Reversing sensors do we really need 'em?

[auldreekie]

Do we really need factory fitted or aftermarket reversing sensors on a fiesta? With a camera or not. Seems a heck of extra expense when learning to park properly with a small fiesta would surely be better and cheaper. 

I can understand if it was a long car. 

Given a choice on a new car would you pay extra for reversing sensors? 

[Bobr]

Every  time

 

[TomsFocus]

It's not about the size of the car...  The visibility is rubbish on modern cars, less glass is better for occupant safety...

I've owned over 30 cars without sensors, but having now had them on the MK3 Focus (no rear visibility) and the Mk6 Golf (reasonable visibility) I wouldn't want to lose them on the next car I buy.

[Stoney871]

Sensors are invaluable as some spaces I have to squeeze into would be impossible to attempt else.
My current car is the first one I've had with a camera and it's handy to see exactly where my bumper is in relation to towbars and posts that sensors may miss.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[DG97]

Have sensors and the camera on my Fiesta, didn’t on my previous cars.

wouldnt go back to not having one. Much better visibility and means I can park up without any pressure of how close I really am to whatever is behind me

[ElliotReid]

This Fiesta is the first car I've had that has them, also reversing camera, and now I wouldn't want a car without them. Yes I've managed 34 years without them but they make my life easier in reversing situations I think, like Frosties, they're grrreat!

[primus1960]

Yes, I have sensors and a camera, wouldn’t have a car without now, same as folding mirrors, a real boon, 

altho next car I get, I wouldn’t mind  trying the self parking wizardry,you can get now..

[Eric Bloodaxe]

Whenever I see a car I had in the past (usually in a museum, where the Mrs says I ought to be😀) I am reminded how good visibility used to be, even on what were considered "big" cars. 

Sensors for me every time nowadays!

[DG97]

54 minutes ago, primus1960 said:

Yes, I have sensors and a camera, wouldn’t have a car without now, same as folding mirrors, a real boon, 

altho next car I get, I wouldn’t mind  trying the self parking wizardry,you can get now..

The self parking is an interesting thing, would like to try it out myself. Although quite a few YouTube clips etc show that the self parking isn’t as good as it could be, parking quite a bit away from the kerb or not parking up in a straight line etc 

would be interesting to see if it can work well consistently or if it’s just a bit of a technological toy more than anything else

[Guy Heaton]

Sensors are very useful on a saloon.  I specced a camera this time to help see low posts and rocks in car parks.

[ElliotReid]

1 hour ago, primus1960 said:

Yes, I have sensors and a camera, wouldn’t have a car without now, same as folding mirrors, a real boon, 

altho next car I get, I wouldn’t mind  trying the self parking wizardry,you can get now..

I thought about adding self parking to this one but realised my manliness isn’t what it used to be but at least I can still park (though having the sensors and reversing camera may disprove that). 

[LondonFiesta]

The cars still make mistakes self parking. It’s useful but my BMW misjudged the kerb and scuffed two wheels...far from ideal

I’m all for driver aids. I have a car with no power steering, drum brakes on the rear, no servo assist on the fronts, rubbish lights, no radio, no isofix, no aircon, no central locking, no electric windows, I could go on...

I am old enough to have learnt on a car that had a choke [emoji23]

[Guy Heaton]

Tried my self parking, bottled it halfway through, just couldn't handle the car doing everything.

 

[LondonFiesta]

Tried my self parking, bottled it halfway through, just couldn't handle the car doing everything.
 

You still have to do the brake and gears and 9/10 it’s quicker not to!

[primus1960]

All this new gear, self parking, adaptive cruise ect, is paving the way for driverless cars...

[Guy Heaton]

No, mine does everything.  Steering, brake, throttle.

[zain611]

On my Peugeot 107 I used to have it was kind of easy judging how close the rear is to something as it was short and the back was flat. I did install parking sensors on it which really did help when parking in tight spaces. 

On my fiesta I fitted a reversing camera. Bought a rear view mirror with a built in screen so it looks OEM. Really does help again when parking. It's difficult judging how close you are to the car behind unless you open the door and have a peek. 

[Mavroz]

Two things.

First, we would not be without a reversing camera and sensors on a car at all now. Fiesta or not, it saves getting out to seen just how far you are away from that low wall, bumper or low fence.

Second, mention of the auto parking. The Mrs works at a health centre and only just last week, a patient was saying that their auto park had ground the near side alloys along a particularly high kerb on the street outside. I guess the car didn't known the kerb was there or the height of it. I have been in a car with it, test driven a car with it and it is definitely not for me.

[Nick Y]

I'm all for driver aids but we are now a society that relies on technology too much. I much prefer being hands on and manual and not have some piece of tech do things for me. What happened to the good old days of driving where the only aids we had were abs brakes and pas? 
As for visibility on modern cars being worse, I do actually agree with that. I often have to open my door when doing certain maneuvers, mainly reversing into a bay as it is hard to see where the car ends using mirrors (personally I think mirrors on modern cars are too small). 
I have also found since driving the fiesta that it is harder for me to judge where the bonnet ends and how close to the kerb I am as I'm short and I feel low in the car even with the seat adjusted to maximum height. 

[tef89]

Judging by the amount of scuffs and scrapes I've had people put on my last two new cars (on street parking), Yes, most people do need parking sensors (me included).

However, if you have a snotter of a car then no problem, the sound of plastic bumper on paint can be sufficent.  A sizable amount of people simply don't give a ***** about other people's cars, if they can ram their heap into a space (even if it means damaging your car in the process) then they will.

Hell is other people ... 🙄😀 (JPS)

[Eric Bloodaxe]

1 hour ago, tef89 said:

Hell is other people ... 🙄😀 (JPS)

Oh no, I had enough of him at school! Don't know why, he wasn't even on my syllabus, I guess my Eng Lit teacher was even more of a beggar for going off topic than I am. Still, good for quotes though  "One must never miss an opportunity of quoting things by others which are always more interesting than those one thinks up oneself" (Proust) 😀😀

[TomsFocus]

1 hour ago, tef89 said:

Hell is other people ... 🙄😀 (JPS)

That should be my life motto...  

6 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Oh no, I had enough of him at school! Don't know why, he wasn't even on my syllabus, I guess my Eng Lit teacher was even more of a beggar for going off topic than I am. Still, good for quotes though  "One must never miss an opportunity of quoting things by others which are always more interesting than those one thinks up oneself" (Proust) 😀😀

I'd never heard that quote before, or indeed that person.  I was wondering what it had to do with cigarettes...  

[Guy Heaton]

Lol, trouble is you open the door to look behind or at the parking lines and the wretched car bongs at you.

 

My Focus bongs at me for everything.  It's boring and I wish I could mute it.