Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

driver100

Speaking of electric vehicles, the JackRabbit came today

Jackrabbit looks like a jackrabbit.....very cool looking.
Not much of a wheelbase.....probably not the smoothest ride.

driver100

Help! I need info about DASH CAMS. See my post above if you know anything!

[Deleted User]

xwesx said:

Take a look at the photos available through this Google Maps link: Twin Falls Visitor Center.

That really is a nice location. I’ve thought that the charging time on a longer trip would be a great opportunity to exercise or grab a meal. In Twin Falls that path would be great for a run or walk.

explorerx4

@driver100,
You better ask some Russians. Facebook can probably help you out there.

stickguy

Henry, purposely parking in the supercharger spots just to block them, then being abusive to the Tesla drivers, qualifies in my book.

28firefighter

I have a Rad Powerbike, too - bought it on Kickstarter a couple years ago and picked it up locally!

ab348

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
You better ask some Russians. Facebook can probably help you out there.

Now there's some solid advice.

driver100

ab348 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
You better ask some Russians. Facebook can probably help you out there.

Now there's some solid advice.

It's amazing the help I get here.......don't know how I got by all those years before I found youz guyz!

Anyone happen to know any Russians? Oh yeh, not him, I think he is denying it.

driver100

stickguy said:

Henry, purposely parking in the supercharger spots just to block them, then being abusive to the Tesla drivers, qualifies in my book.

Those pick up guys have a real problem.

explorerx4

@driver100,
I work with a several of them, why do you ask?
Here is a story from years ago, my employer had a group of them, many still working for our company.
A VP called me into her office one day and said 'We want you start working with them to see what they do because we have no idea'.
I said I'd work with them but not report what they did.
When I started working with them I told them the company wanted me to spy on you, but I told them I wouldn't do it.
They are smart and work really well as a team. It got to be where if I had a problem, I could talk to one of them about it and after they all got together for lunch, someone would come back with a solution.

imidazol97

Dino,
Sorry about the pothole damage. I've had a problem with that here, mostly from interstate potholes not repaired fast enough after the truck traffic opens them up.

In Ohio, you can sue the state. I believe they require you submit it to your insurance company first. But it requires a form that's actually your filing a law suit against the S o Ohio.

My other rim bending experience was a local political division that was too inept to become a city rather than a township and their road paving left an edge about 5 inches thick where they stopped paving for the weekend. No taper. KaWham when I hit it. They're done that in more than one place. Other paving groups put a paper separator down and then lay down a tapered ramp to the higher pavement level.

xwesx

driver100 said:

I am checking on dashcams. One dealer has a model they get...camera plus installation would be $400 to $500.
I found these on Amazon:
...
The one I am thinking of is this one....will it do what I want it to do?
ToGuard Mirror Cam

It will probably work fine for what you need. The complexity of the install is likely similar, if not identical, to most front+rear setups: You need a power cable for the front camera, and a sync cable for the rear-to-front. If you want to have recording time while parked, there is a unit called a "power magic pro" that allows the system to route through it and monitors vehicle power, etc., to turn the system off under preset conditions, such as time or available battery voltage.

My only hesitation with the systems is the quality of the capacitors they use. For some, conditions on very hot summer days, while parked, can cause the capacitor to fail. The good news, though, is that most of the trouble with dash cams is the initial install so, even if you needed to replace it, doing so would be plug-and-play.

Also, I'm not sure I see how the rear camera mounts; those can sometimes be bulky/clunky, so make sure that it works well for your needs.

berri

Today's big wheels and corresponding narrow tires don't provide much protection from road hazards unfortunately.

[Deleted User]

driver100 said:

Help! I need info about DASH CAMS. See my post above if you know anything!

Sorry Driver. I really don't have much anything helpful for you. Before the Tesla I did some research into them and learned many...maybe most...seem to have trouble in the heat. I read that the Sony sensors were holding up better in the Vava systems, but those don't have the features you want. I wish I could help more but that's all I know. The cameras and recording are built into the Tesla, so I stopped my research.

bwia

tyguy said:

Speaking of Tesla, tomorrow my son-in-law is going to be driving his Model X from MD to Boston. In the past he has resisted the drive because of range anxiety.

I believe his observed mileage is about 238 miles on a full charge. Given this limitation I would guess the commute will add 2+ hours to the 8-hour normal trip time. Well, we'll leave the light on for him.

EDIT: I just saw the additional details in posts below. 450 miles, so two stops are definitely needed in winter. The Tesla nav system is very accurate at predicting stopping points and times, so he should be fine. If he plugs in at your place then he'll only gain 4 miles an hour off the 110V. If there's any access to a dryer plug, then that'll add 30 to 35 miles an hour. About 400ish miles? Based on my limited experience, it seems that all things being ideal he could do it with less than an hour of charging at one stop, but being winter, best to plan on 2 stops at around 35 or 40 minutes each. I'd love to hear how the trip went! Enjoy the time with him.

Hello, Son-In-Law here.  Saw an opportunity to "stretch the legs" on the Model X.  Second trip in excess of 200mi in the past 2 weeks with more planned. Quick summary/trip report.

Drove from MD to MA and returning tomorrow.  Planned my route initially "A Better Route Planner".  There are plenty of options that can factor into the charging times and locations. Stopped 4x for a total of 2hrs (30m each). I considered this to be opportunity charging during breaks (bathroom, snack, stretch). 

If I was traveling by myself, I would say I would have added an hour instead of two.  I was really impressed with the speed of the Super Charger during the stops.  Now there is a lot to factor but overall it was a very good drive and I had zero range anxiety because I had a plan for charging locations along my route plus a few alternatives.  I will say that I-95 is well covered but dipping off to the the Garden State Parkway can be scary with  low SoC (state of charge)

xwesx

tyguy said:

driver100 said:

Help! I need info about DASH CAMS. See my post above if you know anything!

Sorry Driver. I really don't have much anything helpful for you. Before the Tesla I did some research into them and learned many...maybe most...seem to have trouble in the heat. I read that the Sony sensors were holding up better in the Vava systems, but those don't have the features you want. I wish I could help more but that's all I know. The cameras and recording are built into the Tesla, so I stopped my research.

What about your other two vehicles?!

Driver: Honestly, for the price, even if you end up with trouble with it from time to time due to extreme weather, vibrations, etc., replacement is not a tough pill to swallow. You can likely get that added protection thing that Amazon tries to sell folks for cheap ($4-5?), which may cover you for plenty of time (a year+).

oldfarmer50

dino001 said:

Get this. I hit a pothole yesterday. Hard, both wheels went in, felt like some giant kicked my car from the bottom. TPMS did not go off, the car kept going. I inspected it from the outside and it seems OK. Well...
I went on a highway today morning. Coincidentally, I was driving for an service appointment to change oil. At 65 mph a shimmy shows up - low pitch humming noise, increasing intensity at higher speed. Pretty scary. Somehow got to the dealership. Told the guy what's up, he wrote it up and they checked it - both passenger side wheels bent, before even alignment check can reveal any problems (will it? who knows). So I called my insurance Progressive and filed a claim. Will see what they say and do. The car is at the dealer's, not safe to drive, I'm at least out of my deductible (that's a given), but who knows how much Progressive will agree to pay. The guy was generally optimistic saying they have generally positive history working with them, so hopefully no funny "reasonable rate" business, insurers like to pull sometimes. Will see. Some start of a year...

BTW, the whole "no loaners for routine maintenance" thing seems to have been a misunderstanding, not a policy. Apparently my car was not marked as sold by this dealer, must have slipped through cracks as a European Delivery, that's why. Once I straightened it out, they gave me another 430i, just a coupe. So in fact, I got a BMW loaner first time in years.

I drove a 430i hardtop convertible to New Jersey on New Years Eve. 40k+ miles but it seemed nice and tight. What’s the base engine? Felt like a 4cyl turbo. I didn’t get to play with it too much because the roads were icy but it looked like it would be fun to toss around. Was smaller than I expected so I can’t imagine how tight RB’s 2 series would be.

Would have been a great car to drive in May or June. I was tempted to play with the roof but with my luck I probably wouldn’t have the Teutonic logic to put it back up.

stickguy

a 430i has a 2.0l turbo 4.

oldfarmer50

henryn said:

oldfarmer50 said:

If I’m wrong and those charging stations aren’t put in prime parking spots then I apologize. The truck owners are jerks no matter what.

Okay, what did I miss? What are truck owners doing that make them jerks?

I was commenting on a picture of three pickups parked in EV charging spots.

Don’t worry, I’m sure none of them were Fords.

explorerx4

@bwia,
4 half hours stop on a 450 mile trip? I would consider that a total nightmare.
How many hours overall?
In my rather average Fusion, no stops for fuel, maybe 2 other stops, 20 minutes total if I wanted to eat something.

Mr_Shiftright

tyguy said:

Could be, Mr Shiftright. What do you think replaces it? Probably a combination of solutions, but what forms do you think will be dominant?

I would guess "cars" that could be summoned, either with drivers or without them. People would still USE cars, but not own them in other words. No way in hell that the fossil fuel industry is going to scrap their hundreds of billions of dollars worth of infrastructure in any foreseeable future at least.

People will do what is most cost-effective I think.

Mr_Shiftright

oldfarmer50 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

tyguy said:

snakeweasel said:

I believe that Tesla has that technology. I have seen videos of it in action and it's rather fast. Real world use has yet to be done.

Tesla did prove that out, but they're not pursuing it. Here's a video of the battery swap happening at a media event:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=HlaQuKk9bFg

What they don't show is how many people it took to make it happen. They proved a concept but there's a ton of work to do, and I think the Model 3 shows where they're going. To change the battery in the Model 3 requires removing quite a few interior pieces to access all the mounting supports and hardware. It's more like a full day job versus a couple of minutes as seen in that video.

I'd love to see a system where we buy a car without batteries, then lease batteries that can be swapped out as needed. The leasing company guarantees a certain charge capability and owns the batteries. If we don't want to lease, then we buy our own. It would definitely be neat and possibly convenient, but the infrastructure needs would be HUGE.

Battery swapping is utterly crazy IMO. It's right up there with the flying car articles in Popular Mechanics.

What's needed is not more charging stations but faster ones and stations capable of doing that at home IMO. The idea is having your own gas station at home. If you have to go somewhere to charge up, you haven't really accomplished any kind of "revolution" in personal transport.

I understand that in the very early days of ICE most owners did have there own fueling available at home. So in that respect EVs are following the same pattern.

Well maybe on the farm. But many people bought fuel at .....the pharmacy if you can believe that---or the hardware store.

Back in 1900, many people thought electric cars were the future, and that they would dominate over the noisy, smelly ICE cars and the takes-forever steam cars. Ten years later, EVs and steam had practically vanished.

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

Henry, purposely parking in the supercharger spots just to block them, then being abusive to the Tesla drivers, qualifies in my book.

It's like "rolling coal" -- 10 year olds trapped in the body of a cowboy.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
You better ask some Russians. Facebook can probably help you out there.

Now there's some solid advice.

It's amazing the help I get here.......don't know how I got by all those years before I found youz guyz!

Anyone happen to know any Russians? Oh yeh, not him, I think he is denying it.

I think they’re referring to all the all the Russian dash cam videos on YouTube.

venture

sb55 said:

venture said:

Speaking of electric vehicles, the JackRabbit came today.

/>

Is that an E-bike? Where are the pedals?
(I have a RAD E-bike and love it)

It doesn't have any pedals. They call it a city cruiser - not a bike and not a scooter. 13 MPH and 13 to 15 mile range. Foot pegs are folded up on the front axle.

The Jackrabbit is not for long distances. I go about a mile each way in the summer to work on a baseball field and may take it to lunch occasionally (I mean ride it to lunch, not buy it lunch ).

Friends have RADs. They love them too.

venture

driver100 said:

I am checking on dashcams. One dealer has a model they get...camera plus installation would be $400 to $500.
I found these on Amazon:
Dashcam, Built into Mirror, with Rear View Camera, Built In Installation
I have no idea what model I would need. I like the idea of it being in the mirror, I want it to look built in with no wires showing, easy as possible installation, has to record from the front at least.

One of them has batteries and if your car is banged from the rear it will start recording immediately. It is too new for reviews.

The one I am thinking of is this one....will it do what I want it to do?
ToGuard Mirror Cam

The one you linked has a back-up camera too. Is that what you want or do you want one that records front and rear?

When I was looking a few weeks ago I went to Best Buy and told them what I wanted. They had it and installed it. No wires showing.

driver100

xwesx said:

driver100 said:

I am checking on dashcams. One dealer has a model they get...camera plus installation would be $400 to $500.
I found these on Amazon:
...
The one I am thinking of is this one....will it do what I want it to do?
ToGuard Mirror Cam

It will probably work fine for what you need.

My only hesitation with the systems is the quality of the capacitors they use. For some, conditions on very hot summer days, while parked, can cause the capacitor to fail. The good news, though, is that most of the trouble with dash cams is the initial install so, even if you needed to replace it, doing so would be plug-and-play.

Also, I'm not sure I see how the rear camera mounts; those can sometimes be bulky/clunky, so make sure that it works well for your needs.

Really good info xwesx. We only use this car for the 5 months we are in Florida, although if I like it I will get a front recording camera for my 7 month car. Good info about the rear camera. I like the idea it is part of the rear view mirror.....not extra stuff in the car. Not too concerned about having the getting hit while parked feature, can't worry about every possibility. Much appreciated....very helpful xw.

driver100

tyguy said:

driver100 said:

Help! I need info about DASH CAMS. See my post above if you know anything!

Sorry Driver. I really don't have much anything helpful for you. Before the Tesla I did some research into them and learned many...maybe most...seem to have trouble in the heat. I read that the Sony sensors were holding up better in the Vava systems, but those don't have the features you want. I wish I could help more but that's all I know. The cameras and recording are built into the Tesla, so I stopped my research.

Thanks for the info. The device is so cheap and it would cost so little to add these to all new cars.....it is time this became a $150 option....nicely built in.

driver100

xwesx said:

tyguy said:

driver100 said:

Help! I need info about DASH CAMS. See my post above if you know anything!

Sorry Driver. I really don't have much anything helpful for you. Before the Tesla I did some research into them and learned many...maybe most...seem to have trouble in the heat. I read that the Sony sensors were holding up better in the Vava systems, but those don't have the features you want. I wish I could help more but that's all I know. The cameras and recording are built into the Tesla, so I stopped my research.

What about your other two vehicles?!

Driver: Honestly, for the price, even if you end up with trouble with it from time to time due to extreme weather, vibrations, etc., replacement is not a tough pill to swallow. You can likely get that added protection thing that Amazon tries to sell folks for cheap ($4-5?), which may cover you for plenty of time (a year+).

I agree. I would just chance it.......for the cost it is worth it to me. A lot of the units have 4.5 out of 5 stars, so people must like them. One had 4.5 and over 3000 reviews. The one I want had 4.5 with 59 reviews.

If i like it on the C I would certainly consider one for the E, though the driving is about 100X more dangerous here in Florida compared to back home.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
I work with a several of them, why do you ask?
Here is a story from years ago, my employer had a group of them, many still working for our company.
A VP called me into her office one day and said 'We want you start working with them to see what they do because we have no idea'.
I said I'd work with them but not report what they did.
When I started working with them I told them the company wanted me to spy on you, but I told them I wouldn't do it.
They are smart and work really well as a team. It got to be where if I had a problem, I could talk to one of them about it and after they all got together for lunch, someone would come back with a solution.

I assume you are talking about me finding some Russians explorer. I know all those dash cam videos are taken in Russia, I wonder if they have car insurance business there? Maybe that's an idea for a new business.....insurance company selling car insurance in Russia,
I have no doubt they could be excellent workers......not so sure about how they drive.

xwesx

driver100 said:

I agree. I would just chance it.......for the cost it is worth it to me. A lot of the units have 4.5 out of 5 stars, so people must like them. One had 4.5 and over 3000 reviews. The one I want had 4.5 with 59 reviews.

If i like it on the C I would certainly consider one for the E, though the driving is about 100X more dangerous here in Florida compared to back home.

I took a quick look at the reviews; looks promising. Even on products I own and know to be excellent, there are plenty of reviewers that leave terrible ratings to drag the average scores down. One of the reviewers noted that he first installed the camera system in a rental car! I was surprised at that, as it seems like the system replaces the factory mirror.... am I looking at it wrong? It did catch my attention though.... I'll be renting a car for a week+ in a couple of months, and I think I will get a small, portable, cheap unit to take with me. I am not a fan of being paranoid, but it's not paranoia if they really ARE out to get me!

When I get home tonight, I'll try to take a moment to snap some photos of the Blackvue in my wife's Forester. Not a mirror-mounted system, but I think it is very subtle. Access is through a wifi handheld, though (I use my iPod). It is a much more expensive system (nearly 4x) of the one you have in mind. As such, I really don't see how you can go wrong unless this mirror-based unit is a complete dud.

driver100

venture said:

driver100 said:

I am checking on dashcams. One dealer has a model they get...camera plus installation would be $400 to $500.
I found these on Amazon:
Dashcam, Built into Mirror, with Rear View Camera, Built In Installation
I have no idea what model I would need. I like the idea of it being in the mirror, I want it to look built in with no wires showing, easy as possible installation, has to record from the front at least.

One of them has batteries and if your car is banged from the rear it will start recording immediately. It is too new for reviews.

The one I am thinking of is this one....will it do what I want it to do?
ToGuard Mirror Cam

The one you linked has a back-up camera too. Is that what you want or do you want one that records front and rear?

When I was looking a few weeks ago I went to Best Buy and told them what I wanted. They had it and installed it. No wires showing.

I could be wrong venture but Best Buy just shows one bulky looking one...but, I will try again to see if they have what I want. Their website shows what Geek prices are for installing. I want one that 1) fits over the rear view mirror 2) records from the front 3) has a camera for the rear - only want it for backing up, NOT recording 4) no wires showing (Do you know if the rear camera is hooked up using wires or is it wireless to the dash/mirror?.
It looks like from the picture of the one I was interested in...you press a button on the mirror to see behind you.
Thanks for the info....I will definitely try BB again.

driver100

xwesx said:

driver100 said:

I agree. I would just chance it.......for the cost it is worth it to me. A lot of the units have 4.5 out of 5 stars, so people must like them. One had 4.5 and over 3000 reviews. The one I want had 4.5 with 59 reviews.

If i like it on the C I would certainly consider one for the E, though the driving is about 100X more dangerous here in Florida compared to back home.

I took a quick look at the reviews; looks promising. Even on products I own and know to be excellent, there are plenty of reviewers that leave terrible ratings to drag the average scores down. One of the reviewers noted that he first installed the camera system in a rental car! I was surprised at that, as it seems like the system replaces the factory mirror.... am I looking at it wrong? It did catch my attention though.... I'll be renting a car for a week+ in a couple of months, and I think I will get a small, portable, cheap unit to take with me. I am not a fan of being paranoid, but it's not paranoia if they really ARE out to get me!

When I get home tonight, I'll try to take a moment to snap some photos of the Blackvue in my wife's Forester. Not a mirror-mounted system, but I think it is very subtle. Access is through a wifi handheld, though (I use my iPod). It is a much more expensive system (nearly 4x) of the one you have in mind. As such, I really don't see how you can go wrong unless this mirror-based unit is a complete dud.

xwesx, Thanks again, very helpful........I think the unit I am looking at is exactly what I am looking for. For a simple dashcam they had them for about $20 or so I believe.....it could be a good idea for a rental car....why not?
I have a lot of experience with reviews, almost 400 on tripadvisor. I have learned with reviews, there will always be 5% which are negative and ridiculous.....I just ignore those. Some don't like the packaging, or they think it shoujld be another color........if 4.5 like it that is a pretty good indication....though I will read them over. I don't need perfection.....this is just in case, because I have seen people doing the weirdest things on the roads down here.

venture

driver100 said:

venture said:

driver100 said:

I am checking on dashcams. One dealer has a model they get...camera plus installation would be $400 to $500.
I found these on Amazon:
Dashcam, Built into Mirror, with Rear View Camera, Built In Installation
I have no idea what model I would need. I like the idea of it being in the mirror, I want it to look built in with no wires showing, easy as possible installation, has to record from the front at least.

One of them has batteries and if your car is banged from the rear it will start recording immediately. It is too new for reviews.

The one I am thinking of is this one....will it do what I want it to do?
ToGuard Mirror Cam

The one you linked has a back-up camera too. Is that what you want or do you want one that records front and rear?

When I was looking a few weeks ago I went to Best Buy and told them what I wanted. They had it and installed it. No wires showing.

I could be wrong venture but Best Buy just shows one bulky looking one...but, I will try again to see if they have what I want. Their website shows what Geek prices are for installing. I want one that 1) fits over the rear view mirror 2) records from the front 3) has a camera for the rear - only want it for backing up, NOT recording 4) no wires showing (Do you know if the rear camera is hooked up using wires or is it wireless to the dash/mirror?.
It looks like from the picture of the one I was interested in...you press a button on the mirror to see behind you.
Thanks for the info....I will definitely try BB again.

From the information I got from Best Buy, installation for the dash cam and the back-up camera will cost much more than the purchase price. They will charge you for a dash cam install and a back-up cam install. They run a wire to the rear afaik.

driver100

Venture, and anyone interested in Dash Cam with Back Up Camera. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I checked Best Buy and most cameras are pretty bulky and are more expensive than Amazon. I chose the camera I like, it is this model:


When I looked up the camera I see that Amazon says if you want it installed, they will connect you with a shop that will do the installation, estimate $199. There is a choice of 3 shops, all with 5 out of 5 stars. This is their guarantee and how you proceed;

This is the camera I am thinking of....Reg $230 for $130.
CHICOM Mirror Dash Cam Backup Camera 9.66" Full Touch Screen Stream Media Dual Lens Full HD Reverse Camera,1080P 170° Full HD Front and 1080P 140°Wide Angle Full HD Rear View Camera，24-Hour Parking



What happens next?
You'll get an email from your pro to confirm the date time and other details of your backup camera and sensor installation. Please be prepared to provide your pro the exact product name of the backup camera and sensor you need installed or, even better, the Amazon product URL links. Installation times can vary widely between specific product and vehicle models.
Why should I hire a pro to install my backup camera and sensor?
Backup camera installation can be a time consuming and difficult process. A pro will have the right tools and experience to make sure your backup camera and sensor installation is as quick and safe as possible.
What if something goes wrong?
We stand behind every service with our Happiness Guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with your backup camera and sensor installation, we’ll make it right or give you a full refund

I love Amazon. You get the camera you want, they figure out what parts you will need, they know how much this particular unit will cost to install, they guaranty it all. Just about foolproof.

houdini2

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

tyguy said:

LOL. I love the frunk. When we're transporting hot food, like leftovers or going to a friend's place for a meal, we put it in the frunk so the smell doesn't stay in the cabin afterwards. Works great!

Elon is missing a marketing opportunity here by not installing an electric heating element in the frunk and selling the advantages of having a warming oven in the front.

Great idea.....actually could have a rotating rotisserie in the frunk, put a chicken or a pig in there, even some nice juicy roadkill..............dinner by the time you get home.

Problem would be that the cooking smoke and fumes would then disqualify it as a zero-emission vehicle.

Plus I don't think many Tesla owners would convert to an internal combustion vehicle.

houdini2

driver100 said:

xwesx said:

tyguy said:

driver100 said:

Help! I need info about DASH CAMS. See my post above if you know anything!

Sorry Driver. I really don't have much anything helpful for you. Before the Tesla I did some research into them and learned many...maybe most...seem to have trouble in the heat. I read that the Sony sensors were holding up better in the Vava systems, but those don't have the features you want. I wish I could help more but that's all I know. The cameras and recording are built into the Tesla, so I stopped my research.

What about your other two vehicles?!

Driver: Honestly, for the price, even if you end up with trouble with it from time to time due to extreme weather, vibrations, etc., replacement is not a tough pill to swallow. You can likely get that added protection thing that Amazon tries to sell folks for cheap ($4-5?), which may cover you for plenty of time (a year+).

I agree. I would just chance it.......for the cost it is worth it to me. A lot of the units have 4.5 out of 5 stars, so people must like them. One had 4.5 and over 3000 reviews. The one I want had 4.5 with 59 reviews.

If i like it on the C I would certainly consider one for the E, though the driving is about 100X more dangerous here in Florida compared to back home.

You have been driving for a lot of years. Think back over all that those years and see how often a dash cam would have been a benefit or maybe even a liability to you.

driver100

houdini2 said:

driver100 said:

xwesx said:

tyguy said:

driver100 said:

Help! I need info about DASH CAMS. See my post above if you know anything!

Sorry Driver. I really don't have much anything helpful for you. Before the Tesla I did some research into them and learned many...maybe most...seem to have trouble in the heat. I read that the Sony sensors were holding up better in the Vava systems, but those don't have the features you want. I wish I could help more but that's all I know. The cameras and recording are built into the Tesla, so I stopped my research.

What about your other two vehicles?!

Driver: Honestly, for the price, even if you end up with trouble with it from time to time due to extreme weather, vibrations, etc., replacement is not a tough pill to swallow. You can likely get that added protection thing that Amazon tries to sell folks for cheap ($4-5?), which may cover you for plenty of time (a year+).

I agree. I would just chance it.......for the cost it is worth it to me. A lot of the units have 4.5 out of 5 stars, so people must like them. One had 4.5 and over 3000 reviews. The one I want had 4.5 with 59 reviews.

If i like it on the C I would certainly consider one for the E, though the driving is about 100X more dangerous here in Florida compared to back home.

You have been driving for a lot of years. Think back over all that experience and see how often a dash cam would have been a benefit to you.

About 5 times a day when I am in Florida. I should share my daily driving experiences with you guys, you won't believe what goes on.
Besides, it's like insurance, how often do you need it, but if you do it is nice to have. Could solve a "I said, they said" situation.

stickguy

Does that unit replace your rear view mirror, or just strap over it? That sounds bulky. Wouldn’t work on my tlx either, since the acurawatch cameras are behind the mirror I think.

fintail

I'd be leery of replacing the OEM rear view mirror on a complex car like a modern E, which has sensors and I assume integrated homelink like prior models.

You can have a normal cam hardwired in (with an aux battery) just in front of the mirror, so you barely see it, and a rear window cam high on the window where it doesn't interfere. Installation will cost as least as much as the cam, but worth it IMO to not have wires hanging everywhere.

stickguy

Yeah, no way I’m yanking out the factory mirror on an upscale car. But I also won’t buy one without a BU camera, so no need to do it anyway. Or is that how you watch the video? I assumed you download it to your phone when desired

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

tyguy said:

Regarding more charging stations, the California ones are already pretty busy and I think more will be needed as the owner base grows.

More would be needed with all those pickup trucks at the charging stations.

https://carbuzz.com/news/tesla-hating-truck-owners-are-at-it-again

You have to remember that those spots were taken from those previously open to everyone. Maybe people are getting fed up with special “privledge” parking spots. No one objected to the best spots going to people with physical disabilities but now Walmart has the best spots reserved for people who order online for store pickup and McDonalds has special spots for people waiting for delivery from the drive thru. When did the people too lazy to get out of the car deserve special treatment? I wonder if those kinds of rudeness would occur if the charging stations were at the far end of the lot.

The specialty spots at drive thrus are there so ones who have to wait on orders don't tie up the line behind them and the employees can get them their food quickly once it's done.

my understanding of the online pickup is that they will come out to you to load up your car, see above.

While I cannot talk about all of Teslas superchargers the ones I have seen are somewhat out of the way. Not the furthest away but far enough away as there are usually plenty of parking closer.

[Deleted User]

stickguy said:

Yeah, no way I’m yanking out the factory mirror on an upscale car. But I also won’t buy one without a BU camera, so no need to do it anyway. Or is that how you watch the video? I assumed you download it to your phone when desired

My Tesla records about an hour on a loop (first in first out), but if there's something you want to save, then you press the little camera icon on the screen and it'll save the last 10 minutes of driving. All that data goes on a USB drive that you insert into one of the ports upfront. Pretty slick. I think the aftermarket units' length of recording depends on the data storage capacity.

driver100

stickguy said:

Does that unit replace your rear view mirror, or just strap over it? That sounds bulky. Wouldn’t work on my tlx either, since the acurawatch cameras are behind the mirror I think.

Questions answered from the site:
Q: Does it attach to exsisting mirror?
A: Yes it does it has two rubber clips that keep the mirror nice and tight

Q: Where can I find this setup that includes a mirror replacement? I don’t want to clip it on my existing mirror!
A: Our display is treated like a normal mirror and can be used as a normal mirror or as a display.

driver100

stickguy said:

Yeah, no way I’m yanking out the factory mirror on an upscale car. But I also won’t buy one without a BU camera, so no need to do it anyway. Or is that how you watch the video? I assumed you download it to your phone when desired

If you don't need the back up camera you can buy one for a lot less....one that just records. Basic units range from about $20 to $60.

stickguy

Driver, just buy a new car instead. Problem solved!

graphicguy

EDMUNDS.....In all seriousness. I’d sue your WEB provider/developer for breach of contract. I’ve seen amateur WEB sites that are 100x better than trying to sign in to the forums on yours. Not like this was a recent phenomenon, either.

stickguy

I know they wanted to keep history, but it seems like trying that caused a ton of issues. Might have been better to just make everyone reenroll in the new forum and start fresh.

tjc78

@graphicguy
They must be trying little fixes, because for the first time today the login actually worked as designed on my work computer (Win 10; Chrome).

I was signed out, then was actually able to simply click the link to re-sign in. Every other time in this scenario I had to scroll to the bottom of the screen, click on Automobile Forums, and then log-in.

stickguy

I certainly hope they are working on debugging this.