Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Dash Cam

Discussing the current generation Z4
ori
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1503
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:04 pm

Dash Cam

Post by ori » Tue Dec 08, 2020 10:58 pm

Following my recent rather expensive experience. I am considering a dash cam.
Anyone had any fitted? I know this sounds vain, but I don’t want something ugly. I believe dash cams have parking mode now too?
I wish BMW gave you the option to use the built in cameras.

Any ideas would be great.

User avatar
raven
Member
Member
Posts: 276
Joined: Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:08 am
Location: Antwerp
Contact:

Dash Cam

Post by raven » Wed Dec 09, 2020 7:03 am

ori wrote: Tue Dec 08, 2020 10:58 pm Following my recent rather expensive experience. I am considering a dash cam.
Anyone had any fitted? I know this sounds vain, but I don’t want something ugly. I believe dash cams have parking mode now too?
I wish BMW gave you the option to use the built in cameras.

Any ideas would be great.
I had the bmw advanced eye in my previous car, front and rear camera, it had parking mode with movement detection.
But the camera quality was bad, you couldnt read license plates unless the car was standing stil, so i'm not sure how useful it would have been during hit and run situations :)

The newer 5 and up series have a drive recorder if i'm not mistaken.

BlackVue is what I would put in in my car: they have fairly small models and have a good reputation.

I have also been thinking about this, back when i bought the car, but I was worried about people trying to cut in the roof to get to the camera.
Wiremanagement also looked a little bit more difficult in a convertible since you can't put the wires in the rooflining.
Also front camera without a back camera is only half the coverage but with the folding rear window situation, it looked a little more complicated than usual :)

There are a few cameras also that can record the backside from being mounted at the front window but with the limited window space in the Z it might not be usable unless you stick it in the middle of your window :D

I might revisit this topic also since ive had 1 hit and run and one scratch from people sitting on my car lol :)
2019 BMW Z4 G29 M40i @600hp - IG: ZZZZ_M40i

ori
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1503
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:04 pm

Dash Cam

Post by ori » Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:00 am

You’ve pretty much summed up all my problems right there.
I had the car less than 2 weeks and suffered a hit and run!

blunderthumbs
Member
Member
Posts: 580
Joined: Wed May 13, 2020 2:27 pm
Location: Cheshire

Dash Cam

Post by blunderthumbs » Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:08 am

This one has a small camera that you can mount near the rear number plate. It's out of stock on Amazon at the moment but worth thinking about :thumbsup:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07 ... 3X2N&psc=1
2004 Black Sapphire 3.0L SE. Red leather. Back box delete. Clutch valve delete. Roof motor relocated. 18" M star spoke style 193. Machine Monkey exhaust tips. Gap Tec. ZHP Gear knob. Clear side repeaters. Zun Sport lower grille.

User avatar
Chris_D
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6615
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:41 pm
Location: Mostly Holland. Sometimes UK.

Dash Cam

Post by Chris_D » Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:54 am

blunderthumbs wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:08 am This one has a small camera that you can mount near the rear number plate. It's out of stock on Amazon at the moment but worth thinking about :thumbsup:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07 ... 3X2N&psc=1
I’d hardly describe that as ‘low profile’
:?
E85 3.0i roadie (03) 'Benny'. E93 320d M-Sport Cabrio (11) 'Bob'.
Image
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.

blunderthumbs
Member
Member
Posts: 580
Joined: Wed May 13, 2020 2:27 pm
Location: Cheshire

Dash Cam

Post by blunderthumbs » Wed Dec 09, 2020 12:28 pm

Chris_D wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:54 am
blunderthumbs wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:08 am This one has a small camera that you can mount near the rear number plate. It's out of stock on Amazon at the moment but worth thinking about :thumbsup:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07 ... 3X2N&psc=1
I’d hardly describe that as ‘low profile’
:?
The op didn't specify he wanted a low profile camera. If you look at the video in the link I have posted the components are quite small compared to the Next Base cameras or similar :?
2004 Black Sapphire 3.0L SE. Red leather. Back box delete. Clutch valve delete. Roof motor relocated. 18" M star spoke style 193. Machine Monkey exhaust tips. Gap Tec. ZHP Gear knob. Clear side repeaters. Zun Sport lower grille.

User avatar
raven
Member
Member
Posts: 276
Joined: Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:08 am
Location: Antwerp
Contact:

Dash Cam

Post by raven » Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:28 pm

Dont you need to drill a hole in the trunk for the cables then if you mount it next to the license plate?
Maybe less invasive to attach it to the wind deflector or the things behind the headrest?
2019 BMW Z4 G29 M40i @600hp - IG: ZZZZ_M40i

User avatar
Beeacon
Member
Member
Posts: 329
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:07 pm
Location: Manchester, UK

Dash Cam

Post by Beeacon » Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:43 pm

blunderthumbs wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:08 am This one has a small camera that you can mount near the rear number plate. It's out of stock on Amazon at the moment but worth thinking about :thumbsup:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07 ... 3X2N&psc=1
I have a similar style to that shown and at the front it is pretty hard to actually spot, hidden up behind the mirror. I've seen people further cloak it by extending the black vinyl next to the central mirror. A la: viewtopic.php?p=1549701#p1549701

The rear mounted unit is much smaller as it doesn't have a screen built in.
Current: Still thinking...
Past: 2009 BMW Z4 35i sDrive DCT
Past: 1997 BMW Z3 2.8 wide boy

TheGingerOneNI
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 42
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2020 12:30 am

Dash Cam

Post by TheGingerOneNI » Thu Dec 10, 2020 12:25 pm

I fancy the BlackVue with a BlendMount bracket to make it as tidy as possible but can't find one for sale in the UK. I have yet to see an elegant solution for the rear of any car.

User avatar
raven
Member
Member
Posts: 276
Joined: Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:08 am
Location: Antwerp
Contact:

Dash Cam

Post by raven » Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:01 pm

TheGingerOneNI wrote: Thu Dec 10, 2020 12:25 pm I fancy the BlackVue with a BlendMount bracket to make it as tidy as possible but can't find one for sale in the UK. I have yet to see an elegant solution for the rear of any car.
129723207_376074646824966_790172205843511060_n.jpg
129723207_376074646824966_790172205843511060_n.jpg (294.29 KiB) Viewed 1094 times
Is a little dark, i didnt think to take a picture of the camera mounting back then.
This is how they did it im the previous car, wires ran behind the fabric of the trunk and the small cylinder was the camera, sadly with the Z and the folding roof situation, thats not possible :D
2019 BMW Z4 G29 M40i @600hp - IG: ZZZZ_M40i

User avatar
Sladester100
Member
Member
Posts: 212
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 3:39 pm
Location: South East UK

Dash Cam

Post by Sladester100 » Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:14 pm

Ori did you get one?

Here’s my post from a few months ago, discreet. I don’t have parking mode wire yet but will.
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=125020
F30 320d ED Melbourne Metallic, Vis Pack, Dakota Leather, & Other Goodies :thumsup:
G29 M40i First Edition Frozen Orange :cool:

ori
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1503
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:04 pm

Dash Cam

Post by ori » Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:01 pm

Haven’t got one yet as I haven’t seen one that won’t annoy the bell out me looking at it. I’ll look at link now.

User avatar
obewan
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:53 pm
Location: End of A590 cul de sac (South Cumbria)

Dash Cam

Post by obewan » Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:24 pm

What about one for a motorbike? - Not a clue what they are like but the cameras are very small
Example:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HRJWRXY? ... th=1&psc=1
E89 2.0 SDrive MSport
Honda CB500F.
Gone but not forgotten E85 2.0 MSport

User avatar
raven
Member
Member
Posts: 276
Joined: Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:08 am
Location: Antwerp
Contact:

Dash Cam

Post by raven » Wed Dec 23, 2020 1:10 pm

https://www.blackvue.uk/collections/pro ... dr900x-2ch

this is probably what i would buy, maybe you can put the rear camera on the front winshield and the front one on the back so its not taking up as much space ni your view :)
2019 BMW Z4 G29 M40i @600hp - IG: ZZZZ_M40i

ori
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1503
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:04 pm

Dash Cam

Post by ori » Wed Dec 23, 2020 4:10 pm

I like that one, but I would want it professionally installed to hide the power cable properly. Not sure where to get that done. Maybe I can ask at BMW.

Post Reply