[JohnMars]

Hi All!

Just a quick question about fitting front and rear dash cam on my leaf, I was quoted by Nissan dealership £65 for them to fit it, however I have seen lots of videos on Youtube that its just a matter of tucking the wire into the roof lining etc.

Is there any benefit from Nissan doing it, I was initially imagining they know how to correctly remove the interior panels and refit them, and how to safely transverse the airbags in the side, however I'm beginning to wonder if they will just get the young apprentice to basically just poke the wire into the lining that I could have done myself!

Anyone paid to have their dealership fit one and was it any better than doing it yourself?

 

[Barfly]

Hi All!

Just a quick question about fitting front and rear dash cam on my leaf, I was quoted by Nissan dealership £65 for them to fit it, however I have seen lots of videos on Youtube that its just a matter of tucking the wire into the roof lining etc.

Is there any benefit from Nissan doing it, I was initially imagining they know how to correctly remove the interior panels and refit them, and how to safely transverse the airbags in the side, however I'm beginning to wonder if they will just get the young apprentice to basically just poke the wire into the lining that I could have done myself!

Anyone paid to have their dealership fit one and was it any better than doing it yourself?

I did this when I first bought my Tekna 2016. If you want it done properly do it yourself.
There are a few threads on this site for the install, here is mine: Dashcam

I also fitted a cheapie £10 cube camera to the rear window. At the same time as I fitted the main front dashcam I put one in the rear window. I tried all sorts of ways of fixing, in the end I just used a hot melt glue gun, it has been fixed for 8 months now. I just ran a cable from the same tap as the front and wired it to a floating power (ciggie) socket in the hole where the tyre gunk and tools are in the left side. It was very easy to run the cable into that hatch above the wheel arch. I just plugged another cheapie 5v USB adaptor that goes to the camera.

 

[Eddy555]

I used the Aukey 2 camera system. Pretty easy to fit by routing it around the trim. I fitted the rear camera on the rear window, feeding the cable through the rubber tube where the other wires for the boot are. That was a bit of a a fiddle but manageable. Been on the car for 18 months with no issues. I'm still powering them from the 12v power socket in the front as it was the simplest method.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075T8H9XJ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_xdlyEbNMRZV8S

I've got the same camera setup on my other car and it's been great there too.

 

[Barfly]

Don't forget, if you are buying a new camera just make absolutely sure it has it's own built-in GPS-very very few have and it is an absolute must as it records your own actual speed in case of incidents. Unless of course you are a boy/girl/indeterminate gender racer and don't want that!

 

[rikdud]

I always put the dash cam on passenger side of rear view mirror so it doesn't obscure my view in any way, then tuck cable up behind headlining & door seal trim b4 finally going under glove box & trim & coming out next to the aux socket.. Very easy to install..
I bought a double camera in one unit that has a zoom lens looking backwards..

 

[JohnMars]

Thanks for all your advice especially Barfly for your really great fitting guide.

OK I'm going to do it myself once the car has visited Nissan for its battery problems - I had to laugh as when I asked if they could fit the cam while they had the car I was told "Lets just leave it off for now as if the technician see's a camera wired in it will confuse the battery problems".

 

[Barfly]

John- it doesn't exactly inspire confidence does it?

One thing I forgot to mention, the material the Leaf dash is composed of reflects really badly on the windscreen when the sun is facing you. The reflections are so bad that in order to see any video a polarising filter is required. Commercial units for cameras are North of £40, so get a cheapie clip-on polarised pair of sunglasses off ebay for a couple of quid, make a circle with a pair of scissors and hot-melt glue it to the front of the camera lens after rotating the lens to get the best reflection free image on the camera. You can see my rather crude effort in the garage 'photo, but it works quite well.

Tony.

 

[JohnMars]

Thanks Tony! I have found the only thing dealers care about is getting you to sign on the line, after that it’s like your an ex with an STI! LOL

I read about the benefits of the filter so bought a nextbase with one included so will see if it actually works then if not will try your advice from eBay

 

[rikdud]

All my dash cams have been Nextbase & image is nice a clear without any need for extra filters ?

 

[Barfly]

All my dash cams have been Nextbase & image is nice a clear without any need for extra filters ?

What colour is your car? Mine is that sort of shitty brown colour with a mottled black dash and when the sun is head on I can barely see out of the window for the reflections without polarised sunglasses, let alone a camera image. Maybe different trims/colours have less reflections. The Eborn I have has a built-in filter but it can't cope with full sun too well. I have also tried a Falcon dual head mirror mounted one 360HD and a Pumpkin NA7010S mirror mounted one and they all give very similar results. None were less than £85 the Falcon I bought in Aussie and was A$250 at the time.

This car is the worst I have ever owned for stupid trim and design descisions, the reflections in bright sunlight are the very worst of any vehicle I have driven, and I have driven hundreds of cars all round the world.
Tony

 

[rikdud]

Mottled black effect on my 1st leaf & can honestly say the Nextbase units work really well as they are, they struggled a bit with full on sun if it was just at the wrong angle but was only momentary & they work really well at night with low light....
Used them in my original leaf, then an i3, Ioniq, env200 & now the new leaf & no major issues.. The double camera was £200...
I did try a couple of cheap dash cams 1st but soon realised they were useless, only time they gave half decent picture was if weather was perfect & car wasn't moving ? not much use in the real world...