Advice/ recommendations on parking sensors.

[oldntired]

Well folks, we're about to buy my wife a new ( to her - not brand new) motor. As it's going to be a reasonable bit larger than her last wheels, we were thinking of getting parking sensors . Does anyone have any experience/ advice with these ? Just having a quick squiz on flea-bay, & the choice is huge, as expected. Any pointers would be appreciated . We'd rather shell out on a decent set, that jump for the cheapest ones. Are the ones with  LCD monitors worth having, or just a gimmick ? Please pass on your experiences ....ta.    Jim. 

[davemnw]

Not sure what extra you get from the more expensive sets. We opted for a a bog standard kit off e-bay for the wife's Mini (think it was about a tenner). Body coloured sensors so it's nice and neat, didn't bother with the led display (where are you going to put it where it won't look like a cheap add-on?) It's been on the car over 12 months now without any problems.

[igor]

I am of the opinion that the whole concept is just a gimmick.

[fad]

I have a parking sensor on the back of my Skoda Octavia. Cost me £180 and makes a metallic "CLUNK" when my bumper is too close to something. Its one of those fancy posh ones that can also drag stuff like trailers and caravans.

[sarkie83]

I have fitted the cheap £20 ones from amazon/eBay and they worked well. Nerve racking drilling into the bumper!

[bortaf]

I've fitted a few sets from £9.99 a set to £40 a set and TBH the only differance i could see was the thickness of the cable, cheaper sets use cable thinner than speaker wire ! the £40 set i fitted to a jag were fine BUT none of the manufacturers i asked would OK them to be sprayed in metalic? no idea why but when i fitted them the jag owner wanted them colour matched not just black so i did it anyway and it was fine so make of that what you will?

[ChasR]

Jun 16, 2017 20:12:28 GMT fad said:

I have a parking sensor on the back of my Skoda Octavia. Cost me £180 and makes a metallic "CLUNK" when my bumper is too close to something. Its one of those fancy posh ones that can also drag stuff like trailers and caravans.

You might be screwed if you do that to a pricey car with a dashcam .

Jun 16, 2017 20:16:22 GMT sarkie83 said:

I have fitted the cheap £20 ones from amazon/eBay and they worked well. Nerve racking drilling into the bumper!

This. I fitted some £30 Maplin items into a Mondeo MkIII Hatchback we had but a set of Amazon specials into my sister's Saab 9-3 convertible ; you can't really see much out of the back! Measure twice and cut once. I'll find out which ones hers were and TBH they look almost like stock sensors in that bumper:



The above is part of the reason I prefer estates ; it's far easier to gauge the distance between the car and you.

[taurus]

I have them on one car, the other you have to look where you are reversing.

Guess which one gets bashed more.

Also, never take a car with parking sensors into a safari park. It's theirs thing the monkeys will pull off. You can see the little blighters checking the bumpers and then hooking an arm underneath.

[DavidB]

BMW four sensor 'beep' ones have stopped me reversing into walls and other cars numerous times. You can get very dependent on them though.

[barty]

you cant beat a camera system, but its not cheap and you have the problem of where to fit the screen

[ChasR]

Jun 17, 2017 17:38:26 GMT DavidB said:

BMW four sensor 'beep' ones have stopped me reversing into walls and other cars numerous times. You can get very dependent on them though.

In modern cars I don't think you have a choice! The visibility is just pants.

For a daily I was all for driving in a retro as a daily until a friend of mine had a horrendous outcome. Or rather his family member did . For him it's put him off cars for a bit and his Chim .

[winchman]

I have fitted the £10 Ebay ones to the Wifes car and can't fault them, personally I thing the £30 cameras are best, but it all depends on how you can must the camera to get a good view