The Dispatch | Expert | Scudo Hub

Eileen2006

Member

From: Suffolk

Registered: 2018-10-07

Posts: 32

Mirror dash cam

I fitted a front and rear dash cam back in February and thought I’d post my experience of installing and using it, now I’ve been able to test it out for a few months. The unit I installed is an Auto-Vox V5 Pro mirror dash cam. What with the normal rear view being so obscured by the back door pillars and wheel chair ramp, plus the interior mirror being so small as well as becoming severely delaminated and therefore virtually useless, it made sense to look at fitting a mirror type dash cam.

I had been looking around for a while for a suitable unit. A lot of the mirror dash cams are the strap on type (titter!) but I was concerned that if I installed one of these with an integral front facing camera, the mirror would be too wide to clear the vehicle’s sun visors when these were pulled down. The V5 Pro is not too wide at 10 inches and clearance with the sun visors is not an issue. Some mirror dash cams are much wider!

Also I didn’t want the cluttered wiring look, with multiple cables plugging into the mirror dash cam, that tends to be the case with units that fit over the existing mirror. The V5 Pro only has one cable emerging in the centre of the mirror’s ball joint so it gives a nice clean look. The V5 Pro also has the front mounted camera located on the right hand side of the mirror making it more suitable for use in the UK whereas lots of others have the camera located on the left hand side.

I also wanted a dash cam with a rear facing camera which functioned as a reversing camera as well, and the V5 Pro has both of these features. I now have full visibility of what is behind me and the wide field of view picks up what is off to the sides much further than you get with a conventional mirror. I have the dash cam set so that it always defaults to the rear view camera when I’m driving. When switching into reversing mode (triggered by the reversing lights coming on), the display changes to see as low down as possible rather than looking straight back. It should be pointed out that the wide field of view of the rear camera means vehicles following close behind look about twice as far away as they really are, but I found I soon got used to that and tend to use the side mirrors to check distances.

Another feature that I wanted, and that the V5 Pro has, is hard wiring into the vehicle electrics rather than plugging into a cigar lighter socket or similar. This looks neater and also means the cigar lighter socket remains free to use for phone charging etc. The hard wiring involves using fuse taps connected to both a permanent and switched live circuit in the internal fuse box. Unfortunately the kit only comes with micro fuse taps so I had to buy the standard fuse type on line.

There are a few downsides with this dash cam, the main one being that the install was rather involved and time consuming. Generally speaking though, I'm very happy with it. Putting the dash cam recording function to one side, just having a decent rear view is a major benefit.

Last edited by Eileen2006 (2023-08-19 22:04:28)

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Peugeot Expert 1.9D 2006 wheelchair conversion

kenbw2

Administrator

From: Preston

Registered: 2017-11-26

Posts: 1,601

Re: Mirror dash cam

Interesting that you've put the camera on the inside looking through the window

I've put a reversing camera on mine but on a separate screen just above the passenger door so I can look around and at the screen at the same time

I need to hear more about that 306 

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2000 Citroen Dispatch 1.9TD XUD9 Camper Conversion
1999 Citroen Dispatch 1.9D DW8 Disassembled Camper Conversion
1996 Peugeot 806 1.9TD XUD9 Spare vehicle
1998 Citroen Synergie 1.9TD XUD9 Snapped timing belt

Casper

Member

From: East Lothian

Registered: 2015-12-20

Posts: 2,180

Re: Mirror dash cam

I need to hear more about that 306 

Interestingly the 306 was the first thing i noticed as i loved them cars. Well apart from my two as they were 1.9D but my works car was a 2.0 Turbo and it got driven like it was stolen 24 hours a day for two years with only the regular servicing for a leased car and took it all in its stride. I was reading about the dash cam but in my head it was like a Charlie Brown Cartoon when he was on the phone to his mum

I put cheap 20 odd quid reverse cameras in my camperbus and work van but more just for reversing rather than security. As they are not for security they are on the outside and less need for keeping the glass clean. They work well and only had to replace a camera once as water got inside the lens but as yet the replacement has bee good. I have a nextbase recorder for when i go on larger trips if i ever needed recordings for legal reasons.

Eileen2006

Member

From: Suffolk

Registered: 2018-10-07

Posts: 32

Re: Mirror dash cam

Interesting that you've put the camera on the inside looking through the window

I've put a reversing camera on mine but on a separate screen just above the passenger door so I can look around and at the screen at the same time

I need to hear more about that 306 

Ah the 306 lol! That belongs to one of my brothers. Its a 1.9 TD on an N plate. Between me and my 2 brothers, we have 10 cars, 5 vans and 8 motorbikes....and the odd boat! I've lost count of the number of push bikes!

Re the rear camera, I figured that it would be more secure inside the back door, more discrete and away from the risk of water leaks. I've read reviews talking about these cameras failing due to water ingress. Also it meant I didn't have to drill any holes or do even more tricky wire routing to get the wire on the outside. The rear window does need to be kept clean but I've just started using Rainex spray to see if that helps.

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Peugeot Expert 1.9D 2006 wheelchair conversion

Casper

Member

From: East Lothian

Registered: 2015-12-20

Posts: 2,180

Re: Mirror dash cam

Shaving foam is the poor mans rainex

OAT

Member

From: Borders/Dales

Registered: 2017-01-03

Posts: 1,010

Re: Mirror dash cam

And washing up liquid is the poorer mans shaving foam.

Eileen2006

Member

From: Suffolk

Registered: 2018-10-07

Posts: 32

Re: Mirror dash cam

Shaving foam is the poor mans rainex

Nice one Casper. I'll bear that in mind for when I start shaving!

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Peugeot Expert 1.9D 2006 wheelchair conversion

Eileen2006

Member

From: Suffolk

Registered: 2018-10-07

Posts: 32

Re: Mirror dash cam

And washing up liquid is the poorer mans shaving foam.

Classic OAT! 'The youth of today don't know they're born!'

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Peugeot Expert 1.9D 2006 wheelchair conversion

Casper

Member

From: East Lothian

Registered: 2015-12-20

Posts: 2,180

Re: Mirror dash cam

Nice one Casper. I'll bear that in mind for when I start shaving!

Must resist