Reversing Camera

davyk31 · Post by **davyk31** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:43 am

Hello firstly, just registered on here, was previously a member on X5drivers and lurked here for a while.

Recently changed from an E53 3.0d LeMans Edition to an E70 3.0sd M Sport and loving it.

My car is fantastically specced but misses out on the reversing camera. A few questions ...

Is this item useful, does seem a nice toy but is it actually useful?

What appears on the display, is it just a picture. I quite like the current system where you see the car outline and the coloured display showing how close each sensor is, do you loose all this with the camera.

Lastly whats the best options for retrofitting this option and is it a DIY job?

Thanks

lezmtaylor · Post by **lezmtaylor** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:58 am

It is an " over to you Sanj" job me thinks.
Lez

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:16 pm

No idea on the E70 Lez, butthe display can be 'bird's-eye view rather than straight back. Think this option was introduced on the FL E70's like Minda's.

They'd be best placed to answer this - wouldn't think this was an easy retro-fit though...

NewX5 · Post by **NewX5** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 2:36 pm

My colleague was just quoted Â£892+vat to retrofit using all OEM products through cartronics which I donâ€™t think was very competitive but each to their own. There are also companies able to retrofit 3rd party reverse camera which I believe there is loads.

http://www.pegasus-online.net/bmwupgrad ... 653c5c50ec

flyfs6 · Post by **flyfs6** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 4:56 pm

Nice to see you here davy.

It was an optional extra available on E70 from launch and I have it fitted to mine.

It's useful enough for me to want to specify it again but with side camera on a LCI we are considering ordering But I wouldn't have it retrofitted personally. It shows lines to guide you in to parking spaces, and distance (it's not a measure) behind you by means of a colour which changes between green, yellow and red (being closest). I prefer to use the mirrors for guiding.

Useful for day to day use parking. But if you need to reverse up to an object with mm accuracy you'll need to get out to have a look as the camera alone is not going to work. Also it's only useable in decent lighting, which makes it poor in comparison to the camera on the new S class which is excellent in any weather/lighting.

Jalf · Post by **Jalf** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:47 pm

I've found them really helpful and when I had to drive a friends car this week I struggled to park

little mirrors, no parking sensors and no cameras, come the rise of the machines I'm dead.

Here is the regular reversing camera view on the E70/1

and the top view

Smatty · Post by **Smatty** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:18 pm

very useful, makes for a lazy driver though

Out of interest, I had it on my previous E53 where the camera was placed just beside the handle to open the rear - terrible, waste of money as you couldn't keep it clean. The new position is better - just a thought

Don Coffey · Post by **Don Coffey** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:32 pm

I have the reversing camera on my Honda and it makes parking/manovering so easy, but looking at Top View from Jalf's post, that looks like a confusing picture, does it make parking easier again?

Don

535dboy · Post by **535dboy** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:50 pm

As others have said.

I find it useless at night

Also gets dirty very quick and therefore useless again

Definitely wouldn't payÂ£1k to retrofit it!

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