Dash Cams - do you have one? What kind?

This thread got me thinking and started to wonder how many people on the forum have a dash cam. If so, what kind?

I was first turned on to these devices a couple of years ago when I went out with a friend that had one. In that moment, I couldn't think of anything more douche worthy but as time passed I reconsidered and eventually bought one.

I drive about 50k km per year and the thought of having video proof in the event I needed it really clinched it for me. With the amount of driving I do in a year, compounded that I also ride a bike, I am really aware that it is usually the other guy you have to watch out for. Things happen in a flash and what you think may have happened may not be how it really was. The video solves that.

I bought my first unit, a Garmin 35, which lasted about 3 months and quit. Took it back for a full refund - I love Costco! I replaced it with a DOD LS370W from Radio World and within 60 days of having the DOD, I was hit by a young girl who really wanted my lane. When I called my insurance company to make the claim, I was told that from the description of the event I would be 50% at fault. I would have to pay my deductible, lose my accident forgiveness and likely have a premium increase. I told them I had video and that totally changed the dialog. I sent the video and within a couple of hours I received a call advising the other party was be deemed 100% at fault. The DOD unit cost me $250 but it paid back more than two fold that day. Overall, the picture quality of the DOD was great but it was awful to use. Every time I needed to check footage or change a setting I had to pull out the user manual. Just not user friendly.

I don't know for certain if having a dash cam saved my ass after being pulled over one day. Once the dash cam came up the tone changed from abrupt to cordial. I swear it changed the result from a fine to a warning.

My DOD unit shit the bed last week. Internal battery fried about 6 months ago and it just stopped recording last Wednesday. I knew it was failing and the unsettled feeling it left me with was nothing short of stupid silly. I mean, I've driven greater than 30 years without one and now it seems ridiculous not to have it - like driving without a seat belt. It's totally unreasonable. Anyway, I bought a Thinkware X350 for my wife for Christmas and really liked the intuitive software. Great picture quality with built in wifi and a pretty decent mobile phone app that controls the device and allows you to manage video content. For $99 it is well worth the money. I bought myself one last week to replace the broken DOD. Thinkware also comes with great clips for wire management that helps make the install clean.

At the same time I also bought an entry level Papago GoSafe 230 for the Mustang. It's decent, fewer options than the Thinkware but also has intuitive software. I didn't realize my '01 Mustang only has cigarette lighters that are always powered. Makes the dash cam install a bit of a pain in the ass. I found an unused 'ignition on' power source under the centre console and added another cigarette lighter input under the dash to keep the install clean as well. Broke my fookin' e-brake removing the centre console! Now I have to figure out what needs to be replaced and how to replace it.

Of the 4 devices I have owned, the DOD was the least user friendly. I didn't need the owners manual for the Garmin, Thinkware or Papago. The Garmin only came with a 5' cable so wire management is crap because you can't hide the wiring. All the other devices came with extremely long power cables.

I have a blackvue since my 2011 gt lol no complaints here

BlackVue in the Mustang and WASP in the DD.

DOD 430W here and have been mostly happy with it. As you said, the configuration can be tricky. Lots of features/functions. The microSD card eventually fails after so many read/writes, but think that's common with the SD cards. 32G capacity is not bad. Quality of video is good.

I originally purchased the unit so I could get a video of me flying around @ Mosport for Mustangs @ Mosport. Now I have it installed in my Lincoln MKX. A nice device that may come in handy some day….

I have the Boblov DDPAI Mini 2 1440P HD WIFI In Car Dash Camera DVR Rotate APP Monitor Remote Snap, works good and no complaints cost me $125 on Amazon.

I currently have a ThinkWare F770 with the rear camera connected to it as well. The quality is pretty good. It was not cheap and cost me a tad over 450 dollars but I think its well worth it.

I too, checked out the thread about dash cams in this forum about a year or so ago, toying with the idea until some asshole side swiped my camry and ran off a few months back (in Scarborough). It ended up being a very minor scratch (thankfully) and my stupid honesty basically made me at fault. I went by the rules, went to the collision center and made the mistake of calling my insurance company claims. After review of the situation of the way I told it, I was deemed at fault. This used up my accident forgiveness, over a stupid scratch. If I had a camera it would have saved me that nonsense.

Anyways, I think a dash cam is absolutely essential in every and any vehicle.

I ran a G1W-C for the longest time and still do in my old Jetta and running a BlackVue DRS750 2 channel in my other car. The BlackVue is great and does not have too many issues so far except the memory that they supplied sucked so I bought something else and no issues since. I have a PMP that goes along with it as well and helps out with parking mode and is set up to cut the power at 12.5 Volts which is about 6 hours worth of parking mode. I do plan on getting a Celllink external battery to extend that time to 24 hours hopefully.
The G1W is great when it works but needs periodic maintenance with reformatting the memory. It seems to get corrupted after too many rewrites. Not a big deal considering the fact it only cost $60.

Hope this helps.

I'm running a VIOFO A118C for the past 5 yrs, still going strong.