Parking sensors vs. Camera...

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DavidWolfy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
54
Those who currently own a phev, what do you /did you find best, sensors or the camera for reversing / parking?
 
Hi
I just have the standard reversing camera on the GX4H and find it excellent. I never managed to park my little hatchback so straight and neat in spaces - the guidelines are very helpful. I've never had sensors on any car so nothing to compare the camera with, but I love it.

I don't have sensors on the front and I'm still feeling my way to get to know how close I can go, but I reckon the front end is actually a lot stumpier than you think - you can pretty much see to the end of the bonnet. The car has a good turning circle so am finding it fine without the irritating beeping.
H
 
On the whole I'd agree with Hypermiler. The camera is good - easy to line it up, although in heavy rain the other day it did become a bit blurry. I had front and rear sensors (but no camera) on my previous car (Ford S-max). This was useful when parking in a tight space, but it was also annoying as they seemed to go off at every possible opportunity, particularly when reversing up my steep drive. Fwiw, I've heard (probably on this forum!) that the front sensors on the Outlander are poor.
 
I have them both just to be safe. Camera is very hard to use at night time. Sensor isn't accurate at all times.
 
nosense said:
I have them both just to be safe. Camera is very hard to use at night time. Sensor isn't accurate at all times.

My only gripe at night is that the screen is too bright..

As for heavy rain, we had a light sprinkle and then I drove on dirt roads, and it was also poor in that aspect.

I actually like the sensors better - don't get me wrong, the camera is good if you are lining a park up, but for general stuff I prefer an audible warning. Case in point, a few weeks ago I was in Sydney with a hire car that I've driven for a few 1000 kilometres that had a camera, and as I was reversing in to my spot on the side of the road, I almost hit a pole, which if there had of been an audible warning I would've known it was there.
 
Thanks for all the responses. Unfortunately, in the UK, the option is the G3 with rear only sensors or G4 with the camera and no sensors.

My current car that's due to go back has front and rear sensors and the camera. Like a couple of mentions, I use the camera primarily, but it is nice to have the backup of sensors.

I'm a bit baffled by Mitsubishi's application with the PHEV, I must say. I suspect I could get decent after market sensors fitted, but my car will be leased so unlikely I'll be allowed to do this (change from standard configuration).

David
 
nosense said:
I have them both just to be safe. Camera is very hard to use at night time. Sensor isn't accurate at all times.
Could you elaborate? In my experience the camera is fine at night even if the image Is a bit noisy, which is to be expected.
 
Unfortunately, in the UK, the option is the G3 with rear only sensors or G4 with the camera and no sensors.
Rear sensors are available as an option on the 4h, in addition to the camera. I'm not sure how good they are as unfortunately I didn't know they were available and didn't spec them. But I would warn you that the front ones aren't good.

This is the first car I've had with a reversing camera, my last car had front and rear beepers which worked very well indeed, especially when having to go back and forth to get into or out of a tight space.

I struggle to trust the reversing camera when backing up generally or reversing out of a space because the field of vision isn't wide enough to spot pedestrians or other cars approaching from the side. So I still feel the need to physically look behind me. But for making sure you're backed up enough into a space without hitting a wall / the car behind it's fine.

On balance I'd still choose a good set of front and rear beepers over a reversing camera.
 
jaapv said:
Well, sensors don't spot pedestrians etc. either ;)

And, as I discovered to my cost, they can't be relied upon to detect narrow posts - still got a wound on the back bumper of the Prius where I caught a low bollard dead centre between the two sensors.
 
Well, sensors don't spot pedestrians etc. either ;)

No but if you are looking at the camera on the dash there's far more chance of you missing them than if you are looking back and using the beeps as aids.
 
maddogsetc said:
Well, sensors don't spot pedestrians etc. either ;)

No but if you are looking at the camera on the dash there's far more chance of you missing them than if you are looking back and using the beeps as aids.

I've never had a reversing camera on a car before, but I'm working on the assumption that I will only use it at the end of the manoeuvre when I will be moving very slowly and just inches.
 
'Rear sensors are available as an option on the 4h, in addition to the camera.' - Maddogsect

I'm not sure where to find this as I have looked on the website and in the brochure with no mention of optional sensors. The dealer said they do a 'dealer fit' version and quoted a rather high price. Dealer fit options are usually excluded for lease cars, I believe.
 
I've never had a reversing camera on a car before, but I'm working on the assumption that I will only use it at the end of the manoeuvre when I will be moving very slowly and just inches.
That's when I find it useful. For general parking and manoeuvring I prefer a good set of sensors. They do different jobs really, so when I think about it, it's surprising that Mitsubishi consider one superior to the other (I presume that must be the case, since the lower spec gets sensors and the higher spec gets only the camera).
 
On other cars sporting reversing cameras (a lexus if I remember correctly) the guide lines curve as you turn the wheel to indicate where the car is going according to front wheel angle. It would have been nice if the OPHEV had that. But with my limited practice (received the car yesterday) I found myself relying on the mirrors for manoeuvring.
 
DavidWolfy said:
'Rear sensors are available as an option on the 4h, in addition to the camera.' - Maddogsect

I'm not sure where to find this as I have looked on the website and in the brochure with no mention of optional sensors. The dealer said they do a 'dealer fit' version and quoted a rather high price. Dealer fit options are usually excluded for lease cars, I believe.

You can dealer fit options on lease after purchase but you should get approval from your lease company first, although I never bothered for my towbar on my last 2 lease vehicles.
 
chindley said:
DavidWolfy said:
'Rear sensors are available as an option on the 4h, in addition to the camera.' - Maddogsect

I'm not sure where to find this as I have looked on the website and in the brochure with no mention of optional sensors. The dealer said they do a 'dealer fit' version and quoted a rather high price. Dealer fit options are usually excluded for lease cars, I believe.

You can dealer fit options on lease after purchase but you should get approval from your lease company first, although I never bothered for my towbar on my last 2 lease vehicles.


Thanks, Chindley. I may just leave it though as it seems very expensive (around £500 I think the rep said).
 
Hi All,

My only real bit of "negotiation" - I managed to get my dealer to substitute the full petrol tank with fitting the rear sensors so I can have them as well as the camera (G4hs).

I cited the "confusion" over differing spec sheets published, and my displeasure, as discussed in another thread here.

Richard.
 
Thanks Richard. I won't have that opportunity as it's a lease car through work, but good idea anyway.

I'm sort of drifting towards the G3 as it saves me £50 a month and none of the extra are really essential in the grand scheme. I would like the camera and DAB though!
 
jaapv said:
nosense said:
I have them both just to be safe. Camera is very hard to use at night time. Sensor isn't accurate at all times.
Could you elaborate? In my experience the camera is fine at night even if the image Is a bit noisy, which is to be expected.

I have some difficulties in looking at the monitor due to my eye sight, that is why having a sensor would be more helpful in my disability.
 
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