Help me pick a dash cam

GoIrish

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Would like to buy something with the following features:

- 4k dash, interior and rear cam
- Parking sensor
- Hardwired to the car
- Budget $4-500
- Preferably sold by BestBuy so that they can install it for me

Thoughts?
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Polar

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Garmin Tandem (front and interior) and a Mini2 for rear view.

I run a Garmin 57 and 47 as my front rear cameras. Both can be hard wired and offer parking mode. The app is a bitch with CarPlay since CarPlay takes over the wifi signal - so take a bit extra work to get the videos off sometimes - but quick to work around it.

The Tandem and 57 are 1440p
 

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Why are people installing these dash cams? I never thought about it before. Curious. Thanks.
Never mind. I just found some links here on dash cams. Going to read them and learn up. Thanks again.
 
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GoIrish

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In case there is an accident, it usually turns into a he said vs she said. Plus since I recently moved to the bright blue golden state of CA, there is petty crime all around and in my very short stay of a few months, already been a victim twice. The prosecutors are asleep at the wheel here...if something happens to my car, I want a video recording....
 


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GoIrish

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After lots of research I went with the Thinkware U1000 front + rear. They are carried at Best Buy. Fantastic image quality, sentry mode, etc.

Thank you. I believe this one can hook up directly with Ford Sync?
 

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Preferably sold by BestBuy so that they can install it for me
Ummm, good luck with that. The local Best Buys here in SoCal won't install dash cams in electric cars. I've always done my own installs, but I've always just ran a 1 channel system. I'm also looking at buying the ThinkWare U1000, or the VIOFO A139 3 channel camera system next week sometime. I just really don't feel like trying to run a wire to the back... I hate plastic tabs in cars, even having the right tools to remove them the damn things still break lol

You also might want to look at something like a Cellink NEO Battery. This allows you to wire your dashcam to a battery bank in your car that is hardwired to your battery. It basically removes the MME's LVB from having to handle parking mode. Lot of discussion as to if its actually worth doing it, but for me I'm going to install one. With how temperamental the MME can be with LVB I'd just rather not have to worry about it.
 

Kabish

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Was just screwing around and looked at Best Buy's site. Its allowing me to schedule an install of a Front/Rear Dashcam on a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E for $80 bucks. I don't think they will install the battery bank though.

So maybe they are doing it now?!?!
 

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Would like to buy something with the following features:

- 4k dash, interior and rear cam
- Parking sensor
- Hardwired to the car
- Budget $4-500
- Preferably sold by BestBuy so that they can install it for me

Thoughts?
Nextbase 622 best buy ...getting the full pack. Front, interior, side, rear installed around $600
 

GW Shark

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Based on your requirements, you would be in the market for a 3 channel (3 camera) setup. I just ordered the Viofo 139. The manufacturer has a sale going on at their site. It was 20% off plus free shipping and no tax collected. ($211 total).
I second the idea of getting an external battery to take the small 12v battery out of the loop for sentry duty. I'm probably going to order the Powercell 8 from Blackboxmycar.com - which is a house brand. You will need to order with the USB-C hardwiring kit and micro2 add-a-fuse, according to the advisors at the website (if you go with the Viofo 139). They currently have a 10% off sale and free shipping/no tax collected.
I'm going to use a local audio shop for installation - they charge a flat $100 an hour to install. Best of luck!
 

MinervaDreaming

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Thank you. I believe this one can hook up directly with Ford Sync?
I’m not sure what you mean, sorry. I should’ve mentioned that I did also get an external batter pack for this, instead of hooking the cams up to the 12v. The battery pack itself will be directly wired (having it installed this week).
 

GW Shark

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I’m not sure what you mean, sorry. I should’ve mentioned that I did also get an external batter pack for this, instead of hooking the cams up to the 12v. The battery pack itself will be directly wired (having it installed this week).
I would really check on the Ford Sync issue. Thinkware does make the Ford dashcam and that one does integrate with Ford Sync. The straight Thinkware units may not. The Ford unit is a Thinkware F200.
 

MinervaDreaming

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I would really check on the Ford Sync issue. Thinkware does make the Ford dashcam and that one does integrate with Ford Sync. The straight Thinkware units may not. The Ford unit is a Thinkware F200.
Ah, I found what you were talking about - looks like this is only with the Ford brand dashcam, as it uses the Ford dashcam app which integrates with Sync. Not a big deal for me as it doesn't actually display footage, it's mainly for control to start/stop recording and the like which isn't something I'll ever need to do manually. I'd rather have the much higher quality U1000.
 

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I have the U1000 in my EB. Love it. Plan to move it over when my MME comes. can't question the quality of it.
 

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The prosecutors are asleep at the wheel here...if something happens to my car, I want a video recording....
The prosecutor will probably still tell you to get lost.
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