SFR Add-on car/truck backup cameras

Sorta fishing-related
Josh

Josh

Dead in the water
Staff member
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The wife and I drive old cars because we're too cheap to buy news ones. Or perhaps these days we're just too broke given what new and used car prices are looking like these days.

Anyway, neither my truck nor her SUV have backup cameras. I see a bunch of add-on cameras on Amazon etc. But I have no real idea if any of them are any good.

Anyone have any experience adding one onto a vehicle that didn't come equipped with one?
 
My wife got me one from Costco. The camera was in a license plate holder and it Bluetooth to a small screen in the cab. It lasted about a year.
 
Hi Josh

Yes, I added a Garmin nüvi with GPS, Bluetooth, backup camera to my GMC Yukon Denali. Plugs into cigarette lighter, wireless signal via Bluetooth camera to unit. Has basically worked flawlessly. Need to be handy to mount and connect camera. Total cost about $350.

The Bluetooth for phone use is awesome, GPS is fine, backup camera great. Uses voice commands. Nice to have camera and unit from same manufacturer. GPS is upgradable, nice feature. Doesn't do traffic well, really slow.


Also added a camera to our old BMW 740i that was wireless to android phone. Worked fine, but had to set phone in cradle and enable every time, uses phone battery, sort of a pain, but did work fine. Under $100, but I prefer the Garmin, though it doesn't mark fish........;)

Ron
 
My death trap (Ive's description) 2007 Toyota Tacoma doesn't have a backup camera or a GPS, so I added a Garmin Drivesmart 65 GPS and a Garmin backup camera that connects with the GPS monitor via Bluetooth. Most of the areas I use the GPS don't have cellphone coverage so map function on the phone is useless (unless I remember to preload the maps on the phone). The Garmin GPS has everything preloaded so that's not a problem.

The backup camera mounts to the license plate and I drilled a couple of holes in the top of the plate to thread a couple of heavy duty zip-ties through to make stealing the camera more difficult. Without the zip-ties a thief could easily just pop the camera out of its holder.. The camera is powered by two AA lithium batteries, which last about a year (not bad for spokane weather). Very high resolution image.

Had this combination several years, and am completely pleased with its performance.
 
What do you want to use the camera for? backing into a tight spot, hitching a trailer, making sure you don't run over your neighbors cat?
My truck has a built in one, in the tailgate latch. It gives me a good view to the hitch I am backing up to. Not to good at guesstimating objects off to the side.
I would think that an aftermarket camera mounted in the license plate frame would help you back up to a hitch and not much else.
 
My truck stereo, aftermarket, came with a camera, it quit working months ago. I don’t miss it…
 
Dblhaul said:
What do you want to use the camera for? backing into a tight spot, hitching a trailer, making sure you don't run over your neighbors cat?
My truck has a built in one, in the tailgate latch. It gives me a good view to the hitch I am backing up to. Not to good at guesstimating objects off to the side.
I would think that an aftermarket camera mounted in the license plate frame would help you back up to a hitch and not much else.
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The Garmin camera I describe above works as well as the one that came with her late model Toyota Avalon. Wide clear view.

A backup camera could save a child's life. I knew a fellow whose wife backed over and killed their toddler daughter.
 
The wife's subaru has it. I must say it is nice. Beeps if car or people enter frame from quite a distance too. I noticed it when I got out to scout for small boulders before backing up my car in the mountains the other day, would have been nice
 
krusty said:
The Garmin camera I describe above works as well as the one that came with her late model Toyota Avalon. Wide clear view.

A backup camera could save a child's life. I knew a fellow whose wife backed over and killed their toddler daughter.
Click to expand...
" I knew a fellow whose wife backed over and killed their toddler daughter." And this is because they did not have a back up camera? A long time ago I was in drivers ed. The teacher had a set of rules. First one was to walk around your vehicle to avoid objects. Mr. Ristow reinforced this by putting a doll near the rear wheel before he started his instruction. Sorry your "fellow's wife was never taught to drive.
 
I'll take any edge I can get to prevent a tragedy.

How many people walk around their vehicle every time they drive?
 
Dblhaul said:
What do you want to use the camera for? backing into a tight spot, hitching a trailer, making sure you don't run over your neighbors cat?
Click to expand...
Mostly for looking behind when backing up. Though the ability to line up a hitch wouldn't be a bad bonus.
 
Dblhaul said:
I would think that an aftermarket camera mounted in the license plate frame would help you back up to a hitch and not much else.
Click to expand...
That's like the one I got from Costco. The screen that came with it was smaller than a smart phone - so practically worthless. I don't even miss it. I'm still ambulatory enough to back up to my trailers and get out once to check it. And the wife's training is moving along nicely...
 
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