Just to be clear, they (1) installed the camera, (2) Pulled your Nav head unit out of the dash, (3) buttoned everything back up with a working interface for $750 in labor?

$750 labor + $200 for the beatsonic camera & harness - So "all-in" you're out $950?

 

See next post....

(I don't see a way to delete this post. Moderators, feel free to delete.)

 

After seeing the pics of the superb install done by DFW-SC430 earlier in this thread, I decided I needed to up my game and place the camera on the inside of the grill, or at least make the attempt. Although I thought about doing this originally, I had assumed that the webbing of the grill would obstruct some of the camera's view. Today, I proved that I was wrong.

Here are the pics of this most recent iteration of the camera install.

 

Nope - $750. total including the BeatSonic Camera. Actually my total bill was $751.67, made up of:

Materials - $324.98, Labor $380.00, Misc. $19.00, and Sales Tax $27.69 = $751.67.

 

I was inspired by you gents, but i didnt want to complicate things with wires/zip ties/etc. So im going to try this item here. We are forced to have a front plate in BC so ill just mount it on the front plate and report back the results. Hopefully this works well.

 

Looks good. Where will you place the screen?

 

Don’t know yet. Hopefully I can hide it somewhere less visible like yours or if they have a phone app that would be the best.

 

I guess I'm confused Why are you folks going with a kludge when there is a an aftermarket system available when installed by a qualified technician looks and acts like it was factory installed

 

I can only speak for myself.

Soon after I bought the car in February of this year, I took it to a Car Toys (local car audio retailer/installer) location and inquired about getting a camera in the front. The salesperson did some checking and, although he said that they used to do such things, he ultimately told me that he had nothing to offer me.

So, I just kept my eyes open for a solution. I came across a post in a Facebook LC group in which there was a description of a DIY front camera install. I asked some questions of the LC owner who made the post, liked the answers that I got, so I merely duplicated his efforts - until I made some improvements.

About the only advantage I can see to having the integration done professionally, is getting the camera view on the car’s infotainment screen. There is no question that that is the ideal. I’d love to have that level of integration. However, after seeing the degree of disassembly involved in installing such a system, I am simply not willing to subject my car to all of that. It’s not happening. My front cam is now just as discreet as any that I have seen. My screen is under the armrest, so it’s not visible unless in use.

Everyone has their own perspective. To each, his own. I think it’s great that there is a solution that will utilize the infotainment screen. However, had the sales person at Car Toys had such an offering, and had I known what would have been involved, I would have passed on the deal. I just don’t like the amount of dismemberment that is needed to meet the objective. But different views is what makes the world go ‘round.

 

For me the reasoning is simple. It’s cheap ! At 150 bucks Canadian to not rip up the interior or run any additional wires ?!? Why the heck not. When I park I don’t usually head in anyways so it’s not something I really really need. But at this price point who cares

 

So i installed it today. Installation was a breeze but the end result is REALLY UGLY. Im going to return it.

It works fine, just aesthetically i hate it. It sticks out way too much and its thickkkk.

 

It didn't appear to be that obtrusive in their marketing images. Oh well.

 

haha... quite the turnaround from first to second post.

the ol' "you get what you pay for"...

don't blame you returning it. looks terrible outside and inside, imo.

 

its just too ugly for me to keep. If i could stand the aesthetics of the damn thing, i would probably keep it. Or if wasnt so lazy and found a way to mount it inside the grill like woodturner then maybe i can live with it (but if you mount it inside the grill i dont think it'll get enough light and thus unable to solar charge)

I couldnt find a really good place to put the screen either as you have to manually push a button to activate the screen/camera. The button is a little thing on right hand side of the LCD screen so that means you gotta put it somewhere easily accessible.

All in all, a failed experiment

 

There's bound to be a tacky joke inside this statement, but since I have some Polish friends (and love Polish food), I'll leave it alone.