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Need a FRONT down angle camera or sensor for parking

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Zardoz, Sep 23, 2017.

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  1. Zardoz

    Zardoz Member

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    I am sure that I am NOT the only one... I don't want to damage my new Prius by forward driving into parking spots with concrete bumpers. The Gen 4 is even lower than the Gen 2 I previously owned and I replaced parts under the front end on multiple occasions!

    Recommendations???
     
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  2. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    Beat-sonic has a harness that will display a front facing camera onto the NAV screen. $175. Will also have to buy a camera ($150ish). And then pay for installation. Pricy when you stack it all up.
     
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  3. bobzchemist

    bobzchemist Active Member

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  4. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Part of learning how to drive is knowing where your wheels are and where your vehicle is. You should be able to look at the parking spot as you pull in, and pull in all the way exactly where you should be going. This can be a learned skill, I highly recommend learning it. It is required for parking in tight spaces, parallel parking in general, emergency maneuvers, etc. You don't want to be second guessing how long your car is when you need to make a split second decision to swerve into an opening. Will you make it or not? Better to know by knowing your car.

    Eventually, you'll get really good at it. I ca hop in a rental car after a quick walk around and know how big it is from the small compacts to the large SUVs. You too can do this with practice. I have driven many cars where the ground clearance is so minimal you couldn't even fit your shoe under the car. Never bumped a thing.
     
  5. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    so you turn the rear-view camera off, because of your high degree of parking skill?
     
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  6. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    I use the rear-view camera when backing out of a space because the fish-eye is good for seeing around the huge vehicles. The question was about a camera in the front of the car for parking. Presumably nose-in parking and not hitting a curb or parking barrier.

    And I am not a typical driver with race experience, lots of exotics driven, driving classes, offroading in cars that shouldn't, etc. When you drive places like St. Lucia where one tire is halfway on the road, and halfway in the air floating off a cliff to get around other vehicles, you need to know where your vehicle is. Mountain passes in India and Mauritius were also experiences where you needed to know within inches the exact size of your car.
     
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  7. Zardoz

    Zardoz Member

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    Alas I have a Prius 2. No NAV.
     
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  8. Zardoz

    Zardoz Member

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    You are a better driver than me!
     
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  9. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    When parking, I look out the side window to ensure I'm not driving the front end someplace it shouldn't end up. I learned to be careful about that because my first car's trans pan was right underneath the front bumper, and that was not a cheap repair.:D
     
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  10. Zardoz

    Zardoz Member

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    I am required to park in areas with small concrete bumpers at the front end of the parking spots. Also, they do not allow anyone to back into a spot or they tow.

    Unfortunately, from within the car even with the door open, you cannot see these bumpers. You can however hear wonderful scraping noises!
     
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  11. bobzchemist

    bobzchemist Active Member

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    If I was going to do this up right, I'd get 3 or 4 of these:


    And one of these:


    then put one camera on each of the bumper corners, and one in the center.
     
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  12. Zardoz

    Zardoz Member

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    Interesting... I wonder if they have a Bluetooth or WiFi connect version so that I can see it on my cell phone. That would keep me from making penetrations in the firewall and eliminate the bulk of an additional display. Seems I cannot go anywhere these days without my phone.
     
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  13. bobzchemist

    bobzchemist Active Member

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    That's an interesting challenge...

    Google-fu powers activate! (why yes, I am a complete nerd. Why do you ask?)



    Not sure if you can get more than one to work on an iphone, though.
     
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  14. Zardoz

    Zardoz Member

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    Thanks!
     
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  15. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Wow, is that a yoga move, or you just hyper flexible. Trying to suppress my imagination here and don't know how long I'll be able to hold out! :censored:
     
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  16. alexgrigori

    alexgrigori Active Member

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    Think big, think 360! Do not limit yourself by only front or back view...
     
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  17. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    Neither, just force of habit.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  18. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Cool ! How d'ya get those fancy emojis up? My Android ones refuse to paint up. (n)
     
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  19. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    I use Swype on all my Androids. I've used it since beta.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  20. plug-it-in

    plug-it-in Active Member

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    Yes, the front bumper on the Gen4s is far too low. Easy to get it scraped. Luckily it is plastic. On the other hand the doors are not made of plastic and very easy to get them caught and scraped when parking beside some curbs. I did not know I got a Lambo when I bought my Prius. Darn!!!


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