Over the past few months i've noticed more and more customers deciding to have reverse park sensors fitted.
Now on something like a landcruiser i think they are a good idea but most of the people having them fitted are buying Yaris and Corolla's. Whenever i have to move a customers car with the damn things fitted the bleeping annoys me as i manouvere.
Surely if you can't park a Yaris without park sensors you surely shouldn't be on the road?
Also what about using a car with park sensors on for doing your driving test in? Would you be ok doing the reverse park using them or are the not allowed?
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I have had them fitted to the last few cars. Today I found myself saying out loud (to myself) as I reversed a hired Focus into a parking bay "No Sensors". I find them useful.By the way, enjoyed the Focus driving experience. Let down by a horrid rubber steering wheel and a wheel bearingish drone despite its 5k.
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I always throught they were a gimmick until I had them in the van.
Although I've got rear windows in it I don't have a see through bulkhead (I negotiated to have the bulkhead fitted in the price and the rear windows were already in the doors)
I have found them incredibly useful and essential. I use them in conjunction with the door mirrors.
Now to get them fitted on the front of the Discovery.....
H
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I'd agree with you hugo on a van with no back window as i often have to drive a hiace with a bulkhead the reassurance that they give is worth the while however on a Yaris......
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Well I would find them kind of useful on the back of a small car - it would be a warning to me to stay well clear of it!
H
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I thought I might like them, but the implementation on some cars is so poor that I don't trust them. If you really need something to help you park a camera system is better.
The other problem is they ruin the lines of the bumper. Those little round marks always look as if a rubbing strip has already been knocked off.
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I first encountered these about 10 years ago on a rental Proton I hired in Malaysia. They were brilliant. Why aren't all cars fitted with them as standard? It's so obvious.
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Old men in hats have white-haired parking sensors, who wave anxiously when he is still about 10 feet from the next car, and then forget to say stop until he has touched it.
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My car has them fitted, but only because the previous owner specified them. The only time they beep is when I'm reversing out of my garage, under which circumstances it's not necessary for them to beep. Having had a car very badly damaged when it was parked on the road I now never ever park on the road, and in car parks I always find a slot which will give protection to the front of my car and I go into the slot forwards. I accept that to some people they are useful but to me they are completely superfluous. I certainly wouldn't pay for them to be fitted on a new car ~ I'd sooner have a sunroof.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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The other problem is they ruin the lines of the bumper. Those little round marks always look as if a rubbing strip has already been knocked off.
And mostly they prohibit the fitting of a tow bar. Parking sensors only help to protect your car from your own carelessness. From my experience (when someone drove into the back of my car) a towing hitch gives far more protection than parking sensors ever could!
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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The reason many people are buying sensors for their Yaris, is because many of these type vehicles are bought by elderly drivers, many of whom suffer from arthritic conditions and find them an absolute boon.
Before anybody mentions that the elderly should`nt be driving in the first place, accident statistics indicate that their risk is amongst the lowest and approx 10% of the 18 - 22 age group.!!!
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Before anybody mentions that the elderly should`nt be driving in the first place, accident statistics indicate that their risk is amongst the lowest and approx 10% of the 18 - 22 age group.!!!
Mainly, I think, because of a shortage of experience and wisdom (definitely a shortage of wisdom!) on the part of the 18-22's.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Over the past few months i've noticed more and more customers deciding to have reverse park sensors fitted.
Is that because so many modern cars have rather poor rear visibility?
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I have parking sensors. I can park the car wihtout them. But why should I just to satisfy other people who believe I shouldn't have them ? Is there some credibility gained by doing things the hard way ? Maybe I better have the dimming rear view mirror and the electric windows taken out so I can join the clique.
Mind you, one downside of the sensors is I almost stuck the rear of my colleagues jeep through a wall because it didn't have them but I was waiting for a bleep.
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Ive driven a 3 series BMW with them on and found them to be immensely useful
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Agreed.
Toad came from Japan with the things.
The view to the rear quarters is not great and I now see the point of them.
As to doing things the hard way, the time for that has passed, when the opportunity to ban synchro-mesh was missed; that would have kept the roads a lot clearer.
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I like the item which sticks to rear screen and gives an excellent view to ground level behind the car. Simply look in rear view mirror to identify all hazards. Wonderful with estate cars.
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Ive driven a 3 series BMW with them on and found them to be immensely useful
Agreed, and Mark's comment says it all. Why forego something that makes life simpler?
On my 3 Series they are absolutely predictable - first tone occurs at a consistent separation from a solid object, and always becomes continuous at a separation of 25-30 cm.
And no, they aren't a substitute for common sense. With objects which are moving (e.g. tall plants, people) the tone varies as you would expect it would.
Oz (as was)
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>>>>With objects which are moving (e.g. tall plants, people) the tone varies as you would expect it would.>>>>
Exactly the reason why those sceptics among us should think again, - especially if you were reversing and a child had entered the rear blind spot without the driver`s knowledge.!!!!
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Camera on my Primera is useful but I don't rely on it. It gives extra information.
I would not have paid extra for it but it was a standard fitment to the spec I chose.
Like most things, if we do not practice skills, we tend to lose them. Judging distances in vehicles is one of those skills, I believe.
Most things that start of as gimmicks seem to end up as everyday ncessities if they are found to be useful. The test is whether people are prepared to pay for their fitment as an extra to start with and they gradually become a standard fitment if they are popular. e.g. Aircon, auto dipping mirrors, airbags, etc etc etc.....
Cruise Control seems to be the latest offering that is making it's way onto more and more vehicles. I was never really fussed until I started commuting the A14 (again) from Huntingdon to Cambridge and nearly missed the cameras a couple of times. Now I'm a 70mph cruise man most of the time (when on that stretch and some selcted others at least!)
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I know, I know, I know!
I make one TIC comment about avoiding drives in small cars with them on and then look what happens!
Everyone on the forum who has a small car has them ;)
Well that'l teach me!
Having read the posts though I can see they are useful on most vehicles for a number of reasons.
The other thing I like that I bought SWMBO for Christmas as a joke, after he arguement with a wall, is a traffic light system from Supadrug. This mounts on a garage wall along with the sensor and goes from green, amber to red to stop you hitting it!
H
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It came home to me how useful they were, I had started up prior to reversing out of a parking bay, when I noticed a mother and child pass behind the car (missing the visual and aural clue of a diesel ticking over and reverse lights on) as they passed the back of the car the child disappeared under the rear window line, the reverse sensors came on as they came into their range - I would sacrifice
an asthetic issue for the health and welfare of a potentially invisible child.
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Apparently i read somewhere that if the paintwork is too thick on the rear bumper its stops the sensors from workin properly, which is a good sign of accident damage!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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if the paintwork is too thick on the rear bumper its stops the sensors from workin properly
Haven't heard this, but certainly if the sensors get covered with a dirt layer they won't work 100%.
Oz (as was)
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I haven't driven a car with parking sensors, but I wouldn't mind them as I'm sure they are useful when reversing into a tight space. That said, unless they are colour coded, I think they can look a bit ugly.
Brian
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Neither have I, but if they make a constant noise when you have 25-30 cm. to go, what's the point? It's the last inch or so that you need them for.
Parking by touch - much simpler.
Chris M
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Neither have I, but if they make a constant noise when you have 25-30 cm. to go, what's the point? It's the last inch or so that you need them for. Parking by touch - much simpler.
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I assume that was TIC else it is a minumum of £120 if you try it in a Mondeo. I just touched a pillar in an underground carpark at about 1mph. Did not feel a thing but split the eggshell thin brittle plastic skin that should not be referred to as a bumper, cos it so aint!!!!!
Yes the crack was on the offside below the rear lights, where else.
Tactile parking was possible in the Sierra but there's progress for you.
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No, not TIC. Agreed you have to be careful, and fortunately I don't have to park on street very often, but if you have a very tight space - perhaps where the car in front or behind has encroached into 'your' bay, then I would park by touch.
Cars aren't designed for real life now.
Chris M
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Neither have I, but if they make a constant noise when you have 25-30 cm. to go, what's the point? It's the last inch or so that you need them for. Parking by touch - much simpler. Chris
Fleet High St, Friday afternoon, I saw an old lady park her Berlingo in front of a Saxo - she reversed until she bumped into it (quite hard) and while the cars were still in contact, she simply stopped, put her handbrake on and left!
I don't think the Saxo owner would have been too pleased when he got back..
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I wish my wife's Ford Ka was fitted with them, it would have saved us a few bob on repair bills. I think modern small cars with their rounded body shells, small windows and (in the case of the Ka) microscopic rear view mirrors are a nightmare to park.
Incidentally, anyone know why original equipment parking sensors are still mounted onto the outside of the bumper when you can get after market units which fit behind the bumper, therefore not spoiling the lines? This even applies to expensive cars. I once had an S-class Merc as a rental car which had parking sensors mounted in the front bumper despite the fact that it was also fitted with a radar unit behind the grille for the cruise control.
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Me personally find the Ford Ka easier to park or reverse round a bend then a Vauxhall Corsa due to the headrests not being in the way, but due to the ka's absence of the door protecting strip it is prone to more supermarket car park damage then the corsa! I washed mine this morning & upon discovery i found a few more chips here & there than i thought there were!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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I like them, but then I like auto sensing windscreen wipers too. Now there's something I thought was totally useless until I got them. Oops, have I started something ? :-)
John
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On my sisters Galaxy you can turn the sensors off if you so desire.
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\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"
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They are the only option I have chosen for my A3. Having driven an S type jag with them fitted they are invaluable. Sensors on the front however (as fitted to the Jag XJ series) are a real pain! They go off whenever you are in a queue of traffic.
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Have any of you guys fitted after market reversing sensors? Were they easy to fit and did you have to cut into the wiring harness?
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Very easy to fit. The set I used came with a hole cutter. All the sensors are prewired. All you have to do is find a suitable route for the cables into the boot and then connect them to the control box. You have to fit a small beeper box and then connect the control box to the reversing light. Job done. Should only take about 30 to 40 minutes once the best cable route has been identified.
I bought my set from ebay with 4 sensors for £32 including postage. The audible warning sounds when you select reverse and then starts when about 1½ meters from an object, as you get closer the speed of the beeps increases until it becomes constant at about 10cms (4"). I defy any traditional parkers to get that close regularly without touching an object - especially a wooden post!
This has been one of the best extra items that you can fit to a car and certainly cheaper than a new "bumper". To have a manufacturers original fitted is very expensive, I was quoted over £250.
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The standard toyota units are pretty similar in their instalation and also in the way they operate.
Cost including fitting and VAT is £338 - if you wanth them colour coded add another £20.
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