i had an accident tonight with a delivery driver it was his fault. im not happy with my dash cam its a next base it cuts out just before the collision ive got a witness so im ok. but im just want to get a decent camera that wont let me down any recomendations please . just had the front bumper and wing sorted last october so peeved .

10 hours ago, mrmetallica said:

i had an accident tonight with a delivery driver it was his fault. im not happy with my dash cam its a next base it cuts out just before the collision ive got a witness so im ok. but im just want to get a decent camera that wont let me down any recomendations please . just had the front bumper and wing sorted last october so peeved .

I have had dashcams for over 15 years, my last 3 have all been NextBase. Indeed, I just got a new one last week, a NextBase 222. The only issue I've ever had is when I've skimped on the SD card and tried to buy cheap on Ebay, there are 1000s of inexpensive listings. They don't work properly on a dashcam. You need a genuine branded, fastest possible to allow robust transfer of HD image to the card. The NextBase SD cards are overpriced, but they are entirely robust & reliable.

So whatever cam you end up with, splash out on the SD card...

My dashcam failed to be of any use 3 times.  First time I pulled over quickly and switched off the engine, which prevented the last few minutes from being saved.  Second time it recorded the incident, but even though I was stationary in daylight, the numberplate of the oncoming car couldn't be read even in individual frames.  Third time it didn't record the entire journey.  Gave up on them after that.

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

...the numberplate of the oncoming car couldn't be read even in individual frames. 

Tom, this happened to me with a cam that was 720p, but HD 1080p should certainly display a number plate clearly?

6 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Tom, this happened to me with a cam that was 720p, but HD 1080p should certainly display a number plate clearly?

It was 1080HD...or at least claimed to be on the box. 

I read at the time there's more to the quality than just the resolution.  Which I can believe, as my current phone has an awful camera, despite being higher resolution than the camera on it's predecessor.

It's worth testing if you haven't already.  Next time you stop on a country lane and someone passes at 30mph+, see if you can read the plate.

Just now, TomsFocus said:

It's worth testing if you haven't already.  Next time you stop on a country lane and someone passes at 30mph+, see if you can read the plate.

Funny enough, as stated above I have only just got a new cam, my first foray into HD and I did just that. Tested to see if I could read a plate going at speed past me. It was crystal clear which sadly it's predecessor wasn't! My 1st cams, 15 years ago were atrocious, cheap Ebay Chinese rubbish which barely caught anything, though to be fair, my new NextBase is also made in China but seems to have been specd so it works LOL

6 hours ago, StephenFord said:

I have had dashcams for over 15 years, my last 3 have all been NextBase. Indeed, I just got a new one last week, a NextBase 222. The only issue I've ever had is when I've skimped on the SD card and tried to buy cheap on Ebay, there are 1000s of inexpensive listings. They don't work properly on a dashcam. You need a genuine branded, fastest possible to allow robust transfer of HD image to the card. The NextBase SD cards are overpriced, but they are entirely robust & reliable.

So whatever cam you end up with, splash out on the SD card...

i have a good card as in pic ive learnt that lesson lol well i hope its a good one

I'd personally recommend anything from Viofo, as well as very good image quality, they also use a super capacitor instead of a traditional battery, so you don't have to worry about the battery dying within 12 months of purchase from being fried in a red hot cabin etc.

 

I've used everything from a Viofo V119 V3, through to one of their latest 4K units without any reliability issues. Ironically my 1st dashcam was Nextbases's top of the line unit at the time and after 4 months of it freezing up or appearing to be working but not recording, I returned it for a refund and went with Viofo.

 

I'd also agree with earlier comments about using an appropriate quality and specification memory card, modern dashcams are really quite hard on memory card's so you definately want one that's designed for dashcams i.e. a high endurance card.

and they want to write it off now say it will cost to much only bumper wheel liner and wing ?

17 hours ago, FatHead1979 said:

I'd personally recommend anything from Viofo, as well as very good image quality, they also use a super capacitor instead of a traditional battery, so you don't have to worry about the battery dying within 12 months of purchase from being fried in a red hot cabin etc.

 

I've used everything from a Viofo V119 V3, through to one of their latest 4K units without any reliability issues. Ironically my 1st dashcam was Nextbases's top of the line unit at the time and after 4 months of it freezing up or appearing to be working but not recording, I returned it for a refund and went with Viofo.

 

I'd also agree with earlier comments about using an appropriate quality and specification memory card, modern dashcams are really quite hard on memory card's so you definately want one that's designed for dashcams i.e. a high endurance card.

i think the memory card is up to spec

2 minutes ago, mrmetallica said:

and they want to write it off now say it will cost to much only bumper wheel liner and wing ?

Buy it back from insurance company at reduced price, repair it yourself...

6 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Buy it back from insurance company at reduced price, repair it yourself...

im a disabled pensioner so wont be able to do it myself. so if i did buy it back what happens with it being a write off

3 minutes ago, mrmetallica said:

im a disabled pensioner so wont be able to do it myself

Sorry, I didn't mean, 'do it yourself', I meant, get someone to do it for you, still bound to work out cheaper... Insurance company will want to use, 'premium' workshops etc, you can indulge on more cheaper options on a 15 year old car.

Book figures for a Mk2 will be very low now.  Easily written off by authorised paintshop prices.  Plus even more if they're providing a hire car in the meantime.

Have they given you a report showing exactly what's needed or is that just what you think it needs?

If that genuinely is all that's needed, buy it back, have a mobile mechanic fit a bumper & wing of any colour.  Then keep an eye out for good used ones in the correct colour to fit at a later date.

If that is tall that's damaged, I wouldn't have gone through insurance personally.  (Though obviously legally you've done the right thing.  )

 

1 hour ago, mrmetallica said:

so if i did buy it back what happens with it being a write off

It'll be assigned a 'salvage category' depending upon the type of damage. These come with certain legally enforceable requirements. There are four categories, A, B, S and N. A requires that the entire vehicle be scrapped/crushed. B means it can't be reused but parts can be taken off it and sold for reuse. S (for structural) means it has sustained structural damage but is repairable. N (for non-structural) means it sustained only non-structural damage and is repairable.

If S then it must be re-registered with the DVLA. For S or N it may need to pass a fresh MOT before it can be re-insured. You'd have to explicitly declare the category it has if ever re-selling. Note that getting insurance on a salvaged vehicle can be more difficult and expensive than normal.

Here's a couple of articles to read on the subject:

• https://www.admiral.com/magazine/guides/motor/buying-selling-and-insuring-write-offs
• https://www.theaa.com/car-insurance/advice/damage-categories

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Sorry, I didn't mean, 'do it yourself', I meant, get someone to do it for you, still bound to work out cheaper... Insurance company will want to use, 'premium' workshops etc, you can indulge on more cheaper options on a 15 year old car.

ok could do that lol

some idiot cut across the front of me last october police wont take any action . they was going to write it off last year as they thouhght it was the doors as well as bumper and wing but repairred it paints not even dry. stupid delivery people