rear camera rather than just rear sensors

[Agrestis]

Is the rear camera worth the extra cost - have ordered the rear sensors but thinking on adding the camera after further thought. Have never owned a van before and wondered if rear sensors would be sufficient.

 

[Hotel California]

Hi and welcome on your first post .
My Cali is the first car i ever owend with parking sensors and i feel it is a nice thing , especialy on a large verhicle where you can not see the rear.
Camera for me i find not neccecary.
Should be nice if you tow a trailer , very handy when connecting the trailer.
All up your personal favors and the extra costs...

 

[Brindisi]

Is the rear camera worth the extra cost - have ordered the rear sensors but thinking on adding the camera after further thought. Have never owned a van before and wondered if rear sensors would be sufficient.

We had cameras when ordered our van , very glad we did it , although had to have sat nav package to do so .
Mrs B

 

[Stoneybroke]

The camera just adds that extra reassurance - bollards, small kids, people who insist on walking behind an obviously reversing vehicle.

 

[GillianC]

If you are thinking of a camera then get it fitted now! I have had terrible trouble getting one retro fitted on my 2014 van and it is so much easier to get it installed from new. Personally I feel that on such an expensive vehicle why wouldn't you have it? Would also help the resale too...

 

[El Greco]

I had a similar dilemma. In the end I thought that if it saved me one accident it would pay for itself. I wouldn't be without it now. It gives great confidence when reversing and better parking first time.

 

[theonecraw]

Had a camera on my last few cars but hardly used them. I rely on mirrors and sensors. It's a nice to have but not essential in my opinion.

 

[ArunAlec]

Mine came with the camera and I would be lost without it. It allows me to reverse to within inches of an object

 

[2haw]

I ordered the camera without sensors. Love it, would rather see how close I am than hear how close I roughly am. Well worth the money. Don't miss the sensors at all.

 

[X4 VWC]

I have both but don't make much use of the camera so far ... prefer sensors and looking about as I reverse. My wife's car has camera only and I've nearly bumped things several times waiting for beeps! I wanted to specify both sensors and camera, because if I ever tow with the California the camera is going to be REALLY useful when hooking up. And as GillianC said, retrofit would be a pain (same reason for having the towbar preparation, even if not adding the towbar).

 

[Agrestis]

Thank you for all replies - very helpful.

 

[CoboCali]

they asked me to reverse park, up the ramp onto the car ferry back from guernsey to poole yesterday - was glad i had the camera to assist me

 

[GillianC]

they asked me to reverse park, up the ramp onto the car ferry back from guernsey to poole yesterday - was glad i had the camera to assist me

Gosh I bet you were!!! Not sure I would fancy that even with a reversing camera

 

[ROKET]

Gosh I bet you were!!! Not sure I would fancy that even with a reversing camera

I have been tould that parking sensors can miss posts which if true means hard damage.

 

[Teejay]

Not sure you need the camera, for most the sensors are probably enough. However, sensors are not infallible so a visual references will come in handy quite often I'd guess. Even more useful if you tow

 

[GrannyJen]

Well, just to be awkward,

I rarely bother looking at my Camera. I find big mirrors and accurate sensors quite enough, although it is useful for that one last check.

 

[Swissian]

I have been tould that parking sensors can miss posts which if true means hard damage.

It was such a post that convinced me to get the camera and with the Cali rear window being so high, I though it added an extra safety aspect especially when there are a lot of kids running around.

 

[HAPPY_T6_CALI]

The rear camera can be ordered with the radio composition colour and is an excellent choice.

 

[Richy]

Just been away with our new Beach,
Wouldn't be without the rear camera now.
we got lost on Thursday night on our way to Alton Towers and had to do a 3 (5) point turn on a very tight road in the dark, the camera was spot on. the light from the reverse lights lit the road up, it was just as good as using it during day lite.
Hope this helps

 

[kaf2546]

Camera good with tow bar bike rack ...

 

[X4 VWC]

I'm finding the camera useful even when using the VW tailgate bike rack. Although the camera sits below the bike rack, so you can't see the rack, the first green line in the reversing image corresponds exactly with the edge of the bike rack! I put an object below the rack to test this.

 

[Candy Camper]

I had the sensors factory fitted, I got the camera fitted later at Exploria in Brighous get the CMOS 320 Kenwood, I have just had one fitted and you can change viewing angles, would not be without it.

 

[AlisonF]

Is the rear camera worth the extra cost - have ordered the rear sensors but thinking on adding the camera after further thought. Have never owned a van before and wondered if rear sensors would be sufficient.

A late reply but the answer is 'yes' - you won't regret it. And you might if you don't.
I use mine every time I reverse - not in replacement of drivers mirror, wing mirrors or parking sensors (I use them all every time) - but for more certainty that I am reversing a large vehicle safely. What price can you put on that??? For me it was a no brainer.