadian Tire unit in his Toyota. The CT camera is crap compared to the factory unit in my car but it works. Mounting the camera and splicing into the backup light circuit wasn't too big a problem. Trying to find a good place to mount the screen was a PITA.

The CT camera was much larger and looked very different than the factory unit. I would try to find out who manufactures the cameras for Honda and buy the same make.

MY car is over 3 years old now and the camera is working fine. Just keep the lens clean.

OK would moderator Dave (1958 GMC Nut) please move this thread to Daily Drivers and we can go from there.

An alternative to a camera is a backup beeper. My last two houses had 80 foot driveways and the beeper worked well. Never hit any kids, adults or animals while backing up. Installs very easily. Just wire it into the backup light wire. Usually it is incorporated into a license plate frame.

You could back in when you arrive home,when you can see if anyone in on the road.Then next time you leave,you are facing toward the street.

Ive talked to an installer and he wants $650.00 to supply and install. A bit over my budget. Talked to the Ford Dealer and his comment was the cameras don't last as they are exposed to the elements whereas the ones in later vehicles are built in and not exposed. They install after market but same problem .The camera won't last over a year. Ill consider the beeper but would rather see whats back there.

I have been looking for a camera for my 52 pickup,but placement and the screen are an issue. Plus the cameras are chunky looking. I sure like the built in on my Ford Flex

You guys will probably hate me for badmouthing the "darn" things, but I don't like what I saw so far.
The wife's '14 Corolla has one and I find it pretty well useless - its like watching a cartoon and I'm really not sure just what I'm looking at.
I've always relied on the mirrors and the "walk-around check", especially with kids in the neighborhood - ya know, EXPENSIVE toys and bikes left laying around and the little br.....darlings not being totally aware of their surroundings.

I don't think the cartoon camera would help me much so I make any kids aware that I'm about to pull out.

I agree a beeper is a lot better and parents should explain to kids what it is.

Hate would be a too strong of a word. But nothing you said will help make a decision

I understand Old 'Burb Lover's skepticism. I felt the same way when we bought the new car. The salesman was going on about what a great feature the back up camera was and I was thinking "yeah, sure":roll:. After trying it out and seeing how accurate the parking job was, I became a believer. The neighbour I helped with the camera install is physically handicapped and even though the aftermarket unit is not as good as the OEM unit, it's a big help for him. He was going to buy a new car if the camera didn't work.

The factory backup camera on my 2014 Chrysler minivan (mounted above the rear licenses plate) is superb. The unit on my wife's 2016 Volvo is even better. I will not buy a future vehicle without one.

I'll try to buy one for my 54/55 GMC COE. The "display" will probably be a GPS display. I do not know enough to choose between wi-fi or fiber-option lead/connection. These after-market units might not yet be ready for "prime time" - I'll try to learn from on-line reviews (and from members here who have recent first-hand experiences).

The add-ons we have in our fleet seem pretty bullet proof. The only reason we stopped buying them is the OEM caught up with the aftermarket and now they all come built in. The display is either part of the rearview mirror or on the dash.

Mark,

On the fleet retro-fits, did you wire the camera lead or use fiber-optic, or use Wi-Fi (which would require a power lead at the camera)? Obviously, I know very little about this.

Mark. What make of camera and screen did you retrofit on your fleet ?
Perhaps in S Cal you don't get the rain we do here.

May I suggest going to a wrecking yard and getting a oem unit from a vehicle in the yard. As mentioned above the camera in our Dodge Caravan works well and there are lots of them in the wreckers now.
The units that display in the corner of the rearview mirror are probably the most easy to install.
For the nay sayers the Gov. has mandated them in all light vehicles by model year 2018.
Some forward viewing recording devices also have a second rear looking camera.The better ones have a GPS speedometer and clock as part of the display.Handy when the speed signs are in Km/h. That is the way I have gone. It also proves in court what happened. Under $200.00 in Canada for a kit. Look on Amazon.

All these new devices to make driving safe (camera, lane deviation warning, pedestrian alert and so on) is making us poor drivers that rely on these failure-prone devices.
A neighbour was killed when his air bag equipped car hit a pole. The air bag deployed when a car hit his, then he careened into the pole. The bag was useless at that point.