Dash cams: Should I buy one?

The use of dashboard cameras, or dash cams, has exploded over the past few years. They’re not quite ubiquitous – at least not yet – but such is their growing popularity that dash cams are currently one of the best-selling products in the Lexus accessory range. There’s also a wide range of dash cams available both online and from high street retailers such as Halfords and Currys, with big names such as Nextbase (which also makes the official product on behalf of Lexus) and Garmin, among many others, offering ranges of cameras to suit most budgets.

Dash Cams

What does a dash cam do?

A dash cam is simply a compact video camera which mounts inside your car and records everything that happens ahead (and in some cases behind) as you drive along. They are usually configured to record continuously but eventually overwrite old footage stored in their memory, the idea being that you only really want to save the video if something untoward happens while you’re at the wheel.

Dash cams offer a few key features, depending on the price point. Picture quality is key, and ideally you want full high-definition (HD) recording with 1080p image resolution or higher. GPS tracking adds a location tag to your footage, while some models can detect the force of an impact and automatically save the footage recorded at the time. All dash cams come with a computer interface to download and save video files, but an increasing number now do this via a smartphone app. Some also offer cloud-based storage of the video files.

Why have a dash cam?

In recent years dash cam use has been fuelled by so-called ‘crash for cash’ scammers deliberately causing accidents for financial gain. That risk is no longer quite as prevalent as it was, but more than anything, a dash cam provides peace of mind. Specifically, if you’re involved in an accident and it wasn’t your fault, the footage can provide evidence of who was, which smooths out any subsequent insurance claim. Such is the dash cam’s effectiveness at apportioning blame, most of the UK’s main motor insurance providers now offer discounts of 10% or more if your vehicle has one fitted. In the event of a serious accident, meanwhile, the police will seize dash cams as a matter of course – the footage is now a staple tool for accident investigators.

Dash Cams

So should you buy one?

The short answer is yes, why not? Today’s dash cams are compact, neat-looking things that are relatively easy to fit yourself or cheap to have installed professionally. At the lower end of the market perfectly usable dash cams are available for under £50, while Lexus dealers currently quote from around £200 for the highly specified Lexus Nextbase 1080p Integrated Dash Cam, or £275 fitted, rising to £350 fitted for both front- and rear-facing cameras.

A DIY installation might take an hour or so and only need a few basic tools, although it will help if you’re familiar with the sometimes tricky process of removing and refitting parts of your car’s interior trim. It will also depend on whether you’re happy to plug your dash cam into the car’s 12V adapter for its power supply, or if you’d prefer hard-wired into the vehicle’s wiring loom.

Regulations stipulate where a dash cam can, or rather can’t, be located, but the most common place is immediately ahead of the rear-view mirror. Once in place a dash cam can, by and large, be left to its own devices, although reformatting its memory card is advised every few weeks. Immediately after fitting it’s also worth going for a drive and then downloading some footage, both to make sure everything is working and to check you’re familiar with the process of retrieving a recording if the need arises.

The more technically savvy will perhaps enjoy playing with their dash cam’s settings and functions, either via its smartphone app or supplied computer software. But the rest of us can relax back, safe in the knowledge that should the undesirable happen, you’ll have truth on your side, safely stored in high-definition video format.

Why buy from Lexus?

There are several benefits to buying a dash cam from Lexus. The dash cams that we offer are a bespoke solution developed in close collaboration with Nextbase. The product underwent a significant testing programme using Lexus cars to ensure our high standards were met, and that failure rate is kept to an absolute minimum.

As a result, the Lexus dash cam is a discreet unit that integrates perfectly with your vehicle. The dash cams can also be fitted at your local Lexus Centre.  Our dealers will help to install the dash cam correctly and will be able to discreetly conceal all the loose cables and wiring.

Read more: Digital Side-view Monitors: a clear vision for safety

17 comments

  1. Have bought this dash cam is rubbish instructions are poor Milton Keynes fitted it charged me 375 pound for the privilege and left me to it very poor wouldn’t recommend it at all.

    1. Hi David
      What’s your opinion of the dash cam you had fitted I have changed my car from a gs450 14 to a gs450 18 I had dash cam in older car was a rac o5 but was 8 Yr old so I thought of buying a modern one as it will have be wired in
      Thank s

  2. I’m from the USA and these parts arent compatible with the US versions on the vehicle… these safety features should be universal especially form products that already work with this brand.

    1. Hello Deseray,
      Thank you for contacting us.
      We would recommend discussing this with Lexus USA.
      Thanks.

  3. My 2018 lexus Is 300 was in warranty when I bought it and I have bought the extended warranty package from lexus. The car was fitted when I bought it with a nextbase 380Gw dashcam fitted by lexus for the original owner
    I have never had time to work out how to use it and put the idea on the rolling “do next week” list.
    As of last night it flashes a constant red triangle whenever I start the engine.
    What should I Do? Will any work nessaccery be carried out under the extended warranty

    Johnnie

  4. My local Lexus dealership only recommend a front NEXTBASE 380 GW and will not fit a rear DashCam to my new Lexus UX.
    WHY??

    Mr Miller

    1. Hello William,
      Thank you for contacting Lexus.
      We can contact the Lexus Centre on your behalf to see why it was not able to be fitted.
      Please let us know if you would like to go ahead with this.
      Thanks.

    1. Hi Vijendra,
      Are you referring to the viewing angle of the dash camera or the angle the camera itself is fitted at?
      Thanks.

  5. I need a dash front and rear dash cam fitted which will also record while the car is parked.
    My car is a 2019 300h Sport can you help me, my location is Northamptonshire.
    My budget is around for this is around £600

    1. Hello Reggie,
      Thanks for your comment.
      We would recommend discussing this with your nearest Lexus Centre.
      They will be best placed to advise on the fitting of this.
      Thanks.

  6. Hi, Is there a fixed price that Lexus dealers charge for installing front and rear dash cam ie integrated Nextbase 1080dp

    1. Hello Colin,
      Thank you very much for your question.
      There is no fixed price for this.
      We would recommend contacting your nearest Lexus Centre who will be able to provide you with a quote.
      Thanks.

  7. My local Lexus dealer has recommended that I don’t have a rear dash cam fitted as it interferes with the DAB. Is this the case?

    1. Hello Angela, thanks for your comment.

      We recommend following the advice of your local Lexus Centre as they are best placed to assist with you with your queries.

      Thanks.

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