How Much Does A Dashcam Cost? [And Installation Costs]
A dashboard camera, or simply a dashcam, is one product that has gained global attention in recent years. It is one of the tools that can provide peace of mind to drivers. It’s an extra set of eyes on the road, but how much does it cost?
A dashcam costs between $50 – $200. A dual-camera dashcam costs $70 – $300. Most people can install a single-camera dashcam themselves for free or pay a shop $50 – $100. Installing a dual-camera dashcam may require help and costs about $100 – $220, depending on what needs to be done.
With today’s technologies, there are lots of options available. I would look for a newer dashcam because they tend to have better picture quality and better features, and the cost is about the same. Find out how much it might cost for a newer dashcam in total with installation, with different choices of dashcams and installations.
Dashcam Cost With Installation
The cost of a dashcam with installation can range from about $50 to about $500. It all depends on the kind of dashcam you get and how complicated it is to install.
Here’s a chart to help you see the differences in the average prices for dashcams and installation.
| Dash Cam | Installation Cost | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Low-Cost Dashcam – $50 | Self Install | $50 |
| Low-Cost Dashcam – $50 | Shop Install – $75 | $125 |
| Average-Cost Dashcam – $100 | Self Install | $100 |
| Average-Cost Dashcam – $100 | Shop Install – $75 | $175 |
| High-Cost Dashcam – $200 | Self Install | $200 |
| High-Cost Dashcam – $200 | Shop Install – $75 | $275 |
| Dual Camera Dashcam – $160 | Self Install | $160 |
| Dual Camera Dashcam – $160 | Shop Install – $185 | $345 |
Here are some of the editorially recommended dashboards on Amazon.com. If I were getting a dashcam today, I would want one that was simple to operate and recorded clear video during the day and night.
Consumers liked these dashcams for various reasons. Which features would you be most important to you?
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How To Install Your Dashcam
Power Cables
Some dash cams are easy to use and get set up. Others will require a bit more time. Your dashcam should come with an adapter that you plugs into the cigarette outlet.
They usually come with a long charging cable that you can hide around the frame of your window and under the dashboard. That way, you can have constant power without dangling wires or the need to constantly recharge the dashcam batteries.
Powering a Dual Channel Dashcam
Some dual-channel dashcams are in one unit, which has a camera pointing out the front window and one pointing into the cabin. If you have the right view, the cabin camera will be able to see out the back window as well.
A few dual-camera dashcams use only one power source: the cigarette outlet. Most dual-camera dashcams, including wireless dashcams, use the parking light to power the rear camera of the dashcam.
Wiring
If you have a separate dual-camera dashcam, you will need to do some wiring.
A wireless dashcam will only need to connect to the parking brake light to obtain power.
A wired dashcam will need to be navigated the best way through the cabin of the car to the exterior of the car (Some dashcams connect to the outside, but not all – See video). Then the wire will need to be fished (or pulled and pushed along a path), secured down, and connected to the back camera unless it’s already connected.
Last, the power wire from the camera to the parking brake light will need to be connected.
In other words, planning will be helpful when completing the job, and drilling a hole or two might be needed.
Less Wiring
If you don’t want to do much wiring, you could try what this man did in this video to supply his camera with power without having cables everywhere. He used an accessory found on Amazon.com.
The accessory only works if your dashcam uses a micro USB for power, but the position of the camera can also help you avoid excess wiring labor.
Is It Worth The Money To Install A Dashcam
Need reasons to be convinced that a dashcam is needed? Watch the short video below and read the rest of this section for a more elaborate discussion:
1. Have Video Evidence of a Car Accident
This is perhaps the best thing that can compel you to invest in a dashcam. It is a given fact that an accident is inevitable. Regardless of how careful you are in driving, you will not be completely safe from any accident.
In the case of an accident, the police will most likely be involved in an investigation. They will exhaust the necessary, which means to carry out a thorough investigation of what has happened. If you have no eyewitnesses, aside from you as the driver, the dash cam can be a big help. The authorities will use the recordings to see what happened in the accident and to determine who is at fault.
Accidents are often fast-paced. The driver and the passengers might have little or no recollection of what has actually happened. Blame it on stress and trauma! Luckily, if a dashcam is installed, there is no need to have a hard time trying to recall what has happened. The video will speak for itself.
The dashcam will serve as your witness. If it is too hard for you to gather people who have actually seen what has happened, the dashcam will do the talking.
It is important to take note, however, that a dashcam does not directly prevent accidents. Rather, it can be used as a medium to investigate accidents that have been recorded.
2. Have a Video Proof of Drivers Breaking the Law
Dashcams are also a great way to spot drivers who are breaking the law. As citizens, we have the duty to uphold the law and to make sure that we live in a place that is disciplined. Therefore, if there are erring drivers, you have to report them to the concerned authorities. If they ask for proof, show them a video proving that the driver is indeed at fault.
Many people find that driving is a stressful experience. With a dashcam installed in your car, it is easier to have proof of the bad behavior of another driver. Their reckless actions will most probably put the lives of other people in danger, which makes it important to report them.
There are many situations wherein you can use a dashcam video to report other drivers. For instance, the video might record obvious footage proving that the driver is drunk based on the movements of the car. If a driver has caused an accident and tried to run away, a dash cam can also be helpful.
In other countries, dash cams are used by officers for traffic management. Many of the advanced cameras that are available today are equipped with the ability to not only record videos but also identify exact locations, making it easier to pinpoint drivers who commit mistakes.
3. Will Prevent you from being a Victim of Fraud
Crash for cash is one thing that you surely would not want to happen to you. In case you are unfamiliar with the term, crash for cash refers to an incident wherein a fraudster would initially crash himself or herself to your car for the purpose of making insurance claims. A staged, induced, or ghost accident may be used against you.
According to the FBI, in the United States, insurance fraud costs about $40 million annually. This only goes to show that a lot of people are willing to do horrible things just for the purpose of milking money from other drivers and insurance companies. This is clearly a case of fraud, which can be avoided.
If you have a dashcam, there is a lesser likelihood that you will end up being a victim of fraud. Again, the main reason for this is the fact that you will have with your video evidence. It is also time-stamped, which will make it easy for investigators to prove that the claims of the fraudsters are false.
I think that a dashcam is a smart investment because it can help you financially if an accident occurs. In the future, this will help you to save a lot of money, even if the installation of such a tool can be an additional cost on your end.
4. Catch Crazy Things on Video
A dashcam can also be used for recording crazy things while on the road. For instance, if you are planning a road trip with the family, it will help to document your route. You can use it for making videos of your fun vacation.
You’ll never know what you will record in a dashcam. Some of them are amusing, while some of them can be scary. In a list compiled by Ranker, some of the creepiest things recorded in dashcams include a brick that has killed a passenger, a wildfire in Canada, a plane crash, and an unprovoked shooting, among others.
Several cameras have also filmed ghosts and other weird objects.
The crazy recordings may not be necessary for the purpose of investigations, but these video clips can be fun to watch. If you go online, you will see several compilations that can give you a good laugh! For instance, here is a list of some of the crazy incidents in Russia that have been caught by a dashcam.
Conclusion
After reading this post, I hope that you understand the costs and benefits of using a dashcam while driving. The truth is, the price is justifiable given the many good things that it can do.
In a nutshell, a dashcam will help in the investigation of accidents, reporting of erring drivers, prevention of fraud, and recording of crazy incidents. It is a great tool that can be used for police investigations.
The price can be $50 with self-installation to $500 with a high-end dashcam that a store installs for you. With so many options, what dashcam and type of installation would you choose?
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