Help - I don't know what to do....

deccauk · Jan 18, 2016

Need some guidance from you folks please.

Do I or don't I fork out many hundreds of pounds for a retrofit OEM VW reversing camera?

Once upon a time a long while ago I got my first vehicle with cruise control. Now I wouldn't have a vehicle without it.

A little while later I got a vehicle with an automatic gearbox. Now I wouldn't have a vehicle without it.

All the while I'm getting older, eyesight is getting worse, neck articulation is getting worse, and now I have a Cali with a bike rack, and it's longer than any car I've had before, and I can't see out the back very well, so I have little idea of what's behind me, so I'm mulling over getting a reversing camera.

If I do, will I then realise that I will never again have a vehicle without it?

Anyone else been down this road - or should I just make do with the parking sensors?

fred · Jan 18, 2016

Fit it yourself! £35 + 3 hrs time and £15 for cable rods
I love mine (and I also have parking sensors)

fred · Jan 18, 2016

This thread needs a poll btw

WelshGas · Jan 18, 2016

I have both. Parking sensors are fine, BUT they are a little conservative.
I use a towbar bike rack and the camera comes into its own in this case as the rear parking sensors are disabled when connected. Also, where I park I drive through my gates forward 6' and then hard L. Reversing out with the camera is a doddle, but with the parking sensors very problematic as I have to go within 6" of a wall to clear the gateway.
There are cheaper Non-VW reversing cameras that can be fitted, even wireless ones that can show up on the Media centre or on a rear view mirror screen. A good Auto Electrician could advise.

ArunAlec · Jan 18, 2016

I've got the sensors and factory fitted camera and agree with WelshGas. The camera really makes reversing so much easier. I'd struggle without it.

Kirk · Jan 18, 2016

It's a van at the end of the day, I only ever use my side mirrors for reversing, that's all you need, I have a reverse camera on my RRS and never use it apart from hitching up to my trailer , it's all a bit over kill if you ask me, it's not like you are driving a bus or a truck.

deccauk · Jan 18, 2016

fred said:
Fit it yourself! £35 + 3 hrs time and £15 for cable rods
I love mine (and I also have parking sensors)

Yep I thought of fitting one myself. It was a good way of making my decision more difficult for a while. Then I decided that I didn't really want a cheap and cheerful solution with a separate display monitor.

I would want it to interface with my RNS510 ideally, which the OEM solution will do. Fitting that yourself requires the vehicle to be coded, and I don't have the capabilty to do that.

I then stumbled across the Garmin BC30 camera idea along with a Garmin Nuvi sat nav unit. Quite an elegant solution, but a lot of users report very poor display quality and intermittent connection issues. Also, for maximum benefit the sat nav would have to be with you on every trip.

The OEM solution is seemingly the ultimate solution, albeit at a price.

The feedback I really want to hear is - do you folks who have one think it is really beneficial?