Advice on what dash cam to get

NCC1701

Ok, I'm not a fan of tech or gadgets in cars as I feel they're a distraction but following an incident last weekend, I'm coming round to the idea that a dash cam may be useful in certain circumstances. So what's changed my mind about getting one?.........

I was leaving a car park after my son's football match when a kid (about 16-17) cut across me on an electric scooter (the latest must haves for whizzing about without a licence or so it appears). I had been driving slowly and I stopped in time even though he had cut across the entrance to the car park from behind an advertisement hoarding (which in itself should not be allowed where it is as it blocks sightlines when leaving the car park and going across the footpath to the road leaving me with little warning. No harm done as I had stopped short of him? Well he didn't think so as he turned back and started screaming that I had hit him and he kicked the car and spat on the windscreen. So I get out (calmly as my kids were in the car) and ask him what his problem is as I didn't hit him. At that point he backed off and said his mates (who were now circling with camera phones up) had me on video and if I assaulted him, he'd had witnesses. Yes I'm twice his size and could have broken him in two but violence isn't my thing and so in a calm voice, I said we could all go to the local Garda station and sort this out. He started screaming that I was threatening him and his mate pushed a camera into my face. I know I was being provoked by these little scrotes but I didn't rise to it. I then pointed out to him that his electric scooter might not be road legal and especially on a footpath and the Gardai would be able to advise us all on this. His response? I got the finger and him jumping up and down like a demented monkey with his mates laughing. So what to do? Stay and argue with the little gobshite or get into my car and let him be a big man in front of his mates? Well I chose the latter.............even if my blood was starting to boil at this stage.

Soooooooooooooooo...........as we live in a world where these buttock crack scrotes think they're untouchable, I've come round the idea that having video evidence might be a good thing, as in I could have brought dash cam footage to the local Gardai and see if they know this scrote and what the position is in relation to using these electric scooters on footpaths.

Phew...........rant over.

Now which dash cam would be a good buy, bearing in mind I've not got a lot to spend and I am not tech savvy.

XsApollo

Depends how much you want to spend, there are cams for 30euro up to 1000 euro.

the easiest thing to do is probably go into Halfords with you budget and see what they offer, they can instal them in for you too.

Parachutes

There’s a really good deal on in Halfords at the moment where you can get front and rear cam (1080p hd) and installed for a little over €200. The camera is a nextbase 320xr which is a well known and popular brand. I was a similar mind to yourself in regards gadgets but in the space of a week I had 3 very near misses that weren’t my fault so caved and got a dashcam and I’ve never looked back. There’s way too many lunatics on the road.

Miscreant

Wasn't there a huge thread on Dash Cams and where/what to get a while ago in here?

I had a nice cheap G1W from China in my last car that I got from eBay a few years ago. It was 1080p and the footage was excellent. It was a pretty bare bones camera (no GPS but it did have G sensors and time and date stamps) but I used it for at least 4 years and then let it go with the car when I traded it in.

I have read a lot of good things about the Xiaomi 70mai camera and the prices seem relatively inexpensive (at about €70) so I would probably go for that personally. It has WiFi and voice control but no GPS but that is not something I look for particularly in a camera. I'm sure there are others better versed in cameras than me who will be along soon though. 🙂

NCC1701

Thanks for the options guys. I drive a ten year old car with almost 300k on the clock and installing even a cheap dash cam would probably double its value! But I don't want to spend too much as I don't drive that often anymore with the joys of working from home and the lunatics out there, both on and off the road.

I'll check out my local Halfords and online and see what's on offer.

RosieJoe

Here was the latest thread on recommendations: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058051656/dash-cam-what-to-get-and-where-to-get-it-vol-2/p7

Dr_Colossus

I've an older car with similar mileage but about 2 1/2 years ago bought a Viofo A129 with a hardwire kit for £123. Very discrete camera which gives 1080p recording front and back and with the hardwire kit offers parking mode so useful in car parks when away from car for some time. Has been very reliable and hassle free and quality is good so would recommend.

Thankfully never had cause to rely upon it in an event but it's good piece of mind given all the lunatics out there so one such incident would pay for itself multiple times over.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VIOFO-Cameras-Detection-G-sensor-Parking/dp/B07DHKLH4F/ref%3Dsr_1_1_sspa?keywords=viofo+a129&qid=1637163223&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A394XV48IUDZC&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFaN1pQR0JKSkhTQzkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNzkyODhDMk1URkdQRlU5WEwmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDY5MjA3MjExNUo2UjBTWVg1QzMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Cerco

Some Black Friday deals in Halfords. In store and on line.